Eat: The Store

Spring appears to have come early here in Rads and sunny skies are conducive to long lunches in the streets of North Adelaide. But don’t be too fooled, always remember to pack your cardigan. Especially if you want to fit in along Melbourne Street.

We headed to The Store. Options were plentiful, with indoor, outdoor, terrace or booth seating available. We slid into a green velvet booth and left the wine choice to the expert.

Hats off to whoever’s hiring. Cute and friendly wait staff make a dining experience much more pleasurable.

All the specials sounded very tempting and from the few we saw on their way out from the kitchen, they looked very tempting as well.

Quiche of the day. Chèvre and silverbeet quiche, green salad with hazelnuts.

Homemade baked gnocchi with roasted cauliflower, Gruyere cheese and walnuts.

Grilled free range pork rib eye with coleslaw and caramelised apple balls.

Prior to ordering our mains, I’d already eyed off the dessert options. It was predetermined we’d be sharing a little something sweet.

Warm brioche custard and apple pudding.

Tick, tick, tick. Lovely dishes. Lovely ladies. Lovely day.

Do: High tea @ Just Tickled Pink

Looking for something to do on a Thursday afternoon? In the mood for teacups and pink? Feeling dainty? Oh là là! Gather your girlfriends and head straight up Unley Road to the delightful Just Tickled Pink tea rooms.

The tradition goes that the custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Bragança married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice with her from Portugal. Typically, tea is served, with a light meal shared between 3pm and 5pm, consisting of sandwiches, scones and usually cakes and pastries.

Recognising the niche market early in 2006, owners Kim and Geoff Graetz opened the Hyde Park shopfront with a view of becoming “Adelaide's Sweetest Tea Rooms". Five years on and Just Tickled Pink has become known throughout Adelaide for their traditional and personalised high tea services and events.

Our seating was for afternoon tea at the not so traditional hour of 2pm. The table was quirkily set with fresh flowers, china teacups and saucers, candles and prefilled glasses of water. While Laura and I awaited the arrival of the two pregnant ladies we took in our gorgeous surrounds.

This too cute elderly couple looked like they had been embracing the joys of high tea together for many years..

The girls arrived, and our glasses of sparkling arrived soon after. Champers for Laura and myself and sparkling (of the juice variety) for Jules and Edwina, both made pink by the addition of blackcurrant syrup. Delicious!

An assortment of finely cut sandwiches, savoury pastries, lamingtons, miniature vanilla cupcakes and wrapped chocolates were beautifully presented on a perfectly matching china trois-tiers.

I am not much of a tea drinker, but I was committed to the full experience and quite enjoyed the traditional blend on offer.

The sandwiches of the day were paté and alfalfa, smoked salmon and chives, crowns of cheese and dijon and traditional cucumber and mint. My favourite was the paté variety.

The cupcakes were moist and vanilla-y perfection. We happily munched down the lot while talking all things weddings and babies. Time passed quickly in a blur of sugary sweetness.

And before we knew it, it was time to say our goodbyes, for the girls to get back to babysitters and one year olds and for Laura and me to wrap up a very civilised day out.

The only improvement I can think of would be to deck out all the staff in matching hostess outfits. I am picturing something like this.

Cuteness factor: 10.