The "tea" came served on a three-tiered dish, the bottom of which held a variety of scones, with elegant finger sandwiches adorning the second teir and a selection of mouth-watering pastries gracing the third tier. (The pastries that come with the Chocolate Sensation Tea will make chocoholics think they've died and gone to heaven.) At first sight the offering seemed scant, especially given the price ($20-$22 per person, depending on the "tea" menu selected), but before we were able to sink our teeth into one of the desserts on the top tier, the waitress returned to ask if we wanted more scones and/or sandwiches. Truthfully, I was full, but the scones, served with Devonshire cream and preserves, simply melted in your mouth, and the sandwiches couldn't be had any place else, so we requested more of each as I mentally calculated how much additional exercise I would have to engage in the next day. And this before we had sampled the pastries, which proved to taste every bit as delectable as they looked.

After the dining experience, we took an informal tour of the hotel, following a pamphlet supplied by our waitress. (Free guided 45-minute tours are offered each Wednesday and Saturday from the lobby at 2 P.M. If time is available,I recommend it.) A number of changing displays of historical memorabilia surround the lobby, and the hanging lamps and arch lights on the second floor are remarkable, particularly when you consider that they are the original fixtures and were operated via the hotel's own generated electricity from its completion in 1892 to the 1930s.

Rather than entering the restaurant from the street, we entered through the hotel lobby so that we could view the 2,800 square foot stained glass ceiling that was part of the original decor when the hotel was completed in 1892 and enjoy the historical memorabilia displays scattered around the lobby.

The Ship Tavern decor is also a harbor of history. The restaurant displays model replicas of actual ships from America's Clipper period, and an old ship's clock hangs on the right of the doorway that passes from the restaurant to the lobby. A massive polished wood bar spans the length of one of the walls. The atmosphere is one of casual elegance.

The service and the food were excellent. My friend and I both ordered the reuben sandwich, which was served with a huge mound of fries. Neither of us was able to finish the meal. We were allowed to linger for an hour and a half, catching up on each other's news, and never once felt rushed by the waiter, even though it was the typical lunch hour crowd. The prices were very reasonable as well--less than $20 a person, including both a drink and a tip. We passed on dessert.