Afternoon Tea with Friends

I am always on the lookout for new places to have afternoon tea.  Having lived in the same area for a number of years, I thought I knew where most of these places were located.  So, you can imagine how surprised I was to learn a hotel restaurant I had eaten at on several occasions also serves afternoon tea!  I knew a few of my friends were interested in getting together so I immediately reached out to them to see if they were available to have afternoon tea at The Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel in Menlo Park, California.  The hotel offers afternoon tea only on the weekends, but they offer additional days for various holidays.  Once we decided on a date and time, I made the reservations online.  Then a few days before we were to meet, I learned two of my friends who were coming had never experienced an afternoon tea before!  They were so excited to be going and I was excited for them!

Upon arrival at the Madera Bar, we were taken to the “Library” where afternoon tea is served.  This space reminds me of a hotel lounge area with small low tables and overstuffed seating.

The table was nicely set, and we were each provided with the menu.

None of us were interested in the champagne or the special caviar bite.  I ordered English Breakfast tea, as usual, while my friends tried a couple of the other flavors.

Everything on the menu looked so wonderful!  Because this was January, I was especially excited to try the galette des rois, as I always look forward to the kings cake after the New Year.  I was also curious to know how they planned to present the sticky toffee pudding, which is one of my favorite desserts.

First, the tea was served.  It was perfectly brewed by the time it arrived at the table and tasted lovely.  This afternoon tea was starting out perfectly.  They even brought a large pot of hot water for our teapots.  While it’s common to do this in the UK, I rarely see it done here in the United States.

When the sandwiches arrived, the table was too full to set down all the plates.  Our server brought over a small table, and we rearranged the teapots and water glasses to accommodate the food.  I was surprised my favorite sandwich this time was the smoked salmon.  The pickled red onions really mellowed out the flavors.

Once the sandwich plates were taken away, the scones and pastries were brought out on heavy marble two-tiered trays.  What a beautiful sight to see!  But I must admit, I was a little full after eating all those sandwiches.  I managed to eat one scone with jam and cream and two of the desserts.  The scone had a good texture, and the apple and cranberry jam was a nice change from the traditional strawberry or raspberry.  The mini galette des rois was very light and flaky and the “sticky”-drenched date cake sat on a thin crispy biscuit.  It wasn’t overly heavy, and I enjoyed it very much.  We ended up taking the leftovers home.

Although it was overcast, we enjoyed a nice view of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

This was a truly enjoyable afternoon tea.  I am always impressed when both the food and the tea are delicious and well-presented.  One of the friends who hadn’t had afternoon tea before said she plans to bring her daughter here as she would enjoy it as well.  While it is on the pricier side, I wouldn’t hesitate to return because I know I would get my money’s worth in the food, the service, and the ambiance.  What a wonderful way to end a long weekend.