High Tea in Union Square

Neiman Marcus is one of the most exclusive and expensive department stores in San Francisco. My friend Philip, who worked as a model for Grimmé, called it Needless Markup. When I was a child, that fabulous store was The City of Paris, and my mother worked there, managing the beauty salon. It was the most elegant and romantic place to me; a fantasy of beautiful clothes and women. Every holiday season an enormous tree that went up the middle of the store, four floors up to the Rotunda, was hung with enormous ornaments and fantasy creations.

Neiman Marcus isn't as elegant nor as beautiful as The City of Paris, nor as exclusive, despite the high prices. But they still have the tree that goes up to the Rotunda, even though the design and ornamentation can't compare to those of the past.

At the top of the store is now The Rotunda restaurant, a beautiful place with tables underneath the famed stained-glass ceiling. In The Rotunda high tea is served in the afternoon, at $18.50 each. This is an average price in San Francisco, where high tea can run as much as $28.00 per person, but is a little pricy for most tourists. Still, the spread is well worth it, and the service is above compare.

We had a reservation for 4 pm, and waited perhaps 5 minutes for our table to be prepared. It was a side table in the windows and under the Rotunda. The tea choices are more extensive and unusual than most tea services, and the tea arrives in a tiny silk bag. We meant to ask where we could buy some of the tea, and forgot...so we'll be going back!

Food arrives on a three-tiered stand. Tea sandwiches, one each of chicken salad, smoked salmon on pumpernickel, and cream cheese/cucumber. Currant scones, one each. And fabulous little cakes -- a lemon cheesecake on a gingerbread cookie; tiny chocolate chip baked perfectly and still oozing chocolate, little chocolate cups filled with caramel and marshmallow puffs. Delicious and beautifully presented.

When the waiter returned to refill our hot water pots, we discussed the location of the Sephora store, and I told him I liked the chicken salad and salmon sandwiches the best. He left and five minutes later returned with a small plate containing three more chicken and salmon sandwiches. After eating the cakes I made the mistake of telling him the marshmallow puffs were the best, so four more of those soon appeared. For the extras we weren't charged. Amanda said I should have told him the cucumber/cream cheese sandwiches were the best -- they're her favorite everywhere!

So we were beyond stuffed when we left the restaurant, leaving our lovely waiter a lovely tip. We would definitely visit again and recommend it to our friends.