FOOD REVIEW
HIGH TIME
Joanne Barrett takes in the delights of Rockliffe Hall’s new High Tea.
W
e all know our area is full of
dining out gems, that much is
certain.
But when you’re cocooned in the cool
tones of The Orangery at the splendid
Rockliffe Hall, you are very much aware that
this jewel shines as bright as the best of them.
The occasion?
The 4AA Rosette restaurant, under the
leadership of executive chef Richard Allen,
has just launched a very indulgent treat.
High Tea.
And, put very simply, it looks as good as it
sounds - and it tastes as good too.
On the menu are sweet and savoury treats
inspired by the dishes Richard creates for his
à la carte diners, perfect for any discerning
palate and a little glimpse of the quality that
comes from the kitchen at Rockliffe.
It promises a modern take on the
traditional favourite - and that’s exactly what
it offers.
So, what was it like? In a word or two,
different and delicious.
We were shown to our table in the light
and airy restaurant by friendly staff who
poured us glasses of chilled water whilst we
had chance to go through the drinks offering.
There’s a full and varied tea and coffee
menu - you can have a glass of Champagne if
you wish but we chose to stick to the alcohol-
free path.
There are 10 delicious teas to choose from
including Afternoon Darjeeling, Organic
Camomile and Earl Grey - and nine options
on the coffee selection, from Café Latte to
Espresso Macchiato. Being a trio of varied
tastes, we opted for a hot chocolate, a
lemon and ginger tea and a good old pot of
breakfast brew.
Our drinks arrived promptly in unfussy
cups and saucers and, after being advised
to let the tea infuse for a moment or two,
were poured and enjoyed - the fresh lemon
and ginger concoction swirling through the
strainer was especially refreshing.
So, on to the food. Don’t expect tiers of
sandwiches and cream scones - you can
enjoy a traditional afternoon tea at Rockliffe’s
Clubhouse, which is continuing to serve its
menu on weekday afternoons.
High Tea is intended to be something a
little bit different.
Tea's up - The Orangery
plays host to Rockliffe's
High Tea offering.
The culinary team take their inspiration
from the produce available in the Rockliffe
kitchen garden and it is lovely to see those
unique touches on this menu.
Starting with the savoury option, we were
served Duck Egg Mayonnaise open-faced
sandwiches topped with cured Cumbrian
ham, warm Whitby crab and Wensleydale
cheese tarts with garden chard and
delightful mini Wagyu beef burgers, which
came in a caramelised onion brioche bun
topped with Yorkshire relish.
The range of tastes and textures was
lovely. The open sandwich got my vote - it
was delicate and full of flavour - but my
two fellow diners gave their plaudits to the
Wagyu beef. Delicious, perfectly cooked and
definitely taste-the-difference.
Sweet treats usually take the biscuit at
afternoon tea and, pun notwithstanding,
they did.
On the High Tea menu was a chocolate
éclair with salted caramel and gold leaf, a
delicate slice of pistachio and olive oil cake
with Seville orange frosting plus Matcha
tea and a round raspberry shortbread with
Rockliffe estate honey and candied lemon.
Where to start? All were delicious and well
presented, especially the shortbread which
was light and melt in the mouth and topped
by carefully placed delicious fruits.
Again, our favourites were split. Two of us
went for the beautifully presented shortbread
but top of my class was the cake, which
was light and bursting with the flavours it
advertised.
All in all, a very pleasant experience that
offers something a little bit different on the
afternoon tea scene, all wrapped up in the
wonderful setting that Rockliffe offers.
Venue - Rockliffe Hall Hotel.
The Orangery High Tea is available every day between 1pm and 3pm, £35 per person.
The Champagne Tea option is £49 per person and includes a glass of Perrier-Jouet
Grand Brut. To book call 01325 729999 or visit rockliffehall.com
tees-life.co.uk
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