Elvie MacFarland
User's reviews
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The Front Porch Tea Room
My 2 companions and I have enjoyed taking tea at many places on the East Coast and eagerly anticipated visiting the Front Porch and enjoying our experience. The venue is absolutely charming and Victorian. We were immediately escorted to our table where our salads were plated and awaiting our arrival. Delicious! However, we were very dissappointed to discover that we all had to decide on one variety of tea for the table to share versus each patron receiving their own pot of tea. The varieties of tea were plentiful. We next received our scones served on one serving dish with two skimpy scones per patron. The scones were soft and presented more like Pillsbury cookie dough. We were dissappointed at not receiving a 3 tier proper tea presentation as much as we were with the scones. Next we received our bowls of soup which were delicious but odd to be served after the scones. Our sandwich plate was delivered after the soup, 9 sandwiches on one luncheon plate. They were good but not special. After soup we were encouraged to pick a dessert from the menu of several choices which we had boxed to take with us. Our server was asked twice for water before we received it in a room with only 2 other occupied tables. The owner visited our table but in our opinion stayed too long telling and selling us on the Front Porch. The tea was $23 per person and is in line with what other tea rooms charge but honestly We felt it was overpriced for the value we received. The owner explained she doesn't give guests their own pot due to her lack of tea pots.....hmmmm. It was okay but the variety, and the presentation, in our opinion was severely lacking. Go for the decor and salad.
Tearoom response:
Elvie,
I am so sorry that we did not live up to your expectations. I would like to answer a few of your comments. We offer over 20 different tea to choose from. You could have 2 pots or more if you requested them as we are only too happy to accommodate. I do not know of any other tea room that serves more than 2 scones per person and they were served on a serving plate and set on a cake stand in the middle of the table. No you did not get a 3 tier serving stand as The Afternoon Tea service is what is served on a 3 tier unit. We serve a High Tea which is a full meal. Yes your sandwiches were plated on a serving dish , again placed on the cake saver and you each received 3 different tea sandwiches. As far as your server was concerned we had several other tables not just one and at one of them we felt one of the attendees was having a stroke and we were trying to accommodate them and help them with her and pack up their meal to go. I do apologize if you felt I was trying to sell my establishment to you, I was only trying to make you fell comfortable and tell you some information about The Front Porch. Again I apologize for your time with us and would hope that you give us another chance. We have been serving for over 15 years and yours has been one of the 1st that felt the service, food and presentation were not up your standard.
Bonnie