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Afternoon Tea at Le Restaurant de PAUL London

May 8, 2018 by cheriecity

French bakery PAUL is my ‘go to’ lunch spot when I’m craving a taste of Paris, whether it’s a classic Croque Monsieur, Éclair or one of their perfect little Canelés.

Le Restaurant de PAUL in Covent Garden, however, takes it to the next level with a brasserie menu of regional dishes, sharing boards and classics such as Entrecôte, Duck confit and Coq au Vin. The bakery leads on to an elegant, relaxed dining room with cosy velvet banquettes and wall murals that remind me of Angelina in Paris. Interestingly, the Bedford Street restaurant was also the first branch of PAUL to open in the UK 18 years ago.

Bringing an extra touch of indulgence, Le Restaurant de PAUL has just launched a new Bottomless Afternoon Tea – a French twist on the English classic with plenty of bubbles. I enjoyed a preview of the afternoon tea in the restaurant’s cosy conservatory and was greeted with a typical apéritif of Kir Royale.

Our afternoon tea was served on a traditional three-tier stand with a glass of aromatic, refreshing sparkling vin mousseux from Ky Procco by Alain Gayrel. Starting with the savouries, the trio of lightly-toasted sandwiches were simple and high quality – Poached salmon and horseradish, creamy Camembert and my favourite smoky Chicken with tomato, mustard and mayonnaise.

I was initially hesitant about the replacement of scones (a time-honoured afternoon tea staple), however the fluffy, buttery sweet brioche was just as satisfying, especially when smothered liberally in whipped cream and strawberry jam.

The sweets were a real highlight and the selection was perfectly-chosen. The Gâteau aux carottes was moist and nutty with a smooth cream cheese ganache and I loved the delicate and light Fraisier with Genoese sponge, mousseline cream and fresh strawberries finished with bright green marzipan – a perfect dessert for spring.

As a fan of PAUL’s mini macarons, I was pleased to see them make an appearance on the afternoon tea in six different flavours – we enjoyed chocolate and lemon.

Afternoon tea at PAUL is a real treat if you love classic French patisserie and it’s great value, particularly with the free-flowing sparkling wine. It’s definitely one to add to the list for a decadent teatime in Covent Garden.

Afternoon tea with free-flowing Ky Procco by Alain Gayrel at Le Restaurant de PAUL Covent Garden is priced at £24.95 per person and Afternoon tea with a hot drink of your choice is priced at £14.95. Served from 2.30pm to 5.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information and booking, visit: www.paul-uk.com

Chérie City was a guest of Le Restaurant de PAUL

All photos by Chérie City

Hotels, London

A Wonderful Afternoon at The Berkeley

July 4, 2016 by cheriecity

Sometimes an afternoon of luxurious pampering is just what you need – and where better to blissfully unwind than The Berkeley?

I was kindly invited by the girls at Farfetch for a spa date followed by the hotel’s famous fashion-inspired afternoon tea in the new look Collins Room. As a small group of six, it was a great opportunity to meet new bloggers and really enjoy this lovely treat.

Bamford Haybarn Spa

We met at The Berkeley’s Bamford Haybarn Spa and quickly robed up for a 25-minute neck and shoulder massage. I love Bamford botanical products and was pleased to have a choice of massage oils for different health benefits – I went for balancing, invigorating geranium oil.

My friendly therapist made me feel very comfortable and gave me the most blissful, effective massage. I left the plush treatment room feeling re-energised and supple – not wanting it to end, but knowing more was yet to come.

The Rooftop Pool

I’ve wanted to visit The Berkeley’s rooftop pool for ages, so I was delighted that my therapist told me that my fresh ginger tea would be waiting for me poolside. We spent some time chilling in our fluffy robes by the heavenly pool, chatting all things Farfetch, fashion and blogging. On warmer days, the roof fully retracts and there’s also a pretty, tranquil garden to enjoy the sun.

Prêt-à-Portea

Then, it was down to the Collins Room – The Berkeley’s bright and dreamy new dining room – for a leisurely Prêt-à-Portea. I first tried this heavenly fashion-inspired afternoon tea when Steven took me there for Valentine’s Day many years ago, so I knew it was going to be quite an event.

We started by selecting our teas and marvelling at the stunning table setting complete with bespoke china by Wedgwood, pink peonies and pretty lilac menus.

Sandwiches & soup shots

We were soon served a plate of tasty finger sandwiches and savouries such as red pepper and goat’s cheese chilled soup, carrot and cream cheese muffin and ceviche. Prêt-à-Portea curiously doesn’t include the typical afternoon tea staple of warm scones, but with so many different bites to taste, I didn’t really miss them too much.

Fashionable Desserts

The desserts really wowed us with their elegance, creativity and riotous colours. The beautifully-crafted selection of cakes, iced biscuits and elaborate mousses reference key pieces in the Spring-Summer 2016 collections by designers such as Balmain, Prada, Emilia Wickstead, Nicholas Kirkwood and Heidi Klein.

I loved the DVF bourbon vanilla cream and creme brulee tart and the super-light Stella McCartney tower of joconde sponge with pistachio and lime supreme, but my absolute favourite was the Christopher Kane neon chevron cake with yuzu and pineapple compote, beriolette and raspberry bavarois, topped with a yellow chocolate ring and apricot pâté de fruit. All of us were also charmed by the dainty red velvet Prada handbag that managed to be so tiny yet so rich.

It was rather fun to look up the pieces on Farfetch following our afternoon tea, as many of the designers feature on the website.

