Last weekend I was gifted an afternoon tea experience at Browns in Birmingham by the lovely Craft Beer Pin Up to celebrate afternoon tea week that certainly did lift the mood on a miserable rainy day in Birmingham. Snugged just under the Bullring, it has been a while Browns, I think the last time I visited was about three years ago for a Christmas roast dinner so it’s nice to return and try out something different. If you know me, you’ll know I love a good brew and love stuffing my face with sandwiches so I can never turn an afternoon tea down even if Weatherspoons offered one…
Arriving just before our time 3.15 pm, we asked if we could sit down early in which the staff were very happy to assist. We were seated at a gorgeous green marble table (it went very nicely with my green bag!) looking around Browns they certainly do have style, it just screams British Summer with all the floral however I was also getting a bit of 1940s American with the super stylish bar aswell! Tables were spaced out, hand sanitizer was displayed on the way in and social distancing was in place here, straight away I felt very safe.
We were brought the afternoon tea menus right away and left to decide, The traditional afternoon tea was priced as £18.50 however we saw the G&T afternoon tea and we just fancied a bit of a pick me up after our boozy previous night. A staff member came over took our afternoon tea order and asked us what hot drinks we would like to go for, we both opted for English breakfast.
After a five minute wait, the rhubab and raspberry G&T cocktails came out, a very generous glass in which I could possibly get lost in as a 5ft 1 woman. Ice cold and refreshing, the flavour was a little bit on the strong side at first however as the afternoon progressed it became less strong! Our tea followed shortly after and then the afternoon tea.
The Browns Afternoon Tea Includes:
Sandwiches: Prawn & baby gem lettuce, ham & dijon mustard, cucumber & cream cheese, egg mayo brioche bun, smoked salmon & cream cheese on a whisky & thyme oatcake.
Home-baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Sweets: Victoria sponge, lemon drizzle cake, almond macarons and chocolate praline mousse in a chocolate flower pot.
One Pot of English Breakfast tea or any tea of your choice
One glass each of Tarquin’s Rhubarb and Raspberry G&T
Price: £25.50
I was very impressed with the sandwich selection, for some reason I didn’t think I was going to get that much however I was pleasantly surprised. The quality is nothing to be amazed about but it was still pleasable, the sandwiches tasted fresh, there are no arty-farty ingredients here but you can’t beat a traditional cucumber & cream cheese sandwich can you? The egg mayo in a brioche roll was my favourite, just a shame it was a bit on the small side! The only sandwich in which I wasn’t so fond of was the prawn & baby gem lettuce it was a bit too heavy with the sauce creating almost a slimey texture.
The scones were definitely on the small side but I am not a massive cake/scone fan so I actually preferred them that size plus I can’t stand having the massive scones that completely crumble everywhere, you spend more time cleaning yourself than stuffing yourself with them. They were also warm and tasted fresh, so I was pretty pleased with them!
Onto that impressive looking flowerpot, which at first I thought was for decoration but it is a lovely chocolate mousse, perfect for those chocolate lovers out there. The lemon drizzle cake was delicious and so was the Victoria sponge, Wasn’t too mad about the almond macaron. Maybe could have squeezed another sweet (maybe a tart?) on there however I like the variety and I like the portions of the sweets so maybe I’m just being a little bit greedy! I have to say the chocolate mousse is very filling on its own!
The Afternoon Tea with the G&T really complimented each other well and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with this afternoon tea. For £26.50 I think it’s pretty good for the money, I have to say I have paid £30+ in grand places where I have received a small/basic afternoon with just a pot of tea, no fizz involved. I believe they have the right balance of sweet and savourly, and I have to say I was pretty full after eating it so I didn’t have to venture out to McDonald’s after.
Browns Quintessentially British afternoon tea with a splash of Gin went down a success, offering a great variety and good quality for all to enjoy. priced at £26.50 with a very generous glass of G&T, a pot of hot tea and an impressive selection of savoury and sweet,I believe that this is a worthy contender for you all to try out in Birmingham.
