Lisa Higginson
Afternoon tea seems to be having a re-birth in Manchester - just like cocktail hour did a few years ago and much the same as denim jackets are expected to this season. Not only has the culinary custom made a comeback, but it has also become cool and in many of the cityâs swish bars it is now as trendy to order a cup of Earl Grey and a tower of cake as it is a Cosmopolitan. So it was no surprise to hear that the stylish Radisson Edwardian Hotel had introduced an afternoon tea offering itself.
Housed within the former Free Trade Hall, the illustrious hotel is as stylish as they come yet its foundations form part of Manchesterâs great heritage, which makes any visit here somewhat special. Behind the buildingâs historic façade is the chic Opus One bar and restaurant where low lighting, scarlet furnishings and oriental artwork creates an atmospheric hangout. The afternoon tea, however, is served in the brighter, glass-fronted Colonnade area that boasts exposed stonework and huge windows.
From the hotelâs three choices of Traditional afternoon tea (£14.95pp), Celebration afternoon tea (£23.95pp) and Edwardian cream tea (£7.50pp) we chose to celebrate! This option includes a glass of Mercier Brut or Rose Champagne to add a bit of bling to your experience. Our two flutes of the soft, fruity Rose arrived with a sweet strawberry perched on the rim and went down deliciously while we waited for our food and watched the people of Peter Street go by.
A charming silver cake stand soon graced the centre of our white linen-covered table. Neatly cut sandwiches occupied the bottom tier, warm scones with pots of clotted cream and jam sat on the second while the top plate showcased a selection of sweet treats. The impressive culinary array even turned the heads of passers-by outside, who looked on enviously as we began to tuck in. Pots of English Breakfast leaf tea and Assam leaf tea were then delivered after the attentive waiter made sure our Champagne glasses were empty.
Traditional fillings of egg mayonnaise, ham and mustard, smoked salmon and cream cheese and chicken made up the sandwiches, which were suitably pleasant. With the savouries out of the way, we moved onto the scones â two were traditional fruit and two were orange flavoured. Served warm alongside lashings of clotted cream and fine jam, the scones had the unmistakeable homemade qualities of a slightly crisp exterior and a dense, but not doughy, texture. The orange variety, flavoured with flecks of the fruitâs zest, was exceptionally good.
On the top tier of the cake stand chocolate éclairs, slices of lemon drizzle cake, chocolate brownies and delicate tarts sat proudly. First to be tackled with my fingers was the éclair; an expertly made light pocket of pastry filled with fresh cream. The strawberry tart was highly praised too although the coconut tart, which was filled with custard crème, was a little soggy and lacking in flavour. While we had every intention of cleaning up all the cakes, we had to admit defeat halfway through but they were too good to waste. Luckily we were saved from stuffing the remaining fancies into our handbags as the waiter kindly offered to parcel them up for us to take home and the moist, rich brownie and zingy lemon cake were enjoyed there.
The Radisson has customised the culinary institution of afternoon tea superbly and given it a suave, modern edge that is definitely on trend. Sipping tea and eating cake has never been so cool!
Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5GP
T: 0161 835 9929
W: www.radissonedwardian.com