It’s been years since I last went for an afternoon tea in Johannesburg. My lovely friend Sarah and I had High Tea at the Palazzo, Montecasino in 2015 and we decided that it was definitely time for another High Tea at the Just Teddy Fine Boulangerie & Patisserie in Hyde Park Corner.
From the first moment you step into Just Teddy, you’re surrounded by calm and tranquillity. I loved the comfortable sofas, flowery decorations and warm welcome that I received on arrival.
We’d opted for the Signature High Tea and were offered a complimentary Mimosa to stimulate our palates. I opted for the alcohol-free Mimosa and it was delicious and very pretty.
Gratuitous photo of the place setting. I don't think I've used gold-plated cutlery before!
Our three-tier high tea soon arrived in a gold-plated birdcage stand. It looked very fancy and we were keen to dig in. I’m sure that you’ve noticed the different order of the tiers and some items that are not traditionally on a high tea stand!
Our High Tea was served with a Middle Eastern-inspired Vegetarian Mezze. Can I just say how refreshing it is to have afternoon tea served with something other than sandwiches? My highlights included the beetroot hummus, the baba ghanoush, the buttermilk falafels and the heavenly Lebanese spinach pies.Practically all of it, right? The mezze was definitely my favourite course and I loved that they put on such an impressive spread for vegetarians.
The scone experience in South Africa is very different to that in Britain. Our buttermilk scones were served with Chantilly cream and butter, not clotted cream as you would expect, and they are also served with grated cheese. Our scones were freshly baked and delectable.
For me, this was a reminder of a scone experience that used to be the norm for me and I enjoy jam and Chantilly cream, or cheese, on buttermilk scones as much as jam and clotted cream on plain or raisin scones. I would say that jam goes first with Chantilly cream (given the lightness of the cream) whereas clotted cream always goes first for me when I’m in Britain.
Just Teddy also serves cheese & chive scones for those who prefer savoury to sweet.
Just Teddy is known for their incredible selection of French patisserie and, to coin a popular Johannesburg phrase, the sweets were ‘to die for’! I liked the gluten-free carrot cake the most but mainly left the sweets to Sarah (with a take home box for Stephen).
Gratutous photo of the teapot. I loved the flowery crockery and the abundance of floral decor at Just Teddy. It was very pretty and relaxing.
We loved our High Tea at Just Teddy and I'm already planning to return with my nieces next time I'm in Jo'burg. They also have a branch in Sandton City, which I'm assuming is more popular as it costs 50% more!
Just Teddy Hyde Park
Shop LM4 - Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre
Corner William Nicole Drive &, Jan Smuts Ave
Hyde Park
2196
+27 10 203 9038
events@justteddy.co.za
Cost: R300 (about £15) per person, booking and 50% prepayment essential
The Vegetarian Mezze sounds perfect. Scones and mousses are delicious but fattening and meat items are not acceptable to many people. So beetroot hummus, baba ghanoush, falafels and Lebanese spinach pies are just my ideal :)
ReplyDeleteWhat time is High Tea usually?
This looks like an interesting twist on the traditional 'English' afternoon tea selection. The presentation is lovely.
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