untold blisses

I’m going to tell you a little secret – I am a little drunk right now.  All because of the OXO Tower and their beautiful Not Afternoon Tea.

Last weekend for my birthday, we were at the OXO Tower for lunch, and whilst it was lovely, I had wanted Not Afternoon Tea but it was all booked up.  We did manage to get a table to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary this weekend – everyone knows that the fifth anniversary is wood cake.  Even better than last weekend, we got a table on the terrace and although it was a bit grey, the temperature was perfect.  The above photo was my view.

We decided on their special menu ‘experience’ – for the whole month of September, they will be celebrating the Thames as part of the Totally Thames series of events.  Called Push the Boat Out, our afternoon tea started with the rather odd looking Jellied Eels – champagne, coconut, and lychee jellies.  OMG THIS WAS GORGEOUS.  I could have eaten the champagne jelly all day.  It came with a gin and gooseberry vodka cocktail, stirred with strawberry, Aperol, and OXO Brut Champagne.  This delicious drink sent me giddy immediately, but in my defence, I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch (it was 2pm).  Also in my defence, I am a lightweight.

Next up, the main event – THE CAKE!  Good lord, this was amazing, and look at our adorable chocolate message!  Our waiter (who I think was called Marco) was absolutely perfect and had asked us if we were celebrating anything this weekend so our cakes came out with a lovely touch.  I wish more places would do stuff like this – it really is a very nice and simple thing to do for someone.  I feel guilty for dropping a nut on it.  And then eating it.

Anyway, I chose their Chocolate Bars plate which was:

• White chocolate coconut cherry mousse
• Blond chocolate and butterscotch parfait
• Milk chocolate peanut nougat
• Chocolate raisin hazelnut crisps bar

All of which was amazing but the peanut nougat in particular was heaven.  The cocktail I chose to go along with my cakies was Ice Pop – Absolut raspberry vodka and Cointreau blended with vanilla sugar and lemon juice.  Unsurprisingly, it blew my socks off.

Husband had a Blooming Lovely Plate:

• Elderflower and gooseberry fool
• Lavender macarons, blueberry cream
• Rose, lemon and polenta cake
• Hibiscus and pomegranate jelly

He didn’t let me have any of it.  Mean!  To go with it, he had a Pretty Please cocktail – Green tea and hibiscus liqueur, elderflower and lemon juice charged with HN Prosecco.  He did not get drunk because he is not a lightweight.

And as part of the special menu, we had an adorable treat to take away:

The empty glass explains the terrible photo, but these are cinnamon life rafts and oars to take home.

We didn’t know that they would have this special menu when we booked, and I’m so pleased we ordered it.  We’re going to keep an eye out on their website for any future fun menus and definitely go back.  But perhaps I’ll eat beforehand next time.