If
you saw my recent update post, you’ll know I booked afternoon tea at Mews of
Mayfair for myself and best friend Gemma when she came down for the weekend. I
could have quite easily chosen one of my favourites, but settled on somewhere
new – and by booking through afternoontea.co.uk, we received a 25% off voucher.
Mews is in Lancashire Court, just off New Bond Street, so away from the hustle
and bustle. It’s only a few doors down from Victoria Secret and the temptation
to dive into there afterwards was just unreal – I managed to resist though.
We
sat in the Cartizze Bar and were given a choice of tables upon arrival. I’m
used to having afternoon tea in bright, open spaces, so this was a completely
different experience. The decor was all about dark oaks, leather booths and
minimal lighting, meaning the photos didn’t come out the best. The seating was
comfortable, but I felt as though the table was too small – especially
considering all the crockery and utensils we had to make room for. We sat away
from the bar scene, so it wasn’t as loud as I was expecting, but it would have
been nice to sit somewhere else. I’m not too sure if the restaurant area is
opened up for afternoon tea, but that may have been better.
As
we perused the tea menus, we both got serious food envy; everyone around us must
have also been taking advantage of the offer and given the fact we hadn’t eaten
all day, we could not wait for our stand to arrive to the table. We both chose
black teas: Gemma went for traditional breakfast tea, while I opted for the
vanilla infused one. Unlike other flavoured teas, this one tasted exactly how
it smelt and once the leaves had infused, it had a strong vanilla/caramel
flavour. The teapots were so dainty and because they were made from glass, you
could see all the loose leaf at the bottom. My only criticism was the size –
they only contained enough water for two small cups of tea and at no point did
any member of staff ask if we wanted them refilled. Well, not until we had
finished eating and were waiting for the bill!
Luckily
we didn’t have long to wait until the cake stand was brought over and our
waitress talked us through each tier. I always enjoy the menus more when
there’s a theme, or you are served something a little different – I get bored
of the usual ham, cucumber and egg sandwiches. We began with those and I
pleased to see the addition of a wrap and bagel. The roast chicken &
tarragon mayonnaise on onion bread was my favourite savoury, although closely
followed by the unusual hummus & roasted pepper wrap. The mini prawns &
lemon mayonnaise bagel was so light and almost like a brioche; it tasted quite
sweet and wasn’t at all dense. The roast beef with horseradish crème fraiche on
tomato bread was super tasty too.
Like
most places, we had plain and fruit scones, with clotted cream and strawberry
preserve. I don’t think I’ve ever been somewhere and had a bad scone – and
these were no exception. The cream was thick and the jam, the perfect
consistency. The scones themselves were still warm, soft in the middle, with
that lovely glaze and crisp exterior.
I
have to admit I was quite disappointed by the desserts and pastries on the top
tier. On the plus side, there was two of everything. Nothing annoys me more
than paying for ‘tea for two’ but then getting a selection of desserts and then
having to play Russian Roulette. The raspberry macaron was definitely my
favourite. A good macaron is a beautiful thing. The raspberry ganache was
almost jelly-like and the meringue was so crisp and sweet. I need me a box of
them. The other desserts included a chocolate brownie topped with caramel
sauce, a red velvet fairy cake and a layered dessert which was very lemony.
I
would love to return to Mews to sample their cocktails, or even have a leisurely
lunch with the girls, but I don’t think I’d go back for afternoon tea. There
are so many other venues in and around Mayfair, including Hush around the
corner. If you pick up a good deal (like the 25% off), I’d recommend going.
Love,
Lucy xx
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Love, Lucy xx