Gach Viet Tea House in Portland ‘a love letter’ to design
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — From a distance you’ll notice Gach Viet Tea House in downtown Portland stands out with its distinct design and signage. Once inside, the story behind the new business is on full display especially in the tiles.
There is a connection between the tea house and the architectural and interior design company, Harmony Decor, in Northwest Portland.
Manager Duy Mai explained the tea house design “is a love letter” with Harmony Decor and their “longtime partner, Ly Minh Thanh, which is a tile factory in Vietnam. They handmake everything. So we’re trying to showcase that and also bring the Vietnamese culture with tea and coffee to people in the urban center and Portland in general.”
The menu offers quick bites, such as air fried tofu with lemongrass, which is widely used in Vietnamese cuisine.
“This is a Vietnamese tea house and we import all of our products from Vietnam, our tea, coffee and everything,” Mai said. “We’re trying to showcase our culture in drinking tea and coffee, especially the Vietnamese condensed ice milk. It’s kind of like an everyday drink for us.”
Gach Viet Tea House, near St. Mary’s Academy and the PSU campus, is a small space that aims to open people up to a world of design and inspiration. Mai said students have been very supportive so far. They aim to work with other businesses for fun collaborations.
“Please come to our little showroom/coffeeshop to experience the Vietnamese culture,” he said, “and enjoy the vibe!”
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