Provence

25, Lane 243, Jin Hua (Chin Hua) St., Ta An District
Tel: (02) 2351-9282
Hours: early afternoon to 12 midnight

Provence is an herbal teahouse, decorated in rural French style. One of the owners is originally from France, and thus, this teahouse is run in the French style, emphasizing tranquility, a simple, cozy atmosphere and healthy, natural ingredients. Provence offers almost 100 kinds of herbal teas, all imported from the French town of Provence. These include lavender, rosemary and rose hips. The teas are displayed in clear glass jars along one wall, and make up part of the decor. The manager¡¦s recommendation is a pot of lavender tea (NT$90), served with an order of homemade herbal cookies (NT$40). My recommendation is the baked pudding (NT$40). Its smooth texture and taste should not be missed. If you study the menu, you will come across some interesting specially formulated selections, such as ¡§Intelligence Tea,¡¨ ¡§Sleepy Time Tea,¡¨ ¡§Slimming Tea¡¨ and ¡§Cold/Flu Tea¡¨ (NT$150). Customers can purchase herbal tea to take home. Essential oils, perfumes and soaps, also imported from France, are available. If in Taichung, make sure to visit Provence on Jung Shing (Chung Hsing) Street.-by Rachel Chiou