Espresso rubbed beef brisket baps, lemon curd tarts with syringes, and cold soup?! Well, this is certainly not your basic bitch afternoon tea …
The Early Bird Bakery has whipped up an afternoon tea for us to all enjoy in the comfort of our homes. If you’re not familiar with The Early Bird they are a coffee shop and bakery that serve up creative and delicious bakes plus sensational brunch options in Kings Heath, They are pretty much bakery Gods! I live in Sutton Coldfield so when my sister invited me to hers to enjoy an Early Bird Bakery Afternoon tea my first thought was “Why is she being nice to me?” and then “Who cares? ITS FREE!!!!! YES I’M IN!”
Delivered on time and all boxed up, the afternoon tea comes with a little information booklet listing everything that you get in your afternoon tea, and how to serve, very useful and very considerate.
The Sweets you simply serve, the tea you simply pop into a teapot and the savory, well, this is where it gets a bit faffy (Yes, I just made that word up) I don’t know if this is just me but with an afternoon tea, I had it in my head to just take out of the box and pop on a tea stand to serve but not quite as simple as that. The espresso brisket and belinni you have to construct it together yourself. The kitchen was crammed with all sized cardboard boxes and pots full of ingredients so It was a bit of a faff especially when we weren’t expecting but hey ho, you get on with it. I must say everything was so fresh, the quality is outstanding and when you put it all togeather it looks great, just full of colour!
The Early Bird Bakery Afternoon Tea Includes:
Savory Spicy Tomato Gazpacho Fennel and apple sausage roll DIY espresso rubbed slow-cooked beef brisket, BBQ Sauce, slaw and brioche bun Cured salmon blini, pickles, creme fraiche, and watercress Curried cauliflower, chickpea, lentil, lime yogurt, pomegranate, raisin, and coriander salad
Cream Tea buttermilk scone x2 Currant bun x2 Strawberry, raspberry and orange jam Passion fruit and lime curd Clotted cream Morgans tea
Sweet Raspberry, white chocolate and rose macaron Lemon and early grey drizzle cake chocolate and coffee ganache cake Gin and tonic choux bun
So when you look at the amount and the sort of ingredients that have been used you would think okay, this is going to be one pricey afternoon tea but much to my surprise this has been one of the cheapest afternoons teas I have ever had, priced at just £17 per person. A small price for such an over-generous spread however comes with a few tiny issues…
The spicy tomato gazpacho tasted nice but I wouldn’t serve up as a starter before an afternoon tea. I felt it didn’t really tye in well with the rest of the spread and there is a lot going on already in the afternoon tea so I just found it to be a bit unnecessary really. The curried cauliflower salad was very refreshing however again, it didn’t tie in well with the afternoon tea. You got sandwiches, cakes, basically finger food so to throw in a salad, I didn’t quite get it however it did taste good, personally, I would have preferred a sandwich/savoury pastry instead. The lemon and drizzle cake looked lovely but biting into it I think the guys at The Early Bird Bakery when a little bit too heavy on the tea! it was quite cold, had a strong overwhelming aroma of earl grey and was soggy. A little bit of criticism but it certainly didn’t ruin the rest of the afternoon tea which was fantastic.
The espresso brisket was just pure sexiness, yes I am going to add sexiness into this review, okay! The bun was soft, the brisket was packed full of flavour and was an unusual yet satisfying touch to the afternoon tea. The sausage roll?? not your basic bitch roll we are talking about here Bab! Fennel and apple tasted gorgeous together wrapped up in flakey pastry, small yet filling and you won’t find that in your local Greggs. The blini was light yet gave a naughty little kick of flavour with the pickles, salmon and creme fraiche.
The cakes are absolutely sensational. Top-quality, the variety was all there and it wasn’t dull! it was actually enjoyable to eat, it was lovely to look at and absolutely devour! My favourite sweet would be the chocolate and coffee ganache cake. Chocolate and coffee, two powerful forces, you team those up you have yourself FOODGASMS all over the world so yeah, it tasted pretty incredible! The currant buns had a beautiful glaze that tasted wonderful warmed up with a spread of butter. The buttermilk scones tasted gorgeous especially with the orange jam, just wow! Quite different to your basic scone you would find for 35p in your local Asda but you should know that The Early Bird Bakery don’t do basic here.
