The Kensington Doyle Collection has launched the second series of its ‘80 Days Around The World’ Afternoon Tea experience. Cara gets her passport.
The second series of the afternoon tea journey takes diners to Singapore, Hong Kong, India and Yemen. Like the first it’s set in the classical Drawing Room of the Kensington Hotel, a short walk from the busy museum-stacked South Kensington area.
The hotel has transformed its environment into a tranquil setting with white cloth tables, parquet floors and attentive staff. We’re greeted by striped turquoise fine china cups and saucers, which I’ve become quite a fan of since my first visit.
And there are tea strainers that sit on top of the tea cups, shaped a little bit like a propeller, perhaps of a hot air balloon? I sit on a comfortable sofa with armchair for my guest.
However, I will let you into a little secret. There is also a private table in a stunning secluded outdoor area that’s decorated with plenty of flowers and mini hot air balloons floating about. Instagramers would be all over it, if they knew about it.
We have a look at it before ordering our teas. There’s a good selection of loose teas to choose from by Rare Tea company. You get to choose two teas each.
I go for Cloud Tea, which is a lighter version of black tea. The tea leaves come from Lakyrsiew Garden, Meghalaya, India somewhere between the Darjeeling and Assam regions.
Similarly flavour-wise it’s a bit of a cross between the two, with the lightness of Darjeeling but still malty hints of Assam and even some apricot notes.
When the afternoon tea delights arrive we consider our plan of action. It’s the usual debate, do you start with savoury, finish them all and then move on to the sweet? But then that might be too much sugar in one go, so I tend to split with sweets in the middle.
We start with amuse bouche, which in this set includes hummus on flat bread from Yemen, but we’re not too impressed by it. Primarily because neither of us order hummus in restaurants since it can be easily purchased in supermarkets and the flavour never differs that much.
Onion bhaji on the other hand is a highlight. An Indian classic, of course, it’s chunky, aromatic and slightly oily but just the right amount.
I am also fond of the miso & sweet potato tapioca ball from Hong Kong. It’s spongy and naturally orange and has a cool bouncy texture, which reminds me of those of pastel colourful ball treats in Japanese gift boxes. They’re always tasty, with subtle notes of something, yet you have no idea what they are.
So as to not turn this into a long essay I won’t go into every single detail of all the afternoon tea treats. With the sandwiches you get a good selection of traditional flavours, such as chicken satay, green chutney and potato and egg.
My other favourite sat on the sweets plate, it was basbousa, a semolina yogurt cake soaked in orange and rose water. Although, quite simple with no filling it has a light texture, a little floral and with slightly sour notes thanks to the yogurt. I would think it was actually kefir rather than yogurt.
Now let’s focus on the drinks. Normally I’m not a rose type but a glass of Perrier-Jouët Blason Rose NV on arrival was welcome, it’s surprisingly decadent and fruity unlike its Perrier-Jouët Brut cousin.
To pair 80 Days Around the World Afternoon Tea, Kensington Hotel has also created 4 cocktails for the theme. For those like me who can’t decide which, but wants them all, there’s a cocktail flight.
They’re mini versions of course but equally as strong and impressive. My guest and I both agreed our preference was the Silk Road. A cocktail inspired by the route used by traders. it’s a bit like a punch with a mixture of warming spices, citrus, tea and milk with Havana Especial as the base.
Two Gardens from Yemen and Southern Light from Singapore were zesty and refreshing. First slightly resembling a margarita. But my other favourite cocktail was Fragrant Harbour from Hong Kong, served cloudy in a sherry glass with a rose petal attached by a baby peg.
It’s fruity with plenty of lychee, yet well balanced with Ki No Bi Gin as the base and Umeshu, a Japanese ume plums the sweet and sour liqueur.
Feeling inspired by the international history we finish our Fragrant Harbour with fruity scones on the side and travel off to the Natural History Museum.
80 Days Around the World Afternoon Tea is recommended, especially when you crave all the different cuisines and plenty of petit gateaux in one setting.
Kensington Hotel, 109-113 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5LP