Tag Archives: high tea

Review: The Sony Centre Partner Neighborhood Restaurant – Real Mo-Mo’s

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Before or after a performance at The Sony Centre check out Real Mo-Mo’s. It can be found across the street from the Sony Centre for Performing Arts – think European, relaxed and delicious. Be sure to grab a special discount off your food/drink receipt when you show your Sony Centre for Performing Arts ticket before or after your show! A perfect way to stretch your dollar, feed you and your guests and keep the good energy flowing!

Monique and her team do the most gorgeous High Tea. It is probably the best deal in the city.  Offered daily between 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. for $30 (for two people) you will be fed Speculaas, Dutch stroop wafel, selection of cakes and a scone with fruit compote and butter, Cucumber and tzatziki sandwich, Dutch chicken curry salad sandwich, smoked salmon & goat cheese brioche and Dutch bitterballen.  Make it a Cream High Tea (add two glasses of Pink Prosecco).

We swooned over the Dutch chicken curry salad sandwich which was fresh, tasty and fragrant. It was filling and not too strong that it took over the flavours from the other goodies on the tier tray.  I wish I could eat a bowl of this as a midnight snack some nights.

The smoked salmon & goat cheese brioche was just as exquisite. It even came with a bit of attitude and flair in presentation with an onion cutting waving us a hello upon entering our mouths.  The smoked salmon was luscious and clean.  The goat cheese brioche just melted in one bite.  The sizing in the portions was grand and not typical for High Tea fare.

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The most decadent savoury item was the Dutch bitterballen with mustard. Who knew such a tasty little item the size of a ping pong ball would be so flavourful and curious.  How did the meat stay so lush in the deep fried ball, we wondered?

For our tea choice, we went for the traditional Earl Grey leaves to linger upon and enjoy with our casual conversation. We loved the glassware tea service.  It was modern and very Dutch in its clean lines.  Throughout the meal we would stare up at the crown moulding ceiling, lavender walls, comfy furniture and natural wood.

For some quick additions to the High Tea we ordered Mo-Mo’s Tibetan Dumplings which were crispy vegetable dumplings with mango chutney. Think lil packages stuffed with mushroom, ginger and cabbage.  We loved the mango chutney which had touches of tamarind in each bite.

Moving on, we tried out the Down Under Sliders which consisted of (wait for it) grilled kangaroo, caramelized onions, granny smith apple, creamy brie, homemade beetroot jam on buttery brioche buns. Talk about a surprise and indeed something different.  We were told by Monique, the owner, that the kangaroo is ordered in advance from the butcher and is certainly unique in flavour.  We were not disappointed.  It was certainly a rich experience.  The beetroot jam would be a perfect ally for a Sunday in bed with tea and toast.

Another win was the Bison Burger. Think Goat cheese, pickled red onions, mustard aioli, tomatoes served on a warm soft pretzel bun.  The Zucchini Spears were the perfect addition.  The batter was crisp, not oily and awesome to crunch on in between sips of tea and laughter.  The hot cross bun styles made us smile and hugged the burger.  The Bison Burger was satisfying, tender but pretty heavy for a High Tea addition.

As we carried on with the sweets portion of the meal we tucked into the Speculaas, Dutch stroop wafel, scone with fruit compote and butter with ease. Light, fairy like and decadent.

As Monique says, ‘ The hospitality at Real Mo-Mo’s is not profit-driven, but rather, focussed on establishing meaningful relationships with our clients. With this, and additional luxury of delicious brunches, lunches and dinners carefully prepared for them, I am certain that my guests will feel right at home at Real Mo-Mo’s.’

Don’t forget to visit Real Mo-Mo’s during Winterlicious in Toronto from January 27 – February 9, 2017.

