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f you tire of designer shopping in London’s Knightsbridge there’s nothing better than slipping out of your Manolos for an hour or two and stopping for haute couture afternoon tea at The Berkeley. Taking its inspiration from the themes and colours of the fashion world, Prêt-à-Portea is an afternoon tea quite unlike any other, taking its inspiration from the world’s greatest designers. Every six months the menu is transformed to reflect the season, with the latest collection of cakes featuring a decadent array of the most fashionable fancies in London. After tucking in to a plate of tiny sandwiches and wraps, canapés and savoury skewers, tea-takers can indulge with a Christian Louboutin sparkly high-heeled ginger shoe biscuit with signature red sole, an Alice Temperley apple and panna cotta mousse with Manolo Blahnik high-heel tuille and a Philip Treacy chocolate hat cake with monarch butterfly. Then there’s the Zac Posen chocolate striped Joconde sponge shoe with chestnut bavaroise, a Jimmy Choo high-heeled vanilla boot
biscuit, Paul Smith orange and pink cranberry mousses topped with white chocolate bowler hat, and an Alexander McQueen pale green pistachio dress biscuit complete with tiny silver belt. And so it goes on. Who can resist an Anya Hindmarch cassis sponge tote covered in baby blue icing or a Giambattista Valli raspberry and lychee cremeux dress dusted with red velvet chocolate? And when a Fendi chocolate baguette with praline croquant looks rather lonesome on the cake stand, it seems a shame to leave it there…
Each designer creation is small and perfectly formed, allowing even the most svelte-like to indulge without fear of letting out the waistband. Each designer creation is small and perfectly formed, allowing even the most svelte-like to indulge without fear of letting out the waistband. And with convivial surroundings and a large (and refilled) pot of tea and simply sublime service, you can’t help but indulge to the full. Prêt-à-Portea is served in the Caramel Room daily from 1pm to 6pm and includes a selection of loose-leaf teas and herbal infusions, miniature savoury skewers, taster spoons, canapés and tea sandwiches and of course some of the most stylish cakes in the capital. It’s priced at £36.50, or £46.50 including a glass of champagne.
And should you be unable to tear yourself away from your dressing room, it’s also available for delivery in central London by Vespa, packed to perfection in a handbag-style cake box. Prêt-à-Portea at The Berkeley, Knightsbridge. Tel. +44 (0)20 7201 1619. www.the-berkeley.co.uk.
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