I’m not from around El Dorado Hills, so I considered it a success when I only took three wrong turns on my way to Tea Xotics—a new, eclectic tea shop off Town Center Boulevard—and a victory when the trip was worth every minute, gallon of gas and penny spent. The humble shop presented an expansive selection of innovative tea blends listed on over six pages of a menu booklet. Although six pages of combinations seemed overwhelming, the shop’s calming ambience and worker’s quiet demeanor helped bring me clarity as I browsed my options and finally settled on the Sencha Almond Orange. I ordered it on ice, along with two French Meringues, and sat at a barstool watching it brew right behind the counter—a process with such transparency that it only added to the natural essence Tea Xotics so gracefully captures. The shop puts the “refresh” in “refreshments,” and my drink was truly a refreshing break from traditional sodas or juices, as it lacked a sugary burst of artificial flavor, but rather relied on pure herbal extracts for its subtle, pleasant taste. With a plethora of multicultural tea brews and an enriching, relaxing environment, Tea Xotics is helping push tea back to the forefront of on-the-go beverage businesses. Tea Xotics, 4356 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 112, El Dorado Hills. 916-225-7483.

—Samuel Mailey