Sydney seems to be in the midst of an afternoon tea epidemic I’m not complaining at all, to me having a range of choices for afternoon tea can only be a wonderful thing. And during the month of October during the Crave Sydney Food Festival, there is a range of no less than twenty three to choose from – that’s not including places that aren’t part of the festival.
This year, feeling slightly overwhelmed, I escaped to the Northern Territory for the first week and when I came back, I settled down to the task of looking at the festival programme. There were a few events that caught my eye. Like a cookbook, I flick first to the desserts section and here, I went straight for the sweets via afternoon teas.
The Twisted High Tea had me intrigued-after all where was the twist? Mysteriously, there wasn’t much information on it and then an invitation landed in my inbox to try it that very afternoon. It turns out the pastry gods move in mysterious ways and so a booking was made for a sunny Sunday afternoon yesterday. Mr NQN and I got a bit lost as this was our first time back to the MCA since its redevelopment and there is quite a startling difference. We accidentally go to the MCA restaurant on the ground floor only to be directed upstairs to the 4th floor of the new building. Here, the 6 month old MCA cafe is holding the Twisted High Tea.
The MCA cafe is not quite completed and there are impending plans to put pink astroturf on the ground as well as more greenery to give it some depth, texture and warmth. At the moment, there is a cafeteria feel to it. Award winning Fresh catering take care of the food here and patrons take a look at the menu and order and pay at the counter and take a number with them to a table. Alas, one of those gigantic ships had just sailed in obscuring the view of the Opera House but no matter, the Harbour Bridge is good.
The Twisted High Tea is served on a two tiered stand with a glass of Brown Brothers sparkling wine and is $45 per person. Whilst most other diners are having sandwiches, the tiers come out and there’s a flurry of excitement. People coo things like “ooh look it’s so pretty!” and the colourful stand attracts much attention. We’re given colourful designer melamine and cutlery and napkins come in a little basket.
So where’s the twisted part? Well if you want a surprise, then it’s time to look away 
We were tipped off as we asked but basically some items appear as savouries but they’re actually sweet, other items have surprises in them while others appear as one thing but are another. It’s a fun idea and one I can imagine doing at home for a surprise afternoon tea.
We start with the savouries which I must clarify are actually savoury. There’s a sweet brioche bun filled with a fantastic tarragon mayonnaise chicken filling and a crisp baby cos leaf. The second morsel is a crunchy pea and mozzarella arancini with finely shaved pecorino and aioli. The last is a smoked salmon parcel with gin jelly and chive on a crisp lavosh where the gin jelly is surprisingly sweet. It’s a nice alternative to ribbon sandwiches and the chicken and the smoked salmon were my favourites although the arancini was also very good.
Onto the very crowded sweets layer where not everything is as they seem! There are two sandwiches each, one looks like it’s on a black bread with a creamy filling and one on a white bread. Well it turns out that they are both sweets made out of a plain sponge and a chocolate sponge cake, sliced like bread and filled with avocado and pear! I particularly liked the moist dark chocolate one.
The macarons are said to be cherry griotte and pistachio and I had expected to find a surprise griotte cherry in the centre. The cherry was said to be the pink outside and the pistachio in the filling although truth be told, I didn’t really get much cherry.
Mr NQN picked up the strawberry and basil chocolate truffled mousse and I told him that he might want to use a spoon for it. “Nah, I can just shove it in my gob” he said popping it in his mouth and so he did. I ended up licking it out of the cup as there wasn’t a small spoon and the mousse was beautifully light with some small stewed strawberries at the bottom. Making my way around the plate, I picked up a sausage roll that wasn’t really a sausage roll-it was a hazelnut meal filled pastry with strawberry sauce on top which was another clever idea as it really did look like a sausage roll to me. One of my favourite little morsels was the “lamington” which was actually a vanilla marshmallow coated in chocolate and coconut.
Tea arrived when we started on the sweets and there was a choice of teas. The teas that we received were loose leaf teas which I think come with the high tea although regular teas are T2 tea bags. I was hoping that my chai would be made the traditional way but alas, it is not.
The high tea itself was gorgeous although a part of me wished that the decor matched the food which was tasty and fresh (which I hear it will, as renovations are said to be completed within a few weeks). Some cloth napkins instead of the paper ones that seemed to blow away with frequency would be nice but then again, it is a cafe so perhaps it’s not what they are aiming for. And normally, when there is no ship blocking the view, then I’m sure that the view is decor enough.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you like modern afternoon teas or traditional ones? And when you get a cookbook, do you read it in order or do you skip through to the desserts or another section?
NQN and Mr NQN dined at MCA cafe as guests of Fresh Catering
MCA Cafe
4th Floor, 140 George St, The Rocks NSW
Tel: +61 (02)8399 3055
The Twisted High Tea is on every day in the month of October 2012 from 2:00pm-3:30pm
The MCA shop-where my credit card goes to lose weight
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41 Comments | Add your own
Interesting, but I have to say that I’m not a huge fan of the mock sandwich/pastries. To me it’s rather off putting. Too bad the décor wasn’t completed it would have made the experience so much nicer.
Wow! That is a really colorful afternoon tea! I like little surprises so this would be quirky and fun. Hehe I have the monster plate at home too
I definitely flip straight to the dessert section
High tea is the best 
This one looks lovely but I would’ve loved to see some scones served alongside everything else!
