Spécialithés / Specialteas Edit

Thank you @SynchroniciTea for your review. I checked this place out and fully agree. I had so much fun talking with Mr. Low and trying all the teas.

Below is the review I posted on yelp (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/commerce-ming-wah-hong-montreal-2#hrid:0_0dRJFMlUIWbpTmiv4Byg):

This is a truly an authentic Chinese Tea House that focuses on the medicinal properties of teas. Yet, Mr. Low does keep popular teas such as Earl Grey and Chai on hand for us westerners. The bonus is he will tell you their medical properties based on their ingredients.
I was browsing for good places to purchase loose tea on the internet and came upon a review of SpécialThés on http://steepster.com. The posted picture made it look so authentic that I had to try it out. I was not disappointed. Mr. Low, the manager, was a pleasure to talk to and is so knowledgeable in teas. He has a wide variety of teas for every taste.
I asked for a Pur’eh (red tea), he gave me three different types to smell and my noise deciphered the best on. I think I impressed him, as he kept on telling me “you choose the best.”

He asked me how I learned about this place, and I said I saw a review on the internet. Apparently, a tea fanatic had tried all the tea places in Montreal and deemed his the best. He never heard from her again, except people have been trickling into his store due to a review she posted on the internet. You can read the review that influenced me here: http://steepster.com/pla… .

If you love loose leaf tea and wish to expand your horizons, I strongly recommend Mr. Low’s shop on the corner of Clark and René-Lévesque.

P.S.:
- Make sure to take your notebook with you when you go to this shop because you have to write down or memorize the steeping instructions.
- Keep in mind the price on the bottles is tax included, so the quality of tea is superior to David’s Tea for the same dollar price.

A true hidden gem in Montreal’s Chinatown, this delightful little Asian tea shop is a delight for the senses.

Rows upon rows of glass jars and bottles adorn the walls and shelves, showing a wide variety of specialty imported looseleaf teas. The owner (Mr. Howard Low) is very friendly and helpful and offers a wealth of knowledge about the health aspects of tea, as well as Chinese herbology. He has been in the tea business for over 40 years and offers a huge selection of teas unmatched in the entire city (upwards of 300)!

Definitely a tea shop worth exploring! I’ve brought several friends who have truly enjoyed the experience and plan on returning on their own…

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UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 2013

I returned to visit Specialithés, as I was in Chinatown for an impromptu dinner with friends. While waiting for our dinner reservation; we made a quick excursion to this delightful shop so that I could stock up on my favourite teas, as well as pick up something to go along with our dinner.

I have a particular penchant for the amazing “Premium Jasmine Dragon Pearl Tea” as well as the “Cherry Rose Green Tea” – their scent is absolutely heavenly! I highly recommend giving them each a try.

We brought some “Cherry Rose Blooming Tea Balls” with us to our dinner at a nearby restaurant and asked for just a pot of hot water so that we could enjoy it during and after dinner. My dinner companions were delighted and are now converts who will soon be making a trip of their own to Specialithés!

BONUS: I know some Steepster members are very visual (like myself) and like getting a peek at the inside of various establishments. With that in mind, I asked Mr. Low (the owner) if I could take several photos to share with you. You’ll find them posted above; I hope they prove helpful to you in your decision to drop by and check out this marvellous little shop!