@Remedy Teas
Originally uploaded by .Ariel.

Remedy Teas tells you a lot about Seattle’s 15th Ave. It’s highly stylized and self-important. Depending on how you come down on such things, you either love the pose or hate it. Is it authentic? Does that help you to decide? Or have you given up? Realizing that, yes, even authenticity is a style.

Or do you simply want a gorgeous serving tower of sandwiches, little crispy cookies and a perfect chocolate to accompany your choice of tea from a billion or so exotic choices?

One of us — the poseur — wrestled with his style demons while the other — the hungry — wrestled with her dilemma of which perfect sandwich to pair with which perfect tea. We shared the $16 happy-meal-like offering of a tea selection, a scone and jam, two half-sandwiches, a cookie assortment and a chocolate. The tea was gorgeous — cannister #5 if you’re scoring at home.

Every crumb was a delight. The chocolate was heartbreakingly good. Why weren’t we savvy enough to add a second to the order? We were the only wrinkle in the perfect execution.

In addition to the inspiring assortment of teas, Remedy assembles its goodness with help from small, mostly local providers. We were especially excited to recognize an old friend in the counter case — Budapest coffeecake from Macrina Bakery. At Remedy, it’s labeled Budapest tea-cake, of course. Remedy also features tea-based cocktails making it yet another cool nightlife alternative in a neighborhood that is starting to stay up past 10 in fashion.

Fashion is at the base of the Remedy experience but it’s an intelligent — perhaps, lasting? — kind of fashion. This isn’t an attempt at effortlessness — just ordering can be a daunting experience. This is fashion with a plan and it reminds us of some of the best parts of 15th and its unique businesses. The people at Remedy are tea experts that will help you be a connoisseur. And the people look great. And the place looks great. And those two things — the style and the expertise — stick together there and work.

Many customer reviews refer to the tea shop’s excellence as “organic.” Remedy is organic like an egg or a seashell not a muddy stick in some hippie’s hair. This version of organic has a plan. This organic is self aware but not in some shy hidden way (though Remedy is tucked away behind a Subway sandwich shop of all things). Remedy doesn’t appear to wrestle with the battle of substance vs. style like the poseur does. It is stylish. And it has substance. That, apparently, was the plan all along.

You can read these gushing customer reviews and check out these pretty pictures to get a sense of Remedy’s visual style. Metroblogging Seattle described Remedy as scientific yet inviting while the The Stranger nailed it with simile: like a low-ceilinged, cozy laboratory, with glossy white tiles and cucumber-colored walls, white patent-leather ottomans, wireless internet.

Remedy Teas is at 345 15th Ave E at the corner of 15th and Harrison.

–j/k