Charlotte in the City: The Montcalm at The Brewery London City

Sometimes cute cakes and petite pastries just don't quite reach the spot when you're looking for something to really hit the hunger. Hey, we said 'sometimes', okay? Lately, we have succumbed to the call of stodgy pork pies and savoury scones that feature in the increasingly fashionable, Gentleman's Afternoon Tea. Our London lady, Charlotte Vowden, also decided to ditch the daintiness and opted for a Gent's Afternoon Tea at The Montcalm at The Brewery. Here's how she got on ... 

Gents Afternoon Tea

I recently took tea with a handsome gentleman more used to heavy-handed behaviour in the boxing ring than handling finger sandwiches. Although a willing taste tester when I bake something sweet, he doesn’t enjoy being as sugared-up as I, and so I sought out an afternoon tea, man style.

The menu criteria included a healthy load of carbs, plenty of saturated fat and an emphasis on savoury. It was the combination of sandwiches, Welsh Rarebit and buttered toast slathered with Patum Peperium Relish on the Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea menu at The Brewery London City that won me over. 

Expecting chunks of bread bubbling with cheese too hot to eat straight away, I was disappointed to find the Welsh Rarebit thinly-sliced and cautiously topped with cheese rather than the greasy indulgence anticipated. My guest though, is a little more forgiving and deemed it delicious. 

On the same tier of the stand the buttered toast and pot of Patum Peperium Relish sat. This was a first-time taste for me and I applied an over-generous coating. The anchovy paste’s fishy, salty and spicy taste hit me all at once and made my cheeks flush rose red. 

Swapping sweet for savoury.

The sandwiches were a third filling with two thirds bread and included smoked salmon and beef, marvellous. Hidden between the top and bottom tiers were scones. Feather-light, crumbly and dusted with icing sugar, my fellow high tea taker and I concluded them a knockout. 

Our experience took a blow when it came to the service. The parlour was busy, a good sign, as afternoon turned into evening and the staff were friendly, but as the gent put it, things felt a little lacklustre. Our tea pots arrived ten minutes before the edibles and despite proclamations on its website that you could begin with a glass of champagne and extend the proceedings with a tumbler of whiskey, we were offered neither and left parched in search of a pub. 

Afernoon Tea at The Montcalm at The Brewery London City is £25pp. For more information, visit their website themontcalmlondoncity.co.uk. 

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and indulging on cake. Writing for The Sunday Times and other national publications keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

Charlotte in the City: BB Bakery Afternoon Tea Review

Time for Tea

A few weeks ago, our London lady Charlotte Vowden, headed off to BB Bakery in Covent Garden for an afternoon of tea and relaxation. Here's how she got on.

Husband and wife team Philippe and Brigitte Bloch are the brains behind BB Bakery, a French Salon de Thé in Covent Garden. Together they’ve created an afternoon tea stop-off with a clean and contemporary look that attracts city girls in chic outfits and stilettos, ladies of leisure and groups celebrating special occasions.

I popped in with a friend on what I thought would be a quiet Monday afternoon and to my surprise there were several other tables accommodating a tea stand. A tea stand that I must say makes you go ‘oooh’ before you’ve even tasted its contents.

Yummy Treats

I’ll start with the savouries. The ham and cheese baguette and smoked salmon on multigrain loaf were very nice indeed, but it was the miniature vegetarian quiche that had been warmed through which was the real winner. A nice French alternative to the finger sandwich it was light enough not to spoil my appetite.

Savouries

The golden brown scone was served freshly heated from the small pantry which sits at the back of the café. It had a tempting glaze on its top and just the right amount of crumble when I broke it in half to add the clotted cream and strawberry jam. You could still see the grooves from the dough cutter which added a pretty homemade quality.

On to the sweet treats. Made on a daily basis by a mix of French and English chefs they are mini temptations of bigger versions on sale at the cafés counter. Upscale on the way out so you have something to enjoy later on.

Cake!

I fell in love with the dark chocolate pecan brownie chunk, its moist, dense and sticky texture was moreish and as for the browned lemon meringue pie, Philippe’s favourite, it was a refreshing and zingy triumph. Other tasties included macaroons, mini cupcakes with neatly swirled buttercream, and sponge topped with raspberries and blueberries. The colourful and appetising display was served on pretty crockery that Philippe and Brigitte source from vintage markets and shops on a regular basis. To drink we had fresh orange juice and a pot of camomile tea.  

