High Tea at The Loft

Teapot Cocktail

On Saturday afternoons, it's usually just The Captain and I together - sleeping, eating and, if I'm feeling particularly persuasive, shopping. This particular Saturday however, I was more than happy to abandon the man and enjoy the company of five lovely ladies. And what a better way to celebrate womanhood than High Tea? Traditional and elegant...the boys don't know what they're missing.

Teapot cocktails - oh so chic!

This time around, my High Tea experience has been given a refreshing makeover - fresh air on the balcony with lounges to chill out on, a chic bar in The Loft, views of King Street Wharf and most importantly, teapot cocktails.

High Tea: the perfect girly get together

Though an extensive tea menu is a must with any High Tea, I usually find that the alcoholic options are severely lacking - sparkling wine, sparkling wine and more damn sparkling wine. Personally, bubblies and scones are a horrifying mix and never a good idea in daylight. Actually bubblies are horrifying all together.

The Loft thankfully, has taken a more imaginative and delicious route with a range of fruity tea cocktails in an array of adorable teapots (including a pink polka dot Maxwell & Williams number that I also own). I love that you could probably get yourself trashed on teapot cocktails and none would be the wiser. "Alcohol? What alcohol? I'm only drinking tea!".

The Sencha Quince Fizz - a Lillet shaken with a hint of vanilla, pink grapefruit and T2's Sencha Quince tea with fresh passionfruit pulp served in the glasses (the smell is positively ambrosial).

In case you were wondering a Lillet is a French aperitif wine with a hint of citrus liqueur blended in. Utterly delicious. I am definitely looking forward to knocking back a few pots of these come summer!

Turkish Delight (behind the Sencha Quince Fizz) - Plymouth gin, a dash of Tuaca (Italian citrus and vanilla liqueur), homemade rhubarb purée, pear cheeks, fresh lemon and T2's Turkish Apple tea.

I didn't get to try this as gin and I are a dangerous combination indeed. I'm still perplexed as to why something that's called a Turkish Delight has nothing resembling a rose flavour? For rose, I'll happily brave the gin.

Strawberry Pash - Zubrowka bison grass vodka, crème de fraise (strawberry liqueur) shaken with homemade apple purée, strawberries, basil and T2's Mardi Gras tea.

The strawberry flavour oddly, didn't stand out as much as it should however the touch of herby basil was sublime.

Big cheers for multi-storey food! Is it odd that this is the first time I've ever seen a tiered cake platter at High Tea?

Starting from the bottom, I was ecstatic to see that finally I've had a High Tea that served dainty, crustless triangle sandwiches! Laugh all you want, but I honestly think that crustless triangular sandwiches not only looks good but actually tastes better (score one for eccentricity). Unfortunately the usual sandwich fillings are featured - salmon and dill, chicken and mushroom, cucumber and a special vegetarian option for one of the girls. Nothing wrong with familiarity but when you try a myriad of High Teas, the sandwiches all start tasting the same. The exception is The Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney who delights with their orange brioche, smoked salmon and lemon chive cream and roast beef, onion and rocket sandwiches.

There was also a roast vegetable frittata of pumpkin and roasted peppers which sadly lacked a bit of finesse and lightness (in fact the top of the frittata exuded a kind of plastic sheen).

Second layer consisted of scones. Not the risen, floury mounds but rather flat with a crusty exterior, very much in the same vein as The Four Seasons, which I loved. Don't let that put you off, as the scone remains quite soft on the inside. One gripe I had was there wasn't not enough strawberry jam and cream to seductively (and thickly) slather over it.

Scones at The Loft

Again, the desserts were quite middle-of-the-road; a super dense brownie (that I thought tasted like Coco Pops...not entirely a bad thing), an eclair, a fruit and pistachio tartlet, lemon meringues that resembled little boobs (well they did!) and a cocoa dusted chocolate truffle that scored murmurs of approval.

Admit it, you can see the mammary resemblances of the lemon meringue too!

The range of teas at The Loft are served in glassware. Nice idea, but I imagine the upkeep of glass tea sets would be annoying at best as Lili discovered when she exchanged one cracked glass teacup for another!

My English Breakfast

It's a little rough around the edges and I admit the actual food at The Loft's High Tea was standard fare, but The Loft has a good thing going especially when their teapot cocktails makes up for it all. Couple that with a harbour view, fresh air, comfy lounges and five lovely ladies and somehow the food is all secondary to a killer afternoon.

So how do you all like to spend your Saturdays?

Disclaimer: I'm well aware of the linguistic anomaly of calling it High Tea when technically it should be labelled as Afternoon Tea. I'm just tired of explaining it with every single whatever-Tea post. I'm also well aware of what High Tea actually is but since it's more culturally known as High Tea in Australia, I'm sticking with that term. So for you eagle-eyed linguists...no need to point it out to me again. Thank you *smile*


High Tea is available at The Loft Saturday and Sunday 12-3pm.

• High Tea With A Twist (with tea/coffee and a teapot cocktail (for two) or a glass of sparkling wine - $45
• Traditional High Tea with tea/coffee - $35

The Loft

3 Lime Street
King Street Wharf, Sydney NSW 2000
02 9299 4770


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