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London food writer and critic Sejal Sukhadwala writes for Time Out and national titles including The Guardian, The Times and the BBC food website. No one knows the London food scene better. For foodies in a hurry, these are her top spots Click to view Top 5 London Food Destinations.
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Best Afternoon Tea (Tea at The Berkeley ) |
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 Admit it: you’ve always wanted to try an Elizabeth Hurley Beach fuchsia vanilla bikini biscuit. Prêt-à-Portea is afternoon tea with a difference: forget scones with clotted cream and cucumber sandwiches a la Oscar Wilde. This post-modern confection is designed to appeal to fashionistas and the figure-conscious. |
Fondants and Fancies |
| Prêt-à-Portea (not to be confused with the sandwich chain Pret a Manger, or the movie Prêt-à-Porter) features seasonally changing collection of cakes and pastries inspired by catwalk designs. Summer 2006 collection, for instance, was made up of Balenciaga monochrome striped éclair, Anya Hindmarch ‘Natalia’ coffee beach basket, Ralph Lauren nautical striped raspberry shot glass, and Valentino zesty lemon floral crunch. These were served alongside savoury canapés in dainty portions, such as crayfish cocktail and tuna sashimi. |
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 In case you think all this sounds frivolous, it’s taken very seriously by the kitchen. The pastry chef visits the London Fashion Week shows to get ideas for colours and textures of the new season’s collections. They then have to meet the approval of a specially selected committee made up of fashion experts from Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and other publications, and are available to take home in green and pink handbag-like containers. There’s a wide selection of speciality teas, served on bespoke Paul Smith fine bone china produced by Thomas Goode of Mayfair; and the Champagne is served in coloured Baccarat crystal flutes.
Prêt-à-Portea is served in The Caramel Room – a stylish, dimly lit space decorated with chocolate wall coverings and faux-crocodile fabrics designed by New York-based designer Alexandra Champalimaud. Service is superb, and everything tastes as gorgeous as it looks.
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| Awards and accolades |
 You need not just take my word for it though. Prêt-à-Portea has been praised by the Sunday Telegraph, Closer, Delicious, Metro, the Saturday Telegraph magazine, the Sunday Times magazine, Observer Food Monthly, Vogue, and Time Out.
In 2006, it was voted "one of the must-have things to do in London" by ES magazine, one of "the 5 best places to take tea" by Elle Deco, and "one of the two greatest teas in town" by Hello!. Additionally, in the same year, it won the "best afternoon tea in the world" award in Wallpaper* magazine’s prestigious Design and Lifestyle awards, chosen by a panel that included Mario Testino, Donna Karan and Sir Norman Foster.
The fabulous 19th-century hotel (at its current location since 1972) is also renowned for its world-class restaurants, and an achingly beautiful bar: so it would be easy to start your afternoon with a cup of tea and end the day with cocktails.
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| The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RL. Tel: 020 7235 6000. www.the-berkeley.co.uk. Hyde Park Corner/ Knightsbridge tube. Tea served daily 2pm-6pm. Costs £31 per person; £39.50 including a glass of Champagne; £46 including a glass of "couture" (Moet & Chandon) Champagne. |
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