Dear Oliver,
If you find yourself traveling to Philadelphia or Dallas - I have a couple curated Afternoon Tea events you might want to try. First, the Rittenhouse in Philadelphia hosts a delicious tea in the stunning Mary Cassatt Tea Room dedicated to the afternoon delights of tea and baked treats. Situated in the centrally located Rittenhouse hotel it boasts… “beautifully prepared leaf teas at its heart, this
Philadelphia tea room celebrates the traditions of the great tea cultures, adding a dash of local flavor and some exquisitely re-imagined elements. The tea selection spans the world, from tisanes of local herbs and flowers to grand black and green teas of Asia.”
At this venue I tried a tea called Genmaicha for the first time and I was delighted with its light rice-infused flavor. As I am a big fan of child-favorite rice cereals and treats of all sorts, this tea proved delicious. A standard Wikipedia definition states, Genmaicha “is a Japanese brown rice green tea consisting of green tea mixed with roasted popped brown rice. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as ‘popcorn tea’ because a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process and resemble popcorn, or as ‘people’s tea’ as the rice served as a filler and reduced the price of the tea.” In addition to Genmaicha, there are about a dozen tea options to pick from.
This Philadelphia venue also accommodated no-nut, gluten-free patrons exceptionally well. Both diners had a full range of options including tea sandwiches and scones. Another big city favorite to try is The French Room at the Adolphus hotel in Dallas, which also accommodated a gluten-free spread at very short notice. This upscale, beautiful location oozes Texas Southern charm with an attentive staff. One thing to note is that the menu changes seasonally and they highlight one tea each time. Recently, it was a Japanese cherry blossom theme featuring green tea. Our diners found it to be quite mild.
Our diners enjoyed a selection of tea sandwiches and the traditional cucumber variety also featured a mint twist. A favorite of the afternoon was the small cheesecake dessert. Of note, diners are all offered a choice of sparkling cider or Champagne upon arrival and to further enhance the experience caviar service is offered as well. The hotel menu reads, “Your champagne wishes and caviar dreams can now come true during our tea service. Add Caviar Service to your experience and enjoy Petrossian Caviar. Its clean and lightly creamy taste is perfect to enjoy on its own or add to our buckwheat blini with crème fraîche and shaved yolk.”
Both Tea Rooms offer a lovely setting for a relaxing afternoon with friends or both locations offer group events as well.