Okay, so there were a few little hiccups but did it ruin my whole experience? absolutely not. There were more positives than negatives and when you think about what you get for £17, its a fantastic afternoon tea. The amount, the variety, and the quality are all there, quite surprising really for a very reasonable price tag! It was exciting to eat and it was appealing to see, and it was enjoyable to experience with the whole family in my sisters home. Maybe go down the less faff route and add in some more buns for me eh? but Fair play to the bakery for daring to be different and not going down the easy route (meaning finger sandwiches, they always look so sad…) It dares to be different, and I believe its a worthy afternoon tea for all to enjoy, not perfect but will get there I’m sure.
Thank you Early Bird Bakery
Early Bird is currently running a delivery service of their cakes and coffee to your doors, you can check out their website and orderhere. They are also now open for takeaway on Friday 11-2, and Saturday & Sunday from 10-2.
So, for the past three months, I have been quite a busy girl supporting my independents and helping those who are isolating with putting together information on how they can get in their weekly shop, keep active, and seek free advice. So many Fantastic businesses agreed to be part of The North of Birmingham blog post and it has received a pretty amazing and overwhelming response by so many people. I can see so many of you using the blog daily and it is fantastic to hear that so many of you have said the blog has opened up their eyes to wanting to shop more independently which was the aim!
I regularly post about my food deliveries via social media and a lot of you have been wanting to know what independents I would recommend and what are my favourites. So, I thought why not put together a blog post of all my favourite independent food deliveries I have had in lockdown. I regularly review restaurants, venues, etc so why not start something new and review at home?! From scrumptious cakes to fantastic DIY food kits, it seems Bab about Towns blog has been burning a hole in your pockets for the last three months and apologies, the hole is just going to get bigger after reading this post!
SILVER TREE CATERING
Silver Tree Catering is a catering company based in Sutton Coldfield, who decided to deliver essentials such as fruit & veg hampers and treats to those in isolation. They have a variety of hampers on offer from Breakfast to Cheese hampers. My first purchase with Silver Tree Catering was the cheese hamper and the fruit & veg box. I ordered before 12 pm and it came the next day. The fruit & veg hamper offered a great variety of fresh produce, very impressed with the quality and the hamper lasted for around three weeks. The cheese hamper was just amazing, a great selection of cheeses with crackers and pots of chutney with grapes. It was nice sitting out in the garden tucking into it, it was like we were transported to a wine yard in Italy until I heard one of the neighbor’s shouting in a Brummie accent “Are you making a Brew Bab?”
I have ordered from Silver tree a couple of times (I regularly buy the freshly baked bread, and the cream tea was delightful!) and will continue to do so because they are so professional and the food is high quality, just fantastic value for money. I can tell there is a lot of passion and heart that’s gone into their products, so I am happy to support a hardworking business that deserves all the gratitude that they deserve any day
In the words of King Curtis “Chicken Nuggets is like my family” but more so “What the Cluck is like my family” This right here, is the breadwinner, my absolute favourite takeaway I have ever had and boy, I’ve had a bloody lot in my time, These guys smashed it. I ordered the chicken strips platter which comes with fried cauliflower covered in Buffalo sauce, BBQ pit beans, house slaw, and the sexiest Mac N Cheese I have ever tasted jeeeeez getting me all hot & bothered over here woo! What The Cluck didn’t just impress me but impressed my fussy bugga of a Mom who now withdraws her statement that “The Bingo is the best place for Fried Chicken” now Its “What The Cluck is the best place for fried chicken” so we have an all-round winner!
The process is very simple, simply order via their website, choose what platter you want, What The Cluck will then send you a confirmation email with the date and time of delivery. When the food arrives its just a 20-minute oven job and that’s it. Super easy to make, super service & super satisfied, bloody well-done Guys that’s how you deliver a bad boy feast!!!
Fancy getting your freak on? Well, now you can at home with these fine buns! When The Patty Freaks announced they were delivering to Sutton Coldfield it caused an outcry of cheers and relief after the devastation of losing our beloved M&S for good and the closure of TGIS [Insert troll face] due to Co-Vid. as a town we needed a pick me up and wow, did the Patty Freaks deliver! Full of juice, dripping with flavour and topped with sexy buns, and gone within 10 minutes. The loaded chips are heavenly, just oozing with sauce. Oh yes, The patty Freaks delivered alright, and may I mention they delivered HOT and ON TIME food, I was given a time slot between 4.30 and 5.20 and it came dead on 4.30 so fantastic service and what a bloody treat this was! I ordered the following:
The O.G burger: Bacon, cheese, ketchup, mustard mayo and pickled onion.
