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Address: 696 Queen St. W. Toronto ON CAN M6J 1E7
Tel: 1 416 203-8882
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| "A disappointment for a true teaophile." |
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by George (from Coquitlam, BC)
September 2007 - I am a tea-granny through and through. Backpacking across Asia, I took the time and effort for Afternoon Tea at the Penninsula Hotel in Hong Kong--a stunning and gracious experience in every way! SO, I was excited to see the cute little Red Tea Box on Queen Street in Toronto and be told by a foodie friend that he loved their bento box lunches and the atmosphere.
I can't say the experience was a delight for me, however. The cake display at the front of the restaurant is an incredible way to highlight these little works of art. I chose a white chocolate cake with beautiful handmade sugar flowers on the top; truly beautiful! I asked to be seated in the back patio area and was pleased to have a sunny, calm, relaxed oasis in the middle of downtown Toronto. Everything seemed to be going well. The waitress was initially helpful, though a tad condescending that the white chocolate cake was not on the chocolate menu "because it's not really chocolate". I ordered a cup (actually a small pot) of tea for $4.50 and the cake for $9; expensive but it looked so incredible.
She brought out my tea and cake and then disappeared for about half an hour. When I bit into the cake I was stunned to find it tasteless, dry and most definitely stale; it should not have been served at any price let alone $9! I would have sent it back but she did not reappear for so long that I had finally given up in disgust. When she finally did reappear, I didn't even bother complaining; I was enjoying the beautiful setting and the tea. However, when I asked for more hot water I was told that the tea bag had already been removed; I had just paid $4.50 for two TINY cups of tea! I love tea and will pay good money for a good pot of tea but that was ridiculous!
On the way out I stopped to use the bathroom and was surprised to find the floor covered with paper towels, the toilet and sink only so/so clean and large signs everywhere instructing how to flush the finicky toilet, open the tricky door, etc. Not what one expects in Canada in this day and age--get them fixed!!!
When I paid the bill (which never was delivered to my table) I left without tipping and without the desire to ever go back. I had been planning on taking my 80 year-old mother there for a nice lunch but vowed I'd never darken the door again!
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