Restaurant Review: Afternoon tea with an Alice in Wonderland twist at Oddfellows, Chester

If I had to describe Oddfellows in one word, it would most certainly be ‘quirky.’ I’ve never been anywhere like it and I absolutely loved it.

From the minute you walk in, you almost feel a little like Alice stepping into Wonderland. The décor is funky and eccentric, complete with bright colours and murals of various birds and foxes.

When you walk up the stairs into the Grade II* listed building, it’s definitely worth taking a sneak peek into the office on the left, with a giant pig statue, imposing desk and chandelier hanging from a large rope, it almost feels a little surreal.

We were so curious about the rest of the building, that we asked the friendly receptionist whether we could take a look upstairs at the private dining and events areas. Loren had her chief bridesmaid hat on and asked lots of questions about using it as a potential venue for my hen do and we later decided that it’s definitely a strong contender!

After our little tour, we were led to our table in the main restaurant area. We were sat right beside the window, so it was lovely and bright. It was a gloriously sunny afternoon and ‘The Secret Garden’ was filled with people basking in the Chester sunshine.

We all opted for afternoon tea – the perfect end to a girly day of wedding dress shopping (read my blog post here).

We ordered tea, coffee and a cheeky glass of wine each, before the afternoon tea stand was presented. The top layer was a yummy selection of sandwiches, including ham and mustard, tuna mayonnaise, chicken and bacon and cheese and pickle. 

The second and third layers included a selection of mouth-watering treats, such as fresh scones, strawberry macaroons, strawberry and white chocolate mini muffins, pistachio éclairs and chocolate orange tarts.

If I had to pick one favourite from the savoury selection and one from the sweet, it would be the chicken and bacon sandwich and the pistachio éclair (SO good!)

We had a lovely time chatting about our day, while listening to some great summer tunes. There was a great atmosphere both inside and outside the restaurant and we all agreed that we’d definitely go back again soon… we might even be back for my hen do!

Afternoon tea at Oddfellows is £17.50 per person.

www.oddfellowschester.com

Restaurant Review: Nine course afternoon tea at The Billion Pound Hotel - Burj Al Arab, Dubai

There was a programme on Channel 4 last night called The Billion Pound Hotel. It was about the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, dubbed “the most luxurious hotel in the world.”

Tom and I went for afternoon tea there about two and a half years ago, so I thought I’d write a post about it as there has been a lot of debate about the hotel and whether anyone would actually want to spend £1,000 a night to stay there.

The words vulgar, tasteless, hideous, gaudy and tacky have been thrown around following the programme, which marked the 15 year anniversary of the iconic hotel. Yes, it is brash. Yes, it is OTT. But that’s all part of it. You don’t go to the Burj Al Arab if you’re looking for a subtle and understated hotel/dining experience. We embraced the outrageousness of it all and had an unforgettable evening.

I took this picture from the walkway by Bar 360, the sky is so pretty!

It all started with the reservation, which was confirmed in an email with strict instructions – tables are held for 30 minutes and if you are late or a no-show, you will be charged AED 200 (approximately £38). There was also a meticulous dress code and requests that photographs should be taken discreetly and mobiles set to silent mode.

So, when the day finally arrived, we got our glad rags on, jumped in a taxi and headed to the Burj Al Arab. You can’t actually get anywhere near the hotel without a reservation, which I think is a good idea. The last time we went for tea at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, it was absolutely swarming with tourists, which gave it an entirely different vibe and atmosphere.

Once our taxi had been given the go-ahead by security, we crossed the private bridge, which connects the Burj Al Arab to the mainland. While we were driving towards the hotel, it all felt a little surreal. There we were, right in front of the international symbol of Dubai. We’d seen it from afar, of course, (it’s hard to miss a 321 metre, sail-shaped building!) but it felt quite dreamlike to actually be there.

The taxi pulled up to the lavish entrance, complete with a water fountain and a fleet of white Rolls-Royce Phantom Series IIs for guest arrivals and departures. We were greeted by the impeccably dressed doormen, who were all very tall (there’s a height requirement of at least 6’1) and very friendly.

We made our way into the hotel and took lots of pictures of the striking reception area, which boasts a huge water feature, aquarium and shopping area. It also offers guests an incredible and colourful view upwards to the very top of the hotel.

Spectacular view from the reception in the Burj Al Arab

Excited little faces!

