At Emmeline’s, the start of every new season is marked by exciting seasonal desserts that celebrate well-loved British icons and with summer in full swing, this means some of these icons have been brought to life, or are not quite how you’d expect…
Occupying the back of the entrance floor, Afternoon tea at Emmeline’s is an elegant yet relaxed affair. On Saturdays, the tempo for the afternoon is set by a lively jazz band, so whilst this feels a little different compared to some of the more traditional afternoon tea locations, it provides the perfect setting to enjoy a contemporary twist to some beloved classics.
There’s no surprise that the classics are done well here; from the vast tea selection, ranging from house-blends, European to Oriental teas, to the scones served with strawberry jam and clotted team (1 raisin, 1 plain) however the highlights here were definitely the seasonal menu items.
The Summer Menu
Selection of savouries: Prawn and crab bloody mary, pea & mint panna cotta and a Heritage tomato & red onion tart with fresh basil; Mumm Champagne
Though a lot smaller than a regular bloody mary, this was a great appetiser to start the afternoon with. The moorish combination of prawn and crab complemented the fresh pea & mint panna cotta perfectly.
Selection of sandwiches: Coronation chicken on caraway bread, Honey & wiltshire ham on cranberry bread, Pickled cucumber & lemon mint cream cheese on beetroot bread, Free range eggs & mayonnaise with mustard cream, Oak smoked Scottish salmon with dill creme fraiche
Emmeline’s twists to the classic finger sandwiches may appear subtle on paper, but the difference was noticeable from the very first bite. Usually overlooked, the pickled cucumber sandwich was my favourite, elevated by the delicate sweetness of the beetroot bread, whilst the combination of ham and cranberry bread was nothing short of excellent.
Lemon Basil Delice
And finally for the pastries, it’s definitely a tie between the ‘Pimm’s’ trifle, ‘Strawberries and cream’ pearl and the tennis ball-shaped Lemon Basil Delice, with the latter acting as the perfect send off to the afternoon with its lighter texture and zesty flavours.
British summers don’t seem to last very long but the summer inspired afternoon tea at Emmeline’s certainly did.
Emmeline’s at Conrad St James
22-28 Broadway
Westminster
London SW1H 0BH
From 3rd – 16th July 2017, Unlimited Pimm’s will be available to coincide with Wimbledon
Table to Paper dined as a guest. Opinions are our own