One of the nicest things about food writing is getting to relive really good meals. In most instances, once a meal has finished, the experience is pretty much over, bar a moment of regret for having eaten too much (or too little!) and hopefully a recommendation to share with friends. On the other hand, for those of us whose job it is to share our gastronomic findings, we’re ‘forced’ to take another bite of the apple, peel the onion or occasionally grasp the nettle one more time. In this instance, I have to tell you that it’s nothing but a joy.
A few short weeks ago, at the beginning of the school summer holidays, I arranged to take my oldest daughter for Afternoon Tea at the historic Grand Hotel as an end of year treat. Though she knew we were going out together, I’d kept the details to myself (I like an element of surprise) and so my first indulgence of the day was in her obvious delight when we arrived at the stunning front entrance to the hotel.
A Seaside View
We were warmly greeted by a charming, uniformed doorperson and directed to The Victoria Terrace. This enclosed, seafront terrace is slightly elevated, enhancing the wonderful view, and almost entirely glazed. The sumptuous interior, luxuriously decorated in creamy white and vibrant green with palm motifs, is hung with hand-blown glass lighting. With a little forward planning, we were seated at one of the tables overlooking the sea. In my opinion, there’s nothing so dreamy as a good cup of tea and a view of the channel.
At 13:30 on a Monday afternoon, the room was teeming with happy groups of friends and family, mostly celebrating something or other. Let’s be honest here, Afternoon Tea is the definition of indulgence. There’s no functionality to it, it is all about pleasure. Many of our fellow tea-takers had come straight from graduation ceremonies; misty-eyed parents and proud students, turning the page on a new chapter. (I did wonder if I’d slightly jumped the gun here with my high schooler. The bar has been set very high!)
The Napoleon Blend and Japanese Cherry Sencha
We were looked after by Dorothea who seemed to delight in delivering the calm experience and confident recommendations you can expect from the team at The Grand. Dorothea led us through the magnificent tea selection. I opted for one of The Grand’s blends – Napoleon – which was full-flavoured with just a hint of smoke and absolutely delicious.
My daughter loved the delicate Japanese Cherry; Green Sencha tea scented with cherry and rose petals. These were served in silver teapots with beautifully painted porcelain cups.
Classic Combinations Make Everybody Happy
Shortly afterwards, our Grand Afternoon Tea arrived. The tiered tray is set up next to the table on a stand giving everyone perfect access to its contents. Every detail has been thought of – this is a traditional afternoon tea par excellence. We start with the sandwiches, thin-cut fresh bread filled with classic combinations of smoked salmon with dill crème fraiche, honey roast ham and English mustard and egg mayonnaise and cress. Alongside a selection of dainty savouries is served; a sausage roll sprinkled with sea salt, a crisp caramelised onion and goats cheese tart and a flakey prawn vol-au-vent, all both wonderfully nostalgic and moreish.
Tucking into Shipton Mill Scones
Fresh from the oven, perfect Shipton Mill scones come tucked into a white napkin to keep them warm. Choosing from traditional plain or sultana, we spread ours with clotted cream and Tiptree Strawberry preserve, carelessly forgetting to cover the rest back up. One of the team quickly stops by to tuck them back in. (I think we can all agree that this service shows next level attention to detail.)
A Tiny Trifle
The tier dedicated to mini cakes and pastries is the pièce de resistance. We grab first for the tiny sherry and strawberry trifles (usually reserved for a festive treat in our family). Almost too pretty pink jelly was layered over little cubes of cake and topped with custard and cream. The Delice was the very essence of chocolate.
There was also an impossibly light white chocolate and caramel eclair and probably the best lemon meringue tart I have ever tasted (and I’ll admit to having tasted more than my fair share!).
The Grandeur
There’s the option to upgrade your afternoon Tea experience with a Brighton Gin and Tonic, a glass of champagne, Ridgeview Sussex sparkling or a refreshing Chambord Spritz. However, in the spirit of celebration, I ordered The Grandeur, which is a brand new and absolutely delicious cocktail created as part of The Grand’s 160th Anniversary celebration. It is a frothy, sparkling creation which mixes Absolut Blue, Cherry Marnier, Disaronno and Orgeat topped with Möet. I certainly intend to be back for more of this showstopper. My daughter ordered a delicious, sherbety raspberry-based mocktail. She was equally delighted.
A Not So Wafer Thin Slice
Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that this was the end (sniff) but The Grand leaves no stone unturned and a final treat is proposed; a trolley stacked with the Chef’s favourite cakes. We chose a generous slice of each which, on the day, were a light-as-air Victoria Sandwich and a fudgy chocolate number. You could pass on this extra indulgence but you would probably regret it.
Time For Tea
We left entirely satisfied, passing a small exhibition chronicling the hotel’s illustrious past. It was fabulous to see how the hotel had morphed over the years into the Brighton icon it is today. Afternoon Tea at The Grand is entirely appropriate; delicious, treat-laden and frankly very classy. Just make sure you leave yourselves plenty of time to enjoy every detail; upgrade with a glass of your favourite drop, taste everything, try a new brew, gaze out the window, you could even book a room…just make sure you leave no room for regret!
