Afternoon Tea at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto

A few weeks ago I celebrated a friend's birthday with afternoon tea at The Ritz-Carlton.  It was actually more like lunch as we had an 11 am booking, yes, 11 am (likely to accommodate more seatings).  This worked out as afternoon tea usually consists of enough food that in most cases would substitute for a meal so I don't think my group minded at all.  I've also been lazy to bring a proper camera so these are pics are not the best and were taken on my phone.

All the teas are from Sloane Fine Tea Merchants, a Canadian and Toronto based tea business that focuses on tea blends.  With their very pretty packaging and fairly decent teas, you can find their teas at many locations across the city.  We were offered a box of samples to smell and I decided to try the bespoke white tea blend made for the Ritz called Feuilles D'argent (white peony tea leaves, hint of mint, Jaipur roses, and gogi berries).  This blend was quite fragrant and you could taste the mint and roses but not so much gogi berries which to be honest, I find hard to identify in the first place.

The teas came out in large Le Creuset tea pots that took up a huge amount of space on the tables.  We did manage to fit them all but they are really huge!  The teas were steeped and poured into these teapots as no leaves were found in the teapots.  I gather they use such big teapots so they do not have to refill the pots and also could forgo the tea strainer.  The Le Creuset pots also retain the heat very well so most people would be satisfied with the temperature even after some time has past.

Here's a run down of the offerings:

Cucumber & Kohlrabi with quark cheese on pumpernickel (I thought it was goat cheese upon first eating this mini sandwich).

Lobster and Hummus on a Roll.

Lamb & Rhubarb on a mini bun.

Egg & Arugula on white bread.

For the sweets, we had:

Dulce de letche & shortbread cookie (top L on the plate).

Raspberry & white chocolate mousse entrement (my favourite of the sweets).

Gianduja cake & hazelnut caramel (very nice but quite sweet).

Chocolate marshmallow topped strawberries.

And to finish, chocolate chip and tradition scones with devonshire cream and preserves.  Decently made scones 😊

I didn't take any pics of the dining space, it was nice with good lighting, but we were seated at their lobby bar.  Although a nice space, not stellar in decor or design so I didn't take a picture of the space.

Please note that their Chocolate afternoon tea on the weekends consists of a glass of proseco or mocktail to start, adding to their afternoon tea price which currently starts at $54.

Overall, the offerings were quite nice.

I think the desserts were slightly done better than the savories but I don't think anything really stood out as stellar.  The staff were also very friendly.  My friend also brought her pre-schooler and they offered a children's menu and were quite accommodating.  We had a great time and stayed for 2.5 hours or so; overall an enjoyable way to celebrate a birthday!

Shangri-la Hotel Afternoon Tea (2)

This was my second time at Shangri-la Hotel for their Afternoon Tea and it was once again a great experience.  Afternoon tea is a special treat that I usually reserve for special occasions and this year for my birthday, this is one of two afternoon teas I had scheduled. This time I ordered the Shanti Gold which was a blend of Asian black teas - bold enough to pair with the food but without much astringency that I didn't need to add milk or sugar.

They still offer a large selection of teas, some of which would have an additional cost if selected.  My friends found it helpful that they short-listed the teas that would be included without an additional fee and made the decision easier than looking through the book.  They still offer an iced version of the tea which is great but this time around instead of brewing it table side, they brought a huge pitcher when my friend ordered the Assam iced.  Tasted good at the start but would have been better to brew a small amount and re-brew as needed as the large pitcher resulted in diluted tea later.

Complimentary drink to start (prosecco or mocktail).

And now onto the food!

Tower of treats.

The savouries:

Ratatouille with Buffalo Mozzarella

Sweet peas, asparagus, lemon ricotta on sour dough - so refreshing, simple yet elegant!

Snow crab tart, this was also a really great combination of flavours.

Virginia ham and cheddar cheese on a brioche bun

The sweets:

Rhubarb sponge cake

Raspberry & pecan cookie: surprisingly my favourite sweet of the afternoon.

The cookie was slightly chewy, sweetness was well balanced with a bit of tartness from the raspberry. 

Yuzu macaron, nicely made but we couldn't really taste the wasabi.

A classic, strawberry shortcake, well made.

