we blinked as we re-entered the sunny sunday. we’d been hiding out in the dim cavern that is the london BMI IMAX cinema, wearing dark glasses, stretching our hands out towards the floating cheshire cat. “alice in wonderland”, in 3D, was a rollicking rollercoaster ride — in spite of the curious bit of freaky styley dancing at the end — but after a couple of contraband movie snacks, we were ready for the main event.
a short way across town, upstairs at fortnum and mason, there is a restaurant called, the parlour. it’s a decadent ice cream shoppe straight out of the 50s with a baroque (rococo?) sensibility. there they will serve you a sandwich, or a salad, and you will order one or the other — or both — and it will be a competent affair. however, you will know that it is only a little something to prepare your stomach for what is to follow.
what followed, for me, was a “lazy sundae afternoon”, which entailed
strawberries and 12 year old balsamic vinegar, vanilla bean and frosted strawberry and shortbread ice creams blended with strawberry coulis, crushed meringues, whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
it certainly made an impact as it arrived at the table, served in an enormous pink goblet of heavy cut glass. such fun! all those bits of crumbly meringue! multiple biscuits! a veritable cloud of whipped cream! the taste of strawberries through everything was quite lovely, but perhaps in the end, the overall impression was just that it was… nice.
which is not a bad thing, certainly, and i did not complain as i ate the lot. but i think the ice cream could have been better: more luscious, a little less frosty in parts.
more, in fact, like the coupe we had at afternoon tea not quite a week later and just a couple of blocks down, at the wolseley. i wish i had a picture to show you, but their no-photo policy is stark on the front page of their menu. you will just have to believe me when i tell you that the combination of crushed meringue, lemon curd and lemon yoghurt ice cream, whipped cream and flaked almonds makes for a very luscious sundae indeed. i think of it still, with a sigh, this pale yellow beauty in a frosty silver bowl.
aside from the lemon meringue coupe, we also had a perfunctory round of afternoon tea (a three-tiered tray to share between four) and a slice of treacle tart, which was light and lemony, and possessed none of the sickly sweetness that you might expect. the pastry was just perfect, and the filling, pleasantly sticky, well, that was perfect too. my mother — quite out of character — must have had four, if not five, mouthfuls of it, and i feared i might have to stab her with my fork to get her to stop.
such blissful eating amidst the bustle — a constant stream of tea-takers swarmed through the restaurant, but the waitress never hurried us along. for a moment, this little stretch of banquette seating under the high ceilings and marble pillars, it felt like home.
7 Comments
oh gawd why did i read this before lunch nawww now i want an icecream sundae instead of a pie. though i am sure i can do both oh yes. oddly i feel like eating those neon pink wafer biscuits now.
May I just say that I’m suddenly craving this frozen concoction? Summer’s been just plain horrid in this part of the world and we’re all in need of something sweet, cold, creamy, and utterly decadent. (Oh, and that lemon meringue coupe ~ !)
it felt like home because of all the chinoiserie. YEAH!!! the wolseley, symbolic home to chinese girls everywhere.
You have made me want to get out more. What pretty glass for yummy looking food
suze: i hope you managed to sneak in a sundae. all this reminiscing made me go to mcdonald’s later in the day for a caramel sundae. not as good. 🙁
midge: totally the lemon meringue coupe over the strawberry one! we’re heading into winter and i would still gladly have one. wishful thinking…
nellicent! if only it were your (my) local chinese!
pixelhazard: yes, going out has its plusses. on the other hand, you could procure yourself one of these glasses, and never have to go out again. 😉 (iittala, i’ve been told)
shouldve read that BEFORE i went to london. how fabulous is the pink cup? whats your favourite tea by the way, ive got some from alices i can send you x
yes! wonderful goblet. i was wondering how to slip it into my lap and out the door. 😉
i must admit, i like normal tea. dilmah first up, and then when i buy fancy tea i tend towards assam, and ceylonese. plus i like green tea, jasmin, and mint. and a proper chai. i have a feeling i’m completely the opposite as you! you tend towards earl grey and rooibos, no?