Photo courtesy of Creative Commons
Gabby Arzola // Contributing Writer
In a small shopping center across from MMC, there is a quaint little restaurant that I would have never expected to find.
With no large signs, specialTEA is a hole in the wall that is not the easiest to locate.
As I walk in, I feel like I’ve been transported to an urban-style restaurant that I would see in Wynwood—but definitely not around West Miami-Dade.
With their green walls, green sofas, brown leather seating booths and reclaimed wood tables, I couldn’t believe this place existed right across from the campus.
This restaurant prides themselves on being environmentally conscious by using organic products and eco-friendly materials, which is always a plus.
With their extensive tea blends perched up against the wall, it was nearly impossible to pick just one to try.
Aside from tea, specialTea also serves Organic Fair Trade coffee, frappes, smoothies, a variety of homemade pastries, gourmet-style salads, paninis and wraps.
Did I mention they also have vegan and vegetarian options?
After about 10 minutes of deciding what I’d like, I ordered an “Arnaldo Palmer.” Their Miami version of the classic consists of half of their “daily steep” and half of their mint lemonade. Since the steep for that day was called Sangria Spice, I was extremely excited to see how this would taste.
I wanted to cover all of my bases, so I also got a tapenade toast, a chocolate chip cookie with Oreo crumbles, a small key lime pie, a lychee boba milk tea and a giant homemade peanut butter cup.
I was with a friend, so I felt secure enough to order all of this food without feeling judged by eavesdropping onlookers.
With the time it took for the food and drinks to come out, this is definitely a place to not be in a rush, which is nice, considering how most of us are always running around trying to get things done. With fun board games and free Wi-Fi provided by the restaurant, the waiting time flies by.
When the drinks came and I had a sip of my Arnaldo Palmer, I fell in love.
The sweet mint lemonade perfectly complimented the fruity Sangria Spice tea. It was full of flavor, perfectly sweetened and refreshing.
The lychee boba milk tea was tasty as well. Even though I found the boba pearls a bit smaller than I’m used to, it was still on par in regards to flavor.
As the tapenade toast arrived to the table, the aroma of a fresh pressed baguette filled the air. The bread was full of gooey mozzarella cheese with a hearty smear of salty and savory tapenade spread, it was definitely a treat.
Needless to say, I felt pretty fancy eating this meal, especially considering I was across the street from the fairgrounds.
The chocolate chip cookie with Oreo crumbles was so yummy. It had the perfect ratio of chocolate chips to cookie and the Oreos were a nice touch. The key lime pie was rich and creamy and tasted really authentic. The giant homemade peanut butter cup was so rich, I couldn’t finish it all. The peanut butter was soft and creamy, and the chocolate exterior was smooth and it melted in my mouth. I have zero complaints about any of the pastries here.
The specialTEA experience is unlike anything I’ve ever had around school. Every item was so unique, it only made my time there more enjoyable.
Even though their food is a little on the pricier side, it is definitely worth the occasional splurge. With a relaxing environment, sweet treats, savory meals and delicious tea, specialTEA is definitely a go-to spot for study groups and just about anyone who likes great food.
Beacon Bits is a weekly food review column that comes out every Wednesday.