26111 Bouquet Canyon Road Santa Clarita, California 91350 Phone: 661-255-9832

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Restaurant Profile: The Tea Gardens offers a divine stress break

By Michele E. Buttelman, Signal Features Editor

It's noon... do you know where the ladies of the SCV are? Most likely lunching at the Tea Gardens, the cozy tea shop tucked into the center off Bouquet Canyon Road between Valencia Boulevard and Magic Mountain Parkway - adjacent to the IHOP.

The Tea Gardens was opened in March 2007 by owner Elda Meguerditchian. After two years not much has changed at the Tea Gardens - it still serves fabulous fresh-baked scones and a dizzying array of teas. There are so many teas to choose from the shop has its own tea menu.

The Tea Gardens offers more than 70 varieties of the highest grade teas from around the globe. Every tea can be made hot or iced. If you want tea to go you can buy loose leaf tea to take with you.

The Tea Gardens is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and offers a menu that includes salads, sandwiches, wraps and "special teas."

The food at the Tea Gardens is fresh, fun and delicious.

Whenever I introduce someone new to the Tea Gardens I always watch eagerly as my guests take the first bite. Inevitably, eyebrows rise in surprise and my guests exclaim, "This is really good."

Exactly.

Among my favorites at the Tea Gardens are the egg salad ($5.99), tuna salad ($6.99) and garlic chicken ($6.99) sandwiches.

Sandwiches are served with a choice of salad or fruit.

I am also fond of the "Afternoon Tea" ($12.99) which is served on a three-tiered tea platter with choice of scone (I'm partial to butterscotch, when they are available, but you can't really make a bad choice) and desserts. I adore the curried chicken and cream cheese cucumber finger sandwiches.

New to the menu is the "American Tea" which includes wraps instead of finger sandwiches, scones and dessert.

The scones at the Tea Gardens, (available for purchase separately at $1.49 per scone) are unlike any scones I've eaten - and I've eaten many a scone.

These are scones that are light, flaky and melt in your mouth.

Other offerings include salads ($6.99 to $7.99) and wraps ($4.99 to $7.99).

I know people who visit the Tea Gardens exclusively for the Memes Salad (a house favorite, with creamy whole grain mustard dressing, lettuce, grilled chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese and pita chips, $7.29).

The Tea Gardens is decorated in tea party chic with clever tea pots and beautiful tea cups everywhere in the small shop.

Tea is a wonderful way to relax, unwind and combat stress. A visit to the Tea Gardens is a great way to enjoy the company of friends, too.

More good news for regular guests at the Tea Gardens is that the shop is planning on expanding in the near future. Some days the shop can be crowded at noon. The new space will allow for private parties, too, said Meguerditchian.