Kensington Mums reviews*
This festive season, we were invited to the Kensington hotel for their brand-new ‘80 Days Around The World’ Afternoon Tea experience for those in search of decadent escapism and family time. We were delighted to come back after our great British Summer afternoon tea.
The Kensington Hotel
The Kensington is made up of four traditional Victorian townhouses and sits on the corner of Queen’s Gate and Old Brompton Road. The hotel comprises 126 rooms and 24 suites. These have been recently redesigned in collaboration with London design studio Timothy Matter to create a sense of the Exotic Orient in the heart of South Kensington. The dog friendly hotel feels more like a beautiful private residence than a traditional hotel and is home to Town House, a beautiful restaurant made up of interconnected drawing rooms serving fresh, seasonal global cuisine, and K Bar, the hotel’s intimate cocktail bar.
80 Days Around The World’ Afternoon Tea
The new tea will be the first in a series of adventurous seasonal teas at the hotel, drawing inspiration from the worldly travels of Phileas Fogg – the protagonist in Jules Verne’s 1872 novel “Around the World in Eighty Days”.
From Hong Kong to Ireland, and various stops in between, Fogg embarked on a whistle-stop tour of the world, on a quest for an exciting adventure and confounding expectations in a riveting race against time. The 80 Days Around The World Afternoon Tea celebrates his journey through a menu of savoury amuse-bouche, fine sandwiches, desserts and scones which will take diners on a sensory journey from the Royal Borough of Kensington, around the world, and back again.
The afternoon tea, makes a great family day out in Kensington. Gluten-free and vegan options are available, the first leg of the journey will whisk guests to cities across Europe and into the Middle East, transporting guests from London to Paris, then onward through Rome and onto their final destination, Cairo. Do check out our Instagram for coverage.
The afternoon tea, makes a great family day out in Kensington
The menu starts in London, represented by a classic beef pie with a puff pastry top. Travelling onward to mainland Europe with a Parmesan Gougere filled with tomato cream and then onto discover Ta’ameya (falafel) with tahini oil – a Cairo streetfood classic. Traditional sandwiches follow, with a menu comprising London’s much-loved lemon and chive cream cheese with smoked salmon, Parisian mustard mayo with ham and pickled gherkin, Italian sundried tomatoes with green pesto and mozzarella and Egyptian cumin houmous with caramelised onions sandwiches. Fresh fruit, plain scones served with seasonal homemade jams, and clotted cream will also be on offer. Continuing to take guests on a journey across the globe, highlight desserts include Banoffee Pie, French Opera Mont Blanc, Italian Tiramisu and Egyptian Raspberry, Rose and Pistachio Twirl dessert.
The team at The Kensington invite guests to keep their celebratory spirits in full flow with an impressive array of signature cocktails. Inspired by destinations visited by Fogg, the menu includes the Aperini, a twist of Rossini with Aperol and inspired by Italian Aperitivo time; the Orchard Field, embodying the sensational orchard and elderflower fields in the UK; the Montmartre Hills, a playful take on a Brandy Crusta with bubbles, transporting guests to the artistic quarters of Paris; the Limoon Dreams, a much-loved and signature drink in Cairo with inspirations from a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales. Sourced by The Rare Tea Company, the 80 Days Around the World afternoon tea features a sensational selection of teas from around the world; their current range features black teas from Malawi, green teas from Japan, white teas from China and herbal infusions from South Africa.
Finally, for those looking for a more traditional way to celebrate, a selection of Champagne and English Sparkling Wine from Perrier-Jouët Blanson Rose NV to Rathfinny Classic Cuvée Brut 2017 is also available by the glass or bottle.
The 80 Days Around The World Afternoon Tea at The Kensington starts at £58 per person (including a selection of Rare Teas or a glass of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV for an additional £18 per person). Booking is highly recommended.
For more information please visit the website.
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*Part of a Press review, views our own
