High Tea in Australia

Best Cup of Tea Ever!

Lea — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:10:22 +0000

Last week I spent a day in the waiting room while Ford mended my car – I came prepared with a book, my lunch, a mug and a handful of tea bags, as I knew it would take them a while to do the work, but to my surprise I got something on top of a mended car – I had the Best cup of tea I have ever had.
It wasn’t what I expected, and there was no sign up letting me know it would happen, but nonetheless, thats what I got.
The Ford waiting room is nicely laid out with large TV, vending machine (Salt and Vinegar chips! ooh, my guilty secret – don’t tell anyone!), nice mugs, meaning my attempt to avoid nasty plastic cups was not needed, and a coffee machine.
Coffee.
Oh dear, I thought.
But there were some Bushells tea bags (Noooooooooo!) on the bench, so I knew the machine must be able to make tea somehow.
Looking at the buttons, one of them appeared to put out just water, so I put my mug under it and pressed the button. I then witnessed the slowest cup of tea ever made. OK, so allowing a cup of tea to draw normally takes a while, but you aren’t watching the water come out. Sloooooooowwwwwly…
Eventually it was done and I added a little milk (no sugar for me – I like my teeth!) and set myself down and had a sip, only to taste…. the best cup of tea bag tea I have ever had. Amazing!
And it wasn’t a one off! All 4 cups (*cough* What? I was there for 6 hours!) I had were all divine!

Now, I am trying to figure out what made it so great.
The water wasn’t amazingly hot, because I am fairly sure I was able to drink it straight away.
It wasn’t coming out fast, because it took a long time to fill the cup.
It was falling from a modest height, but not very high.

My current experiments involve pouring from the kettle as slowly as I can, from a height, and the tea does seem perfectly nice, perhaps a little nicer than a normal teabag cup. But there is no way that I can pour as slowly as that machine did, and I think that might be the secret. If someone can suggest how I can pour hot water really slowly – I am all ears!

Where A Girl Goes, Collingwood

Lea — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:16:22 +0000

I was in Melbourne for a conference recently, and some of the other ladies and I (I don’t care what the boys say – we are ladies and if they deny it one more time its a stiletto right through the foot!) decided that what we needed between sessions was High Tea. Never mind the bar. We can network with a tea cup!
So a quick taxi trip and we were in Collingwood (I really don’t know Melbourne, but fortunately we had locals with us) at Where A Girl Goes.
This is a delightful venue and if you are in Melbourne I can only recommend it. I never did get the straight of if we had booked or if we just turned up, but it would be perfect for Bridal Showers or a Hens Party, so add them to your list of Perfect Places To Check!

Corner Langridge & Oxford Streets
Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: 03 9495 6222
Website: www.whereagirlgoes.com

Franklin Villa, Highgate Hill

Lea — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:25:38 +0000

The children were left to enjoy their father’s boundless care the other week when I popped out with some girlfriends. We had a plan! High Tea at Franklin Villa! and a magnificent plan it was!
We had booked 4 weeks before hand to be sure we got in – its very popular! They called it morning tea, but we knew better – completely ignoring the time of day, it was obviously a High Tea!
It was some excellent girl time

Franklin Villa
35 Brighton Rd, Highgate Hill
07 3255 0889
www.franklinvilla.com

Room with Roses Brisbane

Lea — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:40:09 +0000

Room with Roses is one of the most adorable venues I have ever had the pleasure to attend. The decor is delightful – you really feel as if you have been wafted back to the 1800s. I had an urge to rush off and find a long dress to wear! The roses on all the table was a lovely touch.

Its located in the Brisbane Arcade, which is another point in its favour. The Brisbane Arcade is one of the more delightful structures in Brisbane. Full of stained glass and timber, you’re half way in the mood for high tea before you even spot the shopfront for Room With Roses!

The menu is a good one, with classic high tea offerings (as well as more common fare, if you are traveling with boring people!).

Thoroughly recommended!

Upper Level, Brisbane Arcade
35 Adelaide St
Brisbane QLD 4000
(07) 3229 7050
Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 4pm

The Cupcake Boutique, Aldinga

Lea — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:11:14 +0000

We spent a few years living in Adelaide until a while back, and we still go back to visit occasionally.
Its a hot, dry place, but the people are lovely and we have some special friends that we just have to catch up with occasionally.
On our last trip, a friend took me to the Cupcake Boutique in Aldinga – this is new since last time I was there, or somehow I just missed it (and – me? Fail to notice a High Tea establishment? I think not!) but it has a delightful menu.

The decor style is French Provincial, to my eye, and it is very relaxing and elegant place. It is attached to a B&B called Maison Blue, you could also stay there overnight if you were actually doing a high tea tour. (Ooh! Now there’s an idea!)
The high tea offerings were scrummy and they make a very nice pot of tea.
Recommended – make sure you drop in if you are in the area

Lot 1 Little Rd
Aldinga, SA 5173
Tel: 08 8557 7930

Joseph Alexanders, Milton

Lea — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:47:14 +0000

Not many people know this, but Joseph Alexanders, a very nice restaurant and bar down Milton way, also does a high tea.
I sometimes wonder if I should share this stuff.
Will more people knowing about my favourite haunts make them busier and cause a problem for me, or will more people going there (I’m fooling myself that anyone actually reads about my little outings, aren’t I? Its just you and me really, I know…) mean that service improves because they make more money? I’m so conflicted!
Anyway – back to Joseph’s… this is a very delic service. Not too pricey, as high tea goes and very high quality. The tea selection isn’t amazing, only good, but the food is divine.
I absolutely recommend you stop by if you are in the area and need a bite to eat!

