Monday, July 13, 2015

Eat in Oakland: The Tearoom


Entiretea tea service: a choice of two sandwiches, a scone with preserves and Chantilly Cream, choice of four confections, and fresh fruit


Curried Chicken (left) and Cucumber sandwiches


Scone made with candied cranberries


Cucumber salad with heirloom tomatoes, candied walnuts, and lettuce


Fresh fruit including peaches, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, watermelon, and cantaloupe


Rocky Road Brownie (front) and Lemon Cheesecake Tart (behind)


Plum Crumble (left) and Strawberry Cream Puff (right)


The inside of the Strawberry Cream Puff


Cloudy Candy: cotton candy served over tea




French Super Blue Lavender tea

I've been dreaming of attending high tea for a while, so when Anny invited me to try tea service at The Tearoom this past Saturday it felt like destiny. The Tearoom is located on College Avenue between Claremont and Alcatraz Avenues in North Oakland. It fits in perfectly with the quaint stores Rockridge is known for. My guest and I were offered the Entiretea tea service, which is ideal for two. It comes with two sandwiches, a freshly baked scone with preserves and Chantilly Cream, four confections made by San Francisco's own Native Baking Company, fresh fruit, and a bottomless pot of Harney & Sons tea or Blue Bottle Coffee served in a French Presse.

We ordered the Cucumber and Curried Chicken sandwiches, both of which were very good. The Cucumber sandwich was made with butter, cucumber, chives, parsley, and lemon zest, all of which add dimension to an afternoon tea staple. The Curried Chicken sandwich was served open-faced with shredded coconut and toasted almonds. We were treated to a delicious salad of candied walnuts, cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, and different types of lettuce. The ingredients were fresh and the walnuts were a favorite of mine.

I believe the scone was made with candied cranberries and was served with a side of two types of fruit preserves and Chantilly Cream. It would not be an understatement to say that this was probably the best scone I've had. It was everything I want in a scone: warm, flaky, and buttery. I tried it with both types of preserves and the Chantilly Cream, and was in heaven with each bite. The flavors accentuated each other perfectly. (It's no wonder why their scones have received rave reviews on Yelp.)

As for the confections, we tried the Rocky Road Brownie, the Strawberry Cream Puff, the Plum Crumble, and the Lemon Cheesecake Tart, all of which were very tasty. The Rocky Road Brownie had a fudgy goodness and was topped with walnuts and even more chocolate. The Strawberry Cream Puff had a delicious creamy center and was the best cream puff I've ever had. The Plum Crumble was also very good and worth a try. The Lemon Cheesecake Tart was a dreamy treat that melted in your mouth. You can't go wrong with any of the confections they offer. The three-tiered stand was topped off with fresh fruit even a non-fruit eater would enjoy. It included sliced peaches, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, and watermelon.

We tried the French Super Blue Lavender tea with our meal, which had a great flavor that wasn't too overwhelming. The tea was served in glass teacups and saucers that complemented The Tearoom's modern take on tea service. We were given the option of trying the Cloudy Candy, which is where they fasten a stick of cotton candy to two clips over a cup of tea. The cotton candy melted into the tea, adding a subtle sweetness to the drink as well as a frosty effect on the side of the cup.

Overall, this was a wonder experience. The food and tea were delicious. This was everything I hoped for in a tea service. The service was excellent and the servers were very thoughtful, attentive, and helpful. I would recommend an afternoon of tea and treats at The Tearoom to anyone looking to try something different. Your visit will surely be a memorable one. I'd like to thank Anny for giving my guest and I this wonderful opportunity and a delightful afternoon.

I will definitely stop by in the future. The next time I might try the Blue Bottle Coffee served in a French Presse or one of the many other teas they offer, like Chai, English Breakfast, Jasmine, or Peppermint. I'd also like to try the Egg Salad or Ham, Brie, and Apple sandwiches. (Basically, the whole menu's up for grabs.)

If you've visited The Tearoom, what do you recommend trying?

The Tearoom
Website | Facebook | InstagramTwitter | Yelp
6241 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618
Open: Thursday - Monday 11am - 6pm

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