Address: Suakin Dr, Georges Heights, Mosman
Phone: (02) 8962 5900
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Hours: Lunch Daily, 12-3pm; morning and afternoon tea, 11am-5pm.

Let us step back in time to the colonial days of yesteryear. Let us sip on tea, nibble elegant eats and act in a genteel, civilized manner. Thus we find ourselves at The Tearoom Gunners’ Barracks in Mosman.

The setting is sublime – a stunning sandstone building home to a large, elegant dining room that is reminiscent of the grandeur and luxury that infused the lives of British colonials. The sweeping verandah continues this theme of refinement, boasting spectacular harbor views of Camp Cove and Rose Bay. A more perfect locale for tea sipping, champagne slurping and ladylike nibbling one could not imagine. Welcome to a haven for ladies who like to lunch.

The waiter arrives, adding to the colonial charade. He addresses us as if sporting a plum in his mouth and is oh so ingratiating. I hover between accepting the spectacle and being slightly put off. However he seems reasonably friendly, so I magnanimously decide to give the Tearoom the benefit of the doubt. I order a cappuccino, relax, settle back and wait for my coffee to arrive.

Fifteen minutes later my patience began to fray. The “hot” coffee is finally delivered, heat playing little to no part in its description. Disgruntled I swallow it whole and then deal with the consequences of such a sudden ingestion of caffeine. Tea, I decide, must be the order of the day, resolving that when in a tearoom to drink the beverage of choice.

We order, opting for the afternoon tea selection. Fiddly cakes and tiny sandwiches do not usually excite or even vaguely interest me but my companions, old hands at this game, assure me this high tea is incomparable.

Incomparable it was. In fact I would urge one to avoid it, at all costs. The scones were dry, needing at least two cups of tea to wash them down. The sandwiches (two) were minimalist and my selection included the tough chicken variety. I was about to inform my waiter of this oversight when I noticed a slightly tired and ailing egg sandwich on my neighbor’s plate. I decided that sometimes silence is golden and chewed through the remaining chicken.

The ensuing pastries, cakes and tarts followed in the same disappointing vein. They were not awful, in fact they were very average but not something one would expect in a $35 high tea selection. This incongruity is what bothers me – the food is substandard. However the setting and decor are beautiful, even exquisite. In contrast the service is somewhat sluggish and contrived. I ordered some honey for my tea and twenty minutes later a bowl was plonked rather ungraciously in front of me, with not so much as an apology that my teapot was now empty!

In short the Tearoom is a lovely place to go to feel elegant amidst old world charm. A perfect place from which to relish in Sydney’s beauty (the views are truly spectacular). So if by chance you do go, enjoy some tea, a glass of champagne or peruse the lunch menu but do not be fooled by the afternoon tea selection. Sidestep it unless you want to be lumped with a hefty bill, little food and a lot of curiosity at how the many ladies who lunch there have failed to notice that price and quality are not synonymous - fine food it was not.

Image by Robyn Gallagher licensed by Creative Commons