Arteastiq, #04-14/15 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Rd., 6235-8705
A furniture store isn’t exactly the place most people think of when looking for a place to take five after giving their credit cards a workout on Orchard Road. But this is precisely the appeal of Arteastiq, a cute, teeny-tiny tea lounge hidden inside luxury furniture boutique Marxx. Just walk straight to the end of the shop and you’ll see a row of candy-colored chairs. Behold Arteastiq.
The vibe: It isn’t just quiet and peaceful; it’s like stepping into a cocoon with piped-in French chansons. Trust us when we say we wished we didn’t have to tell you about it.
What to order: Well, you’re in a tea lounge, so it follows you should begin with some tea, no? Arteastiq has a wide range of them, ranging from familiar ones such as Oolong and Japanese rice green tea to fruit-based and floral concoctions such as pear, mint lemongrass and Hawaii hibiscus. If you ask us, though, our favorite’s the Earl Grey Lavender ($11). Too bad the shop doesn’t sell just tea leaves at the moment because we’d have bought a few boxes to go.
If you’re looking for something different, signature alcoholic teas ($14 each) are served after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. There are nine in all, ranging from a boozy whisky ginger spice tea to a rather sweet choya lychee tea. If tea isn’t really your kind of poison, there’s always the whisky hot chocolate ($11). Don’t be fooled by the frilly cup that it’s served in: This is one knockout of a drink—this isn’t something you want to order if you’re returning to the office for a meeting with the boss.
Anything else?: Apart from teas, Arteastiq also has a selection of savory bites (which it calls “teasers”) and cakes to choose from. Portions are dainty so you don’t have to worry about looking like a whale when you’re done. Here’s a tip: Go for the Trinity platter ($8.90), because you’re essentially getting three items (from a selected list) for the price of one. We liked Lust/Caution (chilled drunken sakura chicken broth with wolfberries, $7.90); Knight without Armor (a mini open-faced crab salad sandwich, $8.90); and Upstream (Atlantic smoked salmon, $7.90). Also good is the apple cake ($8), which isn’t part of the platter.