AFTERNOON TEA

August 28, 2019 by: Sunny London

Indian Afternoon Tea Review- Cinnamon Bazaar Covent Garden

Stealing from Forest Gump, I feel like a blog email inbox is like a box of chocolates- you never know what you’re gonna get. ‘Influencer’ opportunities can be amazing and sometimes you wonder what the PR was thinking when he or she chose you and hit ‘send.’ Shortly before Afternoon Tea week, I received the press release for Cinnamon Bazaar’s launch of their Indian Afternoon Tea. My heart fluttered when I saw the headline.

cinammon-bazaar-afternoon-tea-covent-garden

‘Chef Vivek and Bake Off star Tamal Ray launch modern Indian Afternoon Tea’

My excitement about this invitation ignited for two reasons. It was perfect! Just days before- a viewer left a comment on the Sunny News YouTube channel requesting more coverage of Indian food in London.

And, among the sea of afternoon teas in London, this seemed to offer a different spin. The press release indicated it would ‘shake up the traditional afternoon tea with an injection of fire and spice’. So I had to know immediately if it truly would…

Cinnamon Bazaar Indian Afternoon Tea – History

Actually, the chefs who collaborated on Cinnamon Bazaar’s Indian Afternoon Tea also caught my attention. Chef Vivek Singh has a restaurant empire spanning two decades. He created the Cinnamon Collective portfolio, with which anyone on London’s restaurant scene is familiar. It includes: The Cinnamon Club, The Cinnamon Kitchen and of course- Cinnamon Bazaar. He is known as a pioneer of the modern Indian cuisine movement in London.

Next, Tamal Ray was a finalist in the 2015 series of The Great British Bake Off. Not only does he contribute to a monthly food column in The Guardian, but also he has a career as an NHS doctor.

Do you see why this combo offers the perfect medicine to inject some much needed spice in to the tired themed afternoon tea scene in London? 😉

Cinnamon Bazaar Indian Afternoon Tea – Company

While the focus is the food at afternoon tea, it can be ruined by bad company. After countless afternoon teas, it seems two hours is the standard amount of minimum time in London for the experience. Therefore, one must carefully select a guest who offers thoughtful commentary on the food as well as great conversation.

A catch up with Catherine of LuxLife blog was long overdue. And she fits the description above perfectly!

We met back in 2014 when Sunny in London was less than a year old. I have followed her move to Australia and back, as well as all her fantastic travel adventures around the world. Her honest and hilarious Instastories share the challenges of daily life balanced with glamorous travel. I always look forward to seeing what she posts.

Cinnamon Bazaar Indian Afternoon Tea – Gastronomy

So, now for the juicy part! From the list of Indian spiced teas, I chose the White Peony. While it was nice, the colourful teapots in which the tea is served add a wonderful touch to the experience.

In fact, when I walked in to Cinnamon Bazaar from Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, I felt like I had entered Oz. The colourful decor of the restaurant adds even more fun flavour to this afternoon tea in London.

Along with our tea, we received the Chaat. This included:

Papadi Chaat- crisp wheat, tangy tamarind, yoghurt and chickpea vermicelli
Puchka/Pani Puri- semolina shell with tangy sweet and sour water

Next, our stand arrived with the Nibbles and Sweets.

Fish Finger Sandwich with tomato chutney
Chicken Katti Roll-in pastry with mustard and paper
Macaron- macaron with cinnamon cream
Mishti Doi- baked/steamed yoghurt with mango curd (gluten free)
Pistachio Cake- with rosewater marshmallow

cinammon-bazaar-afternoon-tea-covent-garden-london

Cinnamon Bazaar Indian Afternoon Tea- Final Thoughts

In summary, this afternoon tea is quite good. I generally don’t prefer food that is very spicy and wasn’t too overwhelmed by the items that featured the promised ‘injection of fire’. Some people might be. I’m guessing that if you enjoy Indian food, then you know what to anticipate for flavour and will agree that everything meets expectations.

I enjoyed every item. However there is no dodging around the issue that the bread for the sandwiches was a bit stale. That’s the only suggestion I have for this afternoon tea.

My favourite item was the Sweets. That shouldn’t be a surprise because if you enjoy afternoon tea, it’s likely because you have a sweet spot for sugar. But, what is surprising is I have never really associated the Indian culinary experience with a strength in desserts. I only starting eating Indian food when I moved to London, so this could be from lack of experience.

Can you add your thoughts on this in the comments? What popular Indian desserts have you enjoyed?

I really didn’t want my little dish of Mishti Doi to end. It was so delicious!

The final ‘Wow’ of the experience happened when Catherine and I left. As we walked to our next destinations, she pointed out that there were actually no scones at the afternoon tea.

With so many London restaurants offering afternoon tea with champagne or Prosecco, it’s common for the actual tea to be understated and minimal in its overall appearance in the food ensemble. Yet to get away with not having the classic staple of scones and still be fab is a big two thumbs up for Cinnamon Bazaar!

If you hadn’t guessed already from the start of this Indian Afternoon Tea review, our experience was complimentary. That hasn’t affected my thoughts. The service was excellent too. I look forward to adding Cinnamon Bazaar to my next revision of the Best London Restaurant Guide for Foodies.

