Today we took our son to the iconic Palm Court Restaurant at The Ritz Hotel in Park Lane, London for a celebratory birthday tea.
We love having tea at The Ritz. It is such a beautiful place, harking back to an almost lost age of elegance, with its gorgeous surroundings, elegant atmosphere and delicious food. There is a strictly enforced dress code, and gentlemen must wear jackets and ties. For ladies, things are a bit more relaxed than they used to be in days gone by, but you are expected to dress elegantly. Most ladies wear anything from smart trouser suits to very formal tea dresses.
The service at The Ritz is impeccable, and everything is done to be sure you enjoy yourself. Yes, it is expensive, but not eye-wateringly so. It is certainly not the most expensive tea in London. And for us, The Ritz has something really special that makes us come back time and time again.
There is an entire menu of teas - over twenty-five to choose from. I had The Ritz Royal Blend, which was strong but mellow, my husband had Assam, and our son had Earl Grey with its distinctive Bergamot aroma. Everyone gets their own silver tea pot, and all the tea is loose leaf, so you also have your own silver tea strainer to ensure no tea leaves find their way into your bone china cup!
The first course of afternoon tea is always tea sandwiches - tiny brioche rolls filled with egg mayonnaise, and a variety of crustless breads enveloping fillings like smoked salmon, ham, cucumber, poached chicken breast and ham. Next come the warmed scones, served with strawberry jam and clotted cream. And finally, there are the cakes.
Delicate macaroons, flaky millefeuille, rich chocolate gateau, fruit tartlets and an edible gold flecked blackcurrant mousse with white chocolate mousse inside were all on offer today. When we somehow managed to finish them all, the plate was generously refilled - although that time we only managed to eat one or two!
Throughout the meal, a pianist played a beautiful white grand piano. Suddenly, we heard him start ‘Happy Birthday’, and what should appear but a gorgeous little cake for my son, and another one for a lady at a table nearby.
We were too full to eat it though, so a pretty box was produced to allow us to take it home easily.
We all had a lovely afternoon and it made for a really special celebration of our wonderful son’s seventeenth birthday!
(Tea at The Ritz starts at £38 per person and can be booked online by clicking here. Availability is limited so do book well in advance. Please note this is not a sponsored post; we are just very happy customers!)
