To quench our thirst after a long day in the Pavilion shopping mall, we decided to stop for drinks at Tan Ngan Lo Herbal Tea (单眼佬凉茶) stall. This stall is operated by Ipoh-based company Wen Jiang, which also produces other products such as medicated oil.
There are various types of herbal tea (凉茶) and herbal jelly (龟苓膏) on the menu. Most types of tea are available in hot or cold versions. We feel that herbal tea is most beneficial when consumed hot.
Tan Ngan Lo Herbal Tea (单眼佬凉茶, RM2.80) has a strong dose of Chinese herbs. The ingredients are bitter, but most Chinese medicinal herbs are inherently bitter anyway. Still, each sip of this drink is quite soothing down our throats.
The Five Flowers Tea (五花茶, RM2.80) has graceful floral flavor and cooling effect. This herbal tea recipe is Cantonese in origin. The name refers to five different types of flowers used to prepare the drink, typically honeysuckle (金银花), chrysanthemum (菊花), pagodatree (槐花), kapok (木棉花) and plumeria (鸡蛋花).
If herbal tea is too bitter for your taste buds, sugar syrup is available for dispensing. I personally prefer not to add any syrup as I like the original bitter taste.
