Dining Out: Teavolve for 2

by Lynn Williams
maindish@baltimoreguide.com
Tea is the new coffee. Not only are tea places multiplying lately, but they seem to have shed their old white-gloves-and-blue-hair associations to achieve the cool, intellectual boho edge that coffeehouses have had for, well., centuries. And for those who prefer chai lattes to the coffee version, there’s no teahouse cooler than Teavolve.
It’s about to get cooler, too. Teavolve opened its second location, in Harbor East. Not only does it have a more urban, edgier look than its Fells Point sibling, but it’s also in the process of getting a liquor license. When that happens, look for tea-infused cocktails, a new menu – with seafood, perhaps, or crepes; the scenario changes with owner Sunni Gilliam’s whim – and a later closing hour than the current 8 p.m. (It’s hard to claim true boho-hangout cred unless you cater to night-owls.)

For now, the menu is much the same as it has been at over at the cozier digs on Eastern Avenue: sandwiches, salads, quiche and pastries. (Oh yes, and you can get a Belgian waffle anytime – they’re not just for breakfast anymore.) The ingredients are organic, and the choices a notch fancier than they were on my last visit. The salads, for instance, include one with seared ahi tuna and edamame, and among the sandwiches are an “adult grilled cheese” with aged feta, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese and extra virgin olive oil.
The chicken salad croissant may seem like a conservative choice, but the recipe was first rate, with bits of toasted almonds and dried cranberries in the mix, and a small salad of simply dressed greens on the side. The quiches looked irresistible: miniature pies, with a flaky, tender, scalloped crust; the fillings (ours had portabella mushrooms) fulfilled the promise of the pastry.

Desserts include sweet potato pie – more of that lovely crust, with a spicy, pumpkin-pie like filling and a fetching leaf-shaped pastry garnish – and cookies. Our cookie, big and weighty and chock-full of fiber and currants, might be an acquired taste, but if you ever owned a copy of the Whole Earth Catalogue, you’ll probably love it.

However, the place’s real raison d’etre is tea, and while others may be looking forward to tea martinis, I’m perfectly happy with a tall iced glass of jasmine green tea that tastes like liquid flowers. Or an antioxidant-packed smoothie or bubble tea that combines tea with acai fruit, pomegranate and blueberries. Or any other of the “specialteas,” really. I’ve never had a sip of anything here that wasn’t delicious.

If Teavolve’s menu hasn’t yet moved too far beyond its Fells Point beginnings, its appearance has. Teavolve 2 is lots bigger, with a loft look and oversized abstract paintings. However hip the vibe, though, it’s still one of the genuinely friendliest places in town. And one of the happening-est:  art, poetry and musical events are a regular feature here, and recent activities have included a shoe-themed tea party with tea cocktails and a footware trunk show.

The Latest Dish…
It seems that all the talk I’ve heard lately about the new Hilton Baltimore concerns the building’s big-box architecture and the dastardly way it obscures the city skyline from Oriole Park. So let’s hear about the restaurants! There are two: Diamond Tavern, which features New American cuisine and scads of HD TV’s (this spells “sports bar” to me), and the Lobby Bar, a chic urban space to meet for martinis. Directing the kitchens in both restaurants is Christian Gallice, who trained in France, and spent 18 years with Hilton, most recently in McLean, Virginia. You can check out his culinary prowess at 401 W. Pratt Street.

Info: Teavolve 2
Location: 1401 Aliceanna Street
Hours: Open 7 a.m. to p.m. daily
Phone: 410-522-1907
Our lunch for two: $32.28