Afternoon
Tea at The Ritz has become something of an institution be it the
inarguable epitome of daytime indulgence. With an illustrious
reputation for fine dining, a 'sitting' at the hotel's prestigious
Palm Court ensures a positively first rate experience which although
also warrants a rather sizeable price tag, is perfect for a special
occasion...
Date
and Time: Wednesday 11th July 2012, 11:30
Name
of Establishment: The Ritz*
Location:
150 Piccadilly, London
Reason
for Visit: An extra-special
birthday treat for an extra-special auntie
Upon
ascending from the hustle and bustle of Green Park tube station, it
becomes instantly clear that The Ritz really does equals glitz; its
name, brandished in lights above the window displays of fine
jewellery, accentuating its presence amidst the other high-profile
landmarks that embellish this part of the city. Dating back to 1905,
this is a space which screams sophistication; with stunning art-deco
handiwork, high ceilings, rich colours and plush furnishings
tastefully reflecting the anticipated etiquette of an establishment
of this calibre. Here, service is impeccable; the sincerity of the
welcome extended to each and every guest setting a precedent for the
duration of one's visit. I really liked that such a high level of
service (whereby I became 'madame' for the day and my napkin had
been placed across my lap before I'd even had time to unfold it) did
not constitute an air of pretension; quite the contrary in fact as
the waiters (all six of them) that addressed our table were not only
courteous and efficient but cheerful and chatty; something which took
the formality from what could have otherwise proved a rather stuffy
affair. Furthermore, I noted how well-attended the space had become
and, despite having to take afternoon tea well before noon
(seriously, I suggest that you book early), a back-drop of contented
chatter muddled with a little musical input courtesy of The Ritz'
resident pianist, Ian Gomes, really made for a relaxed ambiance.
 |
| Ritz-style Bling! |
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| Tea-cups for coffee |
First
up, a drink or two and despite the seventeen types of loose-leaf tea
on offer (which includes the likes of; Rose Congou, Rooibos Red and
the ever-so aptly-named Ritz Royal English), my auntie and I opted
for coffee which, served into dainty bone-china tea cups from solid
silver jugs, certainly looked the part. In addition to this, it would
have been rude not to toast to the birthday girl with a little fizz –
The Ritz offer champagne at £19 a glass, or you can opt for the
package that includes it...OK OK, I know what you're really waiting
for, a round up of the grub which began with a round of six varieties
of daintily portioned crust-less sandwiches; my favourite of which
constituted the cheddar cheese and chutney ensemble which, layered
between slices of fresh onion bread, ensued a deliciously punchy
after-taste. We were also treated to chicken breast and horseradish
cream on white and Scottish smoked salmon on rye; the latter accented
with the citrus zing of lemon butter, yum! My auntie particularly
enjoyed the traditional cucumber sandwich which, arguably an
institution in itself, had, in this case, been combined with cream
cheese and dill. Flecked with caraway seeds, the wholemeal batch
utilised for this undersized sarnie offered a decidedly fragrant
twist to the tried and tested recipe!
Next
up came a duo of perfectly-formed and freshly-baked scones; the
latter evident on account of their oven-warmed disposition.
Slathering both fruit and plain varieties with strawberry preserve
and Devonshire clotted cream, I can report that these were
beautifully textured and tasty; though, I have to be honest, not the
best I've ever tasted due to the genius of the buttermilk and lemon
curd scones that I am somewhat partial to stock-pile upon each and
every visit to Bristol's Lahloo Pantry! Nevertheless, It has to be
said that The Ritz excelled in the confectionery department; the
petit fours on the top tier of the initial arrangement causing that
sharp intake of breath as they were just.that.beautiful! The
rosewater macaron for instance was especially imaginative; its
pastel-pink appeal and careful composition proving almost as decadent
as its exquisite aroma given that even the pod of subtly-sweet Panna Cotta had been finished with a coin of white chocolate that
sported the distinctive 'R' emblem. To accompany this, fruit tarts
piled with plump raspberries, an intricately constructed chocolate
ganache (which was essentially a chocoholics dream) and a bite-sized
mille-feuille
which delicately balanced a lightly whipped vanilla cream with flaky
pastry - heaven! After
being plated another helping of sandwiches, plus two additional
macarons (at my request), a trolley of additional cake-type creations
began to do the rounds. This comprised an impressive-looking carrot
cake, complete with prettily piped peaks of crème fraîche
as
well as a strawberry and pistachio franzipan which I have on good
authority, was absolutely divine! By this point however, we simply
had to decline any further replenishment given that we were well and
truly ready to rest our (very full) stomachs; opting instead to sit
awhile, people-watch and recover from what had unsurprisingly
accelerated to a sugar-rush of epic proportions!
 |
| All together now...oooooh! |
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| Snap them up or they'll be scone!? |
In
conclusion, it's fair to say that afternoon tea at The Ritz
altogether lived up to my expectations. Not only was the fare
fantastic, the service was faultless and the surroundings recherché
– not to mention the attention to detail proving second to none.
Incidentally (or not if you're into shameless name-dropping) my
auntie and I were also impressed to note the presence of The Ritz'
more famous clientèle; the pomp and ceremony attracting even the
likes of an ex-American president! And quite frankly, if it's good
enough for the A-list, it's good enough for us...as it was, without
doubt, the fanciest foodie foray of the year thus far...
 |
| The franzipan we were allowed to take home in a doggy bag...yes really! |
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| So much sugar, we were seeing double! |
And
now for the second opinion...
The
Birthday Girl herself gave The Ritz a phenomenal 10/10 and in three
words, described the experience as ' truly truly scrumptious!'
References:
NB.
There are five sittings every day at: 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.30pm
and 7.30pm and prices are as follows:
Traditional
Afternoon Tea - £42
Champagne
Afternoon Tea - £54
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| Where's Bill?! |
