Two at Tea: 2015

We drove a long way from our Delray home to have tea at the Biltmore in Coral Gables. But even the ride through the Coral Gables neighborhood was enjoyable. The homes were affluent “Old Florida,” and we passed two stately churches on our drive. It was exciting to catch our first glimpse of the Biltmore Tower spire as we approached by car, and after we parked, the view was magnificent walking up the hill to the front entrance.

The Biltmore’s external facade was gorgeous. There was everything you would expect from an opulent old historic hotel. The expansive entrance led into an airy high-ceilinged lobby. Huge marble columns extended up to the ceiling which was accented with arching gold support beams. The interior of the ceiling arches was painted blue and dotted with small, golden stars. Large marble tiles covered the floor. The tea area was off to one side of the lobby with elegantly arranged tables already set with water and China. A huge gold harp sat at one end, and soon a lady in an elegant black dress came, sat down, and begin playing. The music filled the entire area with peaceful, floating rhythms. We arrived early, so rather than getting seated, we wandered about the hotel. We enjoyed looking outside at the beautiful grounds and tables that dotted the back patio. Overlooking the side balcony was an enormous blue, shimmering pool. We went back inside and took an antique wooden elevator all the way up to the 10th floor where we wandered halls carpeted with oriental rugs and looked at the old historic photographs framed in gold that lined the walls.

When it was time for our 2:30 reservation, we went back downstairs and were immediately seated. The waitresses came with menus and we selected our teas. I chose a spicy chai, that they suggested would taste best with cream and sugar, and they were right. Michelle selected an English breakfast tea. The tea arrived quickly, each in its own individual, little teapot. Immediately following that, they brought a three-tiered tray of food. Michelle had noticed all of the food trays lined up on a cart in the back. This was nice in that we didn't have any wait, but we wondered if the food would be fresh and warm.

The bottom tray held savory scones, a salmon cupcake dish, and a couple of other delicacies. We started with that tray. The first item we tried was a sweet cornbread cupcake topped with smoked salmon and caviar. That was utterly delicious. Next we sampled the deviled egg. Michelle did not like the taste of hers. So I tried mine. We agreed that something must have been wrong with the egg. It had a bad flavor and actually left an oily, slimy taste in your mouth. We called over the waitress and brought this gently to her attention. She apologized and brought us each another of the salmon cupcakes. Yum. After the salmon, we tried a piece of bread with dried fruit. It had an element of sweetness, but not quite sweet enough to be called a cake. It was tasty. Next, there was what looked like a scone, but seem to have some herbs and pepper in it. Never mind, we still covered it with clotted cream and jam. Although we would have preferred it warm, we still enjoyed it.

After finishing up the bottom tray we moved onto tier two, which was mostly finger sandwiches. The first item we had was a delicate little finger sandwich with cream cheese, cucumber, and dotted with a small cherry tomato. That was delicious and tasted light and fresh. Next there was a small finger sandwich with turkey, guava preserves, and cream cheese on white bread. That was okay, but the top crust of the bread felt dry and a little stale. We could tell it had been prepared earlier and sat out for a while. We did not finish that item. Next, we each tried a tasty little cheese roll which was stuffed with bread, other cheeses, and olives. We drank our tea throughout, which complemented the food nicely. Our waitresses came by and refilled our pots with hot water.

Finally, we were ready for the top tier of desserts. We started with a little puff that looked like a mini cake with a dollop of whipped cream and a little square of chocolate. When you bit into the cake, you learned that it was filled with a creamy chocolate pudding. This was absolutely delicious. Next, we bit into the small little chocolate looking squares which turned out to be tiramisu with coffee flavored cream and a little golden coffee bean on top. I found this treat to be delicious. The coffee and chocolate flavors were wonderful together, but as Michelle isn’t fond of the coffee flavor, this dessert wasn’t among her favorites. Then, we moved onto the top tier scone, which appeared to be a sweeter version of the first and was dusted with confectioner’s sugar. This meant more clotted cream and preserves were in order and we applied them liberally. The last item was a small fruit tart which, was beautiful and delicious. We really devoured almost all of the food on our tray. And, we were stuffed when we left. We were glad we had asked the waitress to take our picture before we started eating.

It had been a long, leisurely lunch, and we’d lingered over conversation and tea for quite a while. Overall, this was an absolutely enjoyable experience. When you think about making a reservation for an afternoon high tea, you’re thinking of an extraordinary experience. There are so many places to have lunch or dinner. High tea has the connotation of elegance and sophistication. The Biltmore had this in spades. There were so many wedding parties passing by, I lost count of how many brides and beautiful bridesmaid’s dresses that we saw along with lovely bouquets of flowers, and elegantly dressed couples. It felt very much like the setting you imagine as a girl playing with a dress up tea party. The setting, atmosphere, and food all made for a full and lavish experience.

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Our Tea at the Chesterfield was enjoyable, starting with the trip there. Just crossing the bridge over the Intracoastal onto the island of Palm Beach felt like a vacation. We immediately started chatting about how lucky we feel to live in this paradise of warm breezes, blue sky's, and palm trees. The picturesque village didn't disappoint, with its lovely old-Florida charm and tree lined streets. We thought we’d have difficulty finding parking, but we were actually able to find street parking just down from the hotel- and for free!

We wandered into the historic hotel through a garden seating area and entered the large, airy lobby. There we were greeted by a concierge who called someone down to receive us and walk us to our table. We were seated in the Library, which looked exactly how you might imagine a small library in an Old Florida mansion to look. When we entered, we were the only guests in the room, and that gave us some time to inspect our surroundings. The walls were lined with antique books, the room full of large, over-stuffed leather chairs, and pictures of old hunting scenes adorned the walls. I couldn't resist picking up some of the books and thumbing through the pages. There was even a large magazine selection. The environment was surprisingly unpretentious.

Once we were comfortably seated, our waitress provided us with menus and descriptions of some of the items. We both ordered the High Tea for $28, and I started with the White Tea and Michele had the Decaf. English Breakfast. They brought out our beautiful tiered tray in short order. It was full of the usual selection of finger sandwiches: cucumber, tomato and cheese, chicken, as well as salmon. When the waitress brought our tray, she told us that the scones were baking and would be out in exactly 17 minutes. They would be served hot and fresh out of the oven! We had to be careful not to eat too much after that news. When the scones were brought out they were wonderful, definitely the highlight of our visit. They were warm, soft, fragrant, and delicious! After indulging in so much clotted cream and jam, we almost didn't need desert… but we didn't let that stop us! The desert tray was filled with brownies, pastries, and a fruit tart. All were equally cute and tasty. We were in no hurry to leave, but alas, we were all done. On our way out we asked for the mandatory photo opp, and before heading home, we took a stroll around the block. The Afternoon Tea at The Chesterfield Palm Beach made a delightful outing.