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February 18, 2015 by: Sunny London

LDNBloggersTea- A Guiltless Game of ‘Hyde and Seek’

The wait is finally over! The next LDNBloggersTea is now in place and is set for March 1st at one of London’s most prestigious addresses!

The theme of this afternoon tea for London Bloggers is ‘Hyde and Seek.’ I’m so excited to show you all the reasons why we have chosen this exciting opportunity for our fantastic group.

The Hyde and Seek LDNBloggersTea: The Venue

Since November, I have been emailing and visiting hotels throughout London to discuss possibilities for the next quarterly meeting of the blogger group. In fact, there was an afternoon tea set for a date in January, but it had to be canceled due to another large afternoon tea being scheduled on the same day. After visiting six hotels, I thought the mystery of where our next afternoon tea would be might never be solved!

Photo courtesy of InterContinental London Park Lane

To host our blogger group, we need a location to meet several critieria. The big puzzle pieces that should come together are: a Central London location preferably right near an Underground Station, a large private room to give bloggers freedom to be and do what they need to do, a great view, a chef we love, an interest in giving us a discount and a giveaway, and a strong social media presence. Oh yeah- and let’s not forget… it needs to have an afternoon tea like no other in London.

The Hyde and Seek LDNBloggersTea: The Afternoon Tea(s)

When I was one of the first bloggers to try the InterContinental London Park Lane Guiltless Tea, the game of ‘Hyde and Seek’ ended!

The hotel is located in the heart of Mayfair, right on the corner of Hyde Park, and it overlooks iconic London landmarks. Its history of royal connections paired with its edgy modern menu makes it perfect for a group of bloggers to enjoy.

The Guiltless Tea launched in January, and its claim to fame is it is free of refined sugar. Due to its success (and truly delicious taste that I can personally vouch for), it has been extended past the original date of March through to June.

The InterContinental London Park Lane actually offers three afternoon teas! And, for our special group, they’re doing something that’s never been done for our blogger group…

We’ll have the opportunity to try two! Here’s how it will work: tables will be set in clusters of four bloggers in our private room overlooking the Royal Parks. Each group of four will receive an afternoon tea for two stand for both the Guiltless Afternoon Tea and the Royal Tea. And, bloggers will receive each of the cocktails offered with these afternoon teas.

Photo courtesy of Intercontinental London Park Lane

The Hyde and Seek LDNBloggersTea- The Mystery Game and Giveaway

While we are on the edge of Hyde Park networking with each other and dining on fabulous food and cocktails, we’ll also be moving through this theme in other fun ways.

Photo courtesy of Intercontinental London Park Lane

The InterContinental London Park Lane is going to have displays of the mysterious ingredients that are used in the construction of the Guiltless Tea and the cocktails they offer. I’m told they’re truly exotic and haven’t been featured openly for an audience before.

And… the hotel is organising a competition for bloggers to partake in throughout the experience. To compliment the theme, they’re constructing a small social media competition that bloggers can choose to play. The winner will receive a table for two on a selected date with cocktails and sharing platters at their Gin and Jazz event.

The Hyde and Seek LDNBloggersTea- The Return of Chef…

Finally, we’re excited to announce the return of Chef Ashley! For bloggers who hit our Conrad London St James Afternoon Tea back in September, you’ll remember Chef Ashley! He’s now sharing his culinary craftmanship at InterContinental London Park Lane and is super excited to work with the #LDNBLoggersTea group again.

LDNBloggersTea-Hyde-and-Seek-Chef-Ashley

Photo courtesy of InterContinental London Park Lane

The Hyde and Seek LDNBloggersTea- The Clues You Need to Attend

If you’re interested in seeing what’s behind these doors and attending the Hyde and Seek Afternoon Tea…

Photo courtesy of Intercontinental London Park Lane

– Date: March 1, 2pm at InterContinental London Park Lane, 1 Hamilton Place, Park Lane W1J 7QY

– The ‘Hyde and Seek #LDNBloggersTea’ is open to any London blogger.
– Email Melanie at Sunny @ SunnyinLondon.com. Please put #LDNBloggersTea in the heading of your email. Include your full name, blog’s URL, Twitter handle and dietary requirements. I’ll respond with how you can forward payment. The Hotel can accommodate gluten free, vegetarian and lactose intolerant for the Guiltless Tea.
– You must RSVP and send payment to me by noon on Friday, February 28, 2015. Bloggers will receive the discounted rate of £25 for the experience.
– Because the hotel will need time to accommodate for our large group, refunds will not be possible.

The #LDNBloggersTea is a group of London Bloggers who meet quarterly for afternoon tea in London and was created by Selena, from SelenaThePlaces.

If you are not able to attend this afternoon tea, you can email me your contact information to receive information about future afternoon teas or other blogger events. All emails are sent as ‘BCC.’ The email list is not distributed to third parties.

February 4, 2015 by: Sunny London

Hop Over to Afternoon Tea at Playboy Club London

Do you know where you can find London’s sexiest afternoon tea? It’s without a doubt at The Playboy Club London. And what’s even better is anyone over the age of 18 can enjoy it. It’s open to non-members of the Playboy Club. And it truly is… an afternoon tea ‘with a playful twist and a tail’!

