Makeover infuses traditional teahouse with a new spirit

The tea bar also has an afternoon tea set with their signature tea and traditional Chinese pastries, such as peach-blossom crisps, flower cakes and egg-yolk puffs.

Five themed cocktails were also launched in March - Dream in Yonaguni; Peninsula of Yucatan; Red Sea; Lembongan Island; and Boracay Island. All are based on popular diving destinations.

Dream in Yonaguni is a special treat, not only because it's named after where the five partners first met, but also because it features six tea cups containing drinks with different flavors. The base tea is oolong, and each cup has different liquors, including vodka, gin, peach liqueur and amaretto.

The snacks paired with the cocktails include Tianfu Spanish Ham made using pork produced in a suburb of Beijing and processed just like Iberian ham. The sliced sauced beef is made by Tianfuhao, which is a popular traditional deli in the capital.

"The switch by a time-honored brand seems to be successful. Our first quarter's sales surpassed the sales of last year, and we will continue to develop more products to revive the traditional tea culture, " Wang says.

liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn