Our last hoorah! I chose the Palace Hotel for our Best Venue pick cuz, well I mean, look at it!! So happy the Huz + I got to go with one of our favorite families: Cutie, Cutie Jr. and Cutie’s Mr.! Just being in the hotel is an entire experience in itself, so I took the path of least resistance and just enjoyed myself. Didn’t bring the DSLR, took a few shots and a few notes on my phone. I was thoroughly present and reveled in the company of our awesome party!
Definitely looks different in there. I assumed it would have changed since the last time we’ve been, which was September 2014 haha. I liked the bench seating they had and there were no more round tables with white tablecloths. Lots of children too! That was neat. It was the day before Mother’s Day, so probably lots of early celebrators. But I was totally enamored at all these toddlers and young ones trying to sit still while munching on a tea sandwich!? Too too cute. We were just so thrilled to be there. Something about the beauty of the Garden Court just brings all the JOY!
As we were seated, they immediately set down these shallow square bowls of Berries. Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. I thought for a sec that they might be a topping for scones or crumpets or something…but then soon realized, it was like the bread you get served at a restaurant upon seating. I tried a bluebe- OHMYGOSHHH. I was not expecting thaaat!!?! (you see me whining) Just as I was about to comment on how good those blueberries were, I see my girl loving them too! I was MAKING OUT with mine mmkay. We decided that they were the freshest, most organic berries we had ever had. Probably from Whole Foods, or Driscoll Farms, or the ROOF upstairs!! And this was just the free appetizer yall! Just wait.
I was a Basic Girl and chose my usual, Vanilla Rooibos. Happy Girl! Nice selection of teas. There were some great ones that our friends chose and they loved theirs. Good tea, check!
Precious presentation of our Savories. Since I start with the cucumber first, I went in order from right to left…
Shaved Cucumber & Watercress (shaved persian cucumbers, soft cream cheese, watercress, whole grain bread) – Didn’t even write any notes cuz I ate it already. It was gone before I could even think of anything to say about it, haha. Obviously, it was good!
Dry Spanish Chorizo (whipped goat cheese, lemon zest, sourdough) – After 47 afternoon tea’s, this is the first I’ve had chorizo on the menu and I was not mad at it! What a brilliant addition, couldn’t get enough. The cheese was citrusy, the bread had such a good bite to it, and that chorizo- mm mm!
Truffled Egg Salad (chives and lemon zest, chervil, brioche) – You see, forgetting to even take pics! Exquisite (no pun intended). The paprika on top was everything.
Mini Lobster Roll (mayonnaise, celery, brioche) – Okay so, I had a lobster roll last night for dinner. And I had just had so much of it, I swore I wouldn’t have another for a long long time. Funny to see this one in front of me. But let me tell you, it was so juicy and the meat was so tender…I had forgotten all about last night!
Roasted Chicken & Avocado (lemon juice, tarragon, maldon sea salt) – This one was just okay for me. Cutie Jr. agreed and said she thought it needed something… I usually really like tarragon, so I’m not sure what this was missing. I enjoyed the fattie piece of chicken I got in one bite, but the rest of the bites were breast. Meh. And I’m not a huge fan of focaccia.
Yay! The tier!
Scones – I do remember loving their scones from before. And today was no different. Cutie loved them too! They’re so fluffy and their preserves are amazing (I even took mine to-go ha!).
All the desserts were incredible as well. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry (yall already know), Mini Red Velvet Cupcake (ugh love cream cheese frosting), decadent Chocolate French Macaron, really well done Strawberry Shortcake, and Cream Puff Swan (a.k.a. Juan Swanson).
Exceptional Venue, Exceptional Company, Exceptional Tea, Exceptional Food, Exceptional Time! We couldn’t have gone with a better group, we loved our time with them. parTEA with me’s planned Tour is officially DONE eyyy! (except I squeezed in one more spot tomorrow! Haha) See you again in a bit.
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
[inhale] I’m taking a deep breath first, to calm myself! There’s so much I wanna say about this spot. And I’m trying to figure out a good place to start… If I’m going WAY back, there was a cute cafe I had pinned years ago that I wanted to try: K-Café Patisserie & Tea. They didn’t serve afternoon tea, so this would’ve been a non-Tour visit for fun. Then the same company started putting up these smaller versions, and THEY served afternoon tea!! Yay for us. The one in Milpitas has already been offering…but I really wanted to try the Union City location cuz it was so close to me! (And I wanted to say the Tour had visited that small city!)
They were due to open January 2024 and were going to be the last of the new Spots we go to on this Leg of the Tour. We forreal pass by this spot every day on our way home! And every day we passed, we still saw the brown paper on the windows. January came + went, but I didn’t want to abandon our visit there. I was lowkey stalking their socials to see if anything came up about UC. Nothing for a while. Okay, I’ll be patient. THEN, I got a random DM from them!! Don’t know who handles their social media, but out of the thousands that followed them (my finsta wasn’t even following at the time)- they remembered to message me about their opening!! (happy crying emojis) Dang, I felt special. They notified me of their Soft Opening on April 23rd. Naturally, my daughter + I stopped by.
[sigh] Still not serving afternoon tea yet. They said mid-May, maybe earlier. Okay.
Randomly, on Monday, I sent them a message asking when they might be serving afternoon tea. The following day they replied saying they were taking reservations. [GASP!] Let me make note here that I had one week before I was going on Break. Our last Spot is this Saturday, and THEN, I even scheduled another last-minute Spot visit for Sunday because this place will be starting to serve afternoon tea and my funny-self thought to squeeze that one in too. Ayyy! My only option would be this Thursday. BUT- they require a 72-hour advance reservation. [whine]
I called. Told them I was hoping to come in Thursday (this was Wednesday btw), but I understood there was a 3-day advance. They said they would take me. Huh? What!? I told them I wanted them to feel comfy + confident with what they were offering, and that I could maybe possibly find a time for Monday. They said they thought it was so sweet of me to consider that/them but that they would make Thursday work. So sweet, right guys?! I was on the books.