Pineapple Upside Down Tart and Chocolate & Mint Tart; both were good.  The Chocolate & Mint Tart was the sweetest of the bunch.

And scones that came separately, served with clotted cream and a berry compote.

Prices have gone up since my first visit, Shangri-La now charges $75/person for afternoon tea which is the priciest in the Toronto market now, even with the complimentary prosecco I think.  

Our spot was more private this time and was elegant as usual.  However, I think next time I'd ask to be sitting with more of a window view - to take advantage of more natural light for pics!  

All in all, a lovely experience!

Afternoon Tea - Windsor Arms Hotel

Afternoon tea is a special indulgence that usually leaves me stuffed and quite happy.  These days, it's been hard to go for afternoon tea but in June, I had the day off work and we went to indulge. In Toronto, there are very few places that actually hold afternoon tea on a weekday as most hotels and other establishments only offer it on weekends.  Windsor Arms Hotel offers it daily, at various times and even a twilight afternoon tea (5:30 or 6pm)!  I had read good things in the past and was eager to try their afternoon tea.

Sadly, it was a bit of a let-down.

The room was nice but the table was quite small.  I ordered the Windsor Arms Private Breakfast Blend which is a mix of Ceylon, Nilgiri, and Assam tea leaves.  The tea was pleasant and the big pot lasted throughout our stay.  The tea strainer was a little disappointing, it didn't strain all the tea leaves so both of us had tea leaves in our tea.  Not a huge deal as in Chinese restaurants you can get tea leaves in your cup depending on the tea you order...but this is not a Chinese restaurant.

The tower...

The scones were probably the best part and were quite large...a little disproportionate to the other items.  烤餅是最好的部分也很大...可是比例別的食物就覺得太大了.

The sandwiches - the rolled sandwiches were unfortunately mushy.

Petite fours...

Clockwise from top left: pistachio cake, lemon meringue tart, (tasted like) caramel cream filled chocolate cup,
and a coffee and chocolate layer cake

The best petite four offered was the lemon meringue tart.  I am starting to wonder if weekday offerings are sub-par to their weekend service.

The space...

All in all, I'm glad I tried their afternoon tea as the scones were quite good and it's a place I've been wanting to try, but I really think they need to revamp their menu a bit. Looking back at other reviewers, the sandwiches looked much fresher and well made.  The desserts could also use a bit more creativity and for the price charged, the quality was just not there.  

Windsor Arms Hotel

18 St. Thomas St.

Toronto, ON M5S 3E7

416-971-9666

http://www.windsorarmshotel.com/tearoom/

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

DT Bistro - Afternoon Tea

Beautiful pastry/dessert counter

DT Bistro is a wonderful little patisserie and lunch/dinner spot on Harbord Street in the Annex.  Simple yet elegant decor, it's a lovely spot for catching up with friends, a leisure meal, or just dessert and tea.  I had gone to an event here many years ago and had always wanted to come back.   A couple of weekends ago, I finally did for afternoon tea and my friends and I had a wonderful time!

幾個周末前, 我終於拜訪 DT Bistro, 喝下午茶.  大家都吃得非常暢快!

Ordered the Crown Ceylon tea.  Light astringency so I didn't need any sugar or milk.

Started with the savory items at the bottom tier and the mushroom soup was recommended first since it was warm...rich and full of flavour, loved it.  

$30 per person, minimum 2 persons for afternoon tea

The spring rolls and mango salsa was balanced and the smoked salmon croissant was so flaky and good.

The braised short rib, tender and with a spicy kick to it.

Scones were light and buttery...and ohhh the devonshire cream, heavenly!  Lemon curd and house made jams were also enjoyable.

Goat cheese onion confit crostini, good strong flavours.



Top layer was a variety of desserts we shared.  Enjoyed the raspberry macaron and the tiramisu in chocolate cup; nice and light.

We all were completely stuffed!

Service was so patient as we had several questions, took a while to decide, and some of my friends ended up ordering other items besides afternoon tea like desserts from the display case or brunch items. (They raved about the Veal Curry and the Ahi Tuna Sandwich.) I thought it was also good that they also do a half-tea option where you only get the desserts if you're not a big eater, but I would really recommend the whole afternoon tea as the savory items were all flavourful and well made.  When we also left, there was another table that forgot their leftover dessert and the server ran outside after them!

