Friday, July 16, 2010

The Drake

Chicago, Illinois

Most Impressive Afternoon Tea Guests: Queen Elizabeth, Diana the Princess of Wales, and the Empress of Japan and Best Harp Music


Entrance: The entrance to The Drake is inviting and quaint. You walk through the hall and up the stairway to the Palm Court. We enjoyed afternoon tea the day before Thanksgiving so the entrance to the Palm Court displayed the most grand Christmas tree we have, to this day, ever seen.

Greeting: We were greeted by the host and seated at a lovely table by the fountain.

Service: Our server was polite and reviewed the tea selection with us.

Presentation: The tea service was classic and traditional.

Table decor: The tea pot, cup and saucer and tiered serving trays were refined and proper - most appropriate for the Queen! We loved the tea strainer which we often forgot to place over our cups before pouring more tea.

Aesthetics: The tea room is elegant and spacious. We sat next to the water fountain near the harpist and both elements combined to create a lovely tea experience.

Tea Quality: The tea was delicious and maintained a nice taste even after several refills of hot water.

Tea Variety: The Drake offered 11 black teas, 1 oolong tea, 2 green teas, 1 white tea and 5 herbal teas as well as an array of tea-tinis :)

Food Quality: The food was very good; our favorite was the cucumber sandwich.

Food Quantity: There were 4 sandwiches: roast beef, cucumber, egg salad and asparagus and ham, 2 desserts and scones with lemon curd and English double devon cream.

Food Variety: There was a good variety of food. We were able to enjoy a very leisurely tea with plenty of tasties to last for hours.

Music: The harp music was amazing! The Drake definitely offers the best music for afternoon tea. The harp player was so elegant in her black gown - she was the perfect addition to the tea setting.

Lighting: The lighting was pleasant - not too dim or bright.

Bathroom: The bathroom was another exceptional element of the tea experience. The bathroom contains individual stalls with toilet, sink and mirror, and offer lovely, too-nice-to-throw-away hand towels with the Drake emblem.

Take Aways: The bathroom hand towels! The Drake also has some delightful shops to peruse. In addition to Chanel :), there is a cute little shop with a variety of collectables including elaborate miniature merry-go-rounds, but we must forewarn you - don't pet the dog (There's a minature stuffed dog that Breanne mistakenly petted prior to reading the sign: "Do not pet the dog!")

Extras: Endless hot water refills for your tea.

Price: Average to High

http://www.thedrakehotel.com/dine/palm-court/

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