NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

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A Unique Experience at the Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill

Front gate signage for Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining
Front gate signage for Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining

Ahh, tea… Nearly an after-thought given the coffee craze in the US over the past decade or so. I’m more of a green tea drinker but I had seen pictures for a new tea house out in Chapel Hill that looked really interesting, the Honeysuckle Tea House! As luck would have it, I’m heading back from Charlotte and figured I could stop in at Honeysuckle Tea House because it was on the way back home. Sort of, as you’ll see…

Honeysuckle Tea House building in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining
Honeysuckle Tea House building in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining

While Honeysuckle Tea House is officially in Chapel Hill, it’s in the outskirts near the White Cross area. I head in off of Rte. 54 trusting my GPS but I had my doubts. Especially when Apple maps tells me to take a right onto Lake Village Trailer Park?!? What did it just say? But I trust my technology and head on further in. Soon I see a wooden arch overhead to the right, proclaiming “Honeysuckle Tea House” on a rustic, weathered plank. This must be the place! I turn in, go through another gateway and park in front of a low, squat square building. It’s a mix of Appalachia-Japanese architecture with an interesting sloped green roof that looks like a hat. Gardening beds sit to the right and left of the building, full of greenery, butterflies and bees, a very relaxing scene!

Gardens at Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining
Gardens at Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining

Inside the Honeysuckle Tea House there are a bunch of folks chatting and getting some work done on their laptops. A counter up front shows off some vegan pastries, the small menu of beer and wine along with a display of herbal and black teas on shelves. Apparently all the herbal teas are made of ingredients from their farm which is really cool. I order up a fire and ice kombucha up front and head on to a table to savor mah drink!

Front counter at Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining
Front counter at Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining

All I can say is that Honeysuckle is all Chapel Hill in that it has a very natural, commune like feel to the establishment. Down below I spy a play-structure for kids and a stage where I’d imagine the local drum circle from Carrboro may perform from time to time. I’m making this all up in my imagination but that’s just the type of feel you get from Honeysuckle Tea House! My kombucha is excellent for my first one ever. It’s got some vinegary sour and spice along with the slight effervescence to the drink. It perks me up just like a coffee but without the jitters.

Kombucha and scenery at Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining
Kombucha and scenery at Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill- NC Triangle Dining

I finish up my kombucha, dispose of the cup and hop in the car for the ride back to Raleigh. And all I can think to myself is “that was REALLY interesting!” And cool, it reminds me of something I might have run into when I lived in SF and the Bay area. But of course we’re in NC so your mileage may vary. But if you love tea, love the outdoors and are willing to try something different, check out Honeysuckle Tea House. And if your GPS tells you to turn into a trailer park, just keep on going! I promise you’ll find something way cooler than some rusting double-wides down that country road…

 

Honeysuckle Tea House

8871 Pickards Meadow Road

Chapel Hill, NC 27516

919.903.9131

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Media Event: Afternoon Tea at the Washington Duke Inn, Durham!

Afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- Picture Courtesy of Washington Duke Inn
Afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- Picture Courtesy of Washington Duke Inn

Afternoon tea is one those age-old traditions that has evolved over the years but at the core it’s about slowing down your busy life and enjoying a couple of hours of sweets, savories and good conversation with friends.  In the Triangle, there are a handful of options to do tea at some classic hotels: the Umstead, Carolina Inn and of course, Washington Duke Inn.  I recently received an invite to visit the Washington Duke and its Fairview Dining room to experience their afternoon tea.  And it was enjoyable but certainly quite different than my first afternoon tea experience at the Umstead!

Tea pot for afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Tea pot for afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

I arrived a bit before 4pm and the local food and mommy blogger group was already in attendance.  The afternoon tea is kicked off by Don Ball, Director of Food and Beverage at the Washington Duke Inn and he introduces the special guest of the day, Constance Lue of the Old North State Tea society.  Decked out in period garb, Connie walks us through the long and interesting history of tea, how it was consumed in US and UK society and general factoids about this magic leaf.  A box of high-quality tea bags is passed around and the aromatics behind it are wonderful.  There’s a spicy sweetness to it that I’ve never smelled from a Lipton tea bag!  I put in my order for tea and go with some ginger peach.  A pot is brought around for each of us as the discussion continues.

Tower of treats for afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Tower of treats for afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

After the tea has been steeped and poured, the main event is brought to the table, a tower of tea treats!  Ranging from sweet to savory, Washington Duke’s finger foods range from deviled eggs, crust-less sandwich triangles to chicken salad in pastry and finally to chocolate covered strawberries and mini fruit parfaits.  It’s a colorful and beautiful presentation on proper china and there’s just a feeling of poshness in the air.  One point that Connie makes is that afternoon tea is popular for the Duke student community and she reminds us that it’s a fantastic way to learn proper table manners and putting a bit of formal presentation into yourself as these future business leaders move on from university.  Or to teach your children to sit still and behave in an upscale restaurant.

Plate of treats for afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Plate of treats for afternoon tea at the Fairview Dining Room, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

As we work on the initial plates of tea deliciousness, a basket of warm scones is brought to the table.  There are two types, one with brown sugar and another with fruit and chocolate chips.  The scones are served with clotted cream, lemon curd and preserves for some additional flavor!  I pick up a warm scone and while I’m usually not a fan because they are typically too dense and heavy for me, the scones at Washington Duke Inn are light, fluffy and sprinkled with large sugar flakes giving it wonderful taste and texture.  Adding on the cream and preserves just seems indulgent but I’m pretty sure afternoon tea is meant to be just a bit indulgent.