Delicious

We really took our time at BB’s and enjoyed watching people rush past on their way down to the Strand or up into the heart of Covent Garden. If you can’t make it to this branch there’s a sister café in County Hall and Philippe and Brigitte are cooking up plans to open a third BB Bakery in Mayfair. Unlike typical Salon de Thé’s BB’s serves alcohol, I suggest a glass of Champagne Rose La Romantique. 

http://www.bbbakery.co.uk/

Traditional tea is £26 per person, or £33 with champagne. Booking 24 hours in advance is required as afternoon tea is prepared fresh on a daily basis.

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and eating cake. Writing for The Sunday Times keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

DISCLAIMER: As is common in the catering and leisure industry, we were provided with complimentary services for review purposes. Whilst this has not influenced our review, we believe in the full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

Charlotte in the City: Laura Ashley Hotel

A few weeks back our City Gal Charlotte Vowden headed off to Hertfordshire to sample a brand new Afternoon Tea at The Laura Ashley Hotel. Here's how she got on:

Television and tea parlours do not go well together and at The Laura Ashley Hotel you might find a newsreader joining you at the table if you don’t ask the waiter to press the off button on the adjoining bar’s plasma TV. Once electronic intrusions are eliminated though, it becomes a peaceful venue that purrs with the conversation of fellow tea takers.

With only a sprinkling of chintz, the Tudor Manor in Elstree has been renovated, decorated and furnished by Laura Ashley and is the first hotel of it’s kind. The style is tasteful throughout and most items, from the tiered chandelier that hangs from the tea parlour ceiling to the cream rose pillar candles resting on the mantelpiece, can be found in one of the catalogues placed about the property. 

The afternoon tea steers towards the traditional with finger sandwiches, scones and sweets served on Royal porcelain chinaware. The tea pot is more contemporary however, and I liken it to a shiny silver UFO.

Recited rather than presented on a menu, I struggled to remember the varieties of teas on offer so think perhaps this practice needs a rethink. Plus, I do think perusing the choices of tea is all part of the ceremony, is it not?

The sandwiches looked a little lonely on the bottom, and largest, plate of the tea stand but I’m glad an attempt wasn't made to fill all the space with more savoury slices as the portion would have been too large. The scones, warmed through to give them a nice crumble, were served with just the right amount of clotted cream and tiny pots of strawberry Tiptree jam.

Top of the tier and always top of my hit-list was a plate of scrummy sweets. With a single blueberry as its crown, a micro chocolate tart with a bubbly light mousse-filling delivered a healthy bitter after-kick. The salted caramel macaroon had the perfect crunch to chew ratio but I would have liked to have had more buttercream on the carrot cake.

As the chillier weather sets in and the Chrtistmas decorations go up, head to The Laura Ashley hotel for a cosy teatime treat.

Afternoon Tea is priced at £16.95 per person and a festive tea menu is now available. For more information please visit http://www.lauraashleyhotels.com. 

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and indulging on cake. Writing for The Sunday Times and other national publications keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

DISCLAIMER: As is common in the catering and leisure industry, we were provided with complimentary services for review purposes. Whilst this has not influenced our review, we believe in the full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. 

Charlotte in the City: The Fish Market Afternoon Tea Review, London

Last month our City Gal Charlotte Vowden headed off to London's Fish Market to sample their special afternoon tea with a twist. Here's how she got on:

Fish Market Afternoon Tea

Normally I take my Tetley with two sugars, but when I went for an afternoon tea fix at Fish Market my cuppa came chilled, scooped and topped with two wafers.

On paper, Tetley tea and milk flavoured ice cream doesn’t sound that delicious, I can’t stand a luke warm brew let alone one at minus degree temperatures, but as part of the East London restaurant’s £12 afternoon tea deal I was obliged to give it a go. A few spoons in and I’d made up my mind – it worked.

Housed in the capital’s oldest surviving warehouse built by The East India Trading Company, Fish Market serves produce solely from British shores and it’s menu is exceptional - the sharer platter overflows with seafood and is just as impressive to taste as it is to look at. But until very recently, one thing was missing – afternoon tea.

Served between 2pm and 6pm Fish Market’s mid-afternoon meal comes with the quirky Tetley tea sundae as well as an ‘FLT’ fishwich and a cup of absurdly delicious pink lemonade (or tea served caff style in a mug if you prefer).

After an evening of cocktails the day before the ‘FLT’ fishwich was just what I needed, the bread was doorstop thick with extra crusty crusts and spread with rich yellow butter. Filled with crispy fishfingers of the homemade variety it was satisfyingly stodgy yet mayonnaise-free, making it the poshest fishfinger sarnie I’d ever had. If I’d wanted to though, I could have smothered it in mayo or ketchup because the condiment tray was laden down with different sauces.

The white and blue striped crockery reminded me of deckchairs and predictably the coastal theme didn’t stop there. The interior of the restaurant was a little trawler-esque with large metal pillars and exposed piping, while the courtyard outside was a little more delicately done with pretty white garden furniture. It was warm enough to sit outside when I visited but its location down a narrow lane meant that the view, of the building opposite, was far from breathtaking. 

