The Hungry Duck, Ramsbottom

The Hungry Duck, Ramsbottom 29th September 2013

This trip was not booked, we turned up and chose the afternoon tea for two option from the menu. It is £8.50 per person or £14.50 for two and says a selection of sandwiches and cakes. The staff are very nice and we were attended to quickly.

We were served the tea and coffee quickly after ordering and it was OK, the tea was a tea bag not loose but a nice taste. The food is made to order so it does take time as expected, as afternoon tea should be an experience anyway this is more than fine. We were not offered extra tea of coffee as with some places but then again this is not as expensive as others.

The food was served on plain white matching crockery and a two tier afternoon tea tier and as for presentation again it was OK, nothing wrong with it but just didn't have the wow factor.

As you can see from the photo compared to other afternoon teas this is somewhat lacking. Don't get me wrong the actual food was excellent. I will say that the salmon sandwich was the nicest tasting that I have ever had. The other sandwiches were cheese and tomato and a lovely chicken with a tasty mayonnaise. The carrot cake was also very good indeed, lovely and moist but there was just one regular piece of cake not a selection of small ones as is usually the case.

As with the other food the scones were very fresh but they came pre cut with jam and cream already added. Some may like this but personally I like to add my own so that I can choose how much to add to it. The strawberry was a nice touch.

The Hungry Duck is a small restaurant/coffee shop in the centre of Ramsbottom. It is clean and welcoming but I would class it more as a coffee shop than a restaurant. The wooden tables and chairs are comfortable and for coffee and cake a great pit stop. The food is very good but for afternoon tea it is lacking that something that makes it a special occasion, I think it is a combination of the atmosphere and the presentation not having the wow factor when it arrives. 

If you are in town and looking for somewhere for something to eat or drink then I would say definitely go here as the quality of the food is very good. As for having afternoon tea here, it is one of the less expensive afternoon teas that we have had, but  for us not special enough. If you are looking for a special treat then there are other venues where for a little more you do get a true experience.

The Hungry Duck, Ramsbottom

Cloud 23 at The Hilton Hotel, Manchester

Cloud 23, Sunday 4th August 2013

We booked online on the morning and as with many the online booking lets you choose your time. there was plenty of availability even with short notice and we chose mid afternoon.

On arrival at the hotel it is quite grand in that you have your own lift that only goes to the 23rd floor and it has a personal attendant with the guest list.

Once on floor 23 the greeter is ready to seat you and it is all very nice indeed. We were fortunate as we were given a window seat and the views are something else.

We were offered a traditional afternoon tea with or without Champagne. The cost is normally £19.95 per person but at weekends has a £3 supplement per person. you are given a choice of teas and coffees to choose from and you do get refills as and when necessary. On this one occasion we opted for the Champagne version which is exactly the same but £10 per person more for one glass of rose with a strawberry. (Not worth it in our opinion but then we are not Champagne drinkers).

The service was excellent it cannot be faulted from start to finish.

The drinks were served first, the coffee was a decent size and the pot of tea and crockery all matched. It was a tea bag tough not loose tea.

The food arrived and as you would expect it was very nicely presented, but the sandwiches were far from traditional.

There was a tuna triangle, a couscous wrap, a chicken wrap and a mushroom tart. To be honest had I known that these were on offer I would not have gone. As it happens Paul and I shared but neither of us were overly impressed.

There was one small scone each served with a pot of jam each and a pot of cream to share and these were very nice.

For the cakes we had just three each and consisted of a chocolate macaroon, a fruit tart and a piece of coconut cake. All very nice but not out of this world. 

Over all the experience was very good mainly for the view and the service but it was far from value for money. Having enjoyed a number of afternoon teas this year from small cafes to top London hotels this one was good but not wow. The chef is obviously very talented but this is not a traditional afternoon tea but an alternate version, fine but have a more traditional one as well. I think everyone should try Cloud 23 but whether that is for afternoon tea or for a cocktail is another matter.

Cloud 23, Hilton Hotel Manchester

Brasserie Max at the Covent Garden Hotel

Brasserie Max at the Covent Garden Hotel - 27th July 2013

This visit was booked in advance as part of a weekend trip to London. It was booked online and they confirmed by telephone 24 hours beforehand. We were given 2 hours for the afternoon tea but we arrived early and the length of time is more than enough.

There three afternoon tea menu options, Traditional, Covent Garden and the Gentleman's Tea. There was only the two of and the staff were quick to say that we did not have to have the same we could mix and match. All of them are priced the same at £26 and on this occasion we opted for one traditional and one Covent Garden.

The service as you would expect at a five star hotel was excellent. We were seated immediately despite being early, we were offered water on arrival and a selection of teas and coffees. Our waitress was very friendly and smiley and even though this is a top hotel, it is not in anyway stuffy.

The teapot was large and the tea was loose not in a bag. As the food arrived were advised that we could have unlimited sandwiches and scones we just needed to ask. This was a first and when we had finished the lovely waitress came and encouraged us to have more so we opted for extra sandwiches but not scones. We were each given the same selection again.

Traditional Afternoon Tea

Four finger sandwiches on brown and white including: egg, cucumber, beef, and salmon.
Two scones, one plain and one fruit with strawberry, and raspberry jam and clotted cream. There were five mini cakes including: a fruit tartlet, mini eclair, walnut cake, lemon sponge finger,  and a chocolate sponge triangle with gold leaf.

 

Covent Garden Afternoon Tea

Four sandwiches but not as fingers including a tomato, basil and mozzarella bruschetta, crab, dill and avocado triangle, egg and watercress finger, and coronation chicken wrap. The same scones as with the traditional tea. The mini desserts were a passionfruit and mango meringue, fruit tartlet, chocolate opera cake, strawberry, Pimms and mint jelly (served with tiny pieces of cucumber), and peach and elderflower cake.

