Peijie Yu (Angela)

2 months ago

"Super calming and relaxing experience at Jin Yun Fu. We enjoyed high quality tea and learned about different aspects of tea culture. Would definitely come back to try other types of tea."

Mika Nessa Chandra

11 months ago

"Tldr: Pricey gongfu tasting experience but the excellent service and quality tea makes it a worthwhile splurge for tea enthusiasts. Looking forward to coming back to try Song Dynasty style whisked teas. I thoroughly enjoyed my tea tasting with Mei Ling (apologies if I misspelled). I typically prefer Phoenix Dan Congs, but I wanted to branch out a little. Mei Ling pointed out some alternatives and gave some brief tasting notes descriptions that were helpful. Based on those, I chose the Dong Ding Oolong. Previously, I'd been a bit reserved with Taiwanese oolongs, but I wanted to give them more of a chance. Mei Ling was very accommodating with my photos, videos, smelling everything, and questions. I love sniffing the leaves after the steam (hot water is poured into the empty teapot to warm it and then discarded, then the leaves are added and allowed to "steam" for a bit). A yixing clay teapot was used, which I always prefer over other teapot materials. Surprisingly, we saved the rinse to drink last, which I had never done before. As a fan of Phoenix oolongs, I thoroughly enjoyed the 4 steepings of Dong Ding, which had evolving profiles of floral (osmanthus/lily?) and fruit (hawthorne?) notes. More extensive tasting notes are below. We also observed the differences in the aromas of the leaves, the glass carafe, the "tea soup", and the porcelain cup. As much as I loved the tea, I attribute a good deal of my enjoyment to Mei Ling. We discussed our tea journeys and experiences with different teas, building a rapport I often miss in my tea experiences. Self-guided sessions can be relaxing, especially in contrast to some guided tastings that make me feel awkward or patronized, but also sometimes lonely. Chatting with Mei Ling was exactly the type of tea community I had been searching for. I look forward to returning some day to try the whisked tea, which seems to be something truly rare and unique to experience with teas other than matcha. Thanks to Mei Ling, I even have an idea of what kind of whisked tea I'd like to try, based on what she learned about me :). Tasting notes Aroma of dry leaves: subtle floral Aroma of leaves after steam: stronger and fruity 1st steep: milkier, osmanthus, a tiny bit of juiciness (red flat circle Asian candy... hawthorne candy?) 2nd steep: more hawthorne candy, juicier but with a bit of tart bite on the back of the tongue, floral aftertaste more forward 3rd steep: tartness subsides but fruitiness lingers, floral and creamier notes coming more forward again, cool down and fruity and tarty again 4th steep: floral and creamy with fruity aftertaste (fruit candy), a lot more blend of floral and fruiting Rinse (cooled): subtle osmanthus with the tiniest hint of fruit"

Kelsey Irvin

a year ago

"Absolutely magical place and experience I will never forget. The owner is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about tea and teaching others how to cultivate a transformative ceremonial experience. The whisked white tea was light, sweet and like nothing I’ve ever tried. Highly recommend!"

Ross Jacobs

a year ago

"Authentic Gung Fu Cha. I got a citrus Pu Erh, and highly recommend the place. It has the best atmosphere of any tea shop I've been to in the US, beating places in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Austin, Boston, etc."

Adwyn Yao

3 years ago

"This tea shop is really amazing! I tried tea tasting here, it’s a quite wonderful experience! The tea master will introduce a lot about the tea and tea history when tasting. And what’s the most important, the tea is amazing! Each bite will have a different feeling! I felt relaxed and chill in the process. The atmosphere is great too. They have some antiques and beautiful porcelain, really nice! I love the vibe here!"