Ten Ren’s look is chic apothecary meets high-end boutique. Floor-to-ceiling shelves are lined with look-but-don’t-touch glass jars, filled to the brim with loose teas available by the pound. Crème de la crème tea sets are more objet d’art than everyday flatware: one set made of fine bone china, embellished with hand-painted plums, sells for $360. Saleswomen, swathed in pristine mauve, mandarin-collared suit jackets (the retail-friendly version of the pharmacist’s lab coat), are your allies here, offering Dixie cup samples of 8 Treasures Tea, while providing an oral history of the benefits of tea. The aforementioned chrysanthemum-based brew is pleasantly floral and good for the eyes and skin (we’re told), but we will happily stick with the thirst-quenching Lychee Slush from Ten Ren’s takeout counter.