Fashion Tea for Three

In amidst last weekend’s shows, parties and hangovers, I managed to squeeze in a quick little rendez-vous with my mother and sister, who were in London to see Gareth Gates play Joseph in the west end (my sister really likes crap English celebrities). The only time that we could agree on was 3pm on Saturday so we decided to go for afternoon tea. I suggested The Mandeville in Marylebone because I'd had a lovely, champagne-filled time when I brought my other The Portmanteau half there for her birthday last June and because I am a sucker for gimmicks like their fashion-themed tea. It’s exactly like a regular afternoon tea but the china is designed by Zandra Rhodes; little pink plates and delicate cups and saucers. They also do a Men’s afternoon tea – the sandwiches are slightly chunkier and the crockery is blue. At first, my mum and sister balked at the £22.50 per person price but they mellowed when the stand filled with tiny sandwiches and dainty cakes arrived at our table. Even my sister, who had declared that she wasn’t hungry and didn’t like the stupid plates, had to concede that the lemon tarts and pink meringues were among the best she had ever tasted.