Quite the enjoyable afternoon!

Ceiling decor, stunning!

First floor seating area

There were also these fruit shaped marzipan creations.  So cute!  I bought one for a friend's party we were going to that night.  Contains walnut and sugar, unfortunately I don't know how it tasted.  

DT Bistro
154 Harbord St.
Toronto, ON M5S 1H2
T: 416-916-8155
www.dtbistro.com

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Relaxing at Ste. Anne's Spa

A couple of my girlfriends were celebrating their birthdays this month and had planned a spa day at Ste. Anne's Spa, in Grafton, Ontario.  This was such a treat as I haven't been to a spa or had a massage in years!  It was definitely a splurge but sometimes you gotta do it!

First and foremost, it's a great place to relax! We were a group of 11 and our day was well organized.  The day spa package comes with lunch, afternoon tea, use of the facilities and $120 that can be used towards a spa treatment or massage.  There are quite a bit of amenities available like hot tub and cold plunge pool, eucalyptus steam room, outdoor pool and sun chairs, and a quiet lounge room with magazines and puzzles. There is also a gym but that was 1 km away...I figured, exercising was not for me today!  Some of us started by enjoying the eucalyptus steam room and then headed to the grotto area for a soak in the hot tub and a few were brave enough to jump into the cold plunge pool.  (Of course I hate the cold so none of that for me, hahaha!)  This was a great time for us to chat and gossip (and share beauty tips).

 And some of us headed to the pool...

One of the pathways...

You could have lunch and/or afternoon tea outdoors which overlooked the beautiful grounds.  But, we sat inside and because our group was so large, we were in a semi-private room as sometimes the conversation could get loud.

Loved that they have a garden supplying some of the greens and herbs for their meals, but it was a shame that extra care was not taken to provide the freshed greens. I had the kale salad which was tasty but did notice a couple of yellowing leaves; no big deal. But, some of my friends got the carrot and watercress salad and there was yellowing watercress plated, which my friends politely put to the side. Not the best impression. The other items were done well though.  I ordered the hamburger and it was quite tasty. They do raise cattle which I believe provided the beef for the hamburger which was interesting to note.

Dessert was okay, nothing fancy, 3 options available.

 

Mint chocolate cake

Spa service waiting room or just place to relax.  There is biscotti, tea, coffee and water available.

I had the swedish massage which was done outdoors in one of the gazebos (which is covered with drapes so you don't have to worry about others looking in). Loved the massage outdoors as it felt like you were somewhere tropical. I had an outdoor massage once in Bali and it had a similar feel; it was relaxing to have a warm breeze and just the sound of the outdoors was soothing.

 

 

Went to look at their garden and it was interesting to see the kale that they would have picked for my salad.  It's not very big but they do grow a number of vegetables and herbs.  On Mon, Wed, and Fri they do offer tours where the gardener is on-site to answer questions and highlight some of the items.  You can also read more about their greening practices here.  I also thought it was interesting that the water used at the spa comes from the natural spring that the spa is built on and the water is "recycled through the natural reedbed septic system".

 



The day was quickly going and soon it was time for our afternoon tea.  Afternoon tea was okay, but I I miss-read. There is a dessert plate, a savory plate, a fruit plate, and a sampler plate. My impression of a sampler plate is that you get a bit of each plate to sample. Since I'm big on desserts, I requested the dessert plate because I wanted to have all the desserts on offer. Well...I wish I got the sampler plate because the sampler plate is actually all the items in one plate!  So, what I'm saying is, get the sampler plate!  (On a side note: the gluten free bakery is actually quite a distance from the main building.  I would have loved to visit but unfortunately I wasn't in the mood to walk over a km to get there.)

 

Service was excellent though, and I think if I wanted to get any of the savory items, they would have provided a plate for me. Many of my friends ended up ordering 2 drinks without any fuss.  (The pepper hot chocolate was a hit!)  But, I was full and content so I didn't need to order anything extra.  Oh, yes...forgot to mention my tea.  I had a mixed Chinese white and green tea that was pear flavoured - average tasting.  But, earlier in the day, I tried their chocolate tea in the quiet lounge room and thought it was pretty nice.  Teas are available for purchase in the gift shop.

Sampler plate

Dessert plate

Overall, a lovely experience and definitely would go back!