High Tea at Just Teddy Fine Boulangerie and Patisserie, Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg

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.

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 at December 2024: R450 (about £20) per person, booking and 50% prepayment essential

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An Afternoon at Cakes & Bubbles, Regent Street

The best days are the ones spent with good friends. I joined a local book club when I moved to Dartford and the book club might be no more but the friendships remain. On Sunday morning, I met three of my fellow book-clubbers on the train and we travelled to London to meet up with Liz who no longer lives in Kent.

The occasion? To visit Cakes & Bubbles, the Masterchef-famous establishment by the ‘World’s Best Pastry Chef’, Albert Adrià. Cakes & Bubbles promises a selection of 'exceptional desserts and pastries alongside a wide selection of Champagne and sparkling wines, as well as a menu comprising a savoury offering by Adrià'.

The Savoury

I'm a planner when it comes to eating at new places - I want to know that I've poured over the menus and chosen the best possible options. With that in mind, I'd planned to try the Lobster Ravioli for £22, only to arrive on the day to learn that the menus had recently changed (the ravioli is still on their website). I had a taste for lobster though and decided to go for the Lobster in a Brioche Bun for £32.

The lobster and bun were definitely tasty but the lettuce had wilted - impossible not to given the heatwave in London - and it certainly impacted the overall taste and texture of the dish. I was quite disappointed and could not see that the dish justified its place as the most expensive food item on the menu.

Of other people's meals, the Grilled Cheese Toasty for £16 and Club Sandwich for £20 did not look appealing but the salads (£18 - £19) looked delicious and were gigantic.

The Sweet

I am very pleased to say that the Matcha Basque Cheesecake for £9 exceeded my expectations in every way. I chose this item because I love matcha-flavoured desserts but it also happened to be gluten-free and it was delicious, rich and creamy.

There were swoons and sighs as my friends enjoyed their Chocolate Yuzu Castellas (£12, also gluten-free, pictured in the background above) and Liz loved the famous Cheese Cake for £12 which she'd been dreaming of since MasterChef.

Cakes & Bubbles also serves a 'Cakes & Bubbles experience' between 12pm and 10pm each day and it looks exquisite. It's three courses of sweet heaven served alongside a curated selection of champagnes and sparkling wines. The Sweet Afternoon Bubbles Menu is £45 or £55 with a glass of N.V. Veuve Clicquot Brut.

My Verdict

I will definitely return to Cakes & Bubbles, especially because Stephen has been asking me to take him for a fancy cake experience ever since we went to the Mirror Room at the Rosewood in London. I'd like to try the Sweet Afternoon Bubbles Menu (with added bubbly, of course) and I'd also pop in for a slice of cake but I'll skip the savoury options.

Cakes & Bubbles
70 Regent St
London
W1B 4DY

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Anarch-Tea at W London Leicester Square

It's no secret that I love afternoon tea but what you might not know about me is that I was a goth during my formative years. If you've suddenly conjured up an image of black hair, black eyeliner, Doc Martins and torn tights, may I complete that vision with a mention of the spider's web that I had shaved into my undercut? I was quite the horrible coffin kid. (Actually, I was lovely but somehow wasn't keen on people knowing that).

My fascination with the alternative scene had started a good ten years before that in early 1980s London. I was utterly fascinated by the punks in Trafalgar Square and had to be forcibly dragged away from them because I couldn't stop staring. I wanted nothing more than a pink Mohican (I was 8) and a tall, skinny punk boyfriend.

Imagine my delight on learning about the W London Leicester Square Anarch-Tea, an afternoon tea especially designed to mark 40 years of Punk. Now Londonist did not have very nice things to say about the concept of a punk afternoon tea, accusing it of representing everything punk stood against, and I can't speak for the original punks in Trafalgar Square but you know what? I really enjoyed it.

The presentation was lovely and colourful, the food was delicious and it was the first time I’ve been served afternoon tea on original vinyl!

