I just had the misfortune of turning an aging 37yrs old and decided I am more adult now than child so sadly I skipped the ice cream cake at Maccas this year and invited a bunch of my friends to come and join me and my parents for High Tea at the Victoria Room in Darlinghurst, Sydney. What a special treat of a birthday party it was.
High Tea
17 of us headed in to town and met up oustside this old looking warehouse that you would more imagine ladies of the night working in. It was kind of creepy looking, located next door to a city drug rehab clinic with a joyous looking syringe dispenser on the side of the road.
But when you enter you step back in time, my mum said she expected to meet Humphrey Bogart and the place is just stunning. There's extravagant, there's slightly over-the-top, there's the really-rather-odd, and then there's the Victoria Room. This is arguably the most interesting conversion you'll ever encounter, but you have to like your flock wallpaper, your button-backed antique chairs and a lot of fussy bits - minimalist it isn't. For the most part it resembles some weird hash of gentleman's club, Victorian stately home (without the mildew) and an Imperial-era Raj bungalow. It's also very dark indeed. I mean it's very dark - but give it a few moments and your eyes adjust and it's comforting with a constant sense of warmth.
Victoria Room
High Tea, and not to be mistaken for tea that makes you high, is a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 5pm. The custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal. Various places that belonged to the former British Empire also have such a meal. However, changes in social customs and working hours mean that most Britons only take afternoon tea on special or formal occasions.
Traditionally, loose tea is brewed in a teapot and served in teacups with milk and sugar. This is accompanied by various sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with butter, clotted cream and jam - see cream tea) and usually cakes and pastries (such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge). The food is often served on a tiered stand: there may be no sandwiches but bread or scones with butter or margarine and optional jam.
High Tea Victoria Room
Our high tea menu was thus:
“High Tea”
Afternoon Tea Sandwiches
Chicken & Wild Herbs. Cucumber, Crème Fraiche & Dill.
Smoked Salmon, Rocket, Lemon, Capers. Watercress, Celery, Walnuts & Goats Curd
Scones & Conserve
Date & Plain Scones served with Triple Berry Conserve & Chantilly Cream
Assorted Sweeties
Dark Chocolate Cup with Chocolate Mousse, Cream & fresh Raspberries,
Mini Lemon Tart, Passionfruit Yo-Yo,
Hummingbird Cupcake topped with Creamed Cheese icing
Teas
English Breakfast Supreme, Scottish Breakfast, Earl Grey Premium, Queen Mary,
Prince of Wales, Russian Caravan, Assam, Darjeeling, China Sencha
Herbal/Fruit Infusions
Lemongrass & Ginger, Chamomile & Spearmint, Rose Garden, Turkish Apple, Chai
0r Coffee, any style
$40pp
or you may upgrade to
“The Royal Tea” $48pp
Includes a glass of De Perriere Sparkling Rosé from Burgundy
or
“The Majestic Tea” $55pp
Includes a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut NV Champagne
It was absoluetley divine - the chocolates were to die for. I do not understand the layering of the three tiered serving tray though. I would have had the sandwhiches on the bottom because they are the largest and not on the top. I would have had the scones and cream in the middle and of course the chocolate on the top. It was a very odd set up however I am sure there is a reason for the placement as most photos I have found on the net have most trays stacked the same.
High Tea Victoria Room
The Tea Menu (complete):
English Breakfast Supreme
A traditional blend of the finest Assam & Ceylon teas producing a fully aromatic blend with lots of golden tips.
A strong tea perfect with breakfast.
Earl Grey Premium
Classically scented with natural bergamot oil which gives a refreshing, lightly citrus flavour.
Prince of Wales
A blend of China black tea, a light tea with a superb and delicate aroma, making this a great blend for afternoon tea.
Queen Mary
A blend of Darjeeling & Ceylon teas, having a light amber colour and brisk aromatic flavour.
Russian Caravan
A traditional blend of China black tea, having a mild, fine aromatic and very wholesome flavour
Scottish Breakfast
Our strongest blend! (Not for the faint hearted). A breakfast blend of African, Assam & Ceylon teas.
Assam
An Indian tea grown in the mountains of Assam, this is a strong, full bodied tea – the fine leaf (Broken Orange Pekoe)
attributing to its strength. A lovely breakfast tea.
