And so, here is the next chapter of my quest to find some of the best (if not the best) afternoon tea in Dublin. This particular experience was the handiest so far in terms of accessibility. It was at Bon Appetit in Malahide, North County Dublin, a lot closer to home for me than the other spots that have featured here so far. Despite the ease of access, the location will not provide Bon Appetit with an advantage, as I don’t mind travelling far and wide to find the crème de la crème of afternoon tea! And I’m just being my usual dramatic self. The city isn’t too far away for me…it’s just nice sometimes to have a easier option if the mood strikes.
So anyway, Bon Appetit.
I booked a table for afternoon tea to celebrate my sister’s outstanding exam results in the Leaving Cert (if you’re not Irish – it’s a pretty big exam here that determines if you enter university, based on a points system) I wanted to take her out and spoil her and create a memory, as opposed to just flinging cash in a card. We arrived at Jame’s Terrace near Malahide’s marina for our half two sitting. Jame’s Terrace is essentially a row of very picturesque Georgian town houses, occupied by other restaurants and businesses. We rang the doorbell outside and were warmly greeted, coats were taken and we were swiftly shown to our seats upstairs. We were in Le Restaurant, the main dining room but there are more dining options at Bon Appetit – La Brasserie and Le Bon Vin. Our table was situated in the corner close to the window where we could look out at the whole restaurant.
Our prosecco was poured and we were brought an amuse bouche to start, which was salmon tartar and fish eggs on toast. The amuse bouche was delicious, as well as being dinky and cute, of course.
Soon our sandwiches, scones, and sweet treats appeared and we were offered tea or coffee. We both ordered cappuccinos that were served in very fancy adorable little cups.
Fivemiletown goats cheese (my favourite goat’scheese!) with pickled organic beetroot. Tart, creamy and served in a dinky little cup.
Hoi Sin duck wrap with red cabbage. Nice presentation, plenty of duck and a hint of sweetness from the cabbage.
Citrus cured salmon with crème fraîche on melba toast and tandoori chicken breast sandwich. The presentation was lovely and simple. I loved both of these – the chicken was tender and the bread was light and incredibly soft. The smoked salmon was rich in flavour and the crème fraîche was chilled and smooth.
The buttermilk and fruit scones were served with blackberry jam, apple jam, and clotted cream. The fruit scones were very heavy on the fruit..I picked out a few raisins as did Sarah and we found them more enjoyable that way. We then each had a slice of lemon and poppy seed cake which was truly delicious.
Our sweet treats were carrot cake (the best I have ever had!) passionfruit meringue, pistachio macarons and vanilla and coconut macarons. After the delicious carrot cake and one of the macarons, things were getting a bit too sugary for me. The desserts were excellent and I tried some of them all but would have personally preferred something with chocolate included or panna cotta. A meringue and two macarons each were a little bit too pure sugar for me. That’s just because I love chocolate so much though!
We stayed at Bon Appetit for just over two hours, all the while incredibly relaxed. We felt in no way rushed by the staff during our time there, and we both had a second cappuccino each which we weren’t charged for.
Before we went to Bon Appetit I didn’t know what to expect as I had never been but I liked it instantly, even before the food arrived! I liked the bright spacious room and the large tall windows of Le Restaurant. The chandeliers, crisp linen, soothing music (without sending you to sleep) and the well dressed and efficient waiting staff all added to the experience. Le Restaurant is classic; similar to the Lord Mayors lounge where they serve afternoon tea at the Shelbourne Hotel. My sister, friends and I like afternoon tea in both classic and modern establishments, where as my Mother would favour a classic drawing room. This is why I love these types of rooms; I find they have longevity when it come to varying age groups, so they really are perfect for afternoon tea.
Afternoon tea at Bon Appetit is worth experiencing for the food, attention to detail and atmosphere.
For more information, click here for the Bon Appetit website.
Afternoon tea is €25.00 per person; €32 per person with prosecco, €36 per person with champagne.
For more of my afternoon tea reviews, click here.
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