I decided to take my kid to this one for a Mommy-Daughter Date. And to make it even more interesting + fun for her, I told her she could Guest Write my blog post for them and even take pictures if she wanted for it. She loved the idea. As an artist + Lefty, she has some pretty cool perspectives and we have some of her photographs framed + up on our walls. (She has this sick one she took of the Bay Bridge right outside Delancey!) Let me take this moment to talk about the flyest 13-year-old girl I know. As mentioned, she has been making and selling her art for a few years now. She has an eclectic taste in music, knows how to play the ukulele and bass, and knows how to speak Korean!! I’m legit her biggest fan and am BLESSED to be her best friend. (but mostly her Momma!!!)
I’m telling you right now- I’m including A LOT of extra shots in this one, cuz there were just too many good ones and I’m sharing them ALL. Before even coming here, I have to admit whenever I would see overly floral cafe’s…I already wrote em off. After going to places like Son & Garden and iChina, where it was more about the trendy atmosphere and Instagram-worthy backdrops than the FOOD, I don’t expect much from anything that looks well (air quotes) too pretty. And altho this spot had the flowers…it was decorated really well. They were more like “statement” flowers, and not as the owner mentioned “gaudy”. But even for my daughter (who takes after her Mom and) who is not girly whatsoever, she could appreciate the interior.
I didn’t know til later, that we were their VERY FIRST afternoon tea party! Look at our cutie table!! I’ve had my name set on tables before, but not PRINTED!!?! That was such a sweet touch and very personal. Love! (yes, my name is spelled wrong but he even fixed it later and gave us the keepsake!)
Everything was ready for us as soon as we got there. We chose our shared pot of tea and she started bringing our tiers out. We each got our own too!! I couldn’t get enough shots!
[taken by my daughter]
I was taking everything in. All the details. Even the mismatched paper napkins, I loved! The Savories were their focus, you could tell. (LOVE THAT.) Points from me already.
[taken by my daughter]
They had 4 tea options. My daughter + I agreed on their Floral Peach. It had good peach flavor, tasted a little sweetened. Darling pink hue, probably from hibiscus.
Daughter – Yes even tho my mom sells tea and goes to tea places I dont really drink tea that often lol Oky! Soooooo my first thought was: Hhmm… the color of the tea is kinda dark… I hope its not too strong. My next thought after I had was: Ooooohhhh!!!! Its not too strong, It was so good that I had way more cups of it than my mom did lol
Truffle in Paradise (truffle cucumber sandwich) – This was me: “mm. Mm. MM!” Truffle is not a usual profile paired with cucumber tea sandwiches, a first for me for sure. She should be proud of herself and that was YUMMY!
Daughter – First thought: Hahaha!!! I love cucumber sandwiches!! After I had it: Hmm… the flavor is interesting! I like the way its not like the typical cucumber sandwiches, and the way you have to come back for more to get the flavor! Ok ok so far so good!
Apple of My Eye (apple chicken salad crackers) – There was maybe a light curry in there… Loved the apple. The chicken was so juicy + tender, like it was fresh off a rotisserie spit rod! I was clapping that there were three of these.
Daughter – First thought: Ok… this could either be really good or really interesting… After I had it: Again I dont really know whats in this… It took me awhile to get it but mom said that there might be a little bit of curry and I’m not the biggest fan of curry stuff but it was really really good! Like they made me a curry fan! Lol
Eggcitement (mini glaze egg croissant) – Egg + dill = GOOD. And of course (hand up) the Croissant-Lover enjoyed this one.
Daughter – First thought: [Back story: I dont wake up early at all oky? Like I’m talking 1:00PM Lol So this was my breakfast…] Oh ok… I’m not exactly excited to have egg breath rn buuuut… I’m still gonna eat it! After I had it: Aaaahhh!!! Its DELICIOUS!!! And is that dill?! I made a HUGE mistake of eating a small little smth before we left…
Talking to my daughter, I couldn’t figure out which savory was my favorite because they were all excellent! They each had just a little something in them to make you question ‘hm, what is that’ which I highly appreciate. Reminded me so much of when we catered for our old tea company. Each of our tea sandwiches from our menu had something different in them that made you keep coming back for more! Well played, K On The Go. (wink)
A verbatim convo between me and my daughter…
Me: “I’m ready for my sweets, dood.”
Her: “Half it!” (talking about all the mini cheesecakes + macarons)
Me: “Hold on, I’m licking my plate!”
HAHAHAH!
All My Ladies Cake (ladyfinger almond sponge cake) – This was so light + airy and had such good flavor. My favorite part were the crunchy pieces on top. What scone?? You did not miss any scone with this on your plate. It was like an elevated tiramisu…
Daughter – First thought: Uhhh….. Ok I’m not a big sweets fan but I’ll have it! lol After I had it: Oooooohhhh!!! I LOVE IT!!! Its soft and not OVERLY sweet! Definitely one of my favorites!!!
Assorted Desserts (changed daily) – Today’s were a variety of mini cheesecakes and french macarons. We couldn’t tell if those cheesecakes were store-bought or homemade and I think that is a compliment! They were fantastic. The macarons, they were really good quality ones.
Daughter – First thought: Ooooohhh they look soooo pretty!!! After I had it: WOW!!! Its rare that I come across food that looks good and taste better than it looks!!!
Just when we were pretty stuffed and about to clean up shop, she came out from the back with more! We were treated to these stunning complimentary desserts for being their first afternoon tea reservations. So so kind of them huh!? All I could say about those- INHALED.
Daughter – First thought: [Back story: The almond sponge cake had a butterfly and I bit it but I dont think it was edible lol but after I tried to eat the butterfly I said to mom: “Edible things like that is the way to win my heart” Then after we were done and they brought the special end and they said that the butterfly was edible my eyes got big and I was so excited!!!] Aaaahhhh!!! I’m soooo excited!!!! after I had it: I scarfed down one of them I said to mom: THIS WAS SOOOOO WORTH SCARFING!!!! As soon as I get a chance, I’m coming back!!!! 🙂
I was THOROUGHLY (how many ways can I highlight this?) impressed. The husband-wife team/owners were a delight!! He kept us company in between customers and she came out in between creating those culinary masterpieces back there. I loved how he was very community positive and got to know everyone that walked through their front door. He was even introducing me to their regulars! (dood, they’ve only been open a few weeks and already have Regulars what!?) You could tell how much awe he has for his wife (excuse me) Business Partner too, cuz he was singing her praises the entire afternoon. And she was just the CUTEST, so rightfully so!! Her imagination and brilliance shined in this tea service. My teenage daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself. We were both already planning when we can come back and who we were gonna bring. She kept saying “I really do love it here” and as a mom, that just made me so happy.
I really wanted this place to work out. Since the downfall of Tyme for Tea, I needed a new spot close to me that I could frequent. Of course, there’s still my new go-to’s Malaya and Four Seasons…but I still have to drive a bit for those. So I’m ecstatic that it turned out to be so good!! Stay tuned cuz they made it pretty high on my raTEAng. You’ll have to see where I put them! And please please please make your way to K On The Go Union City because you will eat well and be treated like family!
One-Time
Monthly
Yearly
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
Because I am who I am, I found this place a couple months ago. It was a new thing for this area, so of course I booked and fit it in the Tour. When this Tour + Blog started, I was visiting already established afternoon tea places. I don’t know how I became this Scoper for new Tea Spots just started/just starting to serve afternoon tea, but here we are! (open hands emoji) I am a Detective after all. Altho the Huz asked me if I was actively searching for them…and honestly, NO! Haha. I’m telling you, sometimes they just fall into my lap!! But let me not give away all my secrets.
This cafe was cute. But kinda loud. The place we’re sat in is a narrow room, think of a train car. But still, very aesthetic and like I said: cute! This is the first spot that offered their tea service with the choice of coffee or tea. Neat. We chose tea, of course. Only 4 options, so it was easy to choose. And after salivating at their mimosa flavor types, I learned it was included! YAY!! I got the grapefruit and he chose pineapple.
Grapefruit + Pineapple Mimosas. Very good! Mine complimented the meal so well.
Tropic Garden – The menu is minimal, so there weren’t descriptions of the teas. But this one sounded fruity + floral, my jam. A pretty tea! I tasted hibiscus and cinnamon. The Huz said it was “woodsy and earthy” to him.
Teh Halia (ginger milk tea) – It was fun to see a milk tea on the menu. And I’m glad he chose it, cuz I was interested! He said it was “like a chai with coconut and turmeric”. I thought it had a good ginger presence, not too strong.
Something I need to point out… After dropping off my husband’s milk tea, the server looked at me and told me mine was still steeping. If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you’ll know I have a thing about people bringing the teas to the table already ready! I loved that they brought my tea out to me when it was ready. Points for this.
The first thing I noticed about the tier is that there were 4 items we had to share. To be fair, the event ticket we purchased said “for Two”. But what if we weren’t a married couple? Or what if we weren’t comfy with each other like that? People would have to get real intimate real quick and share food. Now naturally, I didn’t mind sharing with my husband. Or him touching my stuff with his knife, etc… But, I do like it when tea services offer individual items per guest.
The next thing I noticed (from the menu actually): only 2 savories…
Cucumber Tea Sandwich – I like when they made this with butter, it’s a fun change. Packed with slices of cucumber and a nice mild chive flavor. Those cucumbers were so crunchy I could do ASMR! It was too much bread for me tho. (I know right, is there such a thing!?) But I had to make a snake mouth to eat it!! (laughing crying emojis) The Huz was laughing saying I had to unlock my jaw and get around it hahah!
Avocado Tea Sandwich – It was good. Except, it reminded me of the guac that comes in a plastic container in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The crunchy unripe cherry tomatoes gave a nice contrasting texture tho. And it had the tiniest of tiniest spice, which I liked.
Apricot & Almond Scone – Crumbs, all crumbs. It was so dry, I was having esophageal spasms trying to get it down! It had good flavor…but would’ve been nice with some fixings. There was just butter on the side, for the plain croissant I think.
Classic Croissant – That’s a good croissant. A little sweet. Nice bite.
Blueberry Lemon Tea Cake – Moist, not too sweet.
Pain Au Chocolate – That was a REALLY GOOD chocolate croissant. (a-okay emoji) My favorite so far. Beautiful layers and proportioned filling.
Pandan Coconut Roll – I didn’t know what to say about this one…
Klepon – Just kidding, THIS was my favorite. It had that sticky chewy texture I like, like mochi. And the filling inside was nostalgic for us!
Pandan & Moringa Tiramisu – The coffee they used for this was extraordinary. I just wanted that.
Listen, this wasn’t my favorite Tea…BUT, I understood their concept. They presented a gorgeous tier and we were able to sample some of their offerings from the bar next door. I would have loved more salty options, but we still enjoyed ourselves. The customer service was good and the ambiance was welcoming. We def wanna come back for brunch! They’ve only been serving afternoon tea since March. I’m sure they’ll refine their menu as time goes on and I’m not opposed to trying again! Let us know if you head out to Walnut Creek for their first ever tea experience at SanDai & KOPI Bar!
One-Time
Monthly
Yearly
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
Note: Our 42nd Spot was supposed to start offering afternoon tea in January, but they’re not quite up + running yet. Hopefully sometime in May. We’re keeping their spot number the same, which is why this one is our 43rd.
ONLY on Tuesdays. ONLY from 12 to 2. I was intrigued.
I mean, aren’t you now too?! Afternoon Tea served during such a small window. What’s it all about?? I wanna see!!
Tho they had been serving tea years before the pandemic, they only started serving again about a year ago. This Tea Spot was another last minute entry I dug up, and I squeezed ‘er in before the end of our Tour. I tell you, sometimes I surprise myself with how I find about these spots cuz there’s not a lot of promo or press or anything about this one. As booked as I was, I thankfully found one good ole Tuesday I could make before this Leg closed. Thank you to my date for joining me!
Doesn’t look like much outside. An old building you wouldn’t take a second look at if you were driving by. Tho once we got up those steps and inside the front door- immediate vibe change! We were directed by Reception to go to the 2nd floor, and I don’t know why but I asked if I could take pictures. She asked “Personal?”, and when I mentioned for a website, it was a no. I paused for a second to understand what that meant, and then I was relieved. No fussing with my DSLR today! Sure, I could have used my phone to take pics for myself and not post it. But I thought it was so freeing to be “camera-less” for the day AND to do our very first ~ No Photo Review ~ ! So that’s what this’ll be.
But let me tell you- you are gonna wanna come here. I’m not even going to attempt with words on what it looked like inside. Just know, I couldn’t get enough!! I think I’m actually doing you a favor for not posting any pics. Because you’re gonna wanna see this in real life for the first time in-person. I’m telling youuuu.
Off the bat, the service = immaculate.
We must’ve been in a green tea state of mind…because I ordered their Jasmine Flower and my date ordered the Dragonwell. “Good, no sugar, no cream. Not offered,” my date says, noticing no tea condiments left on the table. I’ve taught them well! Tea was great, good quality for sure.
They offered a Plain Biscuit AND a Scone. After having both at the Claremont, I’m now loving it when a place offers both! Butter was offered for the biscuit and cream + preserves for the scone. That biscuit had the most picture-worthy golden brown toast on it. Crispiest outside and fluffiest insides, a little salty. I called it ‘cloudy!’ Their scone wins for Crunchiest Edges!! Oh and I couldn’t get enough of their preserves. The highest quality I’ve had.
They had so many savories, I was so happy! SIX!! Always bonus points in my book when a tea service has plenty of salty options (than sweet).
Cucumber on Wheat – Thin slices are my favorite. It had a spicy spread that hit you in the back and was a nice surprise.
Egg Salad on White – This was my favorite from the service for sure. It was almost mousse-like and they packed a good amount of it! Thick slices of airy bread made for perfectly portioned bites. And it was seasoned beautifully.
Smoked Salmon on Sourdough – When I see capers, I’m happy!
Pesto, Mozzarella + Tomato – I’m allergic to pesto but my date said this was a good one. I wanted so badly to try it! That mozzarella looked so fresh, it was almost dripping!? I did take a nibble and I was right- excellent.
Prosciutto + Fig Butter on Croissant – Love. I’m a big fig butter fan.
Chicken Salad – I don’t know what sweet/fruity spread they added to this one, but it was delicious! My date’s favorite.
They offered 4 classic sweets. A Chocolate-Covered Strawberry, Chocolate or Lemon Macaron, a Lemon Bar, and (so cute) a nice sized Donut Hole. All were very good, and rounded out the meal gorgeously. And i love chocolate strawberries, don’t you? Anytime they’re served is a yay for me.
The tea was good. But, it was the exclusivity of it and the venue that made you feel so cool to be there. I can’t say enough about the customer service here. Our guy was lovely!! Definitely made for a better experience that he was so kind. I did want to walk around the building for a bit (I saw a stunning library when I went to the bathroom), but by the time we were done some doors were closed. Right before we walked out tho, I did get a peek of what looked like a banquet or event room. SO pretty! I wanna have a party there for no reason!! I’ve already made plans to go back with my sister hehe. I hope you guys make it too! And if you do, please share your experience with us!
One-Time
Monthly
Yearly
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
Last time we were here was October 2015. All I remember was that we had to wait a while to get in (for the reservation) and that it was something I definitely had to experience again. I didn’t think I’d wait so long, but it was mos def worth the wait! (gosh, how many times do I have to say wait?) Since their banquet room only holds 12 and since I voted this Spot ‘Best Experience’, I made sure to fill my guest list. I’m so happy we had the big group we did, because it made for an even sweeter time!
This would also be the first Tea since my shift (read all about that here), so I might’ve been a little anxious or apprehensive about how I was going to handle the “work” part of this visit. Again, since it was all about the whole experience- I made sure my first priority was to be present. Enjoy my girls and the Tour [of the home].
As it was 8 years ago, the house was exquisite. So many little pieces to look at and details that made you ooh and ahh. And just like last time, I’m not including any of those shots on here cuz I want you to come see it for yourself! In real life! I loved seeing my girl’s faces after every new corner we turned. It made me so happy that they were so happy to be there! For me, just seeing the wallpaper alone was enough!! (okay, I’m covering my mouth now…I won’t say anymore) After the house tour, our dear docent guided us to their adorable banquet room. Ugh (sigh), breathtaking. (not in the Seinfeld way tho k)
The amount of labor, love, attention, and meticulous detail that is put into this tea service is priceless. Let me mention here that from placing the reservation, I was speaking to a live person each time. These volunteers are here because they want to be and have an organic passion for this home. It’s brilliant and I was/we were privileged to be a recipient of their care.
First things first, they come around with the only tea option of their proprietary English Breakfast blend. They should be so proud of themselves cuz I’m not even an english breakfast tea girl like that but MAN, that stuff is soo good!! Of course they won’t say what the blend is, but I was getting some citrus or bergamot and some lavender notes… Either way, keep it coming please!
They start you off with their beautiful Tea Sandwiches. (see, I told you) Flawless presentation. I didn’t take pics of each of the items like I usually do…I was in the moment mmkay. But, I did take notes of my thoughts on each.
Cucumber – I can’t ever have enough green crunchy veggies, so I loved the mountain of cucumbers. And they do theirs with like an herb cream cheese. Different, but welcome.
Smoked Salmon – Light cheese, nice dill sprig, yay capers!
Egg Salad – First I was like ‘ew, this is too green oniony’. Then I was like ‘I think I like this’. Hahah! Yall know I hate green onions. But for some reason, the amount and crunch this one had…made me love it. (covering eyes) I know, I know, who am I??
Chicken Salad – There was something sweet and/or curryish in this one. And so cute that it had a profiterole “bun”! I know there were a lot of girls at the table who enjoyed this tea sandwich a lot!
Cheese Crisp – Didn’t expect it to be cold, but I liked that. It had a little spice (which I liked too) and a good texture to it.
Then they served us fresh, warm Savories!
Artichoke – We were all trying to figure out what was in this one…? Despite saying it was a bit “too pickley” for me, as my friend who sat next to me pointed out- I still ate the whole thing. Haha! It was like olivey or had pimento in it or something. And of course, crunchy phyllo is not something you leave on the table. It’s a lot of work, that phyllo!
Mushroom – This one was thee Crowd-Pleaser. It’s like they made tiny slices of bread and toasted them perfectly, then packed that cup with creamy mushroom filling. It was SO GOOD, I am salivating right now just thinking about it again. For me, all those textures made it so fun to eat. I would have a dozen for dinner.
