Stepping off of bustling State Street and into Lotus Farm to Table is a serene experience. Inside, this small farm to table restaurant is as soothing as a cup of tea. All by design.
Owner Courtney Rozsas has been passionate about healthy food and tea for years. She has a degree in biology from Drexel and a passion for Asia. She has travelled to China and Japan to study varieties of tea and their medicinal values. She plans to travel to Tapei in 2012 to continue her tea education. The idea of combining her love of tea with a farm-to-table concept came naturally.
“This area has so many farms, I’ve always loved to eat and studied biology. I wanted to create a place with quality food and tea,” Courtney explained. Lotus has been open two-and-a-half years.
I stopped in toward the end of the lunch rush. As Courtney and I chatted, she kept an eye on the tables and occasionally excused herself to check in with diners. Her personal service is all part of the experience. While she tends to the front of the house, Chef Chris Allen runs the kitchen. Lotus changes up their menu every five weeks or so and they occasionally cook dishes using tea.
Some of the new dishes on the winter menu include a venison-topped flatbread, braised short-ribs, duck confit, and a Painted Hills Rib-Eye.
“In the winter, we take a step back,” Chris explained. “I like to create stews. I like to try beans and create hardy fare. We’re curing our meats here – sausages, bacon and pancetta.” They source their food from local farms, including Green Zebra Farm, Rushton Farm. They get their cheese from Yellow Spring Farm.
Chris told me he “got a touch for” the farm to table concept while working and living in San Diego. He eventually returned to the east coast where he worked in the kitchen at Glasbern Inn in the Lehigh Valley, which sits on 100 acres and espouses farm to table.
“It’s okay to drink tea with your meal,” Courtney said. Courtney’s favorite tea is Anji White, an immature tea that is picked before the buds have fully opened. “It’s only harvested twice a year, and it used to be just for emperors.” She showed me their tea menu, which consists of fifteen different teas. This BYOB also has their version of a menu with iced drinks made with blends of teas.
In the next few months, Courtney plans on selling some of their most popular items so customers can experience Lotus at home. They will offer some vinaigrettes and cheeses for sale. Courtney is also looking to open a second restaurant, though it won’t be Lotus II. “We hope to expand in Delaware County, something with a twist.”
For Valentine’s Day, Lotus is offering 3 courses for $50 per person. They will be serving diners a complimentary glass of champagne and will have two seatings for the night, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The night will also feature live music. Reservations are required.
Lotus Farm to Table is located at 112 West State Street in Media, PA. They are reachable by phone at 610-565-5554.
