Member-only story
How a Pot of Tea taught me about Missed Opportunities in Service Delivery
My encounter with this contemporary teahouse named Antea Social started a year ago, when a good friend of mine (“J”) gave me a self-blended tea gift from the shop. J attended a workshop by Antea Social and blended an osmanthus orange rooibos* tea for me (*pronounced as “roy-buhs”, a red bush herbal tea from South Africa). The tea had a good nose: a tinge of orange from the dried peels complemented by a hint of the osmanthus floral aroma, set on a woody, full-bodied rooibos. A year on, I decided to check out the teahouse to see if I could replenish my stock.
It was a fine Friday afternoon and I decided to bring my dad to Antea Social for a father-child bonding session. It was located at the quiet Tyrwhitt Road off central Singapore. One could easily spot the shop from a row of industrial-like pubs and shops, as the entrance was splashed with a large light coral-coloured wall with a big circular cut-out for those curious to see what’s within. Upon entering, we were greeted by a mix of minimalist-styled interior, which was coherent with the oasis of serenity within.
The teahouse was empty and we were the only customers. We chose a table that gave us a good view of the entire teahouse.