We arrived fresh from our tour of the Rolling Stones Exhibitionism at the Saatchi Gallery. After some confusion as to what constituted a 'complimentary cocktail' and what we were going to get charged a lot of money for, we agreed that we would indeed love to try the signature Lust for Life cocktail with Cachaca, zesty lime, sugar and passion fruit. There were three of us on the day, all with different tastes in cocktails, and we were quite pleased to note that we all loved the cocktail. It was delicious and went down well on such a hot day.

It took a while for our plates to be brought out but eventually they arrived. Sarah and Stephen helped themselves to the Gang of Four finger sandwiches including smoked salmon with cream cheese & pea shoots; roast beef with horseradish and watercress; cucumber with sour cream and black pepper; and Aged Montgomery Cheddar and red onion marmalade. On this occasion, I had not opted for the gluten-free option, which I've decided is something I definitely need to be more diligent about in future, but I cannot eat onion or salmon. I therefore had the same beef and cucumber sandwiches but I was treated to a delicious avocado on fresh brown bread as well as a creamed mushroom one. They were very fresh and very tasty..

Sarah and I had our scones next while Stephen decided to spoil it all and head straight for the desserts. The scones were okay but let's face it, we were there for those desserts!

I started with the God Save the Queen - The Sex Pistols vanilla and almond Battenberg cake. Spoilery Stephen had thought it to be too sweet but I love almonds and marzipan and thought it was just perfect. I started off with this one because I thought I'd like it the least but I actually liked it a lot. Next up was the Going Around in Circles - Alternative TV studded dark chocolate roulade. Again, Spoilery Stephen had thought it too sweet but chocolate lover me thought it was quite nice. Very rich but really, what do you expect with a big swirl of chocolate goo?

Next was The Mohawk raspberry & lime mousse. This was hands down my favourite dessert of the four. Tantalisingly sour with the lime and sweet with the strawberry, I polished it off in no time. Stephen didn't finish his. We finished off with the Shut Up - The Stranglers, a frozen strawberry & basil parfait. I was quite pleased that I managed to crack the shell without sending it flying across my plate like Stephen did!

Tea is obviously a central part of any afternoon tea experience but on this occasion, it was so hot outside and our cocktails so good that it wasn't a priority. Nevertheless, I made the right choice with a lemon & ginger tea, while Sarah had fresh mint tea and Stephen had English Breakfast. Sarah and I were delighted to see that our teas were all made with completely fresh ingredients.

All in all, we loved the Anarch-Tea although you can see from above that Sarah and I enjoyed it a lot more than poor Ste so it's perhaps not for those who don't have a sweet tooth.

Anarch-Tea at W London Leicester Square
10 Wardour St
London
W1D 6QF

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A Strange Day in Richmond

Have you ever had a day where everything seemed to go wrong? I had one of those days recently when I met up with a friend in Richmond for a walk and a session of afternoon tea.

Our day started with me missing my train. I like to think I'm not often late and I rarely miss trains but on this particular day, my tardiness meant that I was going to be a full 30 minutes late. It turns out I don't actually live 4 minutes from the station after all.

We met up at Richmond Station and caught a bus to Richmond Park. Perhaps I should mention that this was a relatively mishap-free experience and we managed to get off the bus at the right stop! I am not very good with buses at all.

We took a stroll through Richmond Park as we made our way to Pembroke Lodge. I must say, I had expected the park to look slightly less barren by this time of year. Nevertheless, we did find some photo opportunities but didn't find the famous Richmond deer. 

Pembroke Lodge was very busy when we arrived and when we finally found someone to talk to, we discovered that we were in the wrong place for afternoon tea. We needed to go to Pembrokes at Richmond Hill Hotel, a good 15 minutes walk away, and we were going to be late. 

We hurried as much as we could but we were indeed late for our sitting. When we arrived at the hotel, we couldn't find anyone to point us to the restaurant and landed up walking right to the wrong side of the hotel. 

Eventually we found our way and were given a seat but then we waited ages to be served and even longer for our afternoon tea stands. Was it worth all the grief? Yes and no. 

My gluten-free option was very good and featured moist, springy bread, a lovely panacotta and a delicious creme brûlée. But the scones? The scones were superb. Served warm, the scones were fresh out the oven and had the perfect taste and consistency. They are probably the best scones I've ever had, gluten-free or not. To complement our food, we shared a mint and rose tea, followed by a lemon ginger tea. 