Cajun chips Loaded chips with bacon, cheese, crispy onion, and BBQ sauce.
You will need to keep up with them via social media to find out when they are next delivering and a little advice, be quick! these bad boys are like Willy Wonka golden tickets so don’t be a bad egg and feel too disappointed if you miss out because they are also popping up now and again at Digbeth Dining Club!
Stay up to date with The Patty Freaks and Order here
STRIPCLUB STREET FOOD
This kit comes with a parental warning as these buns are well naaaaaughty! Stripclub Streetfood is a very popular vendor at various food markets over the Midlands especially at Digbeth Dining Club, you will often have to queue but that first bite though is worth a thousand queue waits, trust me. So when Stripclub Streetfood announced they were back on selling burgers the whole of Birmingham kind of just lost their minds a bit…
Okay so it’s not ready-made burgers delivered straight to your door but they have come up with a fabulous idea of putting together these awesome burger DIY Kits in which, you can get down and dirty with, and attempt to create the worlds dirtiest burger, I was up for the challenge. You have all the ingredients you need and instructions to follow, you can make the kiss XXX or biscoff burger or get creative and do what you like! I think this is a fantastic kit and I really do hope they stick with it because I really enjoyed it and my family members loved taking the piss out of me getting all Gordon Ramsay on their ass.
The kit is priced at £40 and To get your hands on one of these kits, you got to download the app which you can find here and place your order just like that!
Really fun, really creative, and really bloody delicious these burgers. Get the family involved, get your mates involved, and just have a couple of beers and relax eating some seriously amazing burgers.
Stay up to date with Stripclub Street Food and download their app to order your DIY burger kits here
BITE ME CAKES
This was a first, an afternoon tea delivered to my door and I can tell you, It certainly won’t be the last. If you know me, you know I am a big lover of afternoon tea so when I heard you could get an afternoon tea delivered to your door, I first called BS and then slapped myself silly after receiving the amazing service that I received that day from Bite me Cakes. The afternoon tea comes all prepared, from finger sandwiches to mini desserts just the perfect size, and just the way I like it! The afternoon tea that I received included the following:
A very generous portion of finger sandwiches with a variety of fillings: smoked salmon, chicken, cucumber & pepper, and cheese.
Scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Scones just needed to be heated up in the microwave, no fuss.
A great variety of cakes and treats such as brownies, lemon drizzle, chocolate strawberries, and more. all ready to be eaten and tasted fresh so simply serve.
Bite me Cakes caters to vegans as well, I didn’t opt for the vegan option but there were still lots of options for veggies and vegans with the afternoon tea we ordered. So this afternoon tea can be enjoyed by all, also any other allergies need to be addressed to Bite Me Cakes as they can also cater to gluten-free and dairy-free.
I was absolutely impressed with the service, the quality was fantastic, the variety was there and the amount we got, still a family of three could not finish it. Very simple to order just message Bite me Cakes and await your delivery, I was kept informed on the day regarding the time of delivery which was very helpful. The sandwiches were really tasty, the scones are big but soft and buttery, and the desserts are sweet yet VERY Satisfying and the brownies were oh so gooey! A hassle-free afternoon tea that would make the perfect treat to invite your friends and family over and to enjoy all together. So impressed, and you made our afternoon really lovely, so thank you so much for the incredible service and amazing afternoon.
New to Sutton Coldfield, Veeru’s is an Indian street food restaurant offering mouth-watering street food from Punjabi Wraps to Speciality naan pizzas! unfortunately, they didn’t have a chance to do a proper opening due to CO-VID but it didn’t let it stop them and opened up their delivery and collection services. I have had three takeaways since opening and every meal has been sensational, full of spice, full of flavour and just fantastic! My favourite dish I would say is the lamb kebab (got a nice kick to it!) but I also had the mixed grill the other week and wow, best-mixed grill I’ve had in a long time and the portion was so big that three people couldn’t even finish it. I will say that delivery time was a bit long (1 hour 20 minutes) but if I’m getting amazing well cooked and full of flavour food then I don’t care about the waiting time. You can pre-order with Veerus so maybe this something for you to consider but this is a new business that has had to think fast on their feet and adapt to change to survive, and although waiting times are a little long, I think they are doing a fantastic job giving the people of Sutton Coldfield some bloody fine and fantastic Indian street food to enjoy in their homes
Veerus really did exceed my expectations, the quality is superb- second best to non and has quickly become my favourite Indian takeaway in Sutton Coldfield. I just can’t wait for the restaurant to open, a fantastic new addition to Sutton Coldfield that will no doubt in my mind will thrive.
