Afternoon Tea and Travels : The Great British Gentlemans and Ladies Afternoon Tea.... with Unlimited Champagne!

Reform Social and Grill, The Mandeville Hotel, Mandeville Place, London W1A 2BE - 21^st March 2015

Delighted to welcome a special new guest blogger this week, my younger brother - Peter Mann, who along with several other members of my family, last week enjoyed his belated birthday afternoon celebration tea...with a difference! This was a first for me - taking boys for tea - my brother, brother in law and both my sons with one of my sisters as back up !

I am pleased to welcome him to the blog – as hopefully this will be the first of other future posts, as he has become another fellow afternoon tea enthusiast.

Based on a 'classic style British gentleman's club', inspired by the 1950s era and with its quaint old-fashioned, yet somewhat eclectic approach, the Reform Social and Grill, housed within the lovely Mandeville Hotel in London W1, was just the perfect setting for a fun “boozy champagne afternoon tea!” and a great place for an formal, yet equally informal afternoon catch up.

Having been to afternoon tea before, though at a somewhat more conventional setting of Harrods, this was to be a new experience with both a Gentlemans and Ladies tea menu offered and of course...free-flowing champagne to help the belated birthday celebrations.

My first impressions on arrival, was just how friendly, polite and attentive the staff were, from the minute we arrived, right throughout the whole afternoon.

However I did also note that some of the china cups were slightly stained and cutlery dirty, this was only a very small detail though, as the table had just been reset and one that was quickly dealt with and rectified.

The menus were quickly then produced and stated proudly that “the finest ingredients from around the British Isles, including John Ross Scottish smoked salmon and ham from the local Marylebone butcher” had all been assembled to create a “Great British Vintage Ladies & Gentleman’s afternoon tea experience that truly celebrated the best of British.”

Social Club Cocktail

And of course should you choose...unlimited bubbles (a choice of Prosecco) or alternative Champagnes was offered, as well a an extensive cocktail list, though this was separate to the set priced tea, we did feel it right and proper to try some !

Rhubarb Club Cocktail

We were given a seasonal Bellini to start us us off.

There were several ranges included within the menus, (Both Ladies and Gents) with anything from classic finger sandwiches with a modern twist, Smoked salmon sandwiches, which were served on beetroot bread and cucumber (Ladies tea only) and cream cheese served on sumptious basil bread.

Opting for the Gentleman’s Tea, this included the very British Sausage roll, Steak & Snail sandwiches & revisited Fish fingers and mushy peas, all of which were followed by a fine array of cakes, scones and delicious jams.

Also included was a wide range of selected loose leaf teas, including Organic Mint Melange, Green tea Passion, Pear Caramel tea and also my choice of Jasmin Mist Organic, which was delicious.
This nicely complimented too the selection of pastries including the clasic “battenburg” squares, Coffee and Walnut cake and the sumptuous real ale and chocolate cake.

David tucking into his first afternoon tea

I was also very impressed, when half way through, the staff (who were fast by now becoming our “best friends”) prepared a wonderful little “birthday” side dish and sang along, whilst ensuring the bubbles kept flowing continuously throughout the two hours of our stay.
I felt it was a warm personal touch, that certainly added to the experience, though I didn't have the heart to tell them my birthday had been a month before! (We did try to book nearer your birthday but they are always so booked up for weekends! )

The Birthday boy

Indeed, the ever friendly staff, certainly did not skimp on the tea refills or the champagne and I would say that by the end, everyone had thorougly enjoyed their afternoon and the excellent standard of friendly service.

Overall, I feel I would definitely recommend this afternoon tea, especially as its I believe one of the few venues that included men. Though not cheap, I believe it was great value and excellent size portions, superb choice, delicious cakes and we all left rather full, and very jolly, for various different reasons.
Peter Mann