At Tea and Therapy, the eclectically designed tea room at Serendra, there’s a tea for every ailment.

Want to lose weight? The Fat-Losing Leaf lowers cholesterol levels and reduces blood pressure, in addition to eliminating fats and toxins (the store manager says it is their best-seller, at P195). Need to distress? Try Peace of Mind. A few cups promise deliverance from dizziness, vertigo, and migraine. Lemon Grass regulates digestion and protects skin from premature aging. Want to Live Life to the Fullest? A cup of this tea alleviates problems of high blood pressure, asthma, rheumatism, gastric ulcer, diabetes, and liver diseases.

Not sure what you need exactly? Type any ailment and a wide-screen display will recommend the tea for whatever aches and pains you may have.

Tea and Therapy, however, is more than just your ordinary tea house, and I found this out when I walked into the shop, expecting to have no more than a cup of tea (go with company, as all teas are served in for-sharing pots), and was greeted with a dessert spread that was too tempting to pass up.

Apparently, at this story, tea is not only meant to be sipped. It’s also a major ingredient in the menu. What’s more, the line-up promises healthful choices that pair well with the tea of your choice.

I asked for a ciabatta sandwich with tuna and cheese and my jaw dropped when I was presented with this big plate, complete with house salad (in another occasion, French fries, but cooked in healthy oil, swears the chef, and sprinkled with cheese) for less than P200. If you’re going with a female friend, share the plate and have a sandwich each and you’ll still go away full. I’ve never been a fan of tuna sandwiches, but after trying out Tea and Therapy’s version, I was a convert.

The chef offered us to try out the lemon grass and basil crème brulee (above). Let me just say this: green isn’t a good color for creamy dessert, unless we’re talking about gelatin. Despite the color, Tea and Therapy’s crème brulee had the right sweetness that doesn’t throw you off at first bite. I suggest eating it with rose-colored glasses or with a blindfold, if green dessert makes you puke. I promise, however, that the dessert will keep you coming back.

The price is reasonable, but I wish they offered only half a serving of the sandwich plate for people who want something on the run or those who want to eat less. But then, that would totally go against the idea of drinking tea—an hours-long session that is meant to be savored, not rushed.

Tea and Therapy offers a buffet with sandwiches, yakisoba (middle photo), and your choice of iced tea for P295 on weekends and a dessert-only buffet on weekdays (available from 2 to 6 p.m.).

Tea and Therapy
GF Serendra
Bonifacio High Street
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
(+632) 856 0111

Photo credit: Faith Salazar

More photos here.