Next course were the Scones! Cranberry Orange today. Don’t you just love warm fresh scones?! These were soo chewy. Great flavor, THAT CREAM, crispy edges. I think the cream made it. I was trying to be modest…but I woulda licked the serving dish clean if I could.
And now, the Sweets! They did a good job too, of coming around sporadically (Tai: Yeah, I hope not sporadically.) refilling teacups of that delicious English Breakfast! At this point in the tea service however, I only had room for a bite each of these. (of course I finished them when I got home!)
Apricot Bar – nice texture, not too fruity
Lemon Tart – pastry is really good + crumbly, my favorite of the bunch
Maple Pecan – buttery chewy maple flavor, Table Favorite!
Pecan Sandies – perfect, so much powdered sugar I love
Double Chocolate Cookie – good chocolate but not too much
Macadamia Shortbread – bland, which was nice (not competing with other sweets)
So yes, this place lived up to its chosen superlative as Best Experience. This was our biggest party of this Leg of the Tour, so it was nice to have a lot of the girls who had already been on tour with me. We did have 2 Firsties (yayyy!), so it was a pleasure having their first afternoon tea be with us! Again, hosting (from reservations to docent to servers) was immaculate. The Pardee Home Staff took such good care of us and showed us a good time, thank you!! I heard a lot of the girls making plans to come back with their families or other girlfriends, and that made me so happy. Such a fun afternoon touring the home and then enjoying a stunning tea party. I was in the moment, present…with a little bit of work. (exhale)
We’re finishing our 3rd Leg strong! (arm flex emoji) Leave your email with us below, so you’ll be notified of all our last Spots. Thank you to all who have/who will donate. This keeps our Tour going! I’ll be back in a week or so about this next Spot… All Love, Oly.
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
“I am NOT an Influencer and I am NOT a Content Creator. I am no one special. I do not have a Platform. And I don’t need to make money on what I love doing for the fun of it.”
I had a few topic ideas for this About The Author post between my tea house visits…but this seemed more pressing to talk about. When I used to watch family vlogs, even tho I knew they didn’t owe us any explanations for absences from filming or content changes- I appreciated the heads up. So, that’s what I’m doing here. Even tho I don’t need to, it is a courtesy to share this change in my mindset.
I was gonna talk about the similarities I share with Prince, Dave Chapelle, and Barbara Streisand. But I don’t want to give away my entire farm now! (and if you happen to just know what they all have in common, share your thoughts in the comments!) There’s A LOT that goes into this decision. I could talk about distractions… I could talk about my view of money… Or, I could even talk about running themes. But, I don’t want to. (can you tell I’m trying to prolong this?)
I’ll just say: There’s been a shift.
I am + have been blown away by the enormous success that came in a hurry for me + this blog in recent. Never in my hopes and dreams would I ever have thought that I’d be in the position(s) I was in!? (brain explosion emoji) Having the incredible privilege to work with some amazing establishments has been humbling. With that said, these partnerships came so fast I didn’t even realize how huge it all was until they passed…!? That, coupled with being surrounded by Foodies who were quitting their day jobs… It was a lot. To say the least.
I was getting caught up. “Work” was being taken too serious and I wasn’t being present to enjoy it all. In the last couple weeks, I have taken the time to understand what this all means for me. This Leg of the Tour ends mid-May, and I am taking a well-deserved BREAK. I’ve talked about this before and I knew what that looked like. I would be free for leisure Tea with girlfriends, and continuing to post on all my socials.
However…
After this shift in thinking, that might look a little bit different now. I do still have a FULL 4th Leg planned to start late this year. BUT, let’s see how my break goes! No promises from me as of yet. Okay yall…? I still very much love to visit tea rooms + tea houses. I still very much love to review them. And don’t get me wrong (okay “Establishments”?! Hehe), I still very much loved/love working with awesome people!! This isn’t, like, a Retirement Speech or anything! I’m just letting yall know that I’m doing a reset, going back to basics, and making sure I’m being fully intentional with everything I got going on when it comes to this Blog. I am a WRITER first and foremost. Not a Foodie, not an Influencer, not a Content Creator…not a videographer, not a TikToker. Let me get back to my first love…
Thanks for listening! (muah)
One-Time
Monthly
Yearly
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
At first I was like mad + annoyed at having to write this review…and now (after looking through all those old pics), I’m just sad.
Continuing the last bits of this Leg of the Tour and going to old adored Spots… OF COURSE, Tyme for Tea would be included. It’s where I hosted my first tea party, it was number 1 on my raTEAngs list for years (before I met Muir’s, but still remained a close 2nd), and a go-to spot not just because it’s so close to me but also cuz it was good. I was looking forward to it, it was like a no-brainer. This place would be as it’s always been: good tea, good food, good ambiance. It was also the first time we were going to have a ‘Couples Tea’ on the Tour! My husband + I invited new friends; she had been on the Tour already and her husband was a first-timer (to afternoon tea too yay!). Recipe for a great afternoon!
Then…
I went inside.
It was so gloomy in there. Almost gray. It was only minutes away from our seating time, and all I saw were bare pink tables. I thought- they better hurry up with all their doilies + flowers cuz we ready! But they weren’t. They weren’t setting ANYTHING up. They put some cups on the table and called it a day yall. Look.
Not long after we were seated, they just started bringing stuff. I hadn’t even had the chance to tell my friend’s husband he gets to pick his own pot of tea…and here came 2 teapots. Apparently, they have set tea now on the weekends. Their House Blend (which has always been this kiwi strawberry) and a Raspberry. They did say we could request decaf and (maybe because they saw the disbelief in my face) offered to make another tea if we desired. But we couldn’t even refuse these (if we didn’t want em), cuz they were already here!? We had em, and they were alright. I actually was pleasantly surprised about the Raspberry.
The other thing they brought was a plate with their scone and a tiny spoonful of each fixing. It was Lemon Blueberry today and so much THINNER than usual. There was no slicing it open, cuz it wasn’t wide enough for 2 slices! I didn’t even use my knife to spread any cream or preserves, because there wouldn’t be much leftover for the rest of my bites!? I just kinda dipped my joint in there haha. Yall think I’m playin, look!
