Chasing the Rabbit

So true to my word, I checked out the Rabbit Hole in Redfern earlier this week.

It was neat.

First up, the most important aspect: the tea. $5 for a pot of tea that comes with a timer and a nifty lid that you turn to prevent overbrewing. Dreadfully unaware of the iced tea page (it was one of those 35 degree days) we went with the Summer Fling, Strawberry Skinny, Lavender Cream, White Delight and Spring Bouquet. With the exception of my friend Annie, the general consensus saw the Summer Fling reigning supreme with its refreshing hints of pineapple, coconut and ginger. As the name suggests, it's a bit of a cheeky brew and I love me some cheek. The Rabbit Hole website also suggests a chilled version with a splash (maybe a sploosh) of vodka. Yeah, okay, sold.

In second place for the table came the Lavender Cream, though I personally took a shine to Spring Bouquet - a chamomile, white tea and rose/calendula blend - which, whilst subtle in flavour, was extremely relaxing. Whilst the Strawberry Skinny and White Delight fell shy of expectations, I'm sure someone else will appreciate these original blends.

As I mentioned, I chose perhaps the hottest day I could to check the Rabbit Hole out, for reasons still unknown to me. Never have I felt such regret for missing a menu page as I did this day when I saw an iced tea going to another table. Coated in chilly condensation, filled with liquid sunset and topped off with ice and a cinnamon stick, that one glass had the eyes of my table. I'm awaiting the next scorcher of a day to check out that iced tea menu.

Onto the establishment itself, it's a case of walk in, grab yourself a table and wait for the staff to bring you menus and a jug of sparkling water (which was pretty refreshing between the summery heat and hot tea). Ordering up at the counter means you get to avoid the awkward splitting of the bill, not to mention you can admire the lavender shortbread and other baked goodies in the display. There's also a tea tasting station if you're in the mood for it (and I can't imagine why you wouldn't be).

I think it goes without saying, but we were all pretty astounded by the interior design of the place - photos are one thing, but seeing it for yourself is another. A part of me felt like I was back in the designer cafes of Seoul. The shop (see the second picture above) is a fine-looking specimen with its bowls of fresh tea blends which you can smell when deciding what to buy (either for your table or your pantry cupboard). The only problem is that the height of the bowls makes it awkward to stand bent over, sniffing tea while other patrons stare at you. It may be less noticeable when the place is busy, but there were only ever 12 or so customers at a time (including my table) in the main area while I was there.

Foodwise, there's a little bit of tea in everything on the menu. Not enough to be overpowering, but it shows off the homage to tea that the Rabbit Hole is. From the menu, we got the cold green tea soba and the matcha granola. A tad on the pricey side, but it's cool to see each menu item is paired with a particular tea. Miss Zhao and Hashimoto went for a muffin and a cheesy scone respectively from the display. I myself couldn't resist a couple of the lavender shortbread biscuits which, whilst too sweet for me, looked spectacular in the grand spread of our table.

The Rabbit Hole staff were friendly and accommodating. Sense of humour present, too. No real complaints.

All in all, the Rabbit Hole does what it wants and does it well. Go there and you're not just drinking tea - you're drinking in everything about the place. We spent almost three hours there, just enjoying it. This is a tea experience you ought to have because it's such a far cry from Sydney's other offerings. This ain't no high tea, this is hip tea. With that said, I did feel that there's something missing there though I'm not exactly sure what. I guess it's an excuse to go back.

So that's it.

Oh wait, did I mention the Rabbit Hole also has a swanky bathroom?

Is it weird to take bathroom pictures? (Probably)

Yes, that's a door handle

- Charith