Joseph Alexanders,
Cnr Coronation Drive & Park Road, Milton
Phone (07) 3368 1200
Web www.josephalexanders.com.au

Maiala Rainforest Teahouse Mt Glorious

Lea — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:25:16 +0000

Some months back we were out and about caching in the afternoon, when we just had to stop for something.
We were out west near Mt Glorious, and spotted Maiala Rainforest Teahouse.

We had seen it several times while toodling over the mountains (sometimes it seems quicker to cross Mt Glorious to get out of Brisbane. Most of the time it doesn’t…) and had always meant to stop, and now we had the opportunity.
While they don’t do a high tea, they do do a very nice devonshire tea – and while I do love my High Tea, anything that comes with tannin will do in a pinch!

We were a largish party on this day, and most of us chose scones with jam and cream, but hubby chose cinnamon toast, because he has a fetish for cinnamon.
They were very enjoyable and it was a good stop.
Except for the leech!
We were sitting out on the verandah, because it was a lovely day and a leech tried to join us! It was edging along the verandah top, reaching out to each of us nearest.
Ugh!
If there is anything I hate, its a leech (ok, ticks are definitely worse).
I watched with fascinated horror and couldn’t take my eyes off it, so repelled was i (Umm.. that makes sense, really!)

But we’ll go back, anyway.

Maiala Rainforest Teahouse
1850 Mt Glorious Rd,
Mt Glorious QLD 4520
Ph/Fax 3289 0100
www.maiala.com.au

Batavia

Lea — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:49:09 +0000

Batavia is the cutest little venue – I have been there a number of times, mostly when forced to sit through an interminable children’s film. Ok, ok, I admit it – Wall-e was cute and I enjoyed it! But that isn’t getting the kids out of having to behave through mother’s high tea!

If you have been good, and sat through a boring movie at Southbank… or, if you’ve seen a really good one and want to celebrate, there is a great High Tea establishment right in the complex.
Batavia is a lovely little cafe, styled to remind one of the old Orient and I couldn’t believe the range of teas they had! The kids were totally sick of me and said one movie wasn’t enough by the time we got out of there!
I tried Turkish Lime – would you believe it has pineapple in it? – and then had to have a second pot and opted for Cameronian. I swear the menu was like a book!
I didn’t get to try any of the yummies – my eyes were mostly shut while I sipped my tea, and the kids stole them (they were supposed to leave me at least one! Why are kids always so hungry after a movie?) but they did look good when they were delivered to our table.

I’m thinking there has to be a decent kid’s movie on in the next holidays!

Batavia
Southbank 5 Cinema Complex,
Shop 3, 167 Grey St,
South Brisbane, QLD, 4101
Phone: (07) 3844 4694

Gunners’ Barracks at Mosman

Lea — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:32:57 +0000

Most years at Christmas we visit family in Sydney.
Most years, I take the opportunity to sneak away and have some time away from the kids – they are having a ball with their cousins anyway. To my husband’s horror, I have this stirling ability to find a High Tea establishment wherever we are.

Well, after this many years it had best not be horror and be at least grudging amusement.
I loves me my high tea!

Anyway, one of my escapes was to Mosman. Hubby was interested in the walk past Balmoral Head, and that was pleasant, but I had my eye on afternoon tea!

Gunner’s Barracks was my target this time – with a name like that, how could I resist? For some reason they aren’t marketing their offerings as High Tea, simply as afternoon tea, but it met all my requirements!
Three tier stands, tea in pots with proper china cups – I was well satisfied, I can tell you!

Gunners’ Barracks
End of Suakin Drive
Georges Heights, NSW 2088
(02) 8962 5900
www.thetearoom.com.au

Bella Rosa’s Tea Rooms, Stanthorpe

Lea — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:31:21 +0000

We were reminiscing last night about some of our better expeditions, and our last trip to Stanthorpe, a lovely area in the QLD Granite Belt winery district, came up, so I thought I would share the delightful little high tea establishment we found

Just north of Stanthorpe, in Thulimbah is Bella Rosa’s Tea Rooms. No one would call “Thulimbah” “Stanthorpe”, of course, but if I talk about “Bella Rosa’s in Thulimbah” no one will know where in the world I am talking about!

It is a lovely little place – we got the pink table, very attractive and feminine and had a delightful high tea.
The rest of the day was spent carousing through cellar doors, which isn’t really my thing, so I used my memory of my morning high tea (anathema! yum yum!) to carry me through the child wrangling odd smelling session.

Mmmm… High tea – make sure you stop into Bella Rosa’s, north of Stanthorpe, if you have a hankering for High Tea while doing the wineries around Stanthorpe!

Bella Rosa’s Tea Rooms
357 Granite Belt Drive,
Thulimbah
07 4685 2367
www.bellarosas.com.au