A quintessentially British tradition: afternoon tea began in 1840, when a hungry duchess simply couldn’t wait until her next meal. It’s evolved into a popular weekend activity throughout the whole of Britain, and we’re pretty spoilt for choice here in York.
Hudsons, the 3AA Rosette restaurant in The Grand, York, has turned afternoon tea into more than just a midday snack. It’s an experience.
While afternoon tea is traditionally plonked down on a three-tier cake stand, Hudons’ comes over four courses, complete with silver service. Diners get to experience and savour the gorgeous treats section by section, in their own time.
Afternoon Tea by Hudsons was launched just three weeks ago, but it doesn’t feel like it. Our host is well informed and confident in his knowledge of both the food and drink on offer.
The tea
My guest and I peruse the tea menu, which has actual pockets of tea leaves fixed into it. We eventually choose the Elderflower and Lemon Tea, after sampling the scents within the menu. The range of tea leaves on offer come from the luxury brand Newby Tea, and our host shares with us that it’s partly owned by a charity that supports education, medical research and disaster relief in many countries.
Drinking the tea is a process in itself. The teapots arrive alongside a pretty timer to guide us towards optimum brew time, there’s two hourglasses: one for those who prefer a stronger brew, and one for those who like a delicate flavour.
Like much of York’s only five star hotel that it resides in, Hudsons’ intimate restaurant is tastefully decorated with wooden panelling, parquet flooring and muted colours to provide the perfect backdrop to a lazy Saturday afternoon.
The main event
The opening course is a chilled tomato consommé. It’s a clear soup, flavoured with a rich stock. This one is refreshing, fruity and easy to drink.
The contemporary range of sandwiches that come out pull off an array of textures and flavours. The show stopper is the Victorian Egg Mayonnaise toast sandwich, with egg yolk fudge and cresses. A thin layer of crisp toast is sandwiched between the egg mayo filling and two fluffy pieces of white bread with egg yolk fudge dotted over the top. It’s just the best egg-mayo sandwich ever.
The scones come out warm, crumbly and folded into a white cloth to retain heat and moisture. Our host recommends trying one with honey. I do and I don’t regret it – I’ve always gone straight for seeded raspberry before, but I like the honey just as much. As you’d expect with a fine dining afternoon tea, there’s plenty of plush clotted cream.
When the sweets come out they exceed all expectations. A moist slice of pistachio cake covered in chocolate cream and strawberries; banana bread with hazelnut truffle; and the clear winner according to my guest and I: a caramel choux bun with edible gold leaf details. It has a smooth creamy caramel filling served chilled and it’s to die for.
The verdict
Afternoon Tea by Hudsons elevates the afternoon tea experience into something really special and for £35pp it’s a steal. You won’t get the same level of service and care for that price anywhere else. Make a reservation here.
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