After a wander around, we made our way to the lift (the outside of which was gold!) and shot up the 27 floors to the Skyview bar. 

The inside of the Skyview bar... the colour scheme was definitely not to my taste!

The staff took our reservation and showed us to our table. We were lucky as our table was in a great spot by the window, which meant we had both an uninterrupted view of the beautiful Arabian Gulf and the Jumeirah area. In the distance, we could also see Atlantis and the Palm on one side, and Downtown Dubai, with the silhouette of the Burj Khalifa, on the other side. As our booking was at 4:30pm, we were able to see the impressive view during both day and night, as well as a spectacular sunset in between.

Our view of Jumeirah

Stunning sunset over the Palm and Atlantis

Our lovely waitress brought us both a glass of Louis Roederer Brut NV champagne and a small plate of dates. Then, she talked us through the format of ‘The Ultimate Afternoon Tea.’ We were both really impressed with the lengths they went to when it came to Tom’s egg allergy. We told them about it when we booked the table and our waitress told us that they had actually prepared everything for Tom in a completely separate kitchen!

Champagne and dates to start

After our glass of champagne and delicious dates, we had a huge selection of teas to choose from and were served nine courses:

1. Berry tart
2. Assortment of finger sandwiches
3. Chicken and creamy mash
4. Vegetarian lasagne
5. Sorbet
6. Freshly baked scones, Devonshire clotted cream and homemade preserves
7. French pastries
8. A cake to share
9. Chocolates

Gorgeous berry tart

Delicious finger sandwiches

Chicken and creamy mash

Vegetarian lasagne

The scones and pastries were served on this really cool cake stand that was shaped like the Burj! How fabulous!

Cute little cake!

We didn’t want our ‘afternoon’ tea to end – and dragged it out for as long as we could (it definitely wasn’t afternoon by the time we finally left!) 

From the second we walked into the Burj Al Arab, we were treated like royalty. It was expensive (£160 in total), but it was worth every penny for a magical experience that we will never forget. If I had to sum it up, I would say it felt like we were in a dream. A very decadent, opulent (and pricey) dream.

Our ride waiting for us... (we wish!)

It was definitely 'the ultimate' afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab

Restaurant Review: Venison with chocolate ganache, who’d have thought it? Culinary surprises at the Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale

I think it’s quite a rare occasion that you go out for dinner and you are genuinely (and delightfully) surprised by the menu.

You tend to know what you’re getting if you opt for Italian, Indian, Mexican, Thai, etc. So when we booked a table for two at the Sun Inn, we expected the usual British homemade favourites. How wrong we were! The menu is filled with unusual, but seriously scrumptious, combinations.

Take my starter, for instance, I had scallops with roasted mooli, pickled kohlrabi and peanut puree. The puree, served with a few whole peanuts too, emphasised a flavour in the scallops that I had never tasted before. The roasted mooli and pickled kohlrabi also added an exotic edge to the dish.

For his starter, Tom opted for the veal sweetbreads, which were served with black pudding, carrot puree, walnut and mushrooms. He had never tried sweetbreads before and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

Our meal was well-matched to a bottle of 2013 Tapiz Malbec – an aromatic and intensely fruity red, with hints of vanilla. It balanced the flavours of the red meat we had for our main course.

Now, our main course – “Venison loin, chocolate ganache, potato croquette, figs and Brussels sprouts choucroute” – was quite the revelation. The venison was cooked beautifully rare, just how I like it, and was presented upon a chocolate ganache that was spread along the plate. The depth of flavour in the red meat was excellently complemented by the sweetness of the chocolate. It was literally a perfect combination. The Brussels sprouts and potato croquette were also really tasty, but it was the venison and chocolate pairing that was the showstopper for me.

After finishing our main courses, we had a little break before dessert and admired our surroundings. The Sun Inn is full of character, with roaring fires, big leather chairs and classic country décor. If you walk past its prime spot on Market Street in Kirkby Lonsdale, you can peek through the windows and see how warm and inviting it is (so inviting, in fact, that it’s always pretty busy!) I’d definitely recommend booking a table in advance, especially if it’s a weekend, as it’s very popular with locals and visitors.

Dessert was a tricky one for Tom due to his egg allergy. The menu states that the restaurant has allergy information for each course and our waiter quickly identified that Tom would struggle to eat any of them, but that he would inform the chef to see what he could rustle up. Tom was then presented with a light and tasty fruit salad, with orange slices, melon, pineapple, figs, sorbet and fresh mint leaves. It went down well, Tom said it was just what he fancied after a filling meal.

