December
20
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London Eateries – Christmas Treats At Cellarium Cafe & Terrace
If you aren’t already feeling the Christmas spirit (which will be really weird as Christmas is literally next week), having a sophisticated Christmas afternoon tea in one of the most religious and sacred cities that is blessed with architectural buildings will definitely do the job. The famous Cellarium Café and Terrace is situated in Westminster which is a 6 minute walk from St. James Park station if you use the district line and a 14 minute walk if you are coming from Westminster station.
Whilst walking slowly to the reception area, the sound of children playing, the noise of crackers being pulled apart definitely lingered in the air. There were small and large tables and chairs, catering to big or small families and the baby seats showed that this café is child friendly. After being seated, we were handed a menu and given all the time we liked to choose a beverage. The upstairs space is very spacious, being able to accommodate a large number of people if downstairs were to get busy.
The tables were flawlessly clean, cutlery and glasses were perfectly in place, showing how organized and prepared this café was for their customers. After a customer left their table, the tables were thoroughly cleaned and the cutlery and glass were put back in place, waiting to greet the next customer. The menu definitely went with the Christmas theme with its white background and golden headings, along with Christmas balls along the sides of the menu.
The first thing to arrive was tea. My guest picked the Chamomile tea whereas I drank the Earls Erey tea. The Earl Gray tea was hot and perfect. The Chamomile had a hint of green tea in the taste, giving it a refreshing aftertaste which was nice.
The Christmas afternoon tea items came in a high tray with 3 compartments. Each food item was neatly presented. The Norfolk Turkey Coronation Sandwich, the Cucumber and Caper Sandwich, the Smoked Salmon and Celeriac Remoulade on brown bread and the Brussel sprout, Melted onion and Stilton tart were on the top compartment, the Orange Tart and Clementine Confit, the Iced Christmas cake, the Gingerbread Star with Chocolate Ganache and the Mince Pie with Crumble Topping were on the second compartment whereas the Cranberry and Sultana Scones and clotted cream were at the bottom.
The smoked salmon and celeriac remoulade on brown bread The thick and creamy vegetable celeriac remoulade went perfectly the brown bread. The fresh peach coloured smoked salmon slithers were tender and tasty.
The Norfolk turkey coronation sandwich: It was a great combination of ingredients. The coronation had a great curry-like taste. You could taste the spices and herbs included creamy mayonnaise based sauce which complimented the sweet taste of the Norfolk turkey which was well done.
The cucumber and caper sandwich: This was something of a distinct, original taste. The cucumber was a great choice with the sweet creamy butter and bread and the capers added a piquant, salty taste.
When you eat the Brussel sprout, melted onion and stilton tart, the sweet taste of the melted onion definitely kicks in first. The Brussel sprouts had a subtle taste which was great and the pastry was warm, fresh and crispy.
The appearance of the mince pie with crumble topping reminded me of a Christmas tree with snow on top as the mince piece has icing sugar sprinkled delicately on top of it. The mince pie was delicious and its bread outer coat had a similar taste to shortbread, buttery and nectarous
The brown golden iced Christmas tree had raisins in it, giving it a rich fruity flavour overall.
The fresh aroma of the orange tart and clementine confit was energizing. The pastry was also part of the orange flavoured theme as it too tasted like sweet clementine.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a gingerbread star. The warm rich taste of the gingerbread star mixed perfectly with the dark chocolate ganache which melted slightly on top of the star.
The cranberry and sultana scones were deliciously indulgent. Its buttermilk taste was just to die for and the clotted cream which tasted like Philadelphia cream cheese was the best combination. The presence of the jam on top of the clotted cream gives you the best of both worlds, sweet and savoury.
Overall it was the perfect thing to get you into the Christmas spirit and indulge in the festive foods. Plus it gives you great ideas on what to add to your Christmas food shopping menu, making sure you bring a piece of your experience of cellarium café at home with you.
A classy sophisticated afternoon well spent.
Shelly Diafuana
Food 5
Ambiance 5
Service 5
Decor 5
Drinks 5
20 Dean’s Yard, Westminster, London SW1P 3PA
020 7222 0516
http://www.westminster-abbey.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/91019/Cellarium-Sunday-Menu.pdf
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