Thousand Cups of Tea

By Karen True, contributing writer to Bellevue.com. With contribution from Tom Nguyen

The route from tea farm to teacup doesn't get much more direct. Robert and Mako Carlson travel to tea farms throughout China each harvest season, sometimes by horse cart, to choose the best tea for their customers at Xiu Xian Tea. They walk the fields, break leaves, watch the drying process and get to know the farmers. Then they sit at a tea table, like the one in their shop at Crossroads, to drink tea and choose their favorites. On the spot, they seal and label the boxes for shipping back to Washington.

Owner Mako offering tea samples to patrons at Xiu Xian Tea | Bellevue.com

Xiu Xian Tea

Crossroads Mall
15600 NE 13th St
Bellevue, WA 98008
425-643-9955

308 Washington Ave South
Kent, WA 98032
253-859-9445

The selection of Chinese teas, extraordinary in every way, is only the beginning of the magic of Xiu Xian Tea (pronounced shu she-in). The balance comes from the passion of Mako and her staff. Their greatest joy is helping customers understand the health benefits and delights of drinking tea. Mako wants every customer to be "100% happy" and encourages everyone to sample a few varieties at the tea table before going out the door with a purchase. (Be warned. Time can disappear at the tea table. Mako is a charming and engaging host with an unpredictable sense of humor.) The gorgeous carved wood tea tables and chairs, specially designed for tea ceremonies, are worth the trip to Xiu Xian…even for non-tea drinkers.

Don't know where to start in choosing a tea? No problem. With answers to two simple questions, Mako can suggest a selection of teas that just might make coffee a habit of the past. Xiu Xian has them all: red, white, yellow, green, oolong (Oprah's answer to weight loss), ku ding, herbal, flower, tea art balls and more. Mako creates unique blends for health, detoxification, cold and flu ("magic that Americans love"), allergies, and relaxation. Some of the most popular teas include Evening Sunset (red tea), Oolong Heaven (oolong tea), Gold Dragon Pearl (black tea), and Jasmine Pearl (green tea). In all, the Bellevue shop carries over 200 types of tea. Teas are sold by weight and most average between $2 and $5 per ounce. The shop's two most expensive teas are Oolong Heaven and White Silver Needle, which cost $6 per ounce.

Tea latte menu at Xiu Xian Tea | Bellevue.com

Xiu Xian also offers tea lattes. Simply choose your tea base from six different teas (eg, Green Tea, Jasmine Green, Oolong, etc) and add your favorite flavor from more than 28 different flavors available. A black tea latte mix, created by Mako and a police officer who requested a quick "get-up-and-go" for those 5AM shifts, is now a favorite at Xiu Xian.

Robert and Mako opened their first store in Kent in 2005. The Bellevue shop opened in September 2008. Relying mostly on word-of-mouth, they developed a customer base whose enthusiasm and loyalty sounds more like family. The Carlsons serve the Crossroads community with the same passion. If you haven’t visited Xiu Xian Tea yet, prepare to be surprised and delighted.