Crafterateur

When in Portland, try all the chai!

First up: Seastar Bakery‘s Golden Chai with hazelnut milk, an herbal tisane made with turmeric, ginger, chamomile, citrus, and honey. This was unlike any beverage I’ve ever had. The citrus surprisingly worked really well in the tisane and the turmeric was not overpowering. It was by far my favorite beverage on this trip, and quite possibly from any bakery/cafe I’ve visited.

Next up, Prasad‘s dirty chai with coconut mylk, a housemade masala chai blend with a shot of cold-press coffee, sweetened with honey. It was a little sour and a little sweet, but mostly had warm notes from the spices.

To wrap up the day, we stopped at Tea Chai Te for…even more tea! Hers and his: Velvet milk oolong with hemp milk and almond milk tea with soy milk and mango popping boba. A lovely afternoon tea break.

The next day, we started our morning with Pip’s Original Doughnuts. They serve their chai by the glass and by the flight. Whaaaat? I’m not a fan of beer flights, and a coffee flight (if those exist) would keep me up until next week, but a chai flight I can get behind.

From left to right:

• Emmylou: Tisane made with lavender, chrysanthemum, chamomile, raw honey. This was my favorite! Lightly floral with a touch of sweet.
• King and I: Thai black tea with cardamom, clove, and anise. This got me craving some spicy Thai food.
• Ginger Rodgers: Assam black tea with ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, molasses, and Thai chile. Cheers to this spicy ginger drink!
• Smokey Robinson: Assam black and Lapsang Souchong tea blend with vanilla, cinnamon, and clove. This tea was too smokey and tasted like a bandage. No.
• Heart of Gold: Assam black and Genmaicha green tea blend with toasted coconut, golden turmeric, clove, and cardamom. Not my favorite of the five, but definitely not the worst. (Curse you, bandage tea!)

As you can see, we liked some more than others.

That evening, as if trying five kinds of chai was not enough, we enjoyed Bollywood Theater‘s masala chai. It’s served with cow milk, which grosses me out, but I really wanted to try their chai. My tastebuds tell me this is what a classic masala chai tastes like. The masala chai is made in bulk (hence no swapping out for milk alternatives), and, get this, it comes with one free refill! Who does this? I love it! This chai was so refreshing and creamy. Bollywood Theater knows what’s up.

The next day before taking off for home, we made one last stop and I enjoyed Kainos Coffee‘s chai latte – refreshing and perfect for the road. Also, I love the cafe decor and their commitment to giving back. Check them out!

I didn’t know this trip would turn into a chai taste off! I was one very happy, caffeinated camper. How do you do tea? Share your secrets below.