Unfortunately, the standard afternoon tea was not as good as the gluten-free option, which is a pity because mine was quite good. I would definitely have liked the service to be a little more attentive and for £29 each for the champagne afternoon tea, I would expect a much better quality and consistency to the whole experience. 

Would we return? We'd definitely like to return to Richmond later in the summer and we said as much on the day. As we walked from the hotel back to Richmond, we saw some gorgeous views of the park and river. 

All in all, it was a strange afternoon indeed but one that reminded me of the importance of girlfriends and the opportunity to get together and confide in each other. They definitely couldn't take that away from us!

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A Spa Weekend at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Guildford

It is generally accepted etiquette that one does not go behind one’s friends’ backs to plot and scheme about them; unless, of course, those plots involve the gift of a spa weekend. So it was that I went out with a friend of mine in December and he confided in me that his wife was in dire need of a girlie weekend. Ever the one to sacrifice for a friend, I immediately volunteered myself as the perfect companion and we began to plot a weekend away.

We chose the Radisson Blu Edwardian in Guildford because my friend had enough loyalty points to book both rooms and the rest was up to us. Let me tell you a bit about our weekend.

The Check-In

I drove down to Guildford from Dartford and arrived at about 9am in the morning. My first impressions were very good – the hotel allowed me to check-in early into my room and directed me to the parking garage where I could safely park without incurring any fines. It possibly sounds a bit silly to mention this but this took place mere days after the notorious £100 parking fine that I incurred on the day of my exam.

The Room

The last time I walked into a hotel room and was this pleasantly surprised was at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Belfast. It is safe to say that I was thrilled. Hotel rooms can tend to be determinedly generic but I really liked the red and black decor and the large bathroom with both a shower and bath.

The Spa

After leaving my bags in the room, I went downstairs where I met my lovely friend Bonny. We were both really excited and headed off to the spa where we received luxury chocolate brown bathrobes, slippers and a key to our locker. We helped ourselves to fruit-infused water and sat by the side of the pool for a short time before it was time for our full body massages. The massages were simply sublime and when we met up again, we were certainly more relaxed and blissed out than when we had arrived. We changed into our costumes and then spent the next couple of hours alternating between the sauna, steam room, pool room and lounger.

I really liked the setting of the spa. Outside of the windows we could see a rather gloomy, urban scene and it was lovely to be in a warm, peaceful environment. I love going to spas in winter because it gives you the opportunity to be warm, in a bright daylight room while wearing very few clothes. I’m a summer girl at heart and love the freedom of not having to contend with coats and scarves and cardigans.

The Queen of Hearts Afternoon Tea

I wasn’t the only person to make sacrifices on our weekend away. When Bonny heard that the hotel was offering a Queen of Hearts afternoon tea, she graciously agreed that we could attend, given my love of afternoon teas.  What  a good friend. It was a delightful experience and so beautifully presented. I would certainly recommend it.

Back to the Room

After a long, hard day at the spa and partaking of cake, we retired to our rooms for a long, hot bubble bath and an afternoon nap. I can’t begin to explain how lovely and relaxing it was.

Dinner at the Steak & Lobster

We decided that we didn’t need to go far for dinner because the restaurant at the hotel was a Steak & Lobster. It turned out to be the most excellent decision we have ever made. Our rib eye steaks were mouth-wateringly superb and the restaurant served the most excellent cocktails either of us had tasted in ages. As you can see, we were having far too good of a time to take photos or consider Instagramming our experience. Then again, what happens on the Wives Weekend Away stays on the Wives Weekend Away, so it is possibly just as well there were no photos.

A Good Night’s Sleep

How do I say this without resorting to hyperbole? How about, the bed at the Radisson Blu Edwardian in Guildford was so comfortable that I rushed home afterwards and bought a new bed. Okay, I might have been in the market for a new bed anyway but now I knew exactly what I wanted. It was completely dreamy and soft and I had the best night’s sleep I’d had in months.

The Morning After

We slept for as long as we could and then went down to the restaurant for breakfast at the last minute. The breakfast was good and we both went back for seconds (and thirds). To finish off a perfect weekend, we then went to the spa for another couple of hours of sauna, steam room, pool and lounger. All to soon it was time to hug goodbye and promise to do it again soon.

