I've always had an affinity for High Tea/Afternoon Tea, so when I came across this place (thanks Yelp!), I knew I had to try it as part of my birthday celebrations. My boyfriend and I walked in right around 2 p.m. and luckily, we were right in between the lunch rush and the afternoon tea rush. The lady happened to mention there had been one birthday party for 5 that cancelled without notice, and she jokingly said "you guys aren't here to celebrate a birthday, are you?" When she heard we were celebrating my birthday, I got to sit at the swanky corner booth/table with a "Happy Birthday" arrangement. Talk about good timing!
From start to finish, everything was a wow factor for me. There was an extensive list of teas available for drinking or pairing with regular meals, or with afternoon tea. The lady graciously offered to let us smell the tea leaves in the back room to help us decide. Boyfriend settled on Chocolate Mint, and I chose the Star of India. The afternoon tea rack was brought out with a little candle on top, and everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. The scones and sandwiches were delicious with freshly made jam, and I thought it was just as delicious as the Afternoon Teas offered at the big hotels.
The place itself has a small, quaint, "mom and pop" atmosphere to it. I appreciated the tables were spaciously arranged and it looked like the place had undergone minor renovations to make everything appear lighter and brighter. What I loved most was the familiarity. There was a steady trickle of customers, many of whom seemed to be regulars and their preferred orders were already known by heart. I also appreciated the attention to detail: a couple came in for a late lunch, with one party member having a number of food allergies. The staff spent a long time going back and forth from the kitchen to ensure they had enough ingredients to modify the orders with those allergies in mind, and I really want to say kudos to that level of care.
I'm so glad I tried this place when I did. I know I will be back to this establishment, although I am terribly torn: do I go back for another round of Afternoon Tea, or do I try their lunch offerings next? read more