Tea Reviews

Victorian Tea Room, Regina, SK
Visited: May, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Preparation: In a teapot.
Tea: Fair.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The tea served is black tea, and I believe it is made from concentrate that was made from tea leaves earlier in the day. It is still very nice. The tea room is open two days a month during the spring/summer/fall and is run by volunteers dressed in period costumes. Tea is served in a stunning ballroom, often with live piano music. The food is wonderful, and there is a menu for children with juice and special food. If you want to take a tour of government house afterwards (restored to Victorian splendor), admission is free. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police museum is down the street (Regina is the home of the RCMP) and admission there is also free.
Reviewer: Jenny Add your review | Disclaimer 

King George Hotel Tea Room, San Francisco, CA
Visited: August, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Preparation: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Good. Service: Good.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: The King George has a fine tea room. The food is fairly good with a decent selection of sandwiches, fruit, and scones. The scones are quite delicious, but a little too muffin-esque. The tea selection is not large, but each of the five people in our party was able to find a tea that he/she liked. The waiter was a little under-attentive, but the service did not take anything away from the meal or the experience. The ambiance was a little bar-like, but not unpleasant. I would definitely return.
Reviewer: Heather from Alaska Add your review | Disclaimer  

Stanford Court Lobby, San Francisco, CA
Visited: August, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Preparation: In a teapot.
Tea: Good.  Food: Excellent. Service: Excellent.  Appearance: Excellent.
Comments: The Stanford serves Harney & Sons teas, which are normally quite delicious. I ordered Earl Grey, which tasted more like Orange Pekoe. When I pointed this out to the server, she brought the tin for me to examine. It said Earl Grey, but did not smell like Earl Grey. She then brought me a pot of another type of tea, which was nice, but since Earl Grey is my favorite, it didn't do me a ton of good. About halfway through the meal, she brought out a new tin of Earl Grey and made me a delicious, fresh cup. That made the meal almost perfect. The food was delicious, and the ambiance just fine. I would definitely return.
Reviewer: Heather from Alaska Add your review | Disclaimer    

The Westin-St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco, CA
Visited: August, 2003
Meal: Afternoon tea. Type of tea: Loose leaf. Preparation: In a teapot.
Tea: Excellent.  Food: Good. Service: Poor.  Appearance: Good.
Comments: Afternoon tea is served at the Westin St. Francis on afternoons in the Compass Rose, a lounge type bar that overlooks Union Square. Seating is either at small tables or couches. The interior is somewhat dark and gives a feeling of mystery. There is a separate tea menu for those wishing to have tea; other options are appetizers and cocktails. The tea is brought out along with a tier of plates offering small scones, and open-faced cucumber, egg salad, and salmon sandwiches. Pastries include a small slice of spice bread, and small creamy cakes. When you are finished they bring fresh strawberries. It was a lovely meal, and it seemed the chef wanted to be a bit creative with the selections, even though they were basically traditional. The only bad thing was about the experience was the service. There seemed to be way too few waiters, because once our food was dropped off he never came back for anything. I had to track down other waiters to get any sort of service, and they certainly seemed frazzled. There was certainly no "tea etiquette" as you would find in a smaller, dedicated place. I will not be going back.
Reviewer: Lara W. Add your review | Disclaimer