How do I know all this?

Because it’s the most recent adventure I’ve had via Sunny in London.

The Playboy Club London is located in a very discreet building on Old Park Lane in Mayfair, just near Hyde Park Underground Station and across from Green Park. Prior to attending, I was filled with curiosity. I wasn’t the only one who was excited. You guessed it- Mr. Sunny joined me, as we made it part of our Saturday night date. In fact, this is the only afternoon tea that he’s attended with me since starting the blog. Gee… I wonder what caught his attention this time? 😉

Before even sitting down in Salvatore’s Bar, where they host the Playboy Club London Afternoon Tea, I was quick to grab a picture with a Bunny.

Isn’t she gorgeous?

Salvatore’s Bar is named for Salvatore Calabrese, a master mixologist who is known as ‘The Maestro’ and is one of the world’s leading bartenders. My only regret from this entire experience was not having the chance to meet him.

We arrived just before 5pm, when they start serving afternoon tea. Luckily no one else was there yet. I was able to get a few pictures for you to show the bar’s interior.
It’s sexy, plush and very classy but has very low lighting. While that definitely created the right ambiance, it wasn’t the best for blog pictures. I did my best.

There was only one Bunny in the bar. She quickly and gracefully poured us each a glass of champagne and had some time to answer a few of my questions.
Despite many trips to Hollywood, I’ve never been to the Playboy Mansion. This was my first encounter with a real life Bunny. It was a bucket list moment.

When I asked what she would want people to know about Playboy Bunnies, she said it’s meaningful to clarify misconceptions. Playboy Bunnies aren’t giggly toys involved in indecent activities. At this Club, they are cocktail waitresses who happen to wear a specific costume. Her ease of answering my questions and interest in making sure blog readers have accurate knowledge was impressive.

After this, Mr. Sunny and I chose our teapot cocktail from Salvatore’s carefully crafted list. Mr. Sunny picked Fruity. I had Floral. They other two options are Traditional or Spicy.

Different from most afternoon tea selections, these two drinks were served chilled in teapots. Mr. Sunny really enjoyed his. Mine was divine, and I still can’t stop thinking about it .

The blends of Jasmine blossom tea, Hendricks Gin, agave infused with lavender flowers, Maraschino, orange blossom water and fresh lemon juice created a delicate, silky texture with such an elegant mix of just enough floral flavour. While I had expected drinks that would most likely drop me to the floor with an alcohol punch, the understated cocktail mix was a definite highlight.

Our greatly aniticipated afternoon tea food hit the table and was equally as delicious.

The sandwiches are fairly standard. They include: Tomato Bruschetta, Roast Beef Baguette, London Smoked Salmon Blini, and Egg Mayonnaise and Asparagus Finger Sandwich. However, they are exceptionally tasty.

Now, this is where die hard afternoon tea fanatics might have heart failure. The tea does not feature scones. Did I care? Not at all.

The sweet selections were loaded with cream and popping candy and weren’t too heavy when served together.

Here’s a close up of the top tier which has Bunny Ear Cupcake, Macaroon, Strawberry and Clotted Cream Shot Glass, and (naturally) Carrot Cake.

And, I like to call this one the ‘Bunny Shot’:

We also had the pleasure of meeting the Bar Manager, Antonio Dandrea. He was equally as friendly and informative as the Bunny. I also noticed he spent time with each table, so he didn’t just meet with us because we were writing a review. That was impressive too.

This afternoon tea was launched within the past six months, and I think it’s rock solid genius.

Interesting facts about Afternoon Tea at Playboy Club London:

– After we arrived, Salvatore’s Bar filled with numerous other couples.
– Everyone was dressed smart. Leave the jeans and trainers at home.
– Mr. Sunny noticed they have Buffalo Wings on the menu. Guys, if you want to give your girl your sweets from the tea and order a side of wings, you’ll still be a winner.
– You don’t have to be a member of the Club for this experience. That’s reserved for the second level where there is a casino.
– For £30 per person, it is one of the most affordable afternoon teas with exceptional quality in London.
– They had a Super Bowl Party, will have a Valentine’s Day offer, and host numerous other events throughout the year.

Our afternoon tea was complimentary for the purpose of a review. This doesn’t affect my opinion of the experience. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is London’s sexiest afternoon tea. I look forward to returning soon so Mr. Sunny can try the Buffalo Wings and I can meet ‘The Maestro’, Salvatore Calabrese.

Final thoughts on the Afternoon Tea at Playboy Club London:

– When I asked Mr. Sunny to say something funny about afternoon tea with a Bunny, he said, ‘There’s a lot more up at that tea than Doc!’
– And, yes, Mr. Sunny finished his afternoon tea with a nice. cold. beer.

Have you ever been to an afternoon tea that appeals to both men and women? What themed afternoon teas do you recommend?

February 20, 2015 by: Sunny London

St Ermin’s Hotel ‘Flights of Fancy’ Champagne Afternoon Tea

What happens when there’s a few fabulous warm, sunny days in London during mid-February?

The seasonal Spring afternoon tea menus starting sprouting! And, I was super excited to be one of the first bloggers to enjoy the St. Ermin’s Hotel ‘Flights of Fancy Champagne Afternoon Tea’ which is offered until the end of March.

This Spring tea is the work of Chef of the Year and MasterChef finalist Adam Handling. It includes choices of Newby of London’s award-winning fine teas and a flight of Laurent Perrier champagnes for г45 per person.

The very historic hotel is located on a quiet street just around the corner from the St. James Park Underground Station. If you haven’t been there, you’re truly missing a great experience. It’s inches from Buckingham Palace, St James Park, Westminster Abbey, Parliament and Big Ben.

The St. Ermin’s Hotel entrance screams wedding photography. When my friend and I walked in, we both instantly commented to each other about how beautiful the staircase is for wedding portraits. Hmmmm. Maybe Mr. Sunny and I should renew our vows? 😉

The stairs lead to the first floor mezzanine Tea Lounge. And the views from the top of the staircase are equally as entrancing.

The Tea Lounge sits just at the top. Its ambiance is perfect for a date with the girls to catch up and sip on elegant glasses of champagne, and tea of course.

My friend from Florida and I met to review the champagne afternoon tea, which features pairings by one of this blog’s favourites… Laurent Perrier!

We were a bit nervous about an afternoon tea that features three glasses of champagne, as we went on a weekday. She’s working on her doctorate in the medical field and I have been very focussed on other professional goals, so we didn’t want to leave the St. Ermin’s Hotel with too much of a Spring buzz. However, since her birthday is approaching, we wanted to celebrate with a little bit of bubbly too.

We were seated quickly, ordered our individual teas and had our first glass of our Laurent Perrier champagne flight, which was Vintage and meant to compliment our upcoming sandwiches.

My friend chose the Masala Chai, and she felt it was perfectly brewed with milk, as she requested. I picked Peppermint Tea, something I’ve taken quite a fancy too since November. I didn’t think that I would enjoy this flavor of tea as much as I do, and now I try to drink it at every chance that I get.

An addition to this afternoon tea that I haven’t seen at another venue is a tea timer placed on our table. We both felt this was a fun way to keep us focussed on our preferred steeping time.

Next, our afternoon tea sandwiches arrived. They include classic finger sandwiches: crayfish and marie-rose sauce, cucumber and cream cheese, beef and horseradish plus smoked salmon and caviar.

Both of us agree that the crayfish steals the show. Ordering another plate of them proved to be a mistake later when we barely had room for our desserts.

The first pairing of champagne is my favourite of this afternoon tea. This surprised me because I always sip Brut, which is poured for the second course to match the scones.

You can see in that picture above that my first glass is already empty. What my friend and I loved about the champagne afternoon tea is the glasses are slightly smaller than what we had anticipated. And, at this half way point of the fun food experience, our level of ability to indulgent started to drop.

The enticing selection of freshly baked scones arrived warm with homemade jam and clotted cream.

The scone size is perfect!

Finally, the last delivery of food hit the table.

What is intriguing in this Flights of Fancy champagne afternoon tea is the colour simplicity at the end. Everything featured is white and red. My friend and I giggled because to two Florida girls, this seems to be what a person would call a ‘cream tea.’ The ingredients seemed to reflect this ingredient heavily. However, British people refer to a cream tea when a person is just having scones, clotted cream and jam- none of the other food fireworks.

In that picture above past the champagne, you can see the sweet treats. They are: cream and strawberry posset, rhubarb and custard macaroons with red velvet and white chocolate cherry snowballs and are matched with Rose Champagne.

Here are two close up shots of the fabulous food…

If you’ve read Sunny in London closely, you’ve seen that I get super weak for red velvet cake. Chef Adam Handling rocked this one! The moist texture and thick slather of filling between cake layers crushed me. I forced the final bites because I knew I wouldn’t be able to face myself in the morning if I had left behind one gorgeous morsel on my plate.

I also really went in to slow gear with the final phase of the champagne flights of fancy as well. Notice my pace in the picture below when the third glass arrived?

My friend’s comment ‘Glasses in pictures appear larger than they are’ is an accurate one. However, don’t let this deter you if you’re a big champagne drinker. The portion sizes and liquid sunshine are difficult to finish. This is coming from someone who considers herself a champion eater.

We enjoyed this afternoon tea that’s available between 12 noon and 6pm daily. They can provide gluten free options, but St. Ermin’s Hotel ask you make them aware of this request at time of booking.

My Flights of Fancy Champagne Afternoon Tea was complimentary for the purpose of a review. This does not affect my opinion of the experience. I certainly feel it will be one of Spring teas in London that’s worthy of a great buzz.

December 3, 2014 by: Sunny London

Corinthia London Afternoon Tea in a Snow Globe!

Where should you go if you’re looking to have a sugary holiday feast set in one of London’s most luxurious hotels?

The Corinthia London Afternoon Tea!

I spent a few hours enjoying this decadent event, and I’m so excited to share the details with my Sunny friends. This 5-star hotel has been located on Whitehall Place for over a century. Its proximity to so many London landmarks makes it a practical venue for so many occasions.

However, ‘practical’ is not the word I would use to describe the interior, but that is exactly the point of luxury, right?

