the berkeley

On Thursday, I was invited to sample the Ruinart Afternoon Tea at perfume boutique, Miller Harris’ Mayfair flagship store. The afternoon tea has been running since October in the petite tea room at the back of the store and has proved to be so popular that it has been extended for the whole of December.

Perfumier and founder Lyn Harris seems to be a bit of a perfectionist and has toiled away, searching for just the right champagne and cakes to compliment her range of exquisite teas. She discovered that Ruinart was a perfect match when visiting their cellars in Reims, finding parallels between their traditional methods of winemaking and her own meticulous perfumery. She then searched for the right cakes to bring out the white peach and citrus notes in the champagne and Primrose Bakery was clearly the winner.

Ruinart Afternoon Tea

The tea room is small but perfectly formed, with four tables and seating, beautifully finished with Miller Harris’ signature print. We were brought a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs champagne to sip while we selected our own pots of tea from the tailored menu, which consisted of Bergamot, Pétales, Fumé, Bigarade, Violette and Sauvage. I tried the Thé Bergamot, which had a similar taste to Earl Grey, but with a more aromatic flavour and seemingly less tannin.

miller-harris-tea

The champagne was crisp, citrusy and not too dry, making it very refreshing and easy to drink. A small plate of cakes accompanied the tea and included a peach friand, which tasted moist, fruity and home-made and two mini lemon meringue cupcakes with a tangy citrus filling.

The cake portions are relatively small compared to the mini banquets served at The Ritz and The Berkeley, but I guess the point of the Ruinart Afternoon Tea is that it is more of a luxurious pick-me-up, rather than hours of endless indulgence. I liked it that I didn’t feel too full to carry on shopping and have dinner and it is significantly more affordable too.

miller harris cakes

The service is relaxed and friendly but attentive, with the elegantly-dressed staff from the store also on cake duty. The best things is that afterwards, you can have a gander around the store and find Christmas gifts in peace, away from the madding crowds of Oxford Street – they really have me vexed this weekend!

miller-harris

There is a seemingly endless range of candles, perfumes, lotions, soaps and teas, all presented in black and brightly coloured boxes emblazoned with the Miller Harris print. I was particularly impressed with L’Air de Rien, the oriental fragrance range that Lyn Harris created for French singer and icon, Jane Birkin. The collection is simple, light and effortlessly chic, and includes notes of amber, vanilla, oak moss and musks to give it that airy, ethereal feel. Plus, the perfume is much more attainable than an Hermès Birkin!

miller-harris-candles

The Ruinart Afternoon Tea at Miller Harris is perfect for a decadent mid-shopping treat with your mum or a girly catch-up with friends. It is priced at £19 per person and includes a glass of Ruinart champagne, a pot of tea and a plate of three Primrose Bakery cakes.

It is available throughout December from Wednesday to Saturday, 3-6pm at the Bruton Street store. Call 020 7629 7750 to make your reservation.

Earlier this week, the lovely Sheena Appadoo from Aramis invited me for afternoon tea at Yauatcha. Sheena keeps me in delightful scents and replaced my summer daily staple of DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom with the richer, Autumnal DKNY Women limited edition scent in gold and bright purple – I’m addicted already!

Back to Yauatcha, I’d already tried the macaroons from their patisserie and my favourite is the champagne flavour embellished with goldleaf, but I was excited to sample ‘the full works’ in the tea room.

Yauatcha

The michelin starred dim sum restaurant and tea house, created by Alan Yau (he who launched Wagamama and Hakkasan) looks more like a boutique from the outside and is an oasis of calm with low seating, blossom-embroidered banquettes and blue-tinted facades half concealing the kitchen.

There are three types of afternoon tea available and we ordered the Oriental Afternoon Tea for one (£24.50) to share, which comes with a selection of dim sum instead of sandwiches. I chose a pot of Darjeeling First Flush from a huge range of teas including blue, green, black and white tea.

The dim sum selection included a baked venison puff, char sui bun and scallop siu mai – the former two were tasty but unusually sweet. I’m always more excited about the cakes and they didn’t disappoint! There was a layer of sweet sandwiches – a bright pink rasberry and lychee jelly filling packed between layers of fine sponge and one with vanilla sponge and bitter chocolate ganache.

Yauatcha

The top layer resembled a mini version of the patisserie counter and included a rich chocolate macaroon, a lemon and cola tartlet, chocolate chip marshmallow, chocolate financier, a piece of shortbread and a shot of apple and kiwi mousse.

Just as I had worked my way through the sugary layers, then came two mountainous scones (one Matcha green tea flavoured and one plain) with a tray full of oriental jams and mascarpone cream – I was defeated! From other reviews, I’ve discovered that had we managed to wolf these down too, there were still flavoured marshmallows, mini chocolate slabs and truffles to come!

The service was unobtrusive and we were served at a steady pace, although this should be the case, as we went on a quiet weekday afternoon.

Yauatcha

The only criticism is that they won’t box up the left items to take away, due to ‘health and safety’. At many afternoon tea establishments like Pret-a-Portea at The Berkeley, they package up what you can’t eat for you to munch on at home. It’s no biggie though, just take a paper napkin with you and drop a scone or two into your handbag, in case you get peckish on the bus.

You can of course go to Yauatcha for a simple pot of tea and a cake from the patisserie, but the Oriental Afternoon Tea is perfect for sampling a little bit of everything in exquisite surroundings and believe me, it’s more than worth it!

Yauatcha, 15-17 Broadwick Street, Soho, London W1F 0DL

Afternoon Tea by Ruinart at Miller Harris

Afternoon tea at Yauatcha