For a while now I have wanted to visit Hotel du Vin & Bistro in Birmingham and see what all the fuss was about as it’s a hotel and bistro that is often praised by many in and out of Birmingham. As a lover of food and of course, afternoon tea, I thought now was the time to book myself in to experience and trial Hotel du Vin’s exceptional reputation in Birmingham.
The Hotel & Bistro is located on Church Street, a great location for travellers who are staying over at the hotel as you have Grand Central station that is just under a 10-minute walk away, you are surrounded by restaurants and bars, and if you had forgottten any essentials ( I always forget pants which is ridiculous but my brain chooses 2 x biscuits in case I feel sick in the night instead of pants, absolute LOLS) you are also surrounded by retail shops, so the location is perfect. Upon entering the Hotel, it does have a fabulous entry that leads to the courtyard where you can dine in, but our afternoon tea took place in the Bistro restaurant which is just darling! It’s elegant and it just oozes Le Paris!
We were shown to our table and then handed menus to choose which tea we would like to have, I opted for the English breakfast and my friend opted for Earl Grey. They had a pretty impressive variety of drinks on offer that you can have with your afternoon tea, from hot drinks to fancy champagne and Hendricks cocktails. I did nearly choose the “Dozy Girl” tea with lavender and rose petals but we were on a tight schedule as we chose to go in our lunch hour, so we wanted to avoid falling asleep on the keyboard and getting the sack! The tea was served first and it came within 5 minutes, sharp service, I like it!
One of the staff members asked us if we had any allergies and then confirmed we was having vegan (for my friend) and non vegan (for me) afternoon tea. Shortly after, the afternoon tea followed glistering with a range of savouries and sweets and wait, do I spy POPCORN? (I shall not quote Stephen Kings IT…POP POP POP…damn it) Vegan afternoon tea on the top and the non-vegan on the bottom. My eyes lit up and I couldn’t help but sigh with relief when I spotted the sweets because bread is Jesus and the number of afternoon teas I have had and they just plonk a load of cakes on it and have 3 tiny sandwiches?! This certainly wasn’t the case with Hotel du Vin, let’s start with mine first.
With the non-vegan afternoon tea you get a pretty good selection of finger sandwiches with a variety of fillings.
Cheese and pickle
Coronation chicken
Cucumber and mint
Smoked salmon and cream cheese
Egg and cress
A selection that I was pretty satisfied with. The bread was fresh, the fillings were full of flavour and I enjoyed the variety. Next up was the deserts which to me, are perfectly sized and again, great variety.
Carrot Cake
Paris-Brest
Tutti Frutti macaroon
Black Forest gateau
Rum Baba
Now, the rum baba I never tried because my mother is the Queen of rum baba’s. She is completely obsessed with them, so obsessed that she would try and blackmail my dad in going down to Waitrose and buying her 10 packets of the stuff, “well, I am not making you dinner” whipped by a rum baba, the shame. She did comment on it saying it was delicious but of course, she would have liked a larger portion. Now, the other desserts were absolutely delicious, the Paris-Brest was my favourite and it just complimented my cup of tea so nicely. The black forest was just pleasurable that’s all I am going to say, and the carrot cake took me by surprise but they all did, because there not the sort of desserts I would go for but it sure did tickle my sweet tooth and left me pretty satisfied.
Vegan afternoon tea was quite impressive, again, a very generous and good variety of vegan treats for my friend to tuck into…
Cheese & onion tart
Tempura cauliflower
Vegan scone with peppers
Salted popcorn
and more vegan savoury tarts
The deserts
Pistachio cake
Chocolate truffle cake
Victoria sponge
Danish pastry
As a vegan, my friend noted that it is often quite difficult to find a vegan afternoon tea and she was pretty impressed with the selection and variety on offer at Hotel du Vin. Thumb ups on the vegan front. I am a non-vegan and I have to say it did look very appetising and I liked the quirky touch of popcorn…Nope, I am not quoting “IT” again. We also received scones which had me pondering for 5 minutes if they even were scones, they had a glaze on top almost like a donut would have and the texture was also different to a regular scone “I’m not like a regular scone, I am a cool scone” Yes I just quoted Meal Girls but anyway, I’m a fan of the scones! Different but delicious.
