For my daughter’s 7th birthday she asked for a meal out with her family, no joke. She is quite the little grown up, and so we had to start the search for somewhere to ‘dine out’ that was special, affordable AND could tolerate the wriggly nature of her two-year-old sister.
Luckily, Joanne Todd, the head pastry chef at the 5-star The Royal Horseguards hotel had it all sorted. In the spirit of tea at the Ritz, the hotel this summer launched their Mini-tea. In the courtyard of their sumptuous Guoman’s restaurant, laid out with starched white table cloths, fine china and sparkly silverware, we embarked on a full high tea experience.
Fit for a princess
After the waiter fussed over the birthday girl making sure her tea was just right, a tall cake stand arrived with a stack of brightly coloured, decorated cakes that Willy Wonka himself would have been proud of.
Sparkly fairy cakes, traffic light kebabs, mini chocolate dinosaurs and a letter block cake proudly announcing my daughter’s new age held the children’s gaze. There were even a few healthy sandwiches to help counteract some of the sugar.
But best of all, though faces, hands and dresses were soon smeared in chocolate not an eyebrow was raised. This tea date was all about the kids, and honestly, they loved it.
Facts
The Mini-tea is available at Guoman’s The Royal Horseguards for £12 per child, £70 for a family of four (two adults and two children) or £38 for one parent and one child*, for more information visit guoman.com/mini-tea
