Afternoon Tea may seem a predominantly Spring affair, but the indulgence of the festive season gives perfect excuse to treat yourself to an array of sweet and savoury goodies in the spirit of the season. The Courthouse gives perfect setting to this with a quirky combination of servings to satisfy tastebuds.
Having already sampled the core menu of The Courthouse when the restaurant first opened earlier in 2017, our return visit had us eager to try something new. As our visit this time was closer to midday than evening we thought it a perfect excuse to peruse the tea and bites selection.
A range of options are available on the afternoon tea menu, offering choice of either boozy cocktail version or classic tea. We opted for the former and chose two cocktails; Rose?
Sliced Sanwiches
On the savoury front, a selection of sandwiches was arranged across both white and brown bread.
The set menu choices gave us Tuna and Cucumber, Cheese and Pickle, Chicken and Bacon and finally, Ham and Mustard. At our request one of our party amended these to be plain, which the kitchen happily accommodated.
The sandwiches were sliced into neat finger food offerings, with one of each type given to try. All were satisfactorily received and the presentation was simplistic.
Scones and Jam
A plain scone each is given with the Afternoon Tea orders. Slightly crisp on the outer with a spongy soft texture inside, the scone was delectably good, particularly nicely paired with the traditional jam and thick cream accompaniments.
Tea and Tipple
As we opted for the boozier choices; Rose Bubble and Yorkshire G&Tea options, our order didn’t initially come with a classic round of Breakfast Tea. Wanting to have the full range to review, we added this on to our order as an extra, which can be done on any menu choice to suit your preference for a supplement.
The G&Tea was delightfully presented in a clear glass teapot, complete with flavouring leaves. It could have used a strainer to avoid messy consumption but was a generous portion and came complete with darling patterning china teacup.
The Rose Bubble did what it promised, offering a pink glass of fizz alongside the food. A delicate flower add decoration to finish the feminine aesthetics for serving.
For our added on tea, we chose classic English Breakfast which delivered on expectations to add a comforting and refreshing drink to suit our miniature cakes and sandwiches.
Cakes and Desserts
For the final element of food on offer we were presented with a colourful array of dessert treats. A Pistachio Macaron merged lovely flavours of sweet and savoury, giving moreish taste.
Banoffe Desserts and Eclairs gave some moisture to the textures, with glazed finishes atop both. The Eclair offered sweet creamy filling to complement its pastry and chocolate exterior. Similarly, the Banoffee treat gave a soft inside, releasing subtle hints of banana to appease diner’s palettes.
The Carrot Cake was the final treat to try and was prettily displayed with a delicate orange finish to the bulky cake and icing main. Essences of the carrot flavouring came through nicely without overwhelming and the texture of the sponge brought welcome addition to the party to complete this light bite.
The Courthouse Afternoon Menu changes throughout the year with a Christmas edition to look out for. See the Barristers Restaurant for more information.
