I had owed my mum for a previous birthday present of afternoon tea so we thought why not go close to town and see what the park plaza had to offer. We made sure that we had booked beforehand making sure that we would have a table and to avoid disappointment. When we arrived it was reasonably quiet,so we were greeted reasonably efficiently. We were then shown to our table and asked if we had any allergies.
We were asked to browse at the tea listing and choose what tea we would like. Compared to other afternoon teas I have had the tea list was small consisting only of 8 teas. I stuck to what I knew and got an English breakfast tea but my mum went for the oolong tea called goddess of mercy. We were brought our tea and informed about our teas brewing time and the best time to drink it to get the maximum taste. We also had lashings of milk which was great for me as I like my tea very milky.
Soon enough our food was brought over on a huge 3 tier stand with sandwiches on the bottom and the cakes on the next two tiers. The waiter then informed us what each cake was and then left us to eat the delights on offer. The sandwiches were a mixture of white and wholemeal bread with 4 different fillings. These included cucumber and cream cheese, smoked salmon, egg and cress as well as roasted ham. They came with the crusts off and taste amazing with the bread being very fresh.
We soon moved on to the cakes and had much to choose from, the first layer up consisted of Welsh cakes and scones. The cream, butter and jam had to be applied sparingly as it didn’t really cover two scones so a bit more would have been welcomed. On the next layer up there was a mini macaroon each, with one bite and they were gone. I moved then onto the custard tart with beautifully arranged fruit on top, I would advise eating this with a fork as it can be quite crumbly. Also on the top was a tiny square shape chocolate, with it having a multiple texture a crispy base and a creamy top. What I believed was the best item of all on the plate was the cheesecake twists. What I could only describe as resembling a mini cornetto. With a biscuits cone and soft cheese filling, finally on the top a slice of chocolate with Park Plaza engraved.
By the time we had finished I defiantly had my fair share of sweet goodies. We were then asked if we would like another pot of tea, so I jumped at the chance to rinse a bit of the sugar off my teeth. For the basic afternoon tea we got it cost £17.50 each but when you get the bill the extra added cost does become clearer. The extra tea I had ordered was extra which for afternoon tea I somewhat believe one small pot of tea should be unlimited and not extra. There is also the discretionary service charge of 10% added to your bill so the cost can soon tot up. Overall compared to the other afternoon teas I have been to in hotels the experience was mediocre. The food was tasty but I will possibly be trying other places for afternoon tea in the future.
