The Restaurant, Art Gallery of NSW

TamaraC

High tea 19th June 2008

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I love a high tea - the muted chit chat, the luxury of fancies in the afternoon, the drama of The Stand, the anticipation of what goodies will be heaped upon it...

High tea at the Art Gallery of NSW sounded like just the thing for my work team to celebrate with our 'staff appreciation' budget. At $25/head (or $33 with bubbles), and with a stunning view over the gallery gardens down to Woolloomooloo and the Harbour, it's quite the deal.

As the pics show, high tea is the standard three tier affair. Unfortunately for the Gallery, they've picked stands too big for the goodies sparsely laid upon them, so you get a terrible let-down as they place them down the table - that 'Oh. Is that all there is? Wish I'd had my cheese and pickle sandwich before coming along' feeling.

Luckily for the Gallery, the morsels proved to be very filling and generally very tasty. Sandwiches (cucumber and prawn, and mushroom ricotta) a little bland, but substantial. Tasty vegie croquette and roast beef on parmesan bikkie, but best was definitely the third tier. Now I'm not a fan at all of rice-based desserts (there's a grain that belongs firmly in the middle of the menu in my opinion), but this creamy creamed rice on stewed rhubard, served in a little pot with freshly ground nutmeg was delicious! Competition between heavenly orange choc truffle and crunchy-based dark caramel slice for the 'save the best for last category' but was ultimately glad I gave way to my bias for caramel slice and ended with its deliciousness.

Great tea too, and our Vegan colleague raved and raved about her selection - so make sure you request ahead if you or your buddies are Vegan.

Service was disinterested and unsmiling, reminded me more of a factory cafeteria than the Art Gallery, but still, you have to make your own fun huh?

sue at 19/06/08

Not quite as impressive as our Pret-a-Portea experience, though I do LOVE a good caramel slice ; )

TamaraC at 20/06/08

Not in the league of P-a-P at all I assure you!

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