The Met Bar at the Metropolitan Hotel on Old Park Lane, London, has decided to rebel against royal revelries and serve an “an-tea establishment afternoon tea†to clash with the royal wedding, until 8 May.
They say: “getting tired of all the royal wedding hysteria and want something different to do over the Easter break? Then slip on your leather biker and skinny jeans and release your inner rebel. Paying homage to British punk rock icons of the past, this tea will have all the elements of the quintessential British occasion but with a distinct Metropolitan twist, using ingredients that satisfy without the high calories.â€Â
We popped along to see what all the fuss was about at a pre-wedding event. The platters of cakes and snacks were indeed delicious – what’s rebellious about that? And unfortunately, no one could identify any of the punk music that I’d been so keen to hear, especially as it was played at a muted and polite level. Ah – the rebellion – I see now.
So, no gob in the face here, may as well tell you about the food. Dishes include’Quiche a la Fergie’, with chorizo and spinach on a thin pastry base – I can only surmise this is so called because it’s got red spicy bits. It was very good though, gooey egg made it light and airy – ah, I get it now. The highlight was the no bread cucumber sandwiches whose bread foam was quite stunning in its breadery – it included a layer of cucumber jelly and was served like a prawn cocktail.
Other high points were the chewy strawberries and cream mini-macaroons and a special cocktail apparently inspired by the Sex Pistols “and other punk influencesâ€Â. Called God Save the Queen, its vicious bite could be attributed to the whisky steeped in raisins while its fig liqueur was possibly quite subversive, if not just quite tasty. I’m struggling to find the anti-establishment element, to be honest, but it’s a sweet little platter for tea, if you fancy, in a nice bit of Mayfair.
The menu will be served in the Met Bar until 8th May from 3-6pm Monday- Sunday. Priced at £27 per person + service. Reservations must be pre-booked by calling +44(0) 20 7447 4757.