Runya's Room | High Tea Review Runya's Room | High Tea Review

A high tea should be classy and fun. It's a great way to meet up with friends without necessarily shouting over the noise of a bar. There's a certain gentility about it all.

So if you are in Collins Street, make sure you find time to visit Runya's Room, established in June 2016. Inside you will find a relatively small but elegant dining parlour, decked out in pink and gold. The seats are well padded, but a little tight probably for those who are equally well padded. If you're one of those, book ahead and reserve space on the banquette.

Seated by a charming Italian named Nicholas and attended by a coterie of uniformed servers who know their products, we started off with some Veuve Clicquot.

The three-tiered assortment of taste delights had a slight Middle Eastern feel. Sandwiches included:

lamb ham with Muhamara (hot pepper) spread, baby spinach and spiced mayonnaise on white bread

chipotle chicken with snow pea tendrils and roasted red pepper and mayo in pita bread

roasted peppers with basil pesto, mayonnaise, grilled zucchini and eggplant on multigrain
Baharat (an Egyptian spice mix) vegetable medley with goat's cheese, fennel and basil on wholemeal.

All are, in a word, yum. There's plenty of traditional English high tea in the taste, but that clever hint of the Middle East makes everything at once intriguing and unique.

Hot and cold canapes included fig wrapped in Pastirma (a delicious air dried cured beef), sardine with tomato, chilli and spring onion sour cream, BBQ chicken and Pastirma skewers with spice rub and a lamb, apricot and fennel seed lollipop with garlic yoghurt.

The desserts were to die for. Fraisier Verrine, a classic French delight with sponge and strawberry, a raspberry and vanilla spoon, a Mini Opera which was reminiscent of tira misu and finally a pineapple panna cotta. All but the Mini Opera are gluten free.

The scones were delivered after we had devoured the sandwiches. Two varieties - orange blossom and rosewater and date, served with the most delicious homemade carrot jam that I have ever tasted, as well as a mixed berry jam along with clotted cream.

High tea at Runya's Room was both edgy and satisfyingly traditional. The space is small, but there is another out in the public area that offers a different ambiance while still being part of the Runya's scene.

Everything was fresh, delicious and uniquely their own. On offer were an assortment of delicious Harvey & Sons Teas served in elegant Christina Rae tea ware. Coffee is also available.

You will find Runya's Room in what was once the shopping precinct of Australia on Collins, now an upscale mix of boutiques and restaurants.

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Review by Lynda | March 2017

❊ Venue | Location ❊

 Runya's Room [ view ]
 Shop 03/260 Collins St,  Melbourne Victoria  View Map
 Telephone: (03) 9663 4780

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❊ Web Links ❊

➼ Runya's Room | High Tea Review 

➼ www.runyasroom.com.au

➼ www.facebook.com/runyasroom

❊ Also See... ❊

➼ Reviewer | Lynda Spilsted






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