Come and take a journey through this glittering gem with me as we explore their festive tea…

I was excited to find the hotel just around the corner from Embankment station. I did try to take a picture of The London Eye from the same spot that I took the photo above, but a big London bus planted itself in front of me. Honestly, I was just too excited to go in Corinthia London than stand around waiting to take yet another picture of the London Eye.

As I wrapped around the building, the prestige of the hotel seemed to stand taller than the Shard. I mean really- who’s the genius who arranged to have a matching Burberry cab sitting outside?

I quickly learned that entering this year’s Corinthia London Afternoon Tea in the Lobby Lounge means being immediately transformed to winter wonderland in epic style.

I have always loved the elegance of gold and ivory at Christmas. This tree covered in shimmering butterflies and ornaments is a striking start to your tea.

The Lobby Lounge has a giant ‘centerpiece’ in which tables are placed around. Parisian designer Chafik Gasmi’s Full Moon chandelier floats high above the center of the Lobby Lounge in the dome. The Baccarat crystals flickering against all the snowy white decorations covered in butterflies make you feel as if you are inside a whirling snow globe.

Because attending such a luxurious occasion was so special to me, I invited my Sunny mummy-in-law to be my guest. She has had a fascinating career as a model and fashion agent in both London and around the world.

Plus, she certainly appreciates a glass of champagne, just like me. So, that’s exactly how we started our Corinthia London Afternoon Tea.

Next, we chose our tea.

She picked the 1885 Afternoon Blend from the Corinthia London Tea Blends. It’s a smooth, elegant muscated Darjeeling, blended with a hint of smoky Lapsang and a touch of Keemun and Oolong. Since this was the second guest I brought to a festive afternoon tea in one week who picked a smoky tea, I opted for the peppermint tea just like I did earlier in the week. I quite fancied it and will continue to drink it as much as possible now.

The afternoon tea sandwiches in comparison to other Christmas teas are especially festive. We actually couldn’t pick a favourite when we were asked because we really did feel they were each extraordinary.

The Corinthia London Afternoon Tea sandwiches are:

– Roast Turkey and Stuffing, Fresh Cranberry Compote
– Loch Var Smoked Salmon
– Roast Sirloin of Beef, Wholegrain Ale Mustard
– Organic Egg Mayonnaise, Micro Watercress
– Creamed Innes Goats Cheese and Cucumber

Once finishing our sandwiches, we moved on to indulge in English Tea Fancies inspired by the Festive Season.

Our two story tower stretched up to our eyes and featured so many wonderful flavours capturing the true spirit, and actually tale, of the holidays. The plates hold treats called the Jack Frost, Stocking Stuffer, Sugar Plum Fairy, The Scrooge, Rudolph, Yuletide Treasure, Santa’s Little Helper and Avalanche.I’m going to tease you by only telling you the composition of my favourite- the Scrooge. It features chocolate roulade, tea infused Ganache and gold chocolate. It’s a little shout out to my mom in Florida too because it’s our favourite film to watch every year for Christmas.

Oh, Sunny friends, and let’s not forget the scones… The Corinthia London Afternoon Tea serves warm, scrumptious plain and raisin scones with their house preserves and clotted cream.

We loved this luxurious afternoon tea for its ambiance and truly festive food. The Lobby Lounge was filled with friends, families and business meetings, so it appeals people for an array of occasions.

The Corinthia London Afternoon tea experience is luxurious in quality and atmosphere. The food is outstanding and very festive. If it’s not an extravagance in your holiday budget, I absoutely recommend popping in for a glass of Laurent Perrier to at least enjoy the breathtaking decorations.

The Corinthia London Afternoon Tea also makes season specialities for the Chelsea Flower Show and London Fashion week.

Our afternoon tea was complimentary for the purpose of a review. This did not influence my opinion of the experience. The only thing that would’ve made the experience better is if my mother could’ve joined us too. Bah humbug! 😉

November 28, 2014 by: Sunny London

Sofitel London St James Afternoon Tea- Oui! Oui!

And the winner of the trickiest place to eat in London contest is… Sofitel London St James!

What?!

You mean you missed my tricky food contest? How could that happen?

Because it wasn’t announced. Not to you or to me. The Sofitel London St James tricked me! And they got me good…

You see, a few months ago I was invited to Sofitel London St James for the launch of their Vegetable Exhibition showcasing the work of French artist Patrick LaRoche. I had a fabulous night viewing vegetable sculptures, eating vegetables and drinking lots of cocktails featuring vegetables.

And then I faced the feat of blogging about vegetables. Let me tell you, that was a big blogger challenge. Sunny in London almost went bust. But, I squeezed every ounce of creative vegetable juice I had- and blended things together better than a NutriBullet.

So, they invited me back for more food! I was the first blogger to get my hands on their buches de Noel for this Christmas season.

I’m very grateful the Sofitel London St James forced me to eat their vegetables first. There’s no way I would’ve filled my stomach with one ounce of green or red raw stuff if I knew these were on the way…

What’s funny is- I actually went to the wrong place. Ooops!

Having been to the luxury hotel before, this hot shot from Florida went straight to The Balcon restaurant to begin the French feast. My friend and I experienced some initial confusion over our booked table. It was my fault. They seated us and then worked out that I was supposed to be in The Rose Lounge (pictured below on the left).

