Elise
User's reviews
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The Potted Geranium
My review is solely based on the Duchess of Bedford afternoon tea. My mother had the chicken salad (The Magnolia) and liked her meal, but I felt the afternoon tea was overpriced for what you are served and the tea sandwiches were not good. I have a tea business near Athens and have been to several tea parlors and had tea in England, so I know what afternoon tea is and what it costs. The good: the scones were excellent, moist enough without being crumbly and just the right sweetness. The salad was good. The building is beautiful, but I thought it lacked atmosphere.The china is nice, as is the table setting. I didn't feel warm and welcomed, maybe because we had a child with us and I got the idea they don't like kids, even though afternoon tea is old hat for my daughter. Our server was very pleasant and personable. The bad: The quiche was loaded with onions, as was the ham and swiss sandwich, the chicken salad sandwich (that had a bizarre flavor that I couldn't identify and also gave the chicken salad a yellowish tint.The finger sandwich chicken salad was not the same as the menu chicken salad). Everything had such a strong onion flavor that I couldn't eat it. If you love onions, you might like it, but I have never had so many onions in tea foods at any other place before. The chilled mango soup was okay, but after a few bites it tasted like a slightly bitter Orange Julius. The tea selection is average. I had the rose tea and felt the rose flavoring was a little too strong, but that is a matter of preference. You are given a pot of tea with a cozy. There is no presentation of the tea or the tea foods. Usually, you get a brief description of what you are being served. The tea foods look appealing, the open face sandwiches are pretty and the sweets look cute, especially the tea pot cookie with a heart cut out, but I felt the flavors on the quiche and sandwiches left something to be desired. The owner is not as pleasant as her staff and a little authoritarian with her phone rules. I don't have a problem with no phones allowed, but I thought it could be broached a little more politely (I wasn't on my phone when I came in). It felt like you were being greeted by Marian the Librarian. I think the Duchess of Bedford should be priced at $25 and the The Victorian Lady at $20. I also though $16 was a bit pricey for the light lunches. I think $13 to $14 is a fairer price. I had really looked forward to having tea there and we drove 50 miles just to eat there, but the unwelcoming atmosphere and not enjoying my food made me regret going there instead of another tea house. I won't be returning.