The Bistro is absolutely stunning, decorated with wall art and empty wine bottles empowering that rustic feel with a touch of quirk. I would like to mention that the staff at Hotel du Vin are professional and very informative, they check in with you now and again to make sure you are enjoying your experience to the fullest.
When it comes to Afternoon Tea, Hotel du Vin have got it spot on. The décor, the ambience and the food is stunning here and its priced at £22.50?! in which, I believe is an absolute steal for sensational service and food. In a way, it doesn’t feel like you are dining out in Birmingham more like a French Bistro in an upper-class town in France back in the 1940s. The Afternoon Tea has fought its way into my top 5 Afternoon Teas in Birmingham, for sure! Hotel du Vin is a delightful treat for anyone, If you are a lover of Afternoon Tea then you must, I repeat MUST take a trip to Hotel du Vin & Bistro in Birmingham where you will receive luscious food served to the highest standard surrounded by French charm, it’s a stunning experience for all to enjoy.
You don’t have to travel too far to feel like royalty these days. To many people royalty could be a fry up in your local pub, a free arm massage from your work colleague or an afternoon tea in an enchanting 1875 French Chateau surrounded by 140 acres of picturesque grounds. I know which one I would pick. Introducing Chateau Impney, a stunning venue located in Droitwich that offers accommodation and plays host to a variety of events in the Midlands. Me and my friend Sian were invited to try out the afternoon tea 2 for 1 offer and take a tour of the Chateau.
Upon arriving at the Chateau the first thing you will encounter is the 140 acres of land which is like something out of Downtown Abbey or a Jane Austin novel. Views of waterfalls, cherry blossom and swans taking a dip into the lake, now all we need is an enchanting castle to go with it..oh wait! Upon entering the Chateau, we were guided down to the Impney restaurant where the afternoon tea took place in a modern extension. We were greeted by the host and shown to our tables and were asked for what drinks we would like to be served with the afternoon tea. Once ordered we had a little wonder around the restaurant which seemed to have two different styles on either side. One side was very modern with leather chairs, purple walls and wooden tables. The other side had more of a rustic botanist theme with fairy lights and greenery covering the ceiling. Very different but strangely seemed to tie in quite well together, but not so much with the rest of the Chateau that boasts original french archtiecture.
After 10 minutes the afternoon tea arrived at our table offering a very generous selection of sandwiches, cakes, and scones. There were many sandwiches with a variety of fillings such as cheese and caramelised onion, egg and cress, fresh salmon, ham and cheese, and cucumber. The sandwiches were fresh, filling and very tasty. The Scones are served with fresh cream and jam, and they were delightful. Perfectly sized cakes are on offer from cheesecake, caramel slice, fudge/chocolate cake and carrot cake. The staff are very attentive and are really friendly, the price of the afternoon tea is not high class but the quality of service and food you are receiving certainly is. The offer is 2 for 1 so it costs £20 which is an absolute steal for the afternoon tea you are getting. I have paid up to £35 in some restaurants and the quality/quantity doesn’t even come close to the Chateau.
After the afternoon tea, we were introduced to Peter who was the General Manager. He took us on a little tour of the Chateau. Peter was like a walking Wikipedia of Chateau Impney, he gave us so much information and went through the history of the Chateau. Peter showed us one of the luxury Chateau feature rooms which was just something out of a fairy tale. The room was possibly the size of my house, it also had one of those arty-farty bathtubs behind the bed that could fit a family of 6 in and a king-size bed that was fit for a King and Queen. The view of the grounds from the room is breath taking and even when you come away from the balcony the luxury of the room still makes it breath taking! On the tour, we also took a look at some of the exhibition rooms that can hold up to 800 people in. The hall that offers grand features where weddings are held and the beautiful gardens. The gardens were something that reminded me of a cross between Alice in Wonderland and The Secret garden. Sadly, the day was a bit dull so we didn’t stay long in gardens, but it would be lovely to come back in the summer to see the whole of the garden out in bloom in its full glory, bathed in sunlight.
