I think that everyone has a bucket list of things they would like to do or see in life. I have a London bucket list, and for quite a few years now, afternoon tea at Sketch has been on that list. I've seen it reviewed, and it comes across as quirky and a little bit different, plus a bathroom visit it a must as it has the unique pods that many a person has taken a selfie in. I'd actually enjoy going to more afternoon tea experiences, but I don't have many people to go with as the bloke doesn't care for them. It's also sometimes a hassle with dietary requirements for us as we both dislike most sauce/mayonnaise in sandwiches. As it is my birthday on Monday, I justified a trip to Sketch Gallery for afternoon tea this afternoon.
Sketch is located on Conduit Street (number 9) in Mayfair, just off Regent Street. It has been open since 2003 and was voted 18th best restaurant in 2005 and has two Michelin stars in 2012. The room for afternoon tea is called the Pink Room as it's dressed completely in pink. The chairs are pink, and the walls are pink, and the bar is a bronze-pink. The room was designed by artist David Shrigley. If you recognise the name, you may remember that he was responsible for the giant "thumbs up" sculpture "Really Good" that was on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth a few years ago. Shrigley created all of the artwork on the walls and the designs of the plates/dishware.
The menu was a step-by-step guide of the afternoon tea, complete with nice vintage illustrations to accompany each stage of the afternoon tea experience at Sketch, which is a little bit different than what other venues do. As for the tea selection, there were three or four pages of the teas alone to choose from, and visitors could choose a different tea to try. I had the Darjeeling, followed by a Romance blend (pink fruity tea), then Ceylon and Rose. I didn't care for the blend, and I normally prefer Darjeeling, but I would have to say that my favourite was Ceylon & Rose this time.
The first stage was champagne, which was an optional stage. As Monday is my birthday, I opted for champagne.
First up was the caviar man and egg with soldiers. The egg was actually a creamy cheese with a little bit of egg yolk, cheesey bread slices, and caviar.
After the eggs and soldiers and caviar, our afternoon tea was served with a selection of savouries and sweets. The savouries were all a little unique in offering with truffle and egg, foie gras tart, asparagus and cucumber, and salmon. They were presented well. I didn't actually care for any of the savouries; none really stood out to me and all tasted a little too strong. We also received a couple of extra items, such as one dry and flavourless cake with guacamole on top and a spinach samosa, which was a little too greasy.
The sweets were "hit or miss" with me. From the top, we had the raspberry and rhubarb cheesecake and a Malabar Marshmallow (bubblegum flavour). I enjoyed the raspberry/rhubarb sauces, but I dislike cheesecake so was never going to appreciate this item. Alternatively, I loved the marshmallow.
On the middle tier, we had a lemon tart, hazelnut and praline choux, and rose and lychee macaroon. I thought that the lemon tart would be my favourite, but it was my least favourite item. I thought the choux and macaroon were delicious. I think my favourite was the macaroon, served with an edible rose petal on top.
The dishware included Shringley's designs, which was pretty simple with text. The little milk dish said "dreams", and the bottom of the teacup said "forget about it", encouraging a relaxing time.
The sugar pot included the simple word "food".
After we finished the savouries and sweets, we had the scones. The scones came out warm with clotted cream and a small pot of blueberry/blackberry/Earl Grey jam and strawberry jam. The scones were a little dry, and we would have appreciated more jam as there was not really enough.
Our final course was one last cake, a Victoria Sponge. The Victoria Sponge was a little lighter and less sugary, and it was made with a large amount of cream and not much jam. I personally prefer it to be a little sweeter with more jam instead of being cream-heavy, but the cake itself was light.
And, since it was my birthday, I received a little birthday message that came with a slice of coffee cake.
If visiting Sketch Gallery, a trip to the toilet is a must. The toilets are little pods in a room above a small domed bar. The toilet room is very colourful and unique with these little pods. These are perfect for selfies and to make Instagram photos.
On the way out, I snapped a photograph of the hopscotch game in the entrance/exit area.
Overall, Sketch afternoon tea was a unique experience to enjoy in the quirky surroundings. It's not my favourite afternoon tea in London, and I think you're really paying for the quirky experience over the quality/taste of the food. I probably would not go again, but I am happy to have experienced it once.
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