Everywhere you look on Chico State’s campus, you can find students walking to class with a fancy drink in hand. Whether it’s Starbucks, Lovebird or Dutch Bros Coffee, students love their caffeinated, sugary beverages.
However, of all the logos on the plastic cups I pass by, I have yet to see one from Tea Bar & Fusion Cafe.
My friend took me to one of the restaurant’s chains for the first time on an early Sunday afternoon. We went to the restaurant on 250 Vallombrosa Avenue. The other one in Chico is located on 555 Flying V Street, and Tea Bar is also running in Midtown Sacramento, Redding and Rocklin.
Although not being much of a tea enthusiast myself, I was willing to give Tea Bar a try. Walking in, I immediately noticed the earthy, zen or some would say “chill,” ambiance of the restaurant. Decked with rusty oranges, yellows and dark greens with little succulent plants on the tables, I received the impression that this place was the typical relaxed establishment someone studies at because it’s “aesthetic,” like Stoble in downtown Chico. But could the food measure up?
Since 2004, Tea Bar’s selling point has been the variety of teas it serves in unique concoctions. Customers can choose from four different menus that offer steamed, sparkled, iced and frosted tea beverages.
The tea menu ranges from a hot “classic chai,” to a sparkled “acai pomegranate,” to an iced “peach palmer” to a frosted “chocolate chai frost.” Sparkled and iced beverages are priced at $4.45, steamed are $5.85 and frosted are $6.15.
To compare prices, Starbuck’s iced tea beverages range from $4.84 to $7.35, and hot tea prices range from $4.63 to $7.35, depending on the size. Dutch Bros’ iced teas start at $4.55.
According to Nikki, one of the waitresses, the most popular drink ordered is the strawberry almond frost, which is a mix of oolong tea, strawberry and toasted almond. Since I have a nut allergy, I ordered a chocolate chai frost concocted with black tea, spiced chai, chocolate and cinnamon dusted on top.
My drink came in a glass about the size of a water bottle with a frosty thickness similar to In-N-Out Burger’s milkshakes. I immediately tasted the chai that was effortlessly balanced with the chocolate flavor. One did not overpower the other, and the streaks of chocolate were the perfect touch.
Regarding nutritional information, the in-person and online menus do not include calorie counts. Dairy items are flagged and dietary and allergic information is available if one asks, but since the chain only has five locations, it’s not legally required for Tea Bar to post their menu’s caloric content.
“In the United States, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 included a provision that required chain restaurants with 20 or more locations to post calorie information on their menus,” according to The Cooking Facts. However, just because it is not a requirement does not mean it is a wise move to not include caloric content on their menus.
It’s a given that most people do not order a chocolate chai frost or an “oolong and caramel cream” tea latte for a healthy snack. However, given the large portion sizes and wide range of sugar content available, Tea Bar customers should still be able to make controlled, self-aware decisions.
Of the several meal options the restaurant offers, the two main ones are wraps and bowls. Customers can choose their own meat or vegetables, grain or salad and dressing. The protein and vegetable options for both wraps and bowls range from “sweet chili chicken” to “mango seared pork” to “fireroasted veggies” to what I ordered, “hoisin BBQ salmon.” I’m not a fan of dressing, but customers can choose from “creamy teriyaki,” “wasabi ginger,” “honey mustard,” “chipotle ranch” and “low fat/low calorie miso.”
Since salmon was a specialty item and I was unaware of that until after I already ordered, it cost an extra $2 to an already $14.85 bowl. For $16.85, the flavor did not disappoint. The salmon was covered in thick hoisin barbecue sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was accompanied with a pile of mashed avocado, a hearty portion of white rice, julienne carrot shavings, purple cabbage and edamame beans. However, I feel the portion size for the salmon was somewhat stingy for a $17 bowl. I got most of my fill from the rice.
A week later, after a busy day of hiking Upper Bidwell with some friends and volunteering, I decided to give Tea Bar another try. I brought my computer along to do some work, since last time I observed some patrons using the restaurant as a relaxing study space while they ate.
This time I ordered a salmon wrap, which came to $14.75. I’m trying to meet my protein goals, after all. I chose a whole wheat wrap with white rice, avocado and carrots, minus dressing.
A short ten minutes later, my wrap was placed in front of me, and this time its portion did not disappoint. Sizing up at around five inches long and two inches thick, I had to save the other half to eat later.
The wrap was like my first meal stuffed into a burrito. The salmon and avocado meshed perfectly, and the lettuce and carrots brought a satisfying, crisp crunch. I enjoyed it far more than the bowl I ate the week before. The only complaint I could make about the wrap was that the whole wheat lacked flavor. Or, perhaps the wrap’s contents overpowered it. Either way, it was a satisfying meal.
Overall, Tea Bar and Fusion Cafe earns a seven out of ten in my book. The price for the bowl I ordered did not quite meet the quality of the food I was given, but the tea prices are reasonable for the flavor quality and sizes offered, especially for the delectable chocolate chai frost I ordered and my wrap that was bursting with the flavor and freshness the restaurant prides itself on.
Elena Mendonsa can be reached at [email protected]