Chateau Impney is a venue that you could only imagine would exist in fairy tales. An enchanting building full of character and life that would make a stunning backdrop for any special event. The afternoon tea was delicious and for the price it is, I believe it to be far too generous. High-quality food, very generous portions and good value for money- it should be something you need to put on your list to do this month. Chateau Impney is a real fairytale to be explored by all, from the moment you drive into the grounds to the moment you step out, you are treated like royalty. Thank you Chateau Impney for inviting me, a tip-top royal experience I will never forget.
The Afternoon tea 2 for 1 offer ends on 27th February 2020.
The Edgbaston is known to many for its alluring art deco interior oozing that 1920s class, unique but oh so fulfilling cocktails and its vintage showstopper afternoon tea. The Edgbaston is highly recommended by all especially at Christmas which for many is like stepping into a Charles Dickens novel, think A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist with just a pinch of Tim Burton. Antique chandeliers, grand Christmas trees and delicate 1920s art deco tea sets, An afternoon tea here is not just fulfilling your taste buds but it’s also giving you the classic 1920s experience for the whole family to enjoy.
You can’t miss The Edgbaston especially at Christmas time draped in a red bow, a showstopper for all passers-by to grab their phones and take a snap. Beautiful on the outside and of course, in the inside. Soon as you go through the doors your experience begins with beautifully decorated interior and staff that are there to greet you straight away and make you feel at home. We arrived 40 minutes early however we were told we could sit down straight away at our table. Our afternoon tea took place in the lounge which just oozed that classic vintage attire, from mix match art deco sets to a grand 1920s bar that is quite simply spectacular. We were sat at a table which was quite small for 5 people, one person would have to be shoved at the end however this was noticed by our waiter and he offered a bigger table for us all.
The time had arrived, and we were brought out menus and asked what afternoon tea we wanted to have. We all opted for the Juliet sparking rose afternoon tea which also came with a hot drink that priced at £35.00. The rose was served first, sweet and bubbly nothing to complain about at all, it was a nice refresher to start us all off. Of course, the famous dry ice spectacular experience was next displaying a couple of cheesecake puddings to ease us in before the main event. A showstopper, of course, you can see all heads turning to your table and all phones leap out of everyone’s pockets to film because it is quite simply, dazzling to watch. The cheesecakes were a nice touch, not too sweet but very favourable and was a nice touch.
The afternoon tea arrived showcasing a variety of sandwiches and desserts, from turkey and cranberry mini baguettes to cheese and chutney crackers, and egg and cress brioche rolls, however, my brioche roll was simply missing the filling. This was rectified and a new brioche roll with filling came out within a minute. The deserts are small yet satisfying, jam-packed with a variety of flavours from raspberry, passion fruit, lemon and caramel. All flavours that pack a powerful punch to your sweet tooth. Soon as the sandwiches and desserts were gobbled down, The tea was served with the Scones and mince pies next. It would have been nice for the tea to be served with the afternoon tea sandwiches however this maybe because we didn’t mention anything and we could have had the option. A very generous pot of tea that gave me 3/4 cups of tea and our waiter also mentioned if we want any more to just ask. The scones were just the right texture and size, not like some mutilated scones you see in some places, I found they were also not that heavy on the stomach so I could eat a scone at peace and not be struggling for breath to fit it in my gob. A variety of sized mince pies that were same as the scones not too heavy and very delicious.
The staff are very knowledgeable, before tucking in our waiter who was very lovely explained to us what everything on the afternoon tea stand was, what was in it, what flavours, what would taste best with what drinks. I honestly don’t know how they remember everything, but it was very impressive. The staff add to the experience here, high-class service at its best, they are so attentive and really will go out there way to help customers out.
In conclusion, The Edgbaston is a stunning experience for all to experience at any time throughout the year not just at the festive season. A no brainer to sugar lovers however to non-sugar lovers you may be left craving a bit more savoury after the experience has finished. That is the only negative I would say, there are not enough sandwiches but that tiny negative is overshadowed by so much positivity as we all had a lovely afternoon and really enjoyed it at The Edgbaston.
The Edgbaston is an experience you will find nowhere else, The food, the service, and the staff is second class to none. It truly is a high class independent that will always have a sparkling future ahead in Birmingham.