My afternoon of fashion and pampering at The Berkeley with Farfetch was such a delight. I was thrilled to finally discover the Bamford Haybarn Spa and Prêt-à-Portea was just as magical as I’d remembered – it’s definitely one for the top of your London ‘to do’ list.

Photos by Chérie City and The Berkeley

Afternoon tea, Art, Hotels, Hotels - Luxury, London, Restaurants

Matisse Afternoon Tea at Le Méridien Piccadilly, London

April 28, 2014 by cheriecity

In celebration of the must-see new exhibition Henri-Matisse: The Cut-Outs at Tate Modern, Le Méridien Piccadilly offers its own colourful Matisse Afternoon Tea in the stylish Terrace Grill & Bar.

Chef Michael Dutnall took inspiration from the bright colours and angles of Matisse’s iconic works and his birthplace to produce a delectable afternoon tea that tastes just as exquisite as it looks.

I visited the chic Terrace Grill & Bar to try the new Matisse Afternoon Tea on the Easter weekend when central London was blissfully quiet. The bright and airy Terrace Grill & Bar is split across two levels with a sleek restaurant and a more relaxed bar and lounge. It combines the elegance of Piccadilly’s Regency architecture with contemporary interiors and striking artworks.

On arrival, we were shown to a table with a cosy, hammock-like sofa and ordered pots of JING Earl Grey tea from the extensive tea menu.

We also tried a French Revolution cocktail, chosen to complement the flavours in the afternoon tea. A French twist on the classic Aviation cocktail, the French Revolution includes gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and rose Champagne. The refreshing, strong cocktail is served in a tall flute and dipped in sugar, referencing Matisse’s cut-outs.

The Matisse Afternoon Tea is presented on a three-tier stand and the layer of cakes and pastries is sprayed with colour to represent Matisse’s iconic Blue Nude (II).

We started with savories inspired by the south of France and absolutely loved the gourmet Jambon de Bayonne and Brie-filled Croissant and a flavoursome Wrap with Marinated Provencal Vegetables and Tapenade.

Keeping with afternoon tea tradition, there is also a tasty Poached Salmon and Herb Crème Fraiche Sandwich and Egg and Cress Sandwich to munch on.

The test of a good afternoon tea is the scones and these plain and raisin scones were freshly-baked, springy and just the right size. They were served with delicious strawberry jam and clotted cream.

The sweets treats were delightfully colourful and tempting. I loved the indulgent Vanilla Pannacotta with Calvados jelly served in a little glass jar and the Battenberg Cake was one of the best I’ve tasted, with a delicate layer of royal icing and not too much marzipan. The Orange Delice was light as air and the asymmetric blue icing referenced Matisse’s blue cut-outs while the Apple Macarons were perfectly bite-size and filled with apple compote.

A Raspberry Tarte included fresh raspberries on top of silky crème patisserie and finished with crumbled macaron and the Lemon Eclair was filled with zesty lemon curd and topped with vibrant pink icing.

During the afternoon tea, we had the chance to create our own cut-out masterpieces with a box full of art supplies. While finishing our cocktails, we started snipping away at the coloured card for our own artistic postcards, ending up with two very different takes on Matisse’s vision. The postcards provided offer 20% discount at Terrace Grill & Bar on your next visit, plus it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon.

The Matisse Afternoon Tea at Le Méridien Piccadilly is a delightful, decadent treat and the perfect complement to the fabulous new exhibition. If you can, book both on the same day and enjoy a whole day of being dazzled by colour.

The Matisse Afternoon Tea is priced at £30 and is available in the Terrace Grill & Bar until 31st May 2014.

Chérie City was a guest of Le Meridien Piccadilly

Photos by Chérie City and Le Meridien Piccadilly

Afternoon tea, London

Afternoon Tea at Cafe Luc

January 27, 2011 by cheriecity

On a dreary winter’s day in London, there’s nothing better than reconnecting with your inner Marie-Antoinette and escaping the chill over a warming pot of tea and decadent tiers of afternoon treats.

Marylebone Belgian brasserie Cafe Luc takes the quintessential English afternoon tea and gives it a French twist with tea from Mariage Frères and delectable pâtisserie.

Curled up in one of Cafe Luc’s cosy booths, we started by selecting a pot of tea from extensive menu.

I went for a pot of Mariage Frères Marco Polo, which came in an elegant black and gold teapot (Mariage Frères signature colours) and was lightly fragrant and fruity.

Then we were served a cake stand laden with delicious savoury and sweet delights.

To start there was a selection of delicate, perfectly cut finger sandwiches filled with cucumber, smoked salmon or egg and cress.

Then came the scones fresh from the oven and served with home-made raspberry and strawberry compote and a bowl of clotted cream.

The plain and fruit scones were golden brown on the outside and cracked to reveal a soft, dense and moist centre.

To finish off the afternoon of indulgence, there was a refreshing, smooth tartelette au citron and a rich, heavenly tartelette au chocolat.

Not to be outdone, we found some room for the adorable palmier biscuits – buttery and crisp topped with crunchy sugar.

Cafe Luc understand the value of the small touches and Marylebone’s Frenchies will be delighted to find Mariage Frères tea, without having to make a Eurostar trip.

At just £17.95 for two people, Cafe Luc’s afternoon tea really is extremely good value for money.

With such excellent service and head chef David Collard’s exquisite pâtisserie, Cafe Luc offers affordable luxury, so you can treat and impress without spending a fortune.

It’s a relaxed and intimate alternative to the deluxe hotel afternoon teas with the chic atmosphere of a Parisian Grand Cafe – where better to spend an afternoon?

Photos by Chérie City.

Chérie City was a guest of Cafe Luc.