Trying the first ever afternoon tea in London

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Review of London's first ever Afternoon tea

If you've read my blog for a while. You probably know I love a cup of tea. Just as much as I love going for afternoon tea. So how could I miss the opportunity to try out afternoon tea at the first ever London hotel to serve it! 

The Langham is a five star hotel that's served afternoon tea since it's opening in 1865. Read on for my full review. 

I'd been longing to visit five star hotel The Langham for high tea. Ever since I learned that the Langham founded the popular British past time of afternoon tea. 

Sat in the palm Court restaurant beneath a high ceiling and stunning chandeliers. A live pianist played an entertaining mixture of ballads. Classical. Pop music. Theatre singalongs and soul. 

Palm Court is a beautiful. Spacious restaurant. With excellent service from all staff who explain each course to you. 

We enjoyed the vegetarian afternoon tea. With a selection of four. Fresh tasting. Well prepared sandwiches. A classic cucumber cream cheese and chive on white bread.

Egg and cress on malted granary bread. Grilled red Peppers with Avocado on caraway bread and our favourite. The Violet artichoke with rocket and basil pesto on tomato bread sandwich. 

After sandwiches, some delicious mini cheese scones arrived. With butter. Red Leicester cheese and a pear chutney. 

After a break for digestion, we were served some sweet treats unique to the Langham.  Overseen by Michel Roux Jr and created by Executive Pastry Chef Andrew Gravett. 

The mini cakes are a clever. Luxury remake of Britain's most popular and well known biscuits and baked tarts. 

Take the infamous custard cream for example. At the Langham afternoon tea this takes on a remake in the form of a dessert called crème de la crème. 

British biscuits inspired desserts

Featuring a thick white chocolate outer shell in the design of a custard cream. It houses vanilla cream. Crunchy wafer and dulcey and tastes like a delicious white chocolate magnum icecream.

Jammy dodger biscuit becomes a raspberry confit. Whilst the humble bakewell Tart becomes an Almond frangipani. Walnut whip and fig rolls are also re-imagined. 

Each dessert offering looks the part. However I did miss the lack of a two or three tier afternoon tea stand. Typical of afternoon tea. 

Four scones arrived at our table last but not least. These were soft and crumbly. Just baked scones paired with two seasonal jams. A raspberry and a pineapple jam.

My favourite parts of afternoon tea at the Langham were the artichoke sandwiches and the scones. The plain scones in particular were perfection. With fresh clotted cream and raspberry jam.

Overall I wasn't quite as impressed with afternoon at the Langham as I expected. Even though it was a lovely experience. It's not the best afternoon tea experience I've ever enjoyed. 

See the complete guide to afternoon tea here. Courtesy of Danielle for www.GoneSunWhere.com

I had huge expectations for the Langham. Being that this is the birthplace of afternoon tea in London. Plus their dessert selection is uniquely themed around popular. Traditional English biscuits. Yet the dessert creations were just ok tasting. 

To drink, I tried four different teas. All tea at the Langham is from Jing tea. We were assisted in choice by a friendly tea sommelier. Our choices were nice, but not the most flavoursome teas I've ever enjoyed. Yet still quite pleasant. 

I tried the Red dragon tea, which sounds more intense than it is. Ceylon and Rose tea. Ali shan and white peony teas. Of which the Ceylon and Rose was my favourite. 

It's a medium bodied, black tea with fragrant rose. Ali shan is a oolong tea grown in Taiwan. With notes of spring flowers. Mango and apricot. From the white tea section. I tried the white Peony. Which tasted similar to a green tea. 

A children's afternoon tea is also available at the Langham. With fun Colouring activities so there'll be more than enough to keep them entertained.