Scones for afternoon tea at the Washington Duke Inn, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Scones for afternoon tea at the Washington Duke Inn, Durham- NC Triangle Dining 
Chef Jason during afternoon tea at the Washington Duke Inn, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Chef Jason during afternoon tea at the Washington Duke Inn, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

As we finish off the event, Chef Jason Cunningham comes out and greets the crowd, chats with Connie for a bit and everyone in attendance does a quick introduction.  We say our goodbyes and are sent home with a complimentary gift from the Washington Duke Inn staff, a tea brewer and some sample teas, nice!  And while tea is usually served at the Washington Duke Inn from Wednesday to Sunday ($25 – $32), as they move into the holiday season it will be served all week.   Which is a perfect way to celebrate the cooler weather and time with family and friends.  So thank you everyone at the Washington Duke Inn, I’m always impressed with your hospitality and cuisine, it’s hard to say no to tea and a special experience like this one!

 

Fairview Dining Room at the Washington Duke Inn- Afternoon Tea

3001 Cameron Boulevard

Durham, NC 27705

919.493.6699

 

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First Take: Afternoon Tea at the Luxurious Herons in the Umstead Hotel!

The lounge at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
The lounge at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

While I enjoy my frou-frou food, I’m not really a huge fan of high-end restaurants because of the ambiance and financial expense. So Herons has always been on my long and special occasion list but never a super-pressing visit for me.  Thankfully, two friends wanted to check them out for afternoon tea (yeah, it’s sort of frou-frou) which piques my interest.  So it’s time to head out to SAS Boulevard and one of the area’s only 5-star hotels, the Umstead and enjoy a civilized tea outing!

Leigh at the Umstead Hotel Christmas tree in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Leigh at the Umstead Hotel Christmas tree in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

When I arrived at the Umstead, the interior was done up for the holidays and there’s a quiet and warm feel to the place.  Staffers are available everywhere here and they’ve obviously been trained well to take care of their customers.  I walk through the spa, past the meeting and conference room area, past Herons and to the lobby.  Very serene and relaxed hotel, I’d have to guess the clientele here is 35 – 70, mostly executive business travelers.  I’m early and get to hang out a bit before my partners in crime Leigh (Hines-Sight blog) and Kristen (Gadaboutfood blog) show up.  We’re all in good spirits as the holidays approach and excited to see what Herons can offer.

Kristen and our pots of tea at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Kristen and our pots of tea at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

We stop by the restaurant hostess stand but there’s nobody there so we head off to the bar/lounge area where apparently they do the afternoon tea.  We’re led to a small table by the Christmas tree where we have a small couch and two period chairs on either side.  Our server for the day is Elizabeth and we peruse the tea menu to pick out a personal pot of tea.  After that, it’s 4 courses of savory and sweets to tide us over before our polo match… (just kidding!)  I go with a pomegrante-acai tea to keep things sort of healthy, you also have the pricey option to add on some champagne and bubbly.

Finger sandwiches at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Finger sandwiches at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Ten minutes later, Elizabeth brings over three large, spherical pots of teas and our first course, the finger sandwiches.  These little sandwiches are beautifully presented and are all full of flavor.  A traditional cucumber sandwich with cream and uncrusted bread, fabulous!  A chicken salad, egg salad and cheese with pepper jelly, wonderful.  And finally a square of smoked salmon (gravlax) with creme finishes things off.  Five great flavors all in their own unique shapes, fun.  The pots of tea are large which will tide you over through all four courses.

Chocolate chip scones at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Chocolate chip scones at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Colorful macaroons at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Colorful macaroons at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

As the harpist next to us plays some soothing music we next get a plate of chocolate chip scones speckled with rock sugar.  A trio of sauces (lemon curd, cream and raspberry jam) are available for blinging out the scones but they are delicious naked.  A rectangular container of colorful macaroons are paired up with the scones and they are also fantastic.  Can’t remember all the flavors but the light, crunchy outside breaks down into a chewy, flavorful inside which makes for a great mouth sensation.

Dessert stand at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Dessert stand at Herons in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

And finally we get a dessert stand with a parfait, key lime cookies and muffins on top.  It’s a nice presentation and I only get through one dessert before tapping out.  Need to hit the gym tonight and all these sweets will NOT improve the workout.  We receive a box of complimentary truffles and it’s a nice and thoughtful touch from Chef Daniel, thanks!  We linger for a bit longer, finishing up the pots of tea and our conversations and the entire tab comes out to about $40 per person.  Certainly not cheap for an afternoon interlude but also reasonable for the ambiance and service you get at Herons.  Served 2:30 – 4pm from Wednesday to Sunday, I’d recommend it as an introduction to the restaurant and a nice treat for you and some close friends.  All the food and sweets we tried were playful, flavorful and impeccably put together.  Which is a great way to finish off the afternoon, much appreciated Herons!

 

Herons Restaurant @Umstead Hotel (Afternoon Tea)

100 Woodland Pond Drive

Cary, NC 27513

919.447.4200

 

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