Lesson 9 of 9 · Knowing the base teas

Questions guests often ask about the base teas

Answer briefly and correctly, then invite them to try

Six questions guests often ask at the counter about the base teas. Answer briefly and correctly, then invite the guest to try. If you are not sure, ask the manager. Do not guess on the guest's behalf.

Does Hồng Trà Sài Gòn have chocolate in it?

No. Hồng Trà Sài Gòn (Saigon Black Tea) sits on a black tea base, no cocoa is blended into the leaves, and the Hồng Trà Sữa Sài Gòn (Saigon Black Milk Tea) version adds no chocolate or cocoa either. The cocoa note the guest smells comes from the way the leaves are roasted, like the smell of a bread crust fresh from the oven. Answer that briefly, then invite the guest to smell it.

I drank Sen Hạ but could not smell any lotus?

The lotus aroma of Trà Oolong Sen Hạ (Summer Lotus Oolong Tea) is very light and arrives after you swallow. It does not rise at the rim of the cup. Invite the guest to smell before drinking, then hold the first sip in the mouth for a moment before swallowing. Say that one line and the guest catches the aroma. Leave it out and many people miss it.

Why does the no-milk version of Mây Sữa still smell milky?

That is the natural aroma of this oolong variety. Trà Oolong Mây Sữa (Milky Cloud Oolong Tea) has it even in the Trà Original version, the plain tea with no milk. Introduce it with words like soft, smooth, mellow. Do not use the word creamy, because the drink already carries a milky aroma. Add creamy on top and the guest imagines something heavier than it is.

Which tea is the least sweet, the lightest?

Suggest the plain tea column, the drinks with no milk, or Trà Dưỡng (the herbal tea line). Guests can turn the sugar level down to 0%. Less sweet does not always mean no milk, so ask one more question to be clear before you suggest.

Which drinks have no floral scent?

Hồng Trà Sài Gòn and Mộc Trà Shan Tuyết (Shan Tuyet Green Tea). Shan Tuyết keeps the pure aroma of leaves from ancient tea trees, astringent at first, then sweet in the finish. If the guest is wary of astringency, offer Lục Trà Hạt Ngọc Đồng Xanh (Roasted Rice Green Tea), the least astringent drink on the menu.

Can Trà Dưỡng cure an illness?

It is a herbal tea, not medicine. We drink it simply to feel more at ease. This question belongs to the Knowing Trà Dưỡng module, together with the reminder for guests who are pregnant, breastfeeding or under medical treatment.

Take this with you. Answer briefly, then invite them to try. If you are not sure, ask the manager. Do not guess on the guest's behalf.