I legit wanted to cry when the tier came out. “Step right up, hurry hurry, before the show begins… My friends… There’s got to be no sadder show to see!” (paraphrasing “Sideshow” by Blue Magic) Not even a freakin rose!! (excuse my language)
I did take individual shots of each item like I usually do, but I didn’t want to make this post sadder than it had to be. I’m just including a shot of all of em at once.
Cucumber – dry, tho I always like the radish they put in there
Chicken Pecan – much thinner, and DRIER!? Like they didn’t use enough mayo or put liver in it or something
Cheese Crostini – same, but drier
Pinwheel Pastry – good salty cheddar, like a cheez-it; asked the name again cuz I forgot, and the dood told me it was spinach!? I didn’t taste anything spinach about it or see anything green in there, ohhkaay…
Mushroom Tart – this one was good, very crispy phyllo, but like one mushroom only
I wasn’t happy with not allowing my guests to try teas that they WANTED, so I requested new pots. They chose a Cinnamon Orange and I picked Jackfruit Honey (that one sounded so different). The first was all cinnamon + heavily steeped, and the latter tasted like honey Halls (you know, the cough drop). The only good thing about that was those were my Daddy’s jam back in the day when he was sick, so I got a little nostalgia from it.
I knew the sweets were coming, but I almost didn’t even want to look at them. The travesty I was anticipating was real.
Cheesecake – tasted like it was made with cheap artificial vanilla extract
Petit Fours – cake was dry, outside coating tasted like plastic
Shortbread – very crunchy, that one was okay
If anything, at least the customer service was still good. Except the smell of Windex while finishing our meal wasn’t ideal. The Huz said “Did they always rush their patrons? At 2:45, are we cutting into your time?” (we had a 1:30p seating) They went downhill yall. I just kept saying how sad I was, like I was so disappointed. Thankfully my husband had lots to say, cuz I couldn’t form sentences. He was saying he gets it, you want to keep the same price point…but not to the detriment of your business model. And that it was so boring. One dimensional, no character. You return to something expecting to be wowed, but nothing is there.
Later he asked me what the saddest part for me was. I would have to say the scones. This was the first place I had scones the proper way: warmed and with all the fixings. On my podcast interview with Talk Tea To Me, I said they had the Best Scone of the entire Tour!! I’m now giving that award to Claremont.
It was really hard for me to write this review. I didn’t want to do it. I kept procrastinating on it. There’s so much history there!! I’ve hosted a good two-handfuls of tea parties here. When I had my old tea company, they hosted a Meet & Greet for our brand (since they wanted to start serving our teas there). They used to sell our teas as a matter of fact. But to my loyal Readers, what does this tell you? YOU WILL ALWAYS GET THE 100 REAL DEAL FROM ME. Even if I have to share some bad news about a place I loved. And if you know me well, you’ll know I love me a good receipt. I went through my archives and pulled some shots to show you what they used to be about…so you know I’m not just sayin stuff. I always come prepared with backup.
Exhibit A: warm atmosphere
Exhibit B: well decorated tablescape
Exhibit C: FULL helpings of scone fixings
Exhibit D: beautiful tier with FAT Chicken Pecan tea sandwich
Exhibit E + F: Our very successful Meet & Greet hosted by Tyme for Tea, we sold out!
Exhibit G: Low stock of our teas being sold at Tyme for Tea
I probably won’t be coming back to Tyme for Tea again. Unless I’m invited to a loved one’s bridal or baby shower or something. But even then, if I have to pay- I won’t be coming. And this is the first time in parTEA with me History that I will me moving a Spot down on my raTEAng. (I won’t say where, you’ll have to wait and see…but it’s bad, jus sayin) I am shattered about this. But I will always give you my brutal honesty. And I wouldn’t want you paying afternoon tea prices (which are not cheap) for less than mediocre tea + food. To our sweet guests + new friends, our sincerest apologies! My husband even told them that Tyme for Tea was my afternoon tea standard and what I base my reviews off of… We need a do-over yall!! We’ll do Tea again with you two soon enough. We still had an amazing time with you guys, laughing it up all afternoon and finding so many similarities! Readers/Followers/Donators- Thank you for appreciating my candor + transparency. I don’t want you to spend money on bad tea!! I really am a Nice Girl. (wink)
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
Whew! February was a whirlwind!! I had the absolute pleasure of being invited to try TWO new tea service menus, revisiting TWO old beloved Tea Spots, and being hosted to a Patisserie Tasting! (sweat bead emoji) (humbled emoji) FIVE Tea Things, 4 of which were in the span of just 2 weeks!! I feel blessed and honored. If you haven’t caught up yet, here are the quick links:
Okay, now for the topic at hand… I couldn’t wait to write about this one! It’s been marinating around in my brain for some months.
So, in July, this website will be 10!!! And if you’re a longtime Reader/Follower, you will have noticed that we NEVER changed the theme. It’s been the same corally orange, with that same tea set pic in the upper lefthand corner, with the same ribbon headings. For. 10. Years. I love our theme!! Of course, just as I’ve aged 10 years, so has my taste in decor and style. However, there was something pulling on me to stay loyal to this original design…? So I just never changed it! And come on, I’m a Creative Director. I would have loved to put my skills into meticulously decorating this space. I can’t even get the font + spacing how I want on here!! Hahaha.
But since coming back on, after our break in 2018 and then the Pandemic… It goes without saying (whatever that means) that there has been a maaaajoooor boost in views, visits, follows, subscribers, donators…everything!! And just recently, I had to put out a Stories post on IG, notifying everyone that this website crashed as the hosting I use wasn’t able to support the level of traffic we were having.
Remember, we are about to be 10-years-old. And in internet age, you might as well be a zillion! I started this website FOR FREE, with the most popular website host at that time. Needless to say, it was taking double + triple time to upload things and save things…and wait for this host to keep up with what I was producing. Coupled with my dinosaur laptop, I am surprised I don’t have carpal tunnel and tennis elbow and a hunchback from what I’ve endured in recent!? HA! But this is no complaint. I am beyond ecstatic to have the workload that I have had!! I just need to make some changes.
