RESTAURANT REVIEW / TOTTENHAM COURT : A Bit o’ England : Tea and its accompaniments are the specialty, and the real food isn’t too bad either.

Meandering along the arcade on Ojai Avenue one day, I ventured into Tottenham Court, drawn in by an irresistible calliope of colorful treasures, trinkets, gewgaws, gifts and fancy. Dazed by the range of the choices, I wandered around looking at golf clocks and snuffboxes, ceramic soap dishes and silver frames, cow buttons and candles, while the pleasant tinkling of live piano music engulfed my senses.

Women in long green aprons, looking like models for a Martha Stewart stay-at-home ad, waited to attend to my shopping needs. What did I lust after? A plate with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip? A miniature tabletop croquet set? A jar of lemon curd?

What collection was I tempted to start? Valentine paperweights? Miniature leather dictionaries? Teapots, perhaps? Here were teapots galore and they came in the fanciful shapes of teddy bears, houses, quaint stoves, British flags, and even chess sets.

Just then I looked across the store and spied a cluster of tables, covered in cheerful florals and set off from the store by a rather theatrical open wooden structure that was as darling as the rest of the place. Seated at a large table was a group of hatted and beribboned little girls, enjoying a birthday party.

Between turns at the video camera, the parents were fortifying themselves with the remains of a bottle of champagne, while a lone male sibling sat at his own table, contemplating the remains of an impressive tier of cakes and petit fours.

Even then, I still didn’t get it. I sat down and ordered a cappuccino. This was a little like ordering a grilled cheese sandwich in a Thai restaurant. For above all else, Tottenham Court is a tea shop, a place where you can enjoy a fine, elaborate tea in the tradition of Harrods, the Savoy Hotel or any self-respecting English establishment.

Tea and its accompaniments: scones, cakes and finger sandwiches are what they do best. The real food isn’t bad either. Just forget the cappuccino; it tasted like a mediocre cup of coffee with a dash of foam and a few sprinkles of cinnamon.

Tea on the other hand is served in pots, bundled up in flowered cozies. Take your pick of traditional English teas such as Earl Grey and Darjeeling, or try flavored black teas such as mango and cherry. Or choose an herbal tea.

They make the most delicious hot little scones; the orange-flavored ones are especially tasty. They came with strawberry preserves and sweet whipped cream, but you can also order, for a dollar more, Devonshire cream, the almost buttery clotted cream traditionally served with scones.

On a freezing cold rainy day recently, I enjoyed a piping hot steak-and-onion pie. The crust was more chewy--even gluey--than flaky. It may have been made, quite properly, with suet, and it was very satisfying. It came with a generous green salad and a hot wheat roll.

Other dishes, like the trio of salads, proved to be generously proportioned. I particularly liked a tangy rice salad with corn, olives and a sage vinaigrette, and a lively tuna salad that hadn’t disguised the tuna.

A smoked turkey sandwich came on lovely dark bread with a dish of chutney on the side, although the turkey was only passable. I also sampled a wonderful frittata, which resembled a rustic inflated quiche. It had marvelous texture and was filled with spinach, fresh herbs and potatoes.

We finished up our meal with a delectable sweet called Ojai lemon tea cake. It could easily put Ojai on the culinary map.

Tottenham Court is the kind of place that enjoys pampering its customers with special touches, such as slices of fresh fruit on the plates. I sipped the remains of my tea, savoring both its restorative powers and the strains of sentimental Broadway tunes on the piano.

Next time I go to Ojai, I may bring a Trollope novel and spend the whole afternoon at Tottenham Court.

* WHERE AND WHEN

Tottenham Court, 242 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai. 646-2339. Open for brunch, lunch and tea, daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wine and beer. Credit cards. Lunch for two, food only, $11 to $23.