Looks gorgeous, I just wish it was called ‘Afternoon Tea’ and not High Tea as it should be !
Great tea, I love the twist, it feels so new. Tea has become a little hum drum here and a surprise would be very welcome. GG
What a clever concept? But then, life is often not what it seems, right?
I probably prefer traditional tea–but this does look intriguing. Depends on the cookbook–I prefer the kinds that have lots of information, history, and reading.
Ohhh what an interesting high tea
I’d love for Melbourne to have an afternoon tea epidemic too! It seems like we don’t have many options here sighhh
I really like the concept of the twisted afternoon tea with savoury items that were actually sweet ~
I think I prefer more traditional afternoon teas with scones and sandwiches, I’ve never been able to find a modern afternoon tea that really fancies me or maybe I just like traditions lol
I definitely skip ALL the way to the dessert section
you know me hehe
( I thought I just wrote a comment…please excuse). What an intriguing idea. But then, when is life exactly as it seems, right?
I probably prefer traditional tea, though this one does look like fun. As for cookbooks, I just like a good read and am less bothered by the recipes themselves.
Sounds like fun – I don’t mind a twist in the tail. I look at the piccies of desserts first.
Oh my goodness…I have try this ASAP Lorrainne…I really want that lamington
I wondered why the sausage roll was next to the lamington…
That high tea is so full of vibrant colours – absolutely love the look of it!
What a cool idea! I must admit I love traditional high tea but a modern twist on it would be very fun too. Love the savoury/sweet twist!
I love the idea of the twist, how much fun! The only thing I don’t like is the paper napkins and the melamine plate (even though it’s cute) my kids had plates like that
I like a place where the food is party of the theater of dining, so will put this one on my Sydney to-do list.
What a pretty high tea! I love that it’s a little bit quirky even just in appearance, not uniform and perfect like most.
I like to read cover to cover but then I’ll just flick looking for a picture that catches my eye.
What a gorgeous High Tea! I wish Brisbane would have a high tea epidemic as the choices here are limited at best. I just adore high tea, but for me you can’t beat a good quality traditional high tea. And I totally skip through to the dessert section of any cookbook!
Always enjoy things that are unique or with a twist!
Glad that this tea occasion you did not miss!
Whimsically fun, the way tea can be!
Cookbooks are savored each and every page before the dessert section I see!
Riot of colour, riot of colour! Love it!
Am I allowed to say I don’t like the plates? It all looks so busy and I think they distract from the beautiful looking food. That ‘twist’ would make me nervous I think. I like to know what I’m eating before it goes in my mouth xx
I think it’s a cute idea but cute is only fun the first time. I did raise an eyebrow on pink astroturf.
It’s an experience, right?
How fun, that looks like my ideal kind of high tea!
Definitely modern over traditional, although it depends on my mood as well
That’s gotta be the most colourful high tea spread I’ve ever seen!
A twist on high tea? And so delicious too!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
What a magnificent high tea! Shame about the slightly blocked view, but seeing the harbour bridge from this angle is spectacular and makes me a little home sick for an afternoon at The Rocks. That stunning crockery compensates for the lack of view and is as creative as the delicacies you savoured (and or devoured). What a novel idea to serve such savoury dishes with vino then tea with the interesting sweet treats. What a brilliant concept and I am sure they will do well during October Sydney crave fest. Cookbooks should never be read in the order they are published, one must reach for the subject pages that are close to their heart x
What a colorful plate and I love the pink macaron! Those mini sliders look like a good alternative to traditional sandwiches. It is fun.
I love that idea! Disguising something as another thing- talk about shocking the taste buds
Dear Lorraine,
This high tea looks a tad sweet than savoury for me though I might give that smoked salmon and gin jelly a go.
What a fun idea! Love the idea of that not-so-sausage roll
The tea looks lovely – but 45$ EACH? And not even linen napkins or silver service? Even with the complex treats and the location, I’d say $45 for two would be an appropriate price.
ahh, I was wondering what that sausage roll was doing in the middle of the sweets plate, how clever and fresh the whole setup looks!
What a lovely afternoon! Wish Melbourne had more stunning high teas like these! We are so sick of generic rubbish. To answer your question, as long as the sweets component is innovative/different from stupid little tartlets/cake slabs, ie as long as some care has been taken, we love both traditional and modern high teas.
I think you know by now, how much I love high teas. But I particularly love the savoury part of the high tea, especially the sandwiches. I would have been nonplussed by the sweet sausage roll, but thrilled by the brioche. I must get out more …
Tempting dish of delicious food. location of cafe is mind blowing.
Love the MCA – what a location and a great twist to the afternoon tea.
I was wondering what this high tea was like. Was tempted to book in, but as you said there was a lack of info, and that actually deterred me.
Looks great and the plates are just too cute!
The high tea looks great! So much cuteness and colour in the things offered. And I love the MCA, such a cool place to visit.
I love this concept.But I feel it’s too much sweet for tea….it’s a sugar feast. But sounds interesting.
I was wondering why the hot food was with the sweets! Looks like a lovely spread but I agree the decor is disappointing.
I always read the entree and finger food sections first in a new recipe book, I love anything that you can eat with your fingers.
I love me an afternoon tea. A crazy mixed up one with alcohol? I am ALL OVER THAT!
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