Grumbles about the lack of city vistas aside I thoroughly enjoyed tea at Fish Market. It was a no-frills affair but the unusual and simple fare made it a tea to recommend. And, the service came with a smile. 

For more information please visit: 

http://www.fishmarket-restaurant.co.uk/

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and indulging on cake. Writing for The Sunday Times and other national publications keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

Charlotte in the City: Coronation Afternoon Tea, John Lewis, Oxford Street

Last week our intrepid London reporter, Charlotte Vowden, ventured into the City for a very special royal themed afternoon tea at Oxford Street's John Lewis!

When she’s not tucking into a banquet the Queen is partial to a spot of afternoon tea and if Her Maj pays a visit to John Lewis on Oxford Street she’ll find a special Coronation treat tower that's been created with her royal tastebuds in mind.

A patriotic red, white and blue three-tiered macaroon oozes with ganache and disintegrates deliciously when you eat it, and a miniature victoria sponge topped with a single ripe raspberry tastes as good as it looks. But it's the Dubonnet (a tipple the Queen is known to enjoy) soaked fruit cake (her preferred baked treat) she would definitely make a beeline for. I've never tasted the wine-based aperitif and it's somewhat out of fashion, but it definitely gave the dense fruit-packed slice a spicy dimension.

As this was a celebratory occasion I opted to crack open a bottle of bubbly and toast the Queen with champagne instead of a brew, and it went down very nicely indeed. The hot drinks menu however featured classics that would make the perfect accompanying cuppa. 

Least successful were the finger rolls. I couldn't find fault with the presentation, they each had a garnish and were neatly positioned in a star shape around the centre of the tea stand, but aside from the coronation chicken filler, more on that in a moment, the selection was uninspiring. 

Originally invented for the Queen's Coronation sixty years ago coronation chicken is a royal celebration staple but John Lewis has enlisted TV chef and food writer Gizzi Erskine to update the recipe. Deciding to poach the chicken in saffron scented stock and add fresh mango and chilli salsa to finish it’s more punchy than its predecessor, which may explain why the other rolls (including smoked salmon, cucumber) seemed a little bland.

The scones scored highly in the fluffy stakes and came with clotted cream and strawberry jam,  a duo of toppings you really can’t go wrong with. 

To enjoy this royal tea book yourself into the Brasserie and ask for a window table overlooking Cavendish square, it’s a great spot for people watching. Once you arrive in store take the escalators up to the third floor and expect a warm welcome and swift service. It’s a busy venue so you’re not going to have a sedate tea-taking session but the buzzing atmosphere adds to the celebratory spirit.

Gizzi Erskine’s Coronation chicken with watercress and mango salsa and the accompanying Coronation afternoon tea will be available in the John Lewis Brasserie from 1^st July to 30^th August 2013 and will cost £20.13.

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and indulging on cake. Writing for The Sunday Times and other national publications keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

DISCLAIMER: As is common in the catering and leisure industry, we were provided with complimentary services for review purposes. Whilst this has not influenced our review, we believe in the full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. 

Charlotte in the City: Nipa, Thai Afternoon Tea Review

Afternoon Tea isn't always about scones and Victoria sponge so last month we sent our London blogger, Charlotte Vowden, to sample The Lancaster Hotel's exotic take on our favourite pastime. Here's how she got on ... 

I was about to delve into Thailand’s culinary soul via afternoon tea and I didn’t know where to start. While the food laid on rectangular plates in front of me looked familiar – sandwiches, scones and sweets - I knew my palate was in for a few surprises.  I took a sip of chamomile tea to give myself some thinking time.

The Lancaster London hotel lies on the fringe of Hyde Park and is known for serving an exceptional afternoon tea, but its award-winning Thai restaurant Nipa now has its very own version. 

Prepared by an all-female team of chefs it’s served all at once on dishes down the centre of the table, just as a meal would be in Thailand, and includes typical Thai spices and ingredients such as jasmine and sticky rice.

It made sense to start with the warm savouries so I tentatively dipped a sweetcorn fritter into a small bowl of sweet chilli sauce. It was hot on the tongue and after tucking into chicken and chestnut dumplings then crispy spring rolls smothered in the fiery condiment I was glad to have a cooling palate cleanser – a runny jelly shot containing small chunks of fresh fruit and coconut shavings.

Things got even more interesting on the sandwich plate. Cucumber, not sliced but pickled, was paired with a rare spiced beef and enveloped in white bread. I was impressed to see an often bland sandwich livened up. There was also a smoked salmon substitute -  a generous portion of succulent Thai shrimp packed between two slices of tomato bread. 

