SAWA Tea Lounge & Gallery

CandiedZen is now my weekly eating buddy! She suggested we go here since she heard it was unique and very good.

Sawa Tea Lounge & Gallery is located right outside Granville Island close to the Afkghan Horsemen. Sawa sells a variety of specialty teas, and green healthy lunches.

The top floor of the restaurant is where you order and pay, but as you walk further into the restaurant, you can walk down into the gallery AKA seating area. There are a few art pieces you can buy off the wall. This area can fit about 20 people. The main table is really cool and has a tea pot in the middle.

CandiedZen started off with a pot of Kyoto Cherry Tea ($2.90). This flavour was Chinese Sencha with rose petal. The tea tasted very relaxing and had an after tast of rose. It was not overly sweet, it was almost subtle.

I just ordered the Salmon SAWA Donburi ($7.50). This is SAWA’s special rice bowl, topped with green mix salad and meat or tofu. Seasoned with SAWA’s original dressing and you get to choose from salmon, beef, chicken or tofu.

It may seem weird to have salad with rice and some type of protein topping. Surprisingly it was REALLY GOOD! I think it is the secret SAWA salad dressing that is really tasty.

How I ate this was just mixing all the ingredients together.

CandiedZen also ordered the Onigiri Set ($7). You can choose from two onigiri (rice balls) filled with plum, salmon or seaweed. Comes with miso soup and salad.

She ordered the plum and salmon. She commented saying the dish was very simple and delicious. She would come again because the food was great and the atmosphere is really nice and calming. The nice tea was a plus as well.

Here are close ups of the salad and onigiri. The salad has the special SAWA dressing (YUM). The onigiri were made in a mould and thats why it is shaped so perfectly.