The history of Chinese tea dates back centuries to an origin steeped in myth. As the story goes, in 2737 BCE a mythological Chinese god known as Shennong, translated as “Divine Farmer”, watched as the leaves from a Camellia tree fell into a pot of boiling water. Taking a sip from the concoction, he discovered its healing properties and that moment marked the legendary start to Chinese tea drinking culture. Since then, the idea of tea as medicine has evolved from its allegorical nature and entered mainstream consciousness as a practical means of restoring a body’s balance and curing various ailments. However, in modern times, people forget this. Quick-fix solutions are favoured for their efficiency when by pursuing this type of convenience, what we’re losing is a philosophy that’s based upon a deep-seated appreciation for nature. Opened near Tân Định’s Pink Church in April this year, Nhà Thảo stands tall as a reminder about the power of herbal medicine and the health, beauty, and vitality that can be gained from a properly prepared glass of tea.
In Vietnamese, nhà means “house” and thảo refers to “herbs and medicinal plants”. Thereby, Nhà Thảo can be construed as the house of herbal medicine. I visited the store on a humid afternoon in early June. Walking through the door, I entered a large room that stretched down the corridor, prudently decorated with earthy, wooden furniture that gave off the ambience of a traditional Chinese apothecary. What first caught my attention were a series of twenty-four paintings adoring one side of the wall, each displaying a separate herb that could be used for steeping in a tea. Underneath the life-sized drawings, I recognised names like Chrysanthemum, Goji Berries, and Ginseng among the listed ingredients as well as a range of benefits accompanying each.
Apart from the general manager Jessie, I was the only person in the room. This only added to the tranquility that settled upon my conscience—with Saigon’s heat and traffic outside, I began to feel as if the healing had already begun. Jessie had a friendly, calming demeanour about her, and as we began to talk we discovered a few similarities between us. For one, while I’d been born and lived in Singapore for eight years, she’d lived there for the same duration as well, only recently returning to Vietnam to help with Nhà Thảo. As we moved to the second floor where Jessie gave me a tour of the place, she added that she’d always been interested in herbal teas given that she could never drink coffee. Despite growing up in a culture where coffee is king, Jessie sees teas as a worthy substitute that is only going to increase in popularity as more people recognise its benefits. Not only do they provide a caffeine boost when required, they also aid with respiratory conditions, digestive issues, stress, not to mention their numerous beauty benefits.
Upstairs, the minimalist design symbolised a pillar of Nhà Thảo’s philosophy: quality of their product is what matters most. A lot of this comes from founder Ezekiel Tan’s Singaporean background. F&B culture there is rooted in hawker stalls, humble eateries where the quality of the meals trump all other elements that make up dining out. As a student of this school of thought, Ezekiel prioritises sourcing the best ingredients for their teas—straight from Saigon’s historic Chợ Lớn (Chinatown) market in District 5. With these products, Nhà Thảo can produce drinks that offer a range of benefits. Having said that, Jessie stressed the store’s offering doesn't end at only drinks. Nhà Thảo is planning on hosting workshops with the aim of providing a much more all-in-one tea house experience. As the store continues to incorporate elements such as these, customers will not only be able to savour the restorative benefits of tea, but also enjoy spending an afternoon with friends and loved ones while snapping a few photos to capture the memory.
Back downstairs, I took a seat at the counter as Jessie ran me through the menu. She was clear and concise in her explanation of each item, providing the necessary details regarding their benefits and in the process I got the sense as if a seasoned mixologist was reminiscing about how they concocted their signature beverage. One thing she stressed was that similar to how Nhà Thảo’s plan of hosting tea workshops will bridge the gap between the Singaporean and Vietnamese markets, in an effort to cater to the young and old, they also made it a point to serve both milk tea and tea.
Nhà Thảo serves four of each. Starting with the milk teas, they’re categorised as “Beauty Qi”. Qi, pronounced “chee”, is a central concept to Chinese medicine that’s often translated as “life force”. Nhà Thảo’s milk teas then promise Qi in the form of radiance, nourishment, and rejuvenation, all serving to support and sustain an individual’s health and beauty. One example is their Osmanthus Radiance, made from Osmanthus tea with cream cheese foam and seaweed. Besides providing antioxidant support, Osmanthus is also known to reduce bloating. On top of that, seaweed is rich in minerals that promote vitality, hydration, and a healthy-looking complexion. You’ve also got the Rose Glow, which is made up of rose milk, goji syrup, and raspberry foam for a delightfully sweet and creamy finish. A fruit-floral blend, this drink is ideal for its antioxidant qualities and supporting your body’s inner circulation, thereby healing your skin from the inside-out. The two other options are called Peach Vitality and Yin Yang Balance, each made up of their unique blend of herbal ingredients that serve as the foundation of youth and radiance. While milk teas have a stereotype for being overly sugary, often unhealthy drinks, Nhà Thảo uses unprocessed honey to get past this. Once again this proves their commitment to health and wellness with every ingredient and step of the way.
As for their teas, they’re categorised as “Elixir”. Evoking the magic of potions, Elixir’s teas guarantee hydration, skin clarity, and inner glow. There’s the Golden Silk—the drink Jessie told me was her favourite—which is composed of chrysanthemum, goji berries, and white tapioca pearls. The former two ingredients are known for their eye-brightening qualities, not to mention their antioxidant characteristics which boost your skin’s vitality. Besides that, there’s Ruby Veil and Amber Glow, two options which continue to carry Nhà Thảo’s torch in their mission for providing a daily, edible beauty ritual. Finally, take the Pearl Dew, the drink I ended up trying. Topped with an ingredient called snow fungus which is known for its natural, collagen-like properties, Pearl Dew had a clear, delightfully sweet taste thanks to the honey which came through pleasantly. The drink proved the perfect accompaniment for a hot afternoon in Saigon, offering a symphony between taste and wellness so every sip went down smooth and easy.
As my time at Nhà Thảo came to an end, I couldn’t help but feel invigorated. Besides the delicious drinks and Jessie’s friendliness, what struck me the most was how time seemed to slow down during my visit. There’s something unexplainably peaceful about spending an afternoon learning about and drinking tea. Despite being located near the busy, touristy area around the Pink Church, Nhà Thảo offered a respite from Saigon’s frenzy. It’s a place where one can feel at ease. This point seemed to reflect the healing quality of teas themselves. As slower, safer means of recovery and restoration, herbal teas are intrinsically designed to cultivate an intentional, measured approach to recovery.
On this note, Jessie had another interesting point to make. Despite Nhà Thảo’s current Grab delivery focused business operation, Jessie explained that she believed the best way to enjoy everything it had to offer would be by taking a few hours on a day-off to stop by. I couldn’t agree more. Visiting and getting to talk to Jessie gave me insight into a centuries old tradition I knew little about. Moreover, it physically put me in a zone where I had to slow down and attune myself to the herbal ingredients—let my curiosity get the better of me so I could ask questions about the hidden benefits of each. That’s the power of Nhà Thảo. It welcomes you to take a step back, breathe, and explore something you might never have understood. In that process, we all become like the Divine Farmer Shennong, watching a leaf from a Camellia tree fall into a pot of boiling water and with a sense of wonder and mystique, witness the birth of something new.