There was only one little thing that let this down and made this a five cup rating as opposed to a six and that was the tiered stand that the food was served on. It was plastic and with all the other fine crockery and cutlery this was so very out of place. It is rather odd that such a high establishment uses them but I assume there is a reason behind it. 

Overall this is a five star treat, the atmosphere of being there in Covent Garden with many others having afternoon tea, the exceptional service and the wonderful food, not forgetting the fact that you can have more and are encouraged to do so. I would highly recommend it and at £26 each one of the more expensive options but well worth it.

The Covent Garden Hotel

The Aviator Hotel - Farnborough

The Aviator Hotel - Sky Bar 13th July 2013

This trip was for the hotel not specifically afternoon tea, however once we discovered that they offered it, it would have been remiss not to try. The price is shown at £23 and we assumed per person but we were charged only £23 for the two of us (noticed after we had checked out and where on the way home), if it is for two then it is amazing value. If it is per person and it was an error then still excellent value but you may class it as a treat.

There is normally a requirement to book at least 24 hours in advance but when we asked in the morning, the team were very accommodating and said they could fit us in. Normally it woud have been served on the Terrace but the hotel had a lage wedding that afternoon that had booked the whole of it so it was served in the very nice Sky Bar, this is not second best but my photos do not do it justice.

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When we arrived there were a number of others having tea, the bar is a very relaxing bar and makes a very good setting for afternoon tea. The service from start to finish was first class.

We ordered the usual coffee for one and on this occasion tea is served a little differently  You are given a large shining pot of hot water and on the table is a very large selection of Clipper tea bags and you can choose which you prefer. I got three different types of tea from my one pot of water.

The tea pot was gleaming and kept the water very hot for the duration.

 

The detail was there throughout, including the matching bowl for the used tea bags, the sparkling cutlery and immaculate high quality linen napkins.

The food was served with the sandwiches on a plate and the cakes, desserts and scones on a modern tier stand.

The Sandwiches consisted of: Chilli cream cheese, Salmon and cucumber, Chicken and egg mayonnaise . There were dressed with rocket and came with two mini eggs. each finger had a good size filling and the breads were all made in house were exceptionally fresh and their own speciality breads. They were very very good indeed, the best yet!

The tier had a very good selection of cakes, mini desserts and of course scones.

The scones were warm and very fresh and came with a pot of jam to share and plenty of clotted cream presented with a strawberry on top.

We moved to desserts next as it was a very hot day and the mousse. There was a chocolate one that was great for chocoholics, heaven and  raspberry one. Again the presentation and the exceptionally high quality was there.

At this point we were getting quite full but in no rush, we were not going to leave anything (unlike some others that struggled. Onto the cakes, the mini lemon meringue pies were so tasty as were the macaroons and then there is the triangle. We had no idea what to expect with this but it is a sponge cake with pistachio cream filling. The time it must have taken to make this and slice and it stay perfect with it being squashed again showed the patisserie chef off to his best. The detail and the skill and of course the taste was simply perfect.

Overall this was first class in every which way, the service was exceptional and the bar manager was attentive, the food was of the highest standard and presentation second to none. If anyone is ever in the area and wants a fantastic afternoon experience, book in, allow time and enjoy. Plus they do fabulous cocktails.

The Aviator Hotel

 

Last Drop Village Tea Rooms - Bolton

The Last Drop Bolton 30th June 2013

This afternoon tea was booked via the daily deal website Living Social. It dropped in my email inbox and I thought it was a good idea to try with it not being that far away from Rossendale.

The cost was £8.50 per person (a saving of £1)

When we arrived we were not sure where the tea was and naturally went to the hotel to discover it was in the village tea rooms on site. Very traditional interior decor as to be expected with the Last Drop complex. We had to book to use the voucher so we were expected and we could sit anywhere. The manager was very jolly and chatty and the service was efficient.

We were not offered any alternate options or asked if we were vegetarian etc and not offered any other teas. This option was a traditional afternoon tea with regular tea and we had to ask for one with coffee.

The Tea pot was very small with a bag and no extra hot water. Due to the size of the pot the tea was strong. I did ask for more hot water later and the teapot was topped up. The drinks were brought very quickly but due to the size of them they were almost finished before any food arrived.

Onto the food though, it was served on two large plates not a tiered stand, and there was plenty.

The bread was not the best, seemed very cheap and as you can see presentation was limited. The next shot shows it slightly more favourably but the lack of detail made the event nice but not an experience to want to do again.

The sandwiches included ham and mustard, salmon and cucumber, chicken in mayo and cheese and chutney. They were nice, the tarragon mayo was very nice it was a shame though to have a small amount of gristle in it. I am glad I had that one last as it was off putting.

As ever, we were served scones and a plate of desserts. The scones were warm but I suspect microwaved as the texture was quite doughy. A pot of jam each and a large portion of clotted cream to share.

The pots were lemon cheesecake, we used our tea spoons from our drinks to eat them with as we were not given any spoons. I did like these, I would say my favourite of the desserts. As hubby doesn't like cheesecake I had both.

In addition, we had carrot cake, chocolate fudge cake and coffee cake all of which were very moist. We couldn't eat them all and ended up taking some home.

Overall, it was OK, there was plenty of food but to me afternoon tea is an experience and it was the detail that let this down. The quality of sandwiches compared to others was not there and there was a  lack of finesse, the lack of spoons and the small tea pot, it could be so much better with minor changes.

The Last Drop is part of the Mercure group and at the same time as buying this voucher I also bought one for the Dunkenhalgh as part of the same group. It will be interesting to see how they do in comparison.

The Last Drop