Bonne Appetite!

http://realmomos.com/

http://www.sonycentre.ca/plan-your-visit/restaurants

The Omni King Edward Hotel: A Traditional Autumn High Tea

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The traditional experience of Autumn High Tea is to be savoured at The Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto. Think the finest linens; King Edward upholstered chairs, luxe velvet fabrics and the most delicious culinary treats that await you as you enter The Omni King Edward Hotel’s historic space.

We started with the savoury finger sandwiches as part of our Autumn High Tea. The Creamed Corn and Chive Blini with Salmon Rillette was fresh and oozed with the delights of only the best Salmon.  The Smoked Chicken with Thyme Roasted Butternut Squash was a perfect autumn protein and vegetable marriage.  It was hearty and reminded us of a Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends.  The traditional Deviled Egg with Mustard Cress was very British in stature and was yet a scrumptious nod to our Canadian roots.  The Roast Beef with Pickled Vegetable took us to another level.  We needed a moment to inhale this sandwich.  It was a piece of culinary art visiting us from an English Gastro Pub buried deep in the English countryside.  We said ‘Bonjour’ to the Toasted Sesame Honey Ham with Aged Cheddar and Apple Chutney – just when we thought it couldn’t get any better.  The Toasted Sesame Honey Ham reminded us of an Easter dinner in three bites.  It was sweet, full of sunlight and luscious to tuck into.  We appreciated the Aged Cheddar and Apple Chutney as it rounded off the savoury sandwich plate with thunderous applause.

As we continued on to the Scones – we were ready for more warmth and luxury. The Heirloom Carrot and Raisin Scone was robust, full of depth and aching to be spread with Devonshire Cream and House Made Strawberry Preserves.  This was the only part of the Autumn High Tea Service where we were silent. The Scones were indeed traditional English Scones.  Think of Union Jacks bunting for miles and summer garden parties in the English country side.  For the Classic Cream Scone we dabbled in the Apple Orchard Butter which made us think of apple picking as kids with warm cups of apple cider on the side.

Onto the delectable pastries. We applauded the Chai Spiced Pumpkin Brulee Verrine with Pumpkin Seed Brittle.  Talk about an ah-ha moment!  I encourage you to breathe in the Chai Spiced Pumpkin Brulee Verrine with Pumpkin Seed Brittle.  It is like a fine wine in flavour but goes down as a treasured pudding from our childhood.  The Honey Crisp Apple Band was very British Cake Shop in stance.  It stood alone and was the perfect mild but yummy cake to munch on in between the heavier sweets.  We were giddy alongside the Bittersweet Chocolate and Cranberry Madeleine.  Honouring chocolate in its simplicity was a nice reprieve.  The Goat Cheesecake with Rosemary and Ice Wine Poached Pear allowed us to express gratitude to the Autumn High Tea Service at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto.

Throughout the Autumn High Tea Service at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto. We got stuck into Sloane Fine Tea Merchant’s Bergamot Rose Blended Black Tea, Chocolate Truffle Blended Black Tea and Heavenly Cream Blended Black Tea.

Bergamot Rose Blended Black Tea

Ceylon and Assam black tea perfumed with Italian bergamot, finished with fine French lavender and Jaipur roses, creating a citrus and floral finish.

Chocolate Truffle Blended Black Tea

Smooth bodied Assam black tea blended with deep truffle notes and the richness of Brazilian cocoa, creating a dark chocolate finish.

Heavenly Cream Blended Black Tea

A beautiful long-leaf Ceylon and Assam black tea blended with a base note of Italian bergamot and finished with a top note of creamy vanilla.

*Try* Jasmine Snow Dragon Estate Reserve Green

An artisan hand-rolled green tea scented with seven times its weight in freshly plucked jasmine blossoms for a fragrant and delicately bodied infusion.

*Try* Darjeeling 2nd Flush Estate Reserve Black

As the “Champagne of Tea” this prized Jungpana Estate exclusive possesses a classic muscatel profile with a stunningly refined finish.

