Disclaimer: The following blog post is from a past visit and to highlight a particular venue and provide inspiration and ideas for future visits. In the wake of the ongoing COVID- 19 virus situation, please apply caution, due diligence, common sense and follow government guidelines on keeping you and your family safe. As a direct result of the COVID-19 situation, The Coral Room is currently closed until further notice. My Afternoon Tea at The Coral Room was complimentary but all photos and opinions are mine.
Part of the luxury and boutique Bloomsbury Hotel, The Coral Room is a grand salon bar designed by the renowned Martin Brudnizki. The vibrant and impressive interiors boast of brass detailing, antique mirrors and Bloomsbury-inspired artwork, set against a backdrop of striking coral pink panelled walls. On a good day, the whole space is bathed with beautiful sunlight streaming in from the large windows. It is a perfect setting for a relaxing and indulgent Afternoon Tea experience.
We opted for The Coral Room Afternoon Tea, which is their classic version. There is a sparkling upgrade available, as well as bespoke fruity and floral cocktails designed to match the sweets and the savouries. The menu is inspired by seasons and changes every three to four months. For our Afternoon Tea, we had the following:
SWEET | Apricot Mousse (To Share); Blueberry & Violet Cupcakes; English Strawberry Tartlet; Raspberry & Pistachio Opera Cake; Lemon Drizzle Cake.
SCONES | Vanilla Scone; Golden Sultana Scone; Served with Devonshire Clotted Cream & Scottish Raspberry Jam.
SAVOURY | Cheddar Cheese with Onion Chutney on Multigrain Bread; Marinated Cucumber on White Bread; Smoked Halibut on Guinness Bread; Spring Lamb & Mint Slider.
SAVOURY
From the savoury section, the cucumber sandwich was fairly tasty and light on the palate. In contrast, the cheese and onion was deeply savoury with a bit of heaviness to it. The smoked halibut was a little on the salty side but overall was a fairly solid attempt. The lamb slider was also really good, perfectly matched with the sweet, soft mini brioche. Overall, the sliders and the halibut were the standouts. They should definitely do more of these creative sandwiches as you can see the flashes of brilliance there.
SCONES
Onto the sweet stuff: the scones were delectable, warm and freshly baked every morning on the premises. They were well sized too, with a wonderful glaze on top. The clotted cream was thick and lush. Perhaps the only sticking point was the jam, which was runnier than we would have expected.
SWEET
The pastries were the real winners here! Each one was stunning looking, technically brilliant and delicious at the same time. The Strawberry tartlet was like summer on puff pastry. The technique really shone with the lemon drizzle cake, simple yet perfectly executed with its sugary textures and mild citrus flavours. The Opera cake, a French classic, was a beauty to look at and expectedly quite sweet. The muffin was another excellent example, with its deep purple colour. Finally, the apricot mousse, engorged with that creamy and tart filling, was possibly a bridge too far for me but nevertheless an innovative take on pastry.
Overall, the colourful pastries truly echo the vibrant interiors of the space they are served within. This Afternoon Tea is definitely for the ones with a sweet tooth.
The Afternoon Tea at The Coral Room is priced at £40 per person (£50 pp with a glass of fizz). However, there is an offer currently at Afternoon Tea UK where you can get this 2-for-1 (given the Covid-19 circumstances, it would be prudent to purchase for a later date of course when all the restaurants and bars reopen in London).
For other Afternoon Tea inspirations, please look at the links below
Pirate Afternoon Tea – DoubleTree Docklands
Cheese Afternoon Tea, Georgian House London
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