I had a day trip last weekend into New York while I was out that way visiting relatives. The goals for the trip were to visit the shaving supply vendors in upper Manhattan (which was successful) and to explore the Chinatown area just because I never had while keeping an eye out for Puerh.
I found some!
The first place was Ten Ren, which had about three or four different makes cakes. The cheapest was about $18, the next (a Menghai) was $45 and then the prices got into ridiculous three digit figures. Since it was in fromt of me with no idea that I would find more elsewhere, I picked up a couple of Zhangzhou Tenfu cakes. While there I asked the lady if she knew of any other places that had puerh and she said "No." I'm sure now that she did know but wasn't telling.
I pressed on, exploring various places. At one point I went into a Chinese herbalist thinking that they might have puerh for medicinal use (weight loss). He didn't, but directed me to a Chinese grocery, while mentioning that Ten Ren is expensive. That Chinaman was difficult to understand and I wasn't able to find the place.
Later on I discovered a pottery shop that had tea wares, and for dirt cheap! Yixing pots, tasting cup sets, gaiwans, all sorts of stuff. I picked up some items and inquired about puerh from the couple running that shop. They directed me to the same Chinese grocery while also mentioning that Ten Ren is expensive.
When I found the place I realized that I had already been there, but didn't know about the downstairs area that the couple directed me to. Down there, I found lots of good tea ware and lo, on the bottom shelves of the tea wall, puerh cakes! Not just a few, they had stacks of them!
I basically grabbed one of everything to try out (a cake is a sample) figuring that I'll be back around Christmas time. Here's the score:
One each:
Menghai 7842, 7892, 7872, all in presentation boxes. $12.95 each with the 7872 being $15.95.
Golden Sail S306 and S307 for $2.95 each. And S301 Beeng Cha for $12.95
Tian Yu Cha Chang Chupin cakes, Grade A and Grade B. $9.95 and $7.95 respectively.
A Ya Chi Tian Cia (DaDuGong) in presentation box for $19.95.
I would have bought more but that was all I could carry on the subway system and train along with my shaving purchases. A highly successful day!
I hope that other locals will explore the Chinatown area and ask where they can find puerh. I suspect that there is at least one other place there, somewhere.
OH! That Chinese grocery? It is New Kam Man, at 200 Canal Street. A friendly bunch working there. I hope that others will go there and ask like I did for them to carry more factories, such as Xiaguan and Menku. If the demand is there we might get lucky!
Ouch, I expect you to leave some for me when I get back.
I found some!
The first place was Ten Ren, which had about three or four different makes cakes. The cheapest was about $18, the next (a Menghai) was $45 and then the prices got into ridiculous three digit figures. Since it was in fromt of me with no idea that I would find more elsewhere, I picked up a couple of Zhangzhou Tenfu cakes. While there I asked the lady if she knew of any other places that had puerh and she said "No." I'm sure now that she did know but wasn't telling.
I pressed on, exploring various places. At one point I went into a Chinese herbalist thinking that they might have puerh for medicinal use (weight loss). He didn't, but directed me to a Chinese grocery, while mentioning that Ten Ren is expensive. That Chinaman was difficult to understand and I wasn't able to find the place.
Later on I discovered a pottery shop that had tea wares, and for dirt cheap! Yixing pots, tasting cup sets, gaiwans, all sorts of stuff. I picked up some items and inquired about puerh from the couple running that shop. They directed me to the same Chinese grocery while also mentioning that Ten Ren is expensive.
When I found the place I realized that I had already been there, but didn't know about the downstairs area that the couple directed me to. Down there, I found lots of good tea ware and lo, on the bottom shelves of the tea wall, puerh cakes! Not just a few, they had stacks of them!
I basically grabbed one of everything to try out (a cake is a sample) figuring that I'll be back around Christmas time. Here's the score:
One each:
Menghai 7842, 7892, 7872, all in presentation boxes. $12.95 each with the 7872 being $15.95.
Golden Sail S306 and S307 for $2.95 each. And S301 Beeng Cha for $12.95
Tian Yu Cha Chang Chupin cakes, Grade A and Grade B. $9.95 and $7.95 respectively.
A Ya Chi Tian Cia (DaDuGong) in presentation box for $19.95.
I would have bought more but that was all I could carry on the subway system and train along with my shaving purchases. A highly successful day!
I hope that other locals will explore the Chinatown area and ask where they can find puerh. I suspect that there is at least one other place there, somewhere.
OH! That Chinese grocery? It is New Kam Man, at 200 Canal Street. A friendly bunch working there. I hope that others will go there and ask like I did for them to carry more factories, such as Xiaguan and Menku. If the demand is there we might get lucky!
Ouch, I expect you to leave some for me when I get back.
, 