Our server was an absolute star. She handled the mix up with ease and didn’t let it affect our experience. In fact, her solution was to immediately pour us champagne. I find it’s life’s elixir. Don’t you agree?

My friend and I slowly sipped our champagne as we pondered our tea selections. For the first time ever, I picked French Peppermint from the Herbal Tea selection. I loved this ‘festive’ tea so much I ordered peppermint tea the following day at a coffee shop. I think it’ll be my new favourite.

My guest, who unbeknownst to me is a bit of a tea connoisseur, picked the Ceylon Lapsing. It’s smoked over cinnamon wood, and let me tell you it was smokin’! She suspected they may have even added a bit of liquid smoke! Here’s the pots in which they serve tea…

I really loved these. Next, we moved on to our food for afternoon tea. We both really loved the non-traditional presentation. The sandwiches are part of the standard selection you find in an afternoon tea. However, the beetroot bread is pretty unique (and tasty!) The freshly baked plain, sultanas and apricot scones are scrumptious and are served warm with Devonshire clotted cream, rose scented strawberry jam and lemon curd. Then there’s the pastries…That’s a close up shot of the plum and almond tartlet and pear entremets made with fromage blanc for the pear mousse and vanilla sponge. Yes, you can lick your lips now.

We desperately tried to finish everything. Both of us give this afternoon tea two thumbs up. Or should I say, two champagne glasses up? 😉

And then. And then. And then. They brought the buche de Noel!

Ooooo laaaaa laaaaa, Sunny friends! In order of appearance (back to front) here are your choices…

Sofitel London St James Buches de Noel:

– Passion buche de Noel (passion fruit jelly and mango mousse with an addition of chocolate dacquoise biscuit)
– Praline buche de Noel (chocolate sponge biscuit with dark chocolate and brandy mousse)
– Traditional buche de Noel (vanilla sponge biscuit balanced with brandy syrup and coffee butter cream)
– Peppermint buche de Noel (blended dark chocolate and peppermint mousse, with the addition of lime zest and hints of citrus zing)

And oui, they are all tres magnifique!
True to the French hotel’s luxury standards, this festive afternoon tea is decadent and delicious! I’m so happy they tricked me in to eating my vegetables before I attempted to devour their buche de Noel!

In case you haven’t guessed by now, ‘buche de Noel’ is a traditional French holiday dessert. Perhaps you recognize it as Yule Log? They’re generally served with one portion of the end cut off in order to resemble a chopped off branch.

For your buche de Noel, you can visit the Sofitel London St James from December 1-25. That’s right- it’ll be boxed up and gone by Boxing Day!

Each of the four buches de Noel are found on The Balcon’s Christmas menu and are available for afternoon tea in The Rose Lounge. If you choose the afternoon tea in The Rose Lounge, you will also be accompanied by the beautiful sounds of a harpist and enjoy a rose and litchi champagne cocktail.

The Balcon is available for dining all day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning tea and savouries). The full afternoon tea is £26.50. It’s a creation of Executive Chef Vincent Menager.

Aside from wonderful ambiance and food, the Sofitel London St James is located within close proximity of Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and many other famous London landmarks.

Our afternoon tea was complimentary for the purpose of a review. However, this doesn’t affect my opinion. I am grateful the Sofitel London St James tricked me in to eating their vegetables first and then invited me back for this holiday treat. If you ask me if you should go to there for afternoon tea, I’ll say, ‘Oui! Oui!’

I’m visiting three Christmas afternoon teas this week in London at different hotels. Tell me, Sunny friends, which holiday teas have you tasted and recommend? And, who has a personal trainer who’s available all next week? 😉

November 12, 2014 by: Sunny London

24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea Menu and Giveaway!

What in the world could a 24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea menu possibly look like? And, better yet, how can you have a chance to enjoy it?

Through another partnership with Zomato, Sunny in London is featuring a golden opportunity! Oh, I’m not kidding, Sunny friends. You’re about to find out how you can win a £150 voucher for an afternoon tea menu which literally features gold.

You see, once winter rolls in to London, the sun goes down a bit earlier. Well, ok, a lot earlier. This means we’re going to put a big emphasis on liquid sunshine here for the next few months. And why not start by just dumping edible gold all over this London blog…

Our yellow brick road begins with a walk to the St James Court, a Taj Hotel. It’s located at 54 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF. You probably don’t need a map to figure out that it’s right near the ‘house’ of her Royal Highness.

And here’s the vault for the super luxurious afternoon tea menu.

Your tea begins with a beautiful bottle of bubbly, and of course a selection of tea. I sipped on the English Breakfast tea during my feast. However, the Kir Royale tea was truly tempting.

So, let’s take some time to dig through this afternoon tea menu covered in gold.

24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea Menu:

Scones
Plain and raisin scones with strawberry preserve and Cornish clotted cream

Cakes and Pastries
Gold leaf opera cake
Strawberry tart with gold flakes
Champagne and gold leaf jelly
Macaroon with lemon mousseline
White chocolate delight with gold leaves

Finger Sandwiches
Smoked salmon pinwheel
Parma ham and ruccola mille-feuille
Mustard chicken in white bread
Cucumber and Cornish yarg in multigrain bread
Beetroot bread with sun dried cherry tomatoes

Half bottle of Luxor Gold Leaf Champagne

Now, let’s lay our eyes on the glittering images of all this food and champagne!

