We were on the Sunshine Coast, and looking for an afternoon snack. The Silva Spoon came up on searches, lauded as being a good place for cakes and tea. The pictures of their cakes that they had posted on their Facebook page looked amazing, so we headed there in anticipation of some delicious treats.
Upon entering, it looked very much like other tea shops, with shelves filled with teapots and cups. Tea and coffee emporium, says the sign on the door. They certainly sold a large variety of the things one might need, though significantly more in tea than coffee.
Wary of being the bull in the china shop, we did our best to navigate carefully between the displays. It had dark walls, floor, and ceiling. Colour and brightness was largely provided by the array of wares. New age music was playing in the background, rather in keeping with the place.
Ahead from the entrance is a counter, where retail sales, or takeaway tea or coffee orders are taken. Around, almost behind another display shelf to the right, is the counter where cakes and drinks to have there can be ordered. There were some quite promising cakes under glass cloches.
There was, of course, a quite bewildering array of beverage options, including a long list of teas and many tea and coffee preparation choices.
In the end, we chose a soy matcha latte (having read someone else’s positive review of it), and a tumeric latte because that wasn’t something we had seen elsewhere before. A piece of the pineapple and matcha bundt was picked to go with it. After placing our orders, we took our numbered placeholder to an available table, and while waiting had a look at yet more shelves of teas on the other side of the shop. The seating was fairly basic, with square polymer-topped tables and plastic chairs. There was nothing particularly luxurious or indulgent about the setup, quite unlike what you would think a high tea destination would have.
When it arrived, the soy matcha latte was an ominously bland colour (see the post on Sinmei Tea for the difference in appearance). A sip confirmed its weakness. It tasted more like sweetened soy than anything else. The froth on top was green, and perhaps they had added matcha powder to that, but there was certainly no flavour in the rest of it. For a place that supposedly specialises in teas and coffees, and should be good at such things, it was a dismal letdown. I guess the person who did that positive review has never had a proper matcha latte.
The tumeric latte had a pale banana-yellow colour. It had a mild tumeric flavour, so was a bit nutty. Again, the predominant flavour was the milk it was made with.
The pineapple matcha bundt was prettily presented, with a rose on top, and brushed with a snowy dusting of icing sugar. It was probably one of the most beautifully decorated cake slices I’ve seen brought to the table. It didn’t, however, taste like either matcha or pineapple. The cake was moist, and sort of non-descriptly sweet. It did have fennel seeds in it, for a slightly spiced twist. The icing on top of it was again sweet without a specific other flavour. The meringue had a little crunch to the outer surface. The description of the cake was misleading, in the absence of any apparent presence of the named components (apart from bundt). Once again, making something a little bit green doesn’t mean that you can call it a matcha anything. There was probably more icing sugar dusted over the cake for presentation than there was matcha powder.
Overall, The Silva Spoon was a very disappointing experience. They failed to deliver on both the lattes, despite caffeinated beverages being their thing, and the cake. I’m not sure how they got a reputation as a destination for tea and cakes, unless people are swayed purely by appearance and not by taste. Unfortunately, not a place I can recommend.
Scores:
Food: 1/4
Setting: 1/2
Service: 1/2
Total: 3/8
Price point: Cakes $6.90 to $7.95. Hot drinks $4 to $6.60, depending on size. Cold drinks $6.50 to $7.50. Soy 50c extra.
Value: Not good.
Details:
Address: 1/27-29 Cotton Tree Parade, Cotton Tree
Phone: 07 5443 8822
Website: The Silva Spoon
Thank you, thank you! I thought I was being really, really critical but a group of six ladies booked for afternoon tea on Wednesday, 25th April. What a disappointment ! The scones were rock cakes; stale and crumbly; the “club sandwiches” were stale; “banofee” cakes comprised of bought in cases with very sweet filling which also was used to sandwiched together the bought in meringue shells – another “sweet”.
This was not a pleasant experience and had I not been the guest of the lady who booked I would have sent the lot back.
We had been very hopeful, given previous positive reviews, but were very sorely disappointed. Sorry to hear you had a similar poor experience.