Sooo. All this to say- I am in the process of changing my host. Which breaks my heart a little, cuz I will probably have to find a new website theme. Say ‘goodbye’ to the ribbon headers guys! Until then, if you haven’t already, PLEASE GET ON OUR EMAIL LIST. This will ensure you don’t miss out on any updates or changes during this process. And with all the angst about Instagram going down (or other platforms for that matter), at least we will always have this way to keep in touch.
Thank you to our REAL ONES!!!
One-Time
Monthly
Yearly
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
Yes, I stood up on a chair to get this shot! (don’t worry, I took my shoes off…and I had someone close by) (I wish I had a picture of THAT!) Do you remember the Patisserie we visited back in September? The one I said had “thee best tea sandwich from the entire Tour”!? Well, we were so privileged + honored to be invited back to Alexander’s!! (three clapping hands emojis) We got to try a variety of their gorgeous savory + sweet pastries that were complimented with delicious alcoholic drinks! Ugh, what a special afternoon!!
Egg & Bacon Croissant – Like a whole breakfast in one bite! That egg was cooked to perfection, the bacon was chewy, and it came warm + toasted just right. This was our favorite savory, hands down.
Ham & Cheese (Gruyère) Croissant – Good crunchy layers, ham not too salty, cheese gooey. Definitely an upscale ham + cheese!
Matcha Croissant – Excellent matcha flavor. Sometimes people don’t get this right or it’s just too much. This wasn’t earthy or “grassy”, but a nice mild + sweet green tea taste frosting + filling.
Strawberry Vanilla Croissant – Our host said this was a best seller and highly recommended it. We said Okay! You guys, I’m so glad she did. And we did. Cuz- when I say I was the happiest girl eating this croissantttt!! I’m not even a ‘berry’ fan like that. I would have never picked this if she didn’t say anything. It was soo decadent. The croissant bread was almost creamy and the filling was so fluffy light. (salivating writing this and can’t wait til my husband goes back in that area so he can pick me up a few!) They do strawberry SO right.
Chocolate Hazelnut Flat Croissant – These are what they are going viral for right now. We were excited to finally try! Interesting, it was almost like a crispy cookie.
Strawberry Flat Croissant – Like a frosted cookie! Such nice strawberry flavor, nothing artificial about it.
Almond Croissant – I saved this and the next one for last, cuz they’re favorites of mine. Crunchiest pastry and classic almond filling.
Banana Chocolat Croissant – The mashed bananas were the perfect amount of sweetness. Just a little bit of chocolate. So good.
Earl Grey Petit Gateaux (earl grey chocolate mousse with kumquat confit center topped on a choclate sable) – I’m suuuure you’ve seen this cake! If you’ve seen anything that has to do with Alexander’s, SOMEONE has posted this cake in there. I mean, look at it! It’s the most stunning piece of art. (doesn’t it remind you of the ocean?!) I saw it the first time we went, and I’ve not stopped thinking about it. When our gracious host asked us if we wanted to try any of the cakes- uh, YEAH! That one please! So, they recently changed the center to kumquat…and it is indeed the star. So happy we got to try this, it was amazing!
And now for the Headliners!!
These were the genius accompaniments to our meal. I had the Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial NV. As good as it gets! I had way more than I should have aaand I wasn’t sorry about it!! For the beers, I’m gonna quote the expert I brought along with me! (wink) My husband is somewhat of a craft beer connoisseur, and has been visiting a number of breweries around the US and Bay Area since 2012.
Eden Specialty Apple Cider Peak Bloom – He says, “Clean, mild apple flavor. Crisp, sour taste. Not overpowering and pairs well with their croissants.”
Original Pattern Brewing Company There It Is Hazy IPA – He says, “Not a very bitter IPA, but a nice clean hops profile. Would pair this with their savories or almond croissants. I would also have it with any of their berry flavored items.”
I didn’t get to try any of the macarons or chocolates there, but we did go home with a nice variety. And, we got to try them all with the kids! (I did a quick photo shoot of em at home too!)
Salted Caramel – Very caramely, deep flavor.
Cappuccino – Light coffee flavor, not too sweet.
Rose Champagne – Mild champagne, with rose aftertaste. Could really taste the almonds in the shell.
Passion Fruit – Oh yes, sweet lilikoi!
Lavender – Intriguing lavender…like a bath bomb!
Rose Lychee – More rose than lychee, but the lychee hits you at the end. Loved that one!
I did have the opportunity to try their chocolates before. And I knew enough that their S’mores one was my fave. But this time, I told her to surprise me!! (was so happy to see s’mores in our box yayyy!)
Cappuccino – Well-flavored. Perfect.
Jasmine – Very faint jasmine, such good dark chocolate.
S’mores – The best. Whatever graham they use, is amazing.
And last but not least, I didn’t even get to mention yet (I’m sure you saw in our first pic of the entire tablescape tho)- I got to have my White Truffle Brioche tea sandwich!!! HOORAY FOR ME! Of course, the rest of their delectable tea service menu too!! “I think I love this little life…” Haha. I know you know what that song is!
What a memorable experience. I feel so grateful to have been able to spend an afternoon at Alexander’s trying all their elevated pastries and adult beverages! We were treated with the utmost care by our gracious host and loving staff. Got to meet some cool customers there too. (if that was you, say ‘hi’ in the comments!) If you are going to be in the Mountain View or Cupertino area, make a plan to visit them!! Gather your comfiest friends, and share some carbs + drinks! I mos def recommend the egg + bacon croissant, strawberry vanilla croissant, and a nice tall glass of champagne!!
