When I drove up to Hina's Tea in Folsom Square - across the parking lot from Mervyn's - I assumed I would be writing a review about a nice place where one could relax and enjoy "a pot of tea". What I discovered exceeded my expectations and delighted my "inner tea lover".

First, let me say what Hina's is not. It is not a frilly, ladies-only Victorian-style tea house that serves cucumber sandwiches at 6 p.m. All you men out there can breathe a sigh of relief.

What Hina's is, is a place where all tea lovers can select from estate-grown teas. The setting is contemporary and the teas are magnificent. The loose-leaf teas are all hand-picked, hand-rolled and hand-dried. And, you can still buy a cup - or a pot of tea, sit down and relax.

"It amazed me what people where paying for bagged tea dust in the stores" said the owner of the shop. Hina (her entire name). "Why would you pay such a high price for a low quality tea when you can buy loose tea, which is the best grade, for a fraction of the cost?".
Because tea degrades when exposed to light and air, the teas at Hina's are hermetically sealed in special, food grade packaging. Zip-loc packaging keeps the tea fresh once the package is opened at home. However, customers can “preview” the tea blends by simply uncorking small, attractive pharmaceutical jars that contain samples of each blend.

Hina’s sells over 230 premium loose leaf teas: green, black, oolong, fruit, Rooibos (a red bush tea), herbal, and the most potent – rare, white tea. “These teas are grown on small, tea growing estates that are hundreds of years old”, Hina explained. “The quality is extremely high. Like the rainforests, these small estates will disappear if they don’t get some support.”

I enjoyed a cup of specially blended Earl Grey Cream tea. I prefer my tea black, so I wasn’t sure about the “cream” part. However, the word is just about the only one to describe the smooth taste of this special tea. It lacks the “sharp” flavor of the original Earl Grey. It reminded me of a really good cookie, fresh from the oven, but without the calories. If you are a lover of Earl Grey tea, try Hina’s Earl Grey Lavender tea for something different. It has lavender flowers in the place of the bergamot flowers in the original tea.

I also had a cup of white tea, which is being touted in many circles for its health benefits. White tea is the least processed of any tea, is low in caffeine and is high in antioxidants. My tea had a fresh, leafy taste.

“I have one customer who came to me after having a heart attack. In addition to changes in his diet and exercise, he added white tea to his diet for the antioxidant benefits,” Hina said. “Three month later, his doctor told him, ‘Whatever you are doing, keep doing it.’”

On my way out the door, I took a “to-go cup” of Hina’s “Very Berry Iced Tea” with me. It was refreshing, thirst-quenching and energizing. On a triple-digit day, this tea, rich in raspberries, kept me going for the rest of my busy afternoon.

Don’t be shocked when you step into Hina’s and people talk to you. Hina believes in meeting her customers, getting to know them and helping them to select the best teas for health and e n j o y m e n t. You’ll end up a fan of the store – and a tea connoisseur to boot. “We live in a no-name society”, she said. “In Europe, you still have that personal touch”, said Hina, who spent several years in London. “My store still provided that. People just want to talk to someone.”

Hina’s is located at 1004 East Bidwell Street, Suite 200 in the Folsom Square Mall. It is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday: closed Sunday.