I know it is cliché, but I think everyone who comes to London must try the afteroon tea at least once.
Afternoon tea, or high tea, has long been synonymous with luxury, opulence, and the upper class. To truly understand this quintessentially English institution, there is no better place to go than Palm Court at the Ritz Hotel. Royalty, politicians and celebrities had long been sipping tea, munching sandwiches, and chewing fat here since 1906. Well, if the ranks of princes are worthy of it, then I say I am worthy of it.
I went to the Ritz Hotel with my colleague Samia and her boyfriend James on a Thursday night. I arrived in my suits and tie – a formal dress code that all men must adhere to. We were seated at a table near the center of the court, underneath the chandelier, and facing the piano. As I sat down, I noticed the gilded statues, the marbled pillars, the floor-to-ceiling mirrors, the flower arrangements, the noble staff, and the well-dressed people surrounding me. The environment itself was already an experience.
We didn’t get to see any menu. As a matter of fact, I think everyone went by the same set menu. The staff in waiting brought us our flutes of champagne and a silver three-tiered stand of cakes and sandwiches.
"I will bring the scones later," the staff explained as he pointed at the empty plate on the second tier.
"I guess we will start with the sandwiches," said Samia. We cheered away with our champagne flutes and happily initiated this ritual English ceremony.
The first finger sandwich I tasted was the ‘egg mayonnaise with mustard cress’. The tight-grain bread used for the sandwich was kept soft and moists by the thin layer of butter. The flavor of the yolk stood out well because the finely-chopped egg was mixed with little mayonnaise and mustard cress. I could not help myself but gulped down the satiating sandwich in two bites.
Next, I tried the ‘smoked salmon with lemon butter’. I could not taste any hint of lemon flavor, but nonetheless the smoked salmon was nice and savoury. I also tried the ‘poached chicken with mayonnaise’, and I liked it very much. Samia said her favourite sandwich was the ‘cucumber with cream cheese’, and I agreed. The hint of dill sprinkled atop the cucumber made the sandwich so refreshingly crunchy.
At this point of time, the staff delivered our silver teapots of freshly brewed tea and fine bone china teacups on a silver tray. Samia chose the traditional Earl Grey, while James and I chose the ‘Ritz Royal English’ – an exquisite blend of fine Ceylon tea leaves made especially for the hotel. To appreciate its well-rounded flavor, I drank the tea without sugar and milk. The aroma was fragrant and rewarding.
Afterwards, our freshly baked scones came. They were accompanied by forest berries jam and clotted cream. After challenging through half a scone, Samia and James began to wave their little white flags as they surrendered to their full stomach. They decided to climb the tiers together and worked on the tarts and cakes. Meanwhile, I continued to fight on the second tier as I piled the jam and cream onto the buttery scones, which I enjoyed more.
Our two-hour battle ended in sweet victory as we celebrated with our dessert of crème anglaise. The sugar-dusted blueberries and raspberries farewelled us with their French tricolor as we kissed them goodbye.
An afternoon tea at the Ritz Hotel costs £41 per person (including 10% service charge). Due to popular demand, the Ritz Hotel has afternoon tea sessions every two hours starting from 11:30am to 7:30pm. Crazily enough, my booking for three had to be made four weeks in advance. Trust me, this is no exaggeration. If you are considering weekend reservations, you better make your booking at least two months ahead.
Afternoon Tea at the Ritz
Address: The Ritz London, 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR
Phone: 020 7493 8181
Website: http://www.theritzlondon.com/tea/
Map (via Virtual Earth)
It's a Wonderful World 