From Radisson Blu to Harbour Hotel

Shortly after our visit, the Radisson Blu Edwardian Guildford rebranded as the Guildford Harbour Hotel. At first, I hesitated to post about our weekend away because what was the point? Things might be different now. But we had such a lovely, memorable time and I wanted to remember it and share it with you. We also had such a good experience that I’m definitely interested in going to other Radisson Blu hotels in future. I’d also be interested to know how the planned hotel refurbishment goes. Will the rooms be as lovely or the restaurant so impressive? Whatever the case, I decided to share it in the end.

I feel like I need another weekend away. Who is interested in planning a girls’ spa weekend?

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Afternoon Tea in the Secret Garden, Kent

When my friend Sarah suggested we go for afternoon tea at the Secret Garden in Kent, I did not hesitate for a moment before saying yes. I thought that it sounded like such a magical, whimsical place and I’m glad to say that this secret Kentish location is as lovely as it sounds.

We met up on a sunny autumn Sunday afternoon and took a table in the cosy dining room. As we looked around, our mouths watered at the sight of families enjoying Sunday roasts and friends chatting over soup and homemade bread. We immediately knew that this is a place we will return to.

For a place that exudes secrecy and exclusivity, the staff at the Secret Garden are incredibly lovely and friendly. No matter how busy they got that afternoon, they were endlessly cheery and patient with us all.

The Afternoon Tea

On our visit, we chose the Traditional Afternoon Tea with extra Bubbles for £23.95. The first thing that caught our eye was the gorgeous mismatched china. Now I like fancy tea sets as much as the next girl but there is something so quirky and authentic about mismatched sets and it suits this location perfectly.

When the cake stand arrived, our mouths were watering. All this food was for four people and I can tell you that it was a lot of food!

The choice was sandwiches was traditional afternoon tea fare but they were absolutely delicious. I really loved the home cooked ham and coarse grain mustard sandwich and liked the cucumber and cream cheese sandwich so much that I had two of them.

The scones were lovely – moist in the inside but with a slightly crumbly texture. I liked that they were served with strawberries – this was a great addition and a lovely palate cleanser too.

The deserts were lovely but I could only manage to eat four of them in the end. Always disappointing but I am definitely more of a savoury person than a sweet person. I loved the panna cotta in a shot glass and really enjoyed the super chocolaty profiterole.  My favourite were the carrot cake with an exceptionally subtle icing and the lemon drizzle cake.

The Gardens

Following our long afternoon tea, we took a much needed walk in the Secret Garden itself. I just loved all of the signs posted about the place and the feeling of love that flows through the gardens. I can just imagine why this venue is so popular as a wedding venue.

We could hardly believe how beautiful the weather was on the day we visited. This is definitely unusual weather for October and there was a definite chill to the air despite the bright sunshine.

There was a giant pumpkin patch to remind us that Halloween is around the corner. I should have taken a photo with a person in – these pumpkins were as tall as my knees.

There were lots of chairs and table overgrowing with moss. I just love this and can imagine fairies and sprites playing here.

There is also a gift shop at the Secret Garden and several businesses share the site too.

In addition to Sunday lunches and afternoon teas, The Secret Garden hosts pudding nights and Kentish evening tea events.

The Secret Garden Kent
Mersham-le-Hatch Business Village
Hythe Road
Ashford
Kent
TN25 6NH

Notes on visiting: The Secret Garden Kent is located really close to Ashford International train station. You can catch a train from London, spend the morning shopping at the Ashford Designer Outlet and then catch a taxi or bus to The Secret Garden.

If you’re wondering where to visit next, why not visit my friend Liz who also wrote about our afternoon in her Photo Sunday: Secret Garden post or you can visit Sarah’s blog Inspired Travels and read about the postcard project she is doing for her mum.

Finally, I’m making a concerted effort to catch up on my blogging. I have a couple of posts lined up and I’m also slowly catching up on my blog reading. Feel free to leave me a comment below and tell me that I’m long overdue for a visit!

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