Tea&Sympathy: British Tastes in a Closet
Written: Oct 19 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Terrific Tea
Cons: Pricey and Very, Very Cramped
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| m001's Full Review: Tea & Sympathy |
As you enter Tea and Sympathy you can't help but be struck by its...well, its intimacy, its coziness. Actually, it's cramped, and you might feel as though you're playing 'how much restaurant can we fit into the smallest space possible?'. Keep your elbows to your sides, however, and you'll settle in for an unusual snack and a great cup or glass of tea. This quait little experience isn't cheap, however, and ultimately I can only recommend T&S for people who want to try a scone and a cup of tea--anything else might have you feeling as though you spent a bit too much for a sandwich served in a room the size of a closet.
Food:
I had a sandwich with ham and Scottish cheddar served on a grain bread. It was good, but nothing spectacular. The two others at our table had the Welsh rarebit, which I can only describe as concoction that resembles French toast, if French toast had melted cheese and bacon/ham on top of it. Actually, they both raved about how good it was (one of them had sampled the authentic item in the UK and said the difference was negligible). They topped the rarebit with Branston pickle, which is best described as a chutney made from pickle, the color of Bosco. It was great, and I even added a bit to my sandwich for an unusual but great flavor.
We began lunch with two scones each. I generally don't eat a lot of baked goods, and I really don't enjoy muffins, scones, etc. But these were really good, served with jelly and clotted cream. I didn't have tea, but the others had iced blackberry tea that smelled like fresh blackberries. We should have stopped with the scones and tea, however, because the remainder of the lunch was (in my opinion) expensive and somewhat disappointing.
Service:
The service was unspectacular. Our waitress was as friendly as she had to be, but not overwhelmingly so. We were served fairly quickly, and we weren't rushed out despite how crowded it was and despite the fact that there were people standing in and outside of the place waiting for a table.
Decor:
T&S is quaint. Too quaint. It's decorated with items that reference its name (like sheet music for the song "Tea and Sympathy"; go figure, eh?). And it's cramped. Very cramped. There is no room to stretch out whatsoever, and I was uncomfortable the entire time. On that alone, I have a difficult time recommending the place.
Next door to the restaurant is a shop that sells many things British, including the aforementioned Branston pickle.
Special Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations:
I recommend T&S for tea and scones, if you're into that sort of thing. Personally, I'm not, but it's something worth trying once or twice. This might be a nice spot for a very, very cozy date, but it's certainly not a great place for the kids. I thought it was pricey--lunch for three (three orders of scones, one sandwich, two rarebits and two teas) cost us twenty dollars each with a tip.
Overall, I can't recommend T&S for anything but tea and scones.
If you go, enjoy...
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
m001
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Location: NYC, New York
Reviews written: 151
Trusted by: 43 members
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