Darjeeling
Darjeeling are the rarest and most prestigious of black teas. We serve one of the best 2nd flush Darjeeling teas from the
Springside Estate’. A very smooth liquor with a masked muscatel flavour.
China Sencha
Low in caffeine, rich in vitamin C, it is a large-leafed green tea, light and delightfully refreshing with a brisk taste.
Drink with meals or as a digestive.
Herbal Infusions
Chamomile & Spearmint - Chamomile & Spearmint
Lemongrass & Ginger - Lemongrass & Ginger
Rose Garden - Rose buds, chamomile, lavender, hibiscus, calendula, cornflower
Fruit Infusions
Turkish Apple
‘Not really a tea’, but beautifully sweet and tangy, just like a sweet apple. Drink hot or cold as served in the Turkish Bazaars.
Chai
Our hand selected spice blend is enhanced by fresh slivers of ginger root, lush anti-oxidant enriched tea
And for those that fancy some alcohol they do serve champaigne and cocktails - although be warned the cocktails are pretty much one nip per three glasses, more a refresher you could imagine drinking on a stately English lawn while the lads play cricket. They allow the great spirit of the British Raj era, GIN, to take centre stage. If you’ve not tried gin for some time and think you are a vodka drinker only, then enjoy discovering the crisp, softly sweet, Plymouth Gin, none other than the official gin of the British navy since 1793! A beautiful spirit packed with as much heritage as a high tea ritual, they show it off in their carafe cocktails. I drank the Blissful ignorance - Plymouth Gin, rose water syrup, lychee and lime, lengthened with Turkish apple tea and garnished with beautiful rose petals. It was amazing but virtually non alcoholic.
High Tea Victoria Room
Tea Etiquette for you yobboes out there:
Pick up your cup and saucer together - holding the saucer in one hand and cup in the other. The best way to hold a tea cup is to slip your index finger through the handle, up to almost the first knuckle, then balance and secure the cup by placing your thumb on the top of the handle and allowing the bottom of the handle to rest on your middle finger.
Hold the cup lightly, by the handle - your pinky doesn’t have to be extended (Contrary to popular belief, the ring and pinkie fingers should not be extended, but should
rest by curving gently back toward your wrist). Hold the saucer under your cup while you sip your tea (lest you should spill or dribble).
When stirring your tea, don’t make noises by clinking the sides of the cup while stirring. Gently swish the tea back and forth being careful no to touch the sides of your cup if possible. Never leave your spoon in the cup and be sure not to sip your tea from the spoon either.
After stirring, place your spoon quietly on the saucer, behind the cup, on the right hand side under the handle.
Milk is served with tea, not cream. Cream is too heavy and masks the taste of the tea. Although some pour their milk in the cup first, it is probably better to pour the milk in the tea after it is in the cup in order to get the correct amount.
When serving lemon with tea, use lemon slices, not wedges. Either provide a small fork or lemon fork for your guests, or have the tea server neatly place a slice in the tea cup after the tea has been poured. Be sure never to add lemon with milk since the lemon’s citric acid will cause the proteins in the milk to curdle.
High Tea
This would be an ideal venue for a hens night to start at, or a great place to take your mum or grandma out to, it would also be great for a bunch or girls to go all Sex and the City on the area by starting here. I think this appeals more to the females out there but would be a great place for just a group of mixed friends, as in my birthday party. I do think smaller numbers are better, I had to walk to other groups of my friends as I did not wish to talk over our area, it is very intimate so I think a maximum of 8 people would be more appropriate and one gripe a friend of mine had was that due to the intimate layout it was difficult for wait staff to get to everyone without us having to move our legs or assist with passing things - not something very "High". But besides this it is a beautiful venue and a great culinary Sydney experience.
For more info or to make a booking Call 02 9357 4488 or visit the website
I would like to extend special thanks to all my fabulous friends that made my day so special - Love You All 
Jason King
AmyHuang
) - so I went for hot english mustard with it. It was yummy, but to be honest this one I think would have worked better with a thick strong gravy. It did make the best sandwich meat I have ever eaten and this one rocked with hot english mustard tomato and grilled cheese.
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