Miss Rosemarie's Special Teas Salon & Shoppe

Birmingham, AL
$9-$15 Entrees

Throughout history, there has been no substance as unifying and as divisive as tea. Tea, that fragrant, comforting infusion over which engagements have been sealed and wars have been instigated, has persisted for centuries in countries spanning the globe. Even Americans, for all their pride in the Boston Tea Party, are not immune to tea's charms. The customers at Miss Rosemarie's are no exception.

Miss Rosemarie's boasts an elegantly appointed, patrician interior. A lace tablecloth and a different pattern of fine china is laid on each antique table, along with silver tea accessories and fresh flowers. The restaurant is wallpapered in a damask pattern with hand-painted gold edging. The decor seems best suited to a Victorian mansion; however, the salon is located conveniently in a shopping center. Serving a niche market, Miss Rosemarie's has been successful for five years.

Just as there is a ritual to the traditional tea ceremony, there is a correct procedure to follow if one wishes a table at Miss Rosemarie's. One should make a reservation the morning before the day one wishes to take tea. The next day, unlike the White Rabbit, be on time. If one chooses to walk in without a reservation, like Alice, one will likely have to wait for one's tea. As with most things in life, I learned this the hard way. Miss Rosemarie's is usually so full, I can almost hear the Mad Hatter and March Hare shouting, "No room! No room!" Luckily, Miss Rosemarie's is more hospitable.

Miss Rosemarie's is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11:00 to 3:00 and Saturdays from 11:00 to 2:00. One may order only tea and scones during the last hour on these days. The salon is open for brunch on Sundays from 10:00 to 2:00. The salon is closed on Mondays.

Along with a dizzying attention to detail in both the menu and service, as well as eminently reasonable prices for quality, a customer at Miss Rosemarie's will find an astounding variety of fresh ingredients combined to form original and beautifully presented delights. Like the riddle "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?," (to which Lewis Carroll admitted there is no answer), Miss Rosemarie's rich and ever-changing menu appears to be simple, but in reality, is quite complex. However, if one chooses to navigates these complexities, fortune will favor that diner with an incredible culinary experience.

Miss Rosemarie's offers no less than 60 distinct teas and tisanes (infusions of herbs or fruit, rather than tea leaves). For those who would prefer an iced tea, Miss Rosemarie's serves a refreshing iced black tea with raspberry syrup. Miss Rosemarie's menu displays four complete tea options. I recommend the first and most elaborate, Miss Rosemarie's Special Tea, which includes one scone (served with the accoutrements of jam, lemon curd, and faux clotted cream), one slice of quiche, one cup of soup, your choice of three tea sandwiches, "trio desserts," and one pot of tea. This quarter, for example, the group of four unique tea sandwiches include: the roasted pepper, mint, and goat cheese mini wrap; the pimiento cheese, turkey, tomato, and lettuce; the eggplant caviar crostini; and the almond chicken salad. This season, the group of desserts comprising the "trio desserts" include: a lemon cheesecake chocolate cup, a mini ice cream sandwich, and a dreamsicle cupcake.

Jake's Special Benedict, in which eggs rest on crab cakes instead of English muffins, and Nathan's French toast, which is made with vanilla bean custard, are two of the most enticing brunch options. For lunch, I recommend Amy's Choice, which includes: one quiche, one soup, or one crepe. One may order either two or all three of these, which come with either spring mix or Caesar salad. One may also wish to sample one of the salon's creative chicken salads, which include: Curried Orange Cranberry Chicken, Chicken Waldorf, and Almond Chicken. As for dessert, I especially enjoyed the scoop of vanilla bean ice cream rolled in gingerbread. It tasted like Christmas.

I first became optimistic when I breathed in the sachet of English Breakfast tea, stirred it with a Lilliputian demitasse spoon, and felt in purl down my throat. Down the rabbit hole I went. I was undone by the crumbly, buttery peach mango scone with ephemeral faux clotted cream and tart lemon curd. The smoked ham, green onion, and white cheddar quiche was properly and dreamily fluffy. The creamy French onion soup arrived in a lovely china teacup. I took the first taste eagerly and the rest reverently. The chilled raspberry peach soup was velvety and suffused with a lovely amaretto flavor. The spring mix salad had a piquant, slightly spicy vinaigrette. However, the highlight of the meal was the delicate crepe with lump crab meat and authentic hollandaise.

"Round went the clock in a twinkling" and before I knew it, Miss Rosemarie's was closing and my adventure was at an end. Comatose with delicacies, I was as sleepy as the Dormouse and smiling like the Cheshire Cat. So sit up straight, crook your pinkie, and order as many selections as you can. After all, as the Mad Hatter noted, "you can't take less ... it's very easy to take more than nothing."

5 Kudzu