As the evening centred on fantastic food combinations, I was pleased to see my personal favourite on the menu. Two words… Salted. Caramel. (I’m salivating just thinking about it). The dessert was a salted caramel tart, with praline cream and a macaroon. Salted caramel was a huge food trend in 2014 and it still ticks all the boxes for me. My dessert certainly didn’t disappoint, I loved how the saltiness harmonised the sweet caramel. The tart’s pastry, the cream and the chocolate macaroon were all light as air, so even though there were three elements to the dessert, it didn’t seem at all heavy (which was good, as I was feeling pretty full from the starter and main course).

If you appreciate truly good food and are curious to experiment with combinations of ingredients that you might not have tried before, then I’d recommend booking a table at the Sun Inn without a second thought. Our meal was, quite simply, a foodie’s dream.

The Sun Inn, 6 Market Street, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, LA6 2AU 

Restaurant Review: A romantic Valentine’s Day afternoon tea at Linthwaite, Windermere

Picture perfect scenery. A cold glass of champagne. Cute finger sandwiches. Delicious homemade cakes and scones.

That was what Tom and I were treated to when we spent a romantic afternoon at the Linthwaite House Hotel on Valentine’s Day.

We arrived at the hotel early, so we were able to choose where we wanted to sit. There was plenty of space in the bright and airy conservatory, the peaceful veranda, or the cosy lounge, complete with comfy sofas and roaring fires. We decided to sit in the small veranda, with its large windows offering unspoilt views of the surrounding landscape – a picture perfect backdrop of Lake Windermere. Our table was right next to a heater, so it was nice and toasty and we felt as though we were sat outside on a hot summer’s day instead of a chilly February afternoon.

A friendly waitress took our booking reference and Tom reminded her about his egg allergy. We were initially a little concerned about going for afternoon tea – cakes and sweet treats aren't usually the most ideal options for somebody who can’t eat their core ingredient! However, our waitress reassured us that their chef had prepared some delicious alternatives for him.

Soon afterwards, we were served a chilled glass of Baron de Beaupré Champagne. After a toast, we sat back and admired the magnificent scenery. We had the veranda to ourselves, as the other guests had opted to sit in either the conservatory or the lounge. It was quiet and relaxing, an ideal atmosphere for a romantic afternoon.

A selection of finger sandwiches – smoked salmon, ham, egg mayonnaise (cheese & chutney for Tom) and cucumber – were brought to our table. They were tasty and light, exactly what you’d expect from a traditional afternoon tea.

When we finished our sandwiches and bubbles, we ordered a pot of Earl Grey for me and a coffee for Tom. They were well-timed with our sweet treats – which were perfectly presented on a silver three-tier cake stand. My homemade selection included sultana and plain scones with damson jam and clotted cream, cinnamon yoghurt with apple compote, chocolate & pistachio brownie, lemon meringue tart, blackberry mousse and a carrot, walnut & raisin cake. They were all really yummy, but my favourite was probably the homemade sultana scone, closely followed by the chocolate & pistachio brownie.

The chef did a fantastic job of replacing the desserts for Tom. Quite a few places we’ve been to have just written it off and given him an unimaginative alternative. Not in this case. Tom had a beautifully presented plate with a chocolate cheesecake, raspberry & Chantilly cream biscuit, strawberries & cream shortbread and a burnt sugar-topped lemon panna cotta. Tom was really pleased with the effort that the chef had clearly gone to and said his favourite was definitely the lemon panna cotta – a special treat for him, as panna cotta often has egg in.

Both Tom and I were pleasantly surprised by the homemade yoghurt. My first reaction was to shun it. I wanted naughty calorific treats that I could devour then feel bad about for hours afterwards, not yoghurt! But it was seriously delicious – spiced with cinnamon and complemented beautifully with tangy apple. I could’ve eaten two helpings!

After two leisurely hours and a doggy bag filled with the treats we couldn’t quite manage, we wandered around the grounds of the hotel and admired the spectacular scenery. When it started to get dark, we headed back to the car but made a promise that we’d definitely be back again soon!

Afternoon tea at Linthwaite House Hotel costs £18.95 (or £26 with a glass of champagne) and is available from 2:30pm to 5:30pm www.linthwaite.com