Claridge's Afternoon Tea

Get those little pinkies in the air ready for Afternoon Tea at Claridge's!!

Set in the Foyer and Reading Room, the centerpiece of the room was vases and vases of flowers, adding to the art deco look.

Me and M, went for the Afternoon Tea. We have been to the Ritz before for Afternoon Tea, what's different here is that the Afternoon Tea is served in courses; savoury (sandwiches) then sweet (cakes).

We had the White silver tip tea, which was light and refreshing. This tea can only be picked at certain times of the year so supply is limited so made this a fitting tea for this occasion. A special tea for a special Afternoon Tea.

The sandwiches: mini savoury scones topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, caviar and pea shoot; ham and tomato relish, cream cheese and cucumber, chicken, duck egg mayonnaise and salmon. I'm not a huge fan or smoked salmon, the taste and smell reminds me of uncooked bacon, however my favourite item on the savoury dish was the mini scones. The scones were light and buttery, matching the creaminess of the cream cheese underneath the smoky salmon. It was delicious. I was disappointed in the chicken sandwich as the chicken was a bit dry, it definitely needed the tomato relish to moisten and liven up the sandwich.  

For the sweet course: plain and apple and sultana scones served with of course clotted cream and Marco Polo strawberry jelly. (Ok I got a little excited before I remembered to take a picture). I have no idea what Marco Polo jelly is but this was perfumey and very sweet. I think I would have preferred regular strawberry jam. M said she much preferred the scones they sell in Harrods or Waitrose as these scones tasted as though they were made with bicarbonate of soda. These scones were nice.  

The patisseries: fruit cake, a cherry topped crumble, chocolate with a layer of creme anglais and a profiterole filled with banana and topped with a thin disc of banana flavoured chocolate. Of all of the cakes I think my favourite was the banana puff. It had a crumble topping with a light creamy filling which reminded me of Beard Papa. This creation was like Beard Papa meets banoffee pie.

There was live music playing making it a relaxing and pleasant experience. The service was attentive, maybe a little too attentive, with nearly every waiter coming over to see whether everything was ok. There was a little wait between the "savoury" and "sweet" courses, as they changed your cutlery.

Upon leaving they give you each this cutest little box of chocolates to "remember them by". They also let you take home any of the cakes if you haven't eaten them all. They also had a trolley of different sweet jars which felt like a mini visit to the sweet shop as I filled up this paper bag.

I can see why many people go to Claridge's for Afternoon Tea, they do offer an unique experience. A mini getaway from the hustle and bustle outside from the nearby Oxford Street. I did enjoy the experience, but I can see why there are those out there whom see Afternoon Tea as a bit pointless, as you would have to eat a lot of sandwiches and cakes to make up for the £45 per person cost (plus 12.5% service charge), considering a sandwich, cake and a cup of tea at Pret for less than £10.