Well, this is a first, a repeat post just six months later. Think what you will of the monarchy, there is only one way to commemorate a coronation in New York City, and that’s at Tea and Sympathy in the West Village. Serving High Tea at any time of day, the difference is this time, we added a glass of champagne. A toast to the new King in England (something I will keep thoughts on the need for out of this food blogging post).
So a couple of other minor differences this time is the only reason I would re-write about this spot. Other than, to be honest, placing the absolute cutest little picture of Bailey with a cutout of Charles. One, in the right-hand corner of this picture below, you can see a basket of “chips” and in the forefront a ramekin of curry. I must highlight this. If you think fries are meant to be thin, greasy and salty sticks, you are seriously missing out on what the joy in a side of fries is. In European countries, rarely are they frozen and consisting of, well, who knows what.
They’re made from actual potatoes, cut thick, and just lightly fried. The ratio of skin to the potato is not 1:1 but more like 1:5. Fries should taste like the food they come from, not like your daily calories’ worth of oil. That’s what you get at Tea and Sympathy and what I would recommend is a must when having some delightful finger sandwiches. One light and the other heavier, you’re guaranteed to be full. Dipped of course in the curry. Thick, sweet, and significantly less spicy than the Indian curries that come in traditional dishes, this is a welcome ketchup substitute. Still so flavorful, even without all of the spices, and perfect for something as plain as a potato to shine. I even dipped even some of the finger sandwiches in it for a kick, it’s such a great sauce and thankfully sold by the bottle in the shoppe next door. I’ll note as well, ketchup in the UK, or anywhere in Europe, is already going to taste different because of the lack of preservatives and fake ingredients, so having a side of chips even with ketchup is different. But our overly processed mass food production is also another topic I will leave off this blog…
Of course, what better to go with a side of fries/chips than a sandwich? As last time, the finger sandwiches served with the high tea are delectable. Clockwise from the front, there’s egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, and cucumber and cream cheese. These could not be easier to make at home (I have a feeling the filling for the salad ones are also store-bought), it’s crazy we do not treat ourselves to this sit-down style of an afternoon treat more often. Of course you just need the right bread. For my favorite bread for an afternoon sandwich, check out Mina’s easy to make Cornmeal Bread. I loved the cucumber and cream cheese the most on this day, but could have snacked on all of them endlessly. Nothing new here, just consistent bite-size delights.
The same goes for the dessert and scones. The key word though is consistent. This time around, not distracted by the novelty, I realized everything was the exact same as last time. Almost too much so the exact same.
It’s this realization that makes me think, these are not the house made $100 high-tea nom’s that I was thinking. These are mass-purchased and cut up in house, desserts and scones. As beautiful as the teacups and saucers are, this is a terrible realization. I’m wondering if they are at some point frozen and brought to the cafe, which has a kitchen that is surely too small for enough hot ovens to make these fresh, multiple times a day. I hope at least some of the cakes are made in a kitchen from which they are brought specifically to Tea and Sympathy, rather than a Restaurant Depot type of store. If anything, to feel as special and unique as the experience itself is.
All that said, there are some big hits in the food and some mediocrities that make you question if the cost is worth it. Then I realize, sometimes we don’t need the most authentic makes and bakes to make an experience worthwhile. The ambiance, the location, the company, and the King Charles cutout, makes Tea and Sympathy the only place I would want to eat on Coronation Day (and Bailey people watch).
