Square Meal is one of the review websites that I post my reviews too and they invited me for a lovely afternoon tea with other blogger reviewers to the very posh Boyds BrasserieĀ at Trafalgar Square, in July.
That day I was under the grips of a massive , massive Hayfever attack (which went on to develop into a full blown pollen induced chest infection – who knew an innocent bunch of flowers could do something so evil !?!) and therefore starting the evening with several cups of warm tea was just what I needed ! In spite of it being a really warm evening I enjoyed cradling my hot cuppa and chatting up the other bloggers. Boyds also had a very special treat for us – Brut Ruinart Rose Champagne – I had to unwillingky refuse though …
The potted shrimp was silky and luxurious and was polished off in no time.
We had a selection of lovely sandwiches made with soft bread and they went down a treat .
- Salted Beef, Pickled Cucumber, Dijon on Brown Bread
- Egg Mayonnaise & Watercress on White Bread
- Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Dill on Brown Bread
The scones served with strawberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream were next and Susan told us about the ‘Scone Test’ , apparently if you twist your scone and breaks away in half without much fuss , it has been made well and is fresh too ! So we all spent the next few minutes trying to ‘break’ our scones , twisting our faces into weird construed frowns and scaring the staff in general š
That is Emily putting her scones to the test !Ā @emily_etc
I gave up after a while resigning to the fact that trying not to die of Hayfever was already too much work for me. I decided to also focus on the other sweet treats that came with the warm scones – Fruit Cakes, Mini Chocolate Eclairs , Lemon Drizzle Cake, Lemon Curd and the very tempting Mini Strawberry Tarts.
It was one of those blogger meets where all the bloggers who came were really were friendly and conversation flowed easily . Each one followed the others on twitter and instagram and on other vitual spaces all this while sharing our foodie adventures.
L R – : @MyDailyDose8 ,Ele –Ā @cakeoverworldĀ andĀ Snita –Ā @herfavfood
Far Right :Ā @Mitzie8cake
I quite agree with what the Food & Drink Guide 2014 has to say about the Boyds Brasserie :
‘Unashamedly British, Boyds delivers quality food and service in opulent surroundings, with a nod to its Victorian heritage, but with none of the stuffiness that might imply. After just one visit to the buzzy bar, glamorous lounge and relaxed modern restaurant, I can promise you’ll fall in love and become a regular guest of this superb restaurant.’
No wonder then that they have just won the OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award for the third time in four months!
Last but definitely not the least came these cute mini ice creams – I didn’t dare try one though…took all of me to stop myself from devouring these treats !
By the time we left the sun had set on London and there was a pleasant much needed breeze waiting to greet me as I stepped out in the chaos before being swallowed up by the evening crowds heading into the tubes , everyone in a rush to get home .
I kept smiling to myself seeing the voucher in our goody bag with an invitation for a dinner for two at the Boyds Brasserie .
Curious to explore more options for Afternoon Tea in London? Why not browse through my blog and read about my experiences in various places:
- The Wallace Collection ā Afternoon Tea amidst Art, Westminster
- Honey Afternoon Tea at St. Ermin’s, Westminster
- Moroccan Afternoon Tea at Leila, Ealing
- Chocolate Afternoon Tea at The Landmark Hotel, Marylebone
*With thanks to Square Meal for the invite and to Boyds Brasserie for hosting us. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review . All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.