Last but not least, what made my year-
When we first walked in and I gave them my name + company I was with, the girl behind the counter gasped, smiled, and said “Ooh, parTEA with me!?” I LOVED THAT SO SO MUUUUCH!!!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
Okay so- when we first came on the Tour, that was in April 2015. And in my Dartealing post, I ended it with and I quote: “I would come back for the sandwiches alone.” That’s exactly what we did. I had been back a few times before today, but this time was on official Tour business! 😉 I have been to Tea Spots where they had one really good standout tea sandwich…but this place, ohh this place. EVERY SINGLE ONE of their tea sandwiches is a banger!! (and I don’t even use that kind of today’s language) I’m just running out of descriptive words for something so inexplicably, ridiculously GOOD. (or at least, appealing to the modern generation hehe)
Another reason I love to come here is for their decor. I’ve mentioned it a couple times since my podcast interview with Talk Tea To Me Podcast, that one of the main reasons I fell in love with afternoon tea is because of my interest in interior design. When I visit new Tea Spots, I am also taking in all the little details in every corner of their tea room. I love the ones that are set in a home (like: the White Hart Tea Room, the Pardee Home, and Muir’s of course). And even tho they’ve closed, super eclectic like Satori and super shabby chic like the English Rose (ugh, that one still hurts). So when I step into Dartealing, I appreciate all the little stories in each seating area. Major vibes!! (I don’t know what’s happening to me in this blog post!? Another current day word)
It’s really nice, this time around we didn’t have to pre-order. They have a set menu now, and then you can add on some specials. But first, tea!
There were 4 of us- oh! I didn’t even tell you who I brought with me!? I had the OG’s in our party today. Gorgeous drive into the City together. It was like cloudy up high, but so so clear down low…like you could see all the bridges. It was strange, a little eerie, and beautiful all at the same time. I seriously wish I had gotten a picture, but I was being present and knew by the time I fumbled with my camera it would all be over. Anyway, here are the 4 choices we picked:
Mr. Carson’s Secret Stash (toffee notes, vanilla, subtle fruit notes, full body, organic blend) – Perfect choice for me! Needs a good deep steep, and then it’s like coffee’ish!
Cherry Blossom Bliss (Japanese sencha, morning rose petals, notes of cherries, bright finish) – Already smelled like spa! I love it.
Cabana Boy (strawberry, papaya, sweet fruit notes, fragrant medium body finish) – My girl said “love this one, ooh something hit me at the end… You could taste the green tea, and then the mango at the end…” It smelled so tropical, but then also a little spicy. The strawberry is unexpected in a tropical blend, but was nice.
#tajmahal (bergamot, cardamom, spices, organic, limited edition blend) – This was my 2nd choice, so I’m glad someone picked it. You can really taste the cardamom, which I love!
I love my OG’s cuz they been in this game with me since Day One. They know the drill, it’s comfy, it’s safe, it’s easy, it’s funny, it’s love, it’s crying (someone always cries)! Girlfriend was leaned over all the way to the right, whilst my hip was pretty much resting on her shoulder so I could get these shots of this tier without disturbing the party next to us and getting them in my shot!! (yall know I’m exaggerating)
Cucumber, Arugula & Shaved Radish – It’s always fun when they do something a little different with the cucumber. And they already had me at ‘arugula’. But this was sweeter!? Not usual in your typical cucumber tea sandwich. I danced.
Brie, Quince Jelly & Apple – So this one usually has sweet pepper jelly instead, but they ran out. We were sad, but the quince was still good! And you could tell this was a really good quality brie, YUM.
Ham, Gouda & Spicy Garlicky Aioli – My notes said ‘This tastes like I’m at a party!’ You know when you go to a party and they serve you some bomb-dot-com food!? Yeah, that’s what I felt like. I really danced!! And the spicy wasn’t too much. My girl said it was an “explosion of flavors!”
Because I’m a self-proclaimed certified Fat Girl (we’re honest here right??) (No disrespect to anyone, including myself- this is a legit term of endearment in my house!! Get on board and no need to “school” me on PC ways to write, we are BODY POSITIVE around here and I am allowed to call myself what I want), I wanted to order BOTH Tea Sandwich Specials!! LOL. And thankfully, my girls wanted in too. I mean, we came here for the sandwiches right?!
Salmon Dill Honey Mustard – It’s really hard to come up with words to explain these sandwiches, because they are really just so good- there aren’t any English words to explain these flavors!? For such little bites (I think it takes 3 for me), there are entire FULL experiences!! You just have to come here and try. I’m serious. The mustard in this one was soooo gooooood!! (I’m whining)
Fish n’ Chips – This is the precise sandwich I came back for. It wasn’t here for our initial visit, but I had had it when I came back one of the other times. And- I wanna cry. When you order it, it comes freshly made + warm and in 4 servings. I LEGIT wanted to order another 4 just for myself!! Haha, mad greedy huh!? The flavors are incredible, and there’s a crunch from the ‘chip’ part. (SIGH) If anything, come to Dartealing Lounge just for this sandwich okay?? Did you hear me?!
Savory Tea Hors D’oeuvre (Black Bean Empanada) – The girls loved this one! The pastry was well done, the beans were not dry, and the toppings complimented it stunningly.
English-Style Pork Sausage Roll – You could taste each individual ingredient + spice these were made with. So good.
Strawberry Rose Scone – “I wanna sing!” my girl exclaimed, as she was enjoying her scone. Crispy edges (check), fluffy insides (check). The cream + preserves made it so decadent. And the rose was just slight, didn’t taste like perfume. Yum, just yum.
Assortment of Petit Tea Sweets (Raspberry Streusel) – A nice good chunky chewy bite!
Assortment of Petit Tea Sweets (Cheesecake) – A lot of “MMMM” and whining and dancing for one little bite of cheesecake. I could have had a whole tin to myself. (see, F– Girl!)
Seasonal Shortbread Cookie (Red Velvet) – Good sturdy cookie, not too sweet at all.
So what made this visit really special… Aside from the spectacular sandwiches, the amazing decor, and my comfy girlfriends… The owner came out to meet with us. In conversation I had mentioned to our sweet server that we were part of the Tour, and shortly after the gorgeous genius of this all came out herself! It was so kind of her to allow us to have a peek inside her head, on the inspo to her tea house. This was mid-meal. But AFTER the meal, she came back again. That’s when you know a genuine connection was made. And for my girls, that was really special to them. Doing this for as long as I have + as often as I get to, I have had the opportunity to meet some awesome human beings behind operations of some brilliant tea rooms + restaurants. So I was grateful that the girls got to experience that part too. Customer service here is top notch as well. My lovely Readers + Followers, if you haven’t already- treat yourself to a fantastic tea service at Dartealing. Tell them I sent you! (kissy face emojis) Maybe you’ll see me there…behind the pile of fish + chip sandwiches!! Hahah!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a monthly donation! Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!
parTEA with me 