If you are vegetarian, we also sampled the savoury finger sandwiches which came with the Garden Tea High Tea Service. The sandwiches were robust, an explosion of flavour.  Even with full bellies we enjoyed the taste and craftsmanship of each delicate sandwich.  It included of:

Blistered Tomato with Crumbled Goat Cheese and Fresh Basil

Picnic Egg Salad with Chives, Radish and Sweet Pickle

Chickpea Hummus with Lightly Curried Carrots, Raisins & Slivered Almonds

Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille

Mango, Cucumber, Mint & Coriander

As you plan events with family and friends in the months ahead, I encourage you to sample the Autumn High Tea Service at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto before the winter comes knocking at your door. The Autumn High Tea Service at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto was gorgeously curated, demonstrated a loving attention to detail, oozed traditional service and gifted us with smiles that we will be sure tell friends and family about for years to come.

http://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/toronto-king-edward

http://sloanetea.com/

https://www.tealeaves.com/

‘The Tea Room’ at the Windsor Arms Hotel

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Since 1927, Tea at the Windsor Arms has been synonymous with elegant, afternoon indulgence. Savour Afternoon Tea or a Twilight Tea service in the French-style lobby tea room, the majestic purple room with its original working fireplace or behind the red velvet drapes in the Russian Red Tea Room.

Lounging in the ambiance of The Windsor Arms Hotel on the last long weekend of the summer, sipping tea and nibbling haute couture savoury and sweet treats was pure perfection.

Peruse a selection of teas from Russian Caravan to Sencha.  My tea of choice was Earl Grey with Blue Flowers (Organic Lavender Flowers).

The Earl Grey with Blue Flowers (Organic Lavender Flowers) was rich and creamy.  The vintage tea pot that came steeping hot to the table was elegant, pristine and ached a provincial pride.  We appreciated the tea strainer in its old world stainless steel elegance.  Even the cutlery in its polished and pure state had the Windsor Arms delicately emblazoned on both the fork and knife.  It was neatly tucked into a napkin sleeve whispering ooh’s and aah’s from previous guests.

The details were perfect, the mood right and the service gentle, accommodating and honorable.  The stained glass windows was transformative in making us feel like we were tucked away far from the city and perhaps in a country inn enjoying our tea.

The Twilight Tea Menu (from Daily – 5:30pm / 6:00pm) in which we indulged upon included of the following:

A Choice of Loose-Leaf Teas

Fresh Scones with House Made Preserves and Devon Cream

Goat Cheese and Caramelized Shallot Tart

A Presentation of Fresh Sandwiches:

Potato Blinis with Smoked Salmon Rosette

Pinwheel Egg Salad

Croque Monsieur

Vegetarian with Sundried Tomato Paste and Dill Cream Cheese

Windsor Arms Petit Fours

A snapshot of each delicacy unfolded in good measure.

The Fresh Scones with House Made Preserves and Devon Cream were buttery, flakey and all promise.  They demanded quiet moments after being softly smothered with jam.

The Goat Cheese and Caramelized Shallot Tart was savoury, robust and took us further down the garden path towards ecstasy.

The Potato Blinis with Smoked Salmon Rosette were romantic, smooth and were eaten in one bite.

The Pinwheel Egg Salad was light, airy and was certainly not your mum’s Egg Salad.  It stood alone from its other counterparts and satiated us instantly.

The Croque Monsieur, gorgeously named was beyond a simple ham and cheese sandwich.  It was warm, crunchy and luxe without being overpowering.

For an afternoon affair or an evening wind down – the Afternoon Tea or the Twilight Tea service at the Windsor Arms Hotel is a wonderful alternative to a girl’s day out, a quiet retreat away from work or just a self care few hours for one self.

Also, with TIFF around the corner, make your reservation to catch the who’s who of the film world’s elite wining, dining and looking elegant at the Windsor Arms Hotel in the weeks ahead.

http://www.windsorarmshotel.com/