We've always been major coffee drinkers but per doctor's orders, J's been directed to cut back on the caffeine. His drink of choice lately has been tea and while we know some teas have less caffeine than others, we just don't know enough about it. Enter Short and Stout Tea Company. This new, quaint and bright shop is located right behind Cafe Calabria and has walls of blended teas to choose from. Overwhelmed? No problem, the owners are happy to help and offer suggestions.
Being the supportive fiance that I am, I jumped on the low to no caffeine bandwagon with J. Come to find out, white teas have the least amount of caffeine while rooibos and fruit tisanes have no caffeine at all. We were in a fruity mood and were sold at first sniff of Black and Blue--a blend of berries (blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, elderberry), candied papaya, and hibiscus. Sweet smells of berries reminded us of the upcoming warmer weather and we couldn't say no to an iced version to kick start the spring season. It's refreshingly tart; no sweetener needed! Short and Stout takes brewing time very seriously. While you're waiting for your tea to brew, feel free to relax by the couches or browse the walls of samples. There are various blends to explore and smelling the delectable mixes is half the fun of exploring this space.
In addition to various blends of teas and preparations including bubble tea, the real treats reside in the display case. We also happen to have a massive sweet tooth and couldn't say no to homemade tea-infused confections, including the wonders of the brookie--an oolong-infused half cookie, half brownie hybrid. If you choose to stay in the shop, they'll warm it up for you and you'll fall in love with the combo of melted chocolate chips and chewy brownie. We couldn't really pick up on any oolong tea flavor but the chocolate flavor is where it's at. J was already asking for another brookie to go as we battled for the last bite. You won't be disappointed by the tea-infused cookies either. We got a matcha green tea cookie and normally I don't like shortbread cookies, but this one was buttery and the crumble didn't fall apart at first bite. It was also packed with matcha flavor and the frosting was the icing on the cake cookie. You'll find other flavors like earl grey and masala chai-infused scones and cookies. I'm particularly looking forward to returning for the earl grey cookie.
What's unique about Short and Stout are the Thai-inspired savory pastries. You'll find baked versions of curry puffs and vegetarian spring rolls. The puff pastries are baked to golden perfection. Flaky and buttery, they are filled with unique flavors like yellow chicken curry and chicken curry with peanut sauce. The spices are prominent but the heat is mild and there's a touch of sweetness too. Additions of vegetables round out the filling. It's your favorite Thai curry in one little bite.
You'll also find other Asian-inspired bites like crab rangoon. Short and Stout's version is not your typical deep-fried, greasy cream cheese takeout. These too are baked and lightly filled with surimi crab. I couldn't detect any cream cheese. If there was any, it was very light and a different take on this Chinese appetizer. Our favorite part was the sweet chili dipping sauce. It's not just Asian flavors, you'll also find Greek-inspired flavors of spinach and feta in phyllo among others. It's an international case of sweet and savory flavors. Short and Stout is more than a place for a spot of tea. Come by an get a little bit of everything, that's what we did!
