Afternoon Tea at The Keeper's Lodge
Posted by London Guided Walks on Friday, August 26, 2016 Under: Eating
Full of sweet treats and tasty sandwiches Afternoon Tea is a wonderful way to relax during the afternoon.
The Keeper's Lodge is a sideways extension to Burlington House which houses the Royal Academy (RA) off Piccadilly. Go down the stairs on the left.
Long & Kentish, award-winning architects, have restored it retaining many details including vaults, old ceiling beams and hearths originating from the Restoration era. Award-winning architect David Chipperfield RA added a luxurious contemporary interior.
Afternoon Tea Prices
Classic Afternoon Tea £18.50
A selection of homemade sandwiches & mini cakes with a buttermilk scone, Cornish clotted cream & Peyton and Byrne jam, served with a choice of tea.
Champagne Afternoon Tea £25.00
Classic afternoon tea with a glass of J.P. Deville carte noir champagne.
The usual teas are available: English Breakfast, Early Grey 1833 and Assam 2nd Flush, along with some more unusual ones including Nepalese Ruby with intense fruit, spice and liquorice notes, Iron Goddess Mercury, light tea with the aroma of orchids with balls opening into huge green leaves and Rwandan Rukeri, a spicy and fruity tea from a small 50 year old plantation.
We enjoyed Assam 2nd Flush and Malawi White, a white peony tea with notes of caramel and honeysuckle even though the tea pots were remarkably small. We asked for more hot water as none was offered.
We were presented with a stack each but were left to decipher its contents. The sandwiches were the traditional cucumber and cream cheese; smoked salmon; courgette, red onion and pesto; ham, cheese and mustard mayonnaise. The cucumber sandwich held its shape, the salmon was thicker than expected, the ham and cheese worked well together and the courgette and pesto filling was very tasty even though an oil-based bread, such as Focaccia, would have suited the pesto filling more.
The plain buttermilk scone had a nice glaze, was consistent in texture, and had an impressive crust. The ultimate scone is expected to rise evenly and keep its shape. Our scones had been twisted when cut and so forced them to break shape. This, however, did not matter. The scone was tasty and the break eased its cutting in half.
The Peyton and Byrne jam was ruby red strawberry. The cakes looked lovely. We deciphered they were treacle tart, carrot cake and Sacher Torte. The treacle tart was especially sweet with a familiar yet unidentifiable spice. Dried fruit was incorporated into the carrot cake and yet the carrot was not detectable. The Sacher Torte was a true delight for any chocolate lover. The chocolate was free from grains and full of flavour; a real treat.
The service was polite and professional and the seats were comfortable.
Overall this was a very enjoyable afternoon tea. With a few improvements this could be an excellent afternoon tea. Its strengths being price, location, excellent scones and Sacher Torte.
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For your own event or venue to be featured contact Hazel: blog@londonguidedwalks.co.uk
BB Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus blog post
Cakes and Cocktails? Yes please!
For your own event or venue to be featured contact Hazel: blog@londonguidedwalks.co.uk
In : Eating
Tags: "afternoon tea"