That is the first delivery of food in this bedazzling afternoon tea menu. In all honesty, this was my favourite part, aside from the champagne, my darlings! The Parma Ham (AKA Prosciutto for my American mates) was divine!

Next, here’s a glance at the golden tiers of heaven for my sweet Sunny friends…

Look spectacular? I’m telling you, this gorgeous gold leaf opera cake and white chocolate delight with gold leaves made me want to stand on my chair and sing!Hallelujah! Hark the Herald, angels are singing when those golden babies hit your lips!

Now, I can’t imagine you aren’t tempted by those rich visuals. So, do you want to know how you can hit this afternoon tea menu jackpot?

How to win this Gold Afternoon Tea Menu Giveaway:

Just visit the Sunny in London Twitter account and find/retweet this message:

Win a 24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea worth £150 at @sjctaj! Just RT & follow @sunny_in_London & @ZomatoUK http://wp.me/p3Ya9o-1sR #Zomp

Win a 24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea worth £150 at @sjctaj! Just RT & follow @sunny_in_london & @zomatoUK http://t.co/cugPqLAbJp #Zomp
— Sunny in London☀️ (@Sunny_in_London) November 12, 2014

– You have until Tuesday (November 18, 2014) at 12:00pm (GST) for the retweet.
– The gold afternoon tea menu voucher for £150 expires on January 15, 2015, so it must be used by the winner before then.
– If you win, don’t forget to visit Zomato to pour your love on to their site by writing a review.
– Zomato also has an app (which I use several times a day) that you can download.

So, Sunny friends… who will it be? Will this seat at the table belong to you?

May 23, 2014 by: Sunny London

Run to the Milestone Hotel Afternoon Tea!

As Londoners, we’re always looking for the best afternoon tea. Today I’ll say the Milestone Hotel Afternoon Tea finishes strong.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend this hotel’s afternoon tea, along with 25 other fabulous London bloggers.
Once again, Selena from Selena the Places organised a fantastic event.

Located at 1 Kensington Court, London W8 5DL, the hotel is adjacent to Hyde Park. The lobby is small and charming.
Selena booked a private room for us. It was a great idea. Bloggers don’t eat food normally.

We kicked off Afternoon Tea with a glass of bubbly.
I was excited my new blogger bud Ashleigh from Quintessentially Me joined our group for the first time.
And, I was thrilled to get a seat next to my Alaskan American amiga, Tina from Girl Meets Globe.

With all the delicious teas on the menu, I was disappointed we were only offered Earl Grey or English Breakfast Tea.
However, the sandwich selection was divine!

We had the chance to eat:

– Smoked Scottish salmon and cream cheese

– Free-range egg mayonnaise and Hampshire watercress

– Roast ham and English mustard

– Mull of Kintyre Cheddar and tomato

– Cucumber

– Chicken mayonnaise with chopped almonds

I didn’t opt for gluten free because after my 5 mile morning run, I just wanted to indulge. The chicken mayonnaise sandwiches were my absolute favourite!

The scones were good. I wanted a whole pot of Devonshire cream to myself. But that’s because I’m greedy. And honest.
That’s the triathlon of events we had to finish.

The pastries included:

– Eclairs

– Tartlets

– Cupcakes

– Cakes

– Macaroons

At first, I was a bit anxious because there was about 8 of us at a table with one tiny tray of food. Forget the best photo opp… I wanted to eat!

However, after a few minutes, the Milestone Hotel Afternoon Tea staff covered our table with additional plates full of more sandwiches, scones and pastries.
Now that’s what I’m talkin’ bout!

I made my waistband work it and ate everything. Twice!

Ok…. Maybe three times!
Those are the three red velvet cupcake wrappers on my plate.

I just couldn’t help myself. I had to go the extra mile and make room for it all.

We had a blast at the most recent #LDNBLOGGERSTEA. I’m really glad I ran a few extra miles the morning of the Milestone Hotel Afternoon Tea. It was worth it!

The Champagne Afternoon Tea at Milestone Hotel is £45. We received it for £30. It is also available as a Vegetarian Afternoon Tea and Gluten Free Afternoon Tea.

May 8, 2014 by: Sunny London

Pantry at 108- Afternoon tea that’s gluten free!

After receiving an invitation to afternoon tea at Pantry at 108, I experienced something really interesting. In every conversation I had with people about attending, the response was the same, ‘Oh! I’ve heard it’s really lovely!’

My curiosity was high. Further, the Marylebone area is new to me, so I am in hot pursuit to learn more about what it has to offer.

First, I learned there is a Marylebone High Street, Marylebone Road, and Marylebone Lane. Hmmm. Tricky. Tricky.

While the hotel is easy to find, it does involve knowing it’s on Marylebone Lane. Yeah, I learned the hard way.

For my guest, I invited one of my favourite blogger friends, Ashleigh from Quintessentially Me. She loves living healthy and promotes it on her blog. She’s also one hot South African lady to know!Once we were seated, we were treated to a tea presentation similar to ‘sensory journeys’ I’ve had in spas in the States. The server explained each of the six teas and gave us the opportunity to have a quick whiff of the tea leaves to absorb each of their aromatic powers.

