Afternoon tea is best served in a relaxed, comfortable setting, often with a little culinary twist that doesn’t stray too far from the traditional British spread that we all know and love. As a busy working parent, my perfect afternoon tea is at the weekend – away from the kids, thankfully – in a hushed, sumptuous environment, with a fabulous friend to while away a few hours.
Enter: The Academy, a boutique hotel in Bloomsbury. Its central London location makes it easy to get to, but away from all the tourists and throng of the likes of Covent Garden or Soho. Indeed, we were in such seclusion that my friend and I were the only ones dining on a quiet Saturday afternoon, the room softened by lounge music and plush dark-green sofas. Outside, two women strolled in a pretty garden, the kind of leafy courtyard that you forget exists behind so many of these grand townhouses.
The hotel, a warren of five Georgian houses stitched together, leans on its literary heritage. A recent reconstruction of the property was inspired by the Bloomsbury Group, the influential set of writers, intellectuals and artists that included Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes and EM Forster. The result is elegant interiors, a library that hosts a monthly book club, and an Alchemy Bar, which serves the afternoon tea and evening cocktails.
The Academy’s tea leans on those literary roots and nods to Chinese author Lao She’s novel, Mr Ma and Son, folding Asian touches into the quintessential English high tea. This cultural twist plays out subtly in the patisserie, while the savoury tier keeps things traditional. Finger sandwiches arrive in a well-balanced procession: chicken with sweetcorn, egg mayonnaise with spinach, and a pleasingly tangy cheese and red cabbage. My friend, who has a repertoire of dietary quirks that could test the patience of any kitchen, was met with unflappable accommodation; a small detail, but one that highlights the hotel’s customer service.
The middle layer contained the customary scones, strawberry jam and clotted cream – all delicious and worthy of note – but the real pleasure came with the sweets. Inside a bamboo basket, a creamy, sweet Asian egg tart outshone everything else, all wobble and silk. Tucked in beside it, a sesame mochi, soft and nutty.
All teas try to find their moment to shine, and The Academy’s came on a plate of ten petit fours – in addition to the three-tier tower. Mini mouthfuls that included a glossy éclair filled with chocolate cream, a pistachio mousse and a sharp, buttery lemon tart, to name but a few of our favourites. Single, sumptuous bites making this afternoon tea one that’s both cosy and elegant. The latter heightened by the crockery, as my friend remarked approvingly, which is as considered as the food.
English classics, Asian notes, in an elegant setting overlooking a quiet garden; not a bad way to spend an afternoon in the capital.
Mr Ma’s Afternoon Tea is available at The Academy, 21 Gower St, Fitzrovia, London WC1E 6HG. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.theacademyhotel.co.uk.
