Or I believe it was High Tea with a Twist, a step up from the classic version with its sparkling drinks and mocktails.
I have nothing but positive things to say for The Loft’s offering of High Tea. Located at King St Wharf and with an open view of the harbour, The Loft is a plush establishment, carrying the right ambience for a relaxed afternoon High Tea. We were promptly greeted by staff upon entering and seated with a full view of the harbour in soft leather couches that you could sink in. The overcast weather and quiet surroundings leant the day the right amount of a ‘lazy afternoon’ feel.
We started off with our tea selections. The names of the teas were as interesting as the teas themselves, Madagascan Vanilla, Buddha’s Tears, Sencha Quince to name a few. On the whole they were quite lovely, velvety and not too strong, with enough subtle flavours to keep things interesting. Served in clear pots, there’s enough tea to last up to 3 cups. And the variety of the teas offered is such that you’ll be tempted to try your friends’ choices. No complaints here.
Our savouries and sweets arrived in a traditional 3 tier platter. We paced ourselves with the offerings and I believe there was nothing left on the plates by the end.
The sandwiches of chicken, cucumber and cheese and eggplant were tasty and fresh. Particular praise goes to the eggplant and pesto sandwich, surprisingly delicious. I was left wanting more (both because they were good and limited in number), but consoled myself with the fact I had plenty of room left over for the heavier sweets.
The scones, half plain and half with sultanas, were quite good as scones go. Would have preferred a bit more cream and jam to go around but that was a minor quibble. Dividing our attention from the scones were the sweets sitting on the top tier: lemon tarts, apple crumble, and chocolate brownies. I usually skip the lemon tarts but not on this occasion, they carried a nice flavour and weren’t overly heavy as I often find them to be. The apple crumble was tasty, however the big winner was the chocolate brownie. Rich and balanced chocolate flavour, with just the right mix of softness and crunchiness. I’d go back just for the brownie.
On the drinks front, my friends opted for Tea Pot Cocktails while I chose the delightful mocktail Lardi-Dar, a combination of fresh raspberries and strawberries, shaken with home made apple puree, vanilla, and finished with chilled tea. It tasted as good as it looked.
Overall a pleasant experience that will satisfy any high tea enthusiast, I would happily go again.
Food: 4.5 spoons
Service: 3.5 spoons
Atmosphere: 5 spoons
Overall: 4.5 spoons
MF.
