Have your cake—and bento box, too—at the city’s most charming tea house
The place: The vibrant cakes on display in the Red Tea Box’s Queen West storefront window only hint at the wonderful setting beyond: mismatched furniture set up in a hidden coach house and on the whimsical back patio. The latter, with its Asian decor and shady pear tree, makes a resplendent setting for a summer lunch.
The crowd: Most tables are full and occupied by women enjoying a break from work or Queen West shopping.
The deal: The lunch menu draws inspiration from India and Japan and includes daily cold soups (potato-leek and carrot-turmeric), sandwiches (the lime-tinged mojo beef is popular) and, of course, teas of every flavour. Half-sandwich-half-soup combos ($9.50) are available, but we are tempted by the bento box lunch special ($17).
The dish: A fitting start to a tea house lunch: white peach iced tea ($5.75) with jasmine, osmanthus blossom and orange peel is served with an amuse-bouche-size salad. The box features wildly distinct tastes in each section, each perfectly portioned. The light, juicy two-pepper roasted chicken with tamarind dhal is the standout, with the spicy house-smoked salmon cake coming in a close second. Seared green beans with chili, miso and garlic deliver a summery shot of crunch and freshness. For dessert, we turn to the famous selection of small cakes. It’s impossible to go wrong, but we’re particularly happy with our kaffir lime tart ($8) with mango curd and fresh fruit.
The time: A languid 75 minutes.
The cost: $40, including tax and tip.
Red Tea Box, 696 Queen St. W., 416-203-8882.
Read the Toronto Life review of the Red Tea Box »
(Images: Matthew Fox)
Are there any vegetarian dishes?
June 29, 2010 at 12:11 pm | by SueSue
this is a great spot – I love the food, the service and the atmosphere. They have vegetarian options for all their specials -as well as many on the main menu. there are also Vegan options.
June 29, 2010 at 10:07 pm | by Jae