I’ve long been a fan of teatime. This is probably because I’m a full-blown procrastinator and love activities that let me dawdle. Teatime, whether at home or on the road, is an excuse to just sit back, relax and enjoy the moment.
While I’ll steep leaves just about anywhere, it’s always a special treat to have tea with friends and family at the Makawao Steak House’s tearoom. The tearoom is behind the actual restaurant in the courtyard, across from Viewpoints Gallery. The ambiance is similar to the steakhouse, with cozy dark wood paneling but markedly more feminine. The room is filled with antique teapots and china in old-fashioned hutches, stuffed bears and seven tables dressed with lace tablecloths.
After sitting down, a hostess presents you with 16 different tea choices. Most are Bigelow and Lipton, which are good, but it’s kind of a bummer that there aren’t more Hawai‘i teas to choose from. They do offer a Maui Mango tea that’s delicious, but I’m more of a traditionalist and usually go with the Earl Grey or a classic vanilla bean and black tea. Everybody has their own personal teapot that the hostess keeps full of piping hot water and there’s a good supply of sugar cubes and a pitcher of fresh cream on the table.
As you finish preparing your tea, the scones come out and are displayed on a pretty tray stand in the middle of the table. Condiments include strawberry preserves, Devonshire cream and lemon curd.
It’s tough to choose just one topping, so I recommend breaking off little individual bites so you can sample everything a few times. My favorite is a combo of the cream and preserves.
Next come the finger sandwiches, also displayed beautifully in the center of the table. I absolutely love the chicken curry on croissant, but the cucumber and the salmon sandwiches are perfectly light and tasty as well. I don’t know what it is about finger food, but they’re so easy to eat and are the perfect snack to accompany great conversation.
Finally, after sipping more tea and thinking that there’s no better way to spend an afternoon in Makawao, you see the dessert tray with Russian tea cookies (the ones filled with nuts and then rolled in powdered sugar), cream puffs, lemon bars and chocolate chunk cookie bars.
After dessert is a good time to browse around the tearoom and read through the journal kept by people from around the world who have enjoyed teatime at the Makawao Steak House before you. Don’t forget to leave a message of your own and then hit the town for the greatest adventure of all-treasure hunting at all the great Upcountry boutiques. MTW
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