The scones were of the miniature variety, two plain and two mango but I taste tested both the orange and jasmine marmalade and strawberry jam with basil before topping them. The strawberry with basil was a little too strong for my liking, so I transformed my scones into a sticky mess with the orange and jasmine marmalade.

I washed it all down with chamomile then ginger tea but there were Green teas, Traditional teas and Herbal infusions available too. Combinations included mint and tarragon as well as hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango and passion fruit.  

Last but not least came a pudding of Banana and coconut rice doughtnuts, Water chestnut, cherry & coconut tart, Pineapple & lychee log, Milk chocolate & jasmine delice and Mango sushi. Sickly sweet but without a hint of spice they were just what I craved after such a flavoursome series of dishes. The doughnut was my favourite (I suspect a little too stodgy for some) while the mango sushi was the most refreshing. 

Thai food is often associated with being fast and prepared in front of you so seeing the flavours lent to a slow food affair is a rarity, it took afternoon tea into a whole new territory. The dishes were bright and brilliant, decorated with sculptured vegetables and leaves making it both a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds. When I visited Nipa it was quiet but I suspect as word gets out about London’s first Thai afternoon tea tables will fill fast. 

Afternoon tea is served from 2pm-4pm Friday to Sunday at £22 per person or £32 with a glass of pink champagne.

Nipa, 1st Floor, Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY. Reservations on 0207 551 6039, www.niparestaurant.co.uk 

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and indulging on cake. Writing for The Sunday Times and other national publications keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

DISCLAIMER: As is common in the catering and leisure industry, we were provided with complimentary services for review purposes. Whilst this has not influenced our review, we believe in the full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. 

Charlotte in the City: Brocket Hall Heritage Afternoon Tea Review

Last week our London girl, Charlotte Vowden, ventured out of the City for an afternoon of sheer indulgence at one of the country's prettiest afternoon tea destinations. Here's how she got on...

Brocket Hall

For my latest afternoon tea outing I ventured to Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire. The 18th century country retreat has just opened the doors of its grand ballroom for Heritage Afternoon Tea and I couldn’t resist a trip out of the city now the good weather has arrived.

 

Less than an hour from central London by car, Brocket Hall feels like a lifetime away. The ballroom has been so immaculately preserved and restored it feels as though you’ve travelled back in time. There were moments when I thought I might see a man in period costume gallop by on a horse rather than a man in a golf buggy on the course below.

Scones, anyone?

A warm welcome is guaranteed as a butler service begins as soon as you enter the Hall.  Friendly without being over-familiar the smartly attired butlers keenly share their knowledge - I learnt that the ballroom’s decorative ceiling dates back to 1760 and depicts the signs of the zodiac. It’s stunning, and I found it impossible to not gaze at it during tea to find all twelve signs.

The sandwiches, scones and sweets are presented on silver platters as and when you are ready so I took my time to appreciate both the food and ambience. A pianist played throughout my visit and the repertoire included both classic and contemporary numbers. The butler even checked I was comfortable with the volume. 

 

Following the deeply-filled finger sandwiches, which included salmon and dill crème fraîche, the scones were served warm, just how I like them. With a choice of butter, clotted cream, jam and lemon curd there was plenty to dollop on them. 

  

Cakes

It was on the sweet platter that I found my only criticism of the tea as the lemon drizzle cake and battenberg slice were dry. I rectified the problem with some of the cream leftover from the scones so they were still very much enjoyed. 

Each of the seven teas on the menu were accompanied by information on either their origin, their composition or their flavours. I had chamomile tea in a two cup teapot with a little honey which was supplied in a tiny jar on a plate with a doily. It was on recommendation from the butler as I had told him I had a particularly sweet tooth and I found it to be utterly delicious. 

Time for tea!

As a former home to two British Prime Ministers and a favourite destination for members of the Royal Family, Brocket Hall has been a honeypot for prestigious gatherings for hundreds of years and The Heritage Afternoon Tea marks a new chapter in the ballroom’s rich history of entertaining. 

If there was ever an afternoon tea that warranted a pretty frock for the ladies and a smart shirt for a men then this is it. It’s a place where happy memories are made beneath a twinkling chandelier over tea and cake.

A Room with a View

Tea is served every Sunday and is priced at £29.50 per person, or £42.00 with a glass of champagne. To make a reservation visit www.brocket-hall.co.uk or call 01707 368 700

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and indulging on cake. Writing for The Sunday Times and other national publications keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

DISCLAIMER: As is common in the catering and leisure industry, we were provided with complimentary services for review purposes. Whilst this has not influenced our review, we believe in the full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.