Is there a greater disappointment when taking (Devonshire) Tea at Warrandyte to find that Tea means a small jug of boiling water served with a tea bag? I'm not inclined to spend $70 on High Tea somewhere, but a tea bag and hot water is very low tea. A Devonshire tea promises china and loose leaf to me - or a teapot at the very least.
13 comments:
... then you will be glad to avoid Sassafras completely. Even Miss Marple would fail to detect any sense there that the Customer is to be served and her handbag contains rent and wages for the business.
Last weekend's TV showed David Suchet on the Venice-Simplon Express, and the highlight for any Australian, was to see European wait staff performing their vocation most perfectly.
I allas avoid Sassafras, and head to Olinda, or Kallista. (But avoid the Mt D tourist Rd on sundays in general.)
This latest place looked the part, but failed on a few points.
Tea drinkers are obvs not accorded the same respect as coffee-sippers, as I doubt many places would serve water and a packet of nescafe to accompany scones?
my blood-type is Orange Pek-O
Last week on SBS the Supersizers Go Edwardian had Tea at Claridges.
It looked worth the 40 quid each.
I do pine for The Regency Room at old Georges if only somebody had packed it up and restored it intact elsewhere, it would be trading like mad. It may even have been the store's loss-leader.
The Windsor isn't even what it used to be.
Quod facimus, Valde facimus (What we do, We do well)
At 40 quid the ribbon sandwiches would have to be pretty good as well as being pretty. (I do like the idea of sparkling high-teas though)
I miss Coles Bourke Street cafeteria with its grand staircase and big ladies dumping bangers and mash on the plate while calling me luv. The tea was in a pot and when it got low you could ask for more hot water. Coles Footscray and Prahran had cafeterias too, I've dined at them all. Footscray Kmart had a little cafeteria roped off on the ground floor, so did Forges. Forges put on an impromptu fashion parade one morning with female staff modelling Chinese creations while laughing their heads off. The manager must have been drunk that day.
And a nice cosy.
Yes I still lament the loss of Coles Caf. There was always a quiet corner to be found within that vast deco 'food hall'. Other places weren't the same.
TimT: Indeed
Posh friend and self have tried to reclaim the mood, by squishing ourselves into The Hopetoun, but just not the same.
I must be the only blogger who recalls Coles Daintee Cafe and the blue ribbon bow design of the saucers, because a Guggle-search only brings up my own comments ... and here to boot:
Shibuya 109: The Foy's Santa
18 Dec 2008 ... I loved The Daintee Cafe at Coles 12. The crockery had blue ribbon bows on it and I remember the pillars had great decoration - possibly art ...
shibuya1oh9.blogspot.com/2008/12/foys-santa.html
boynton: glamour
31 Mar 2009 ... when I was 9, I thought the red jelly squares on the Daintee Cafe plates in Coles Bourke St Food-O-Mat were the height of fine dining. ...
boyntonesque.blogspot.com/2009/03/glamour.htm
I googled and found a few entries that suggest 12 Caf as a sacred place of childhood nostalgia.
I found this gem - (at new site of your old web cite)
and a google-path that led to some nice g-ogling of melbourne pics, see anon.
I loved loved loved the Coles store 12 cafeteria with the big arched windows overlooking Little Collins St. Also I went just once to the luncheonette in Coles Swanston St. Heaven!
I loved it too. Loved both the arched windows of Lt Collins, and the Bourke Street end - usually quiet and sunny in the afternoon. Alas, I can't recall going to the luncheonette - went to the other Bourke street caf up the hill.
It was very green as I recall (as in decor not ideology ;)
Love your blog - and your dogs! (Big fan of Jack Russells here.)
Other Bourke St Coles cafeteria up the hill was quite charmless I thought, and no windows! The store 12 Coles had style.
(The dogs say *hi* !)
12 definitely had the style.
I researched it once - lots of money went into it, iirc, during Depression.
Up the hill was indeed charmless, though did have the advantage of being relatively quiet. I went there with sisters and prams, before we moved onto the Traveller's Aid.
Dogs bark: back at ya ;)
- though wv says slient
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