Pantry at 108 Marylebone Hotel London Afternoon Tea

Tea selections: Assam, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Hibiscus, Lemon Verbana and English Chammomile

Ashleigh chose Earl Grey. This Florida girl picked the floral Hibiscus tea.It was liquid velvet.

I loved the rich, exotic floral taste.

My tea was also complimented with some luxurious Moet and Chandon.

One can never go wrong with that bubbly.Our tea tiers arrived quickly. Ashleigh and I were a bit giggly when all the food was set before us. The table seemed covered in calories.

Sandwiches: Ham, Cucumber, Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon, Egg and Mayonaise

We had exactly the same tea sandwiches, except Ashleigh’s utilized gluten free bread. I was a bit jealous of her sandwiches because they came with a side salad. It looked incredible and healthy!

The scones were the same as well. I had no problem finishing mine.

Raisins Scones with Clotted Cream

Ashleigh’s scones came with Strawberry Compote, which is made in Essex.

My top tier scored high marks too! The mini carrot cake was ultra moist. I probably could’ve eaten an entire large one. Or tried, anyway.

Mini fruit tart, mini Carrot Cake, Victorian Sponge Cake, Champagne Jelly Shot with Prosecco and mixed berries

Ashleigh truly enjoyed her dessert selections and loved the champagne jelly shot.

Flap Jack Brownie, Lemon Cake and Champagne Jelly Shot with Prosecco

We nearly finished everything. There was only a few sugary strawberries left as shrapnel from our feast.

I loved the afternoon tea at Pantry at 108. The Marylebone Hotel is in a fantastic location! And the English Brasserie interior is simply, gorgeous.

From the spacious, sunny atmosphere, to the beautiful china, Pantry at 108 leaves no details untouched. I loved the premium champagne offering paired with the gluten free advantage! Sunny friends, if you’re looking for ambiance plus health value, this is the hot ticket in London right now!

Our afternoon tea was complimentary for the purpose of a review. This did not influence my opinion of the experience. All photographs and opinions are my own.

What afternoon teas would you recommend in London, Sunny friends? What locations do you know that serve a gluten free afternoon tea?

March 4, 2014 by: Sunny London

The Ampersand Hotel Science Tea and Chemistry

The experience I had at The Ampersand Hotel Science Tea was absolutely EXPLOSIVE! It definitely proves the equation that 16 bloggers plus a themed afternoon tea in Kensington, equals a real treat.

I arrived a bit early to check out the hotel because I’ve heard it’s simply gorgeous. This was the room set up for our group.

I bonded instantly with this stunning atmosphere.

When our tea time began, the chatter and excitement in the room among the girls was another indicator the day would be fun. I made several new friends, including Jamie from Gunters Abroad. She’s lived a lot of places!

Notice the camera there in the bottom right? We have the same one! So I was eager to receive some lessons from her during our tea.

Bloggers are cool like that. She and I definitely formed a compound bond!

Aside from being in the company of such talented bloggers, another catalyst to this great afternoon was starting with a glass of champagne.

Next, we ordered our individual teas. I chose peppermint, and it was a brew of sensory sensations. Each sip had a tingly bit of minty taste, and I swear left a slight buttery feel on my lips. WINNER!

When they delivered our sandwiches and sweets, we ignited our cameras to capture the delight for you.

But, we all reached our blogger boiling points when they dropped this atom bomb on us.

Check that out, Sunny friends! Whatever enzyme they used to create this billowing fog streaming from the top tier created an electric charge in us that had the room buzzing with ooohs and ahhhhs!

I can’t wait to see how this picture turns out from Tina of Girl Meets Globe.

With our protons fully charged, we all started to enjoy the tasty selections.

The menu includes: Savoury gougeres – Glouster old spot ham, sauce gribiche; Cheese with fruit chutney; H.Forman & Son London smoked salmon, dill and cream cheese; Coronation chicken.

As well as a warm selection of plain and white chocolate scones, served with Devonshire clotted cream and homemade strawberry preserve.

And, let’s not forget that top layer which really galvanizes the Ampersand Hotel Science Tea:

Pastries – Hazelnut, walnut and chocolate cake with mango mousse volcano and chocolate dinosaur, Pistachio macaroon with cherry sauce pipette, Raspberry cake planet and Citrus cocktail.

We all left buzzing about our experience at the Ampersand Hotel Science Tea. So, I’ll say if you’re looking for a way to periodically boost yourself with liquid and inner sunshine, go to the Ampersand Hotel Science Tea. It’s offered until March 21st.

If for some reason you can’t get your beakers in order by then, they also offer a Mother’s Day Tea from March 22nd-March 30th.

Special thanks to the Ampersand Hotel for having me as a guest for the purposes of writing a review. In addition, thank you Selena from Selena the Places for coordinating such a wonderful afternoon.

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24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea Menu and Giveaway!

24 Karat Gold Afternoon Tea Menu:

How to win this Gold Afternoon Tea Menu Giveaway:

Run to the Milestone Hotel Afternoon Tea!

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