Afternoon Tea at the Four Seasons

Afternoon tea is a Mother's Day tradition in my family. Over the years, I have taken my mum to most of the afternoon tea purveyors in Sydney, and Mode Kitchen at the Four Seasons stands out for its beautiful, romantic atmosphere. 

Situated on the second floor complete with a harpist and directly across a wall of beautiful ceramic ware, the afternoon tea set up is at once private (because you're not looking directly at any other table) yet on display (comme Marie Antoinette) because you are seated right above the hotel foyer. 

The tea selection is small, but curated; and ceremoniously brought to the table for selection. The purveyor is Jing Tea. I highly recommend the Flowering Osmanthus, which is a green tea with osmanthus flower, giving the tea a subtle yet warm sweetness. 

Unlike most afternoon teas, the savoury layer is in the middle tier, rather than the bottom tier. From left to right, we have a lemon stracciatella and broccolini vol au vent with caviar (at an additional cost). The salty burst of the caviar works beautifully with the freshness of the other ingredients, and the vul au vent base is just as this often poorly-executed pastry should be: paper thin, light, buttery. 

Then we have a leeks and gruyere tart, which is richly flavoured and saltily satisfying. The ocean trout tartare and burnt onion encased in hollowed out cucumber has a lovely depth of flavour - the ocean trout is perfectly seasoned and slightly sweet due to the onion - to be contrasted by the fresh and crisp cucumber. 

The eggs and truffle sanfwich is the only sandwich served during this afternoon tea, and it is wonderful - everything you want a truffle treat to be. Earthy, yet not overwhelming. 

The sweet treats at Mode Kitchen are gorgeous, and showcases just how much skill the chefs possess. The mini pear is a highlight: not only do they look like tiny William Barlett pears, they perfectly replicate that fragrant sweetness possessed by fresh pears. The valrhona dark chocolate delice is a rich, indulgent chocolate overload, showing off the various ways texture can impact the taste of chocolate. 

The coconut and passion fruit mini pavlova is wonderfully delightful. The rich coconut taste perfectly disguises the egg-white taste some pavlovas suffer from, and the tartness of the passion fruit balances what is otherwise a very sweet mouthful. The tiny little raspberry and chocolate macaroons are perfect little pops of sweetness. The best part? the fact that the fresh respberry on top of the macaroon is filled with a dollop of raspberry jam - what a lovely detail. 

Keeping with the theme of small and delicate, the scones are served swaddled like babies, and instead of the more commonly seen berry jams, they are served with an orange marmalade that perfectly balances the sweetness of the vanilla whipped cream. 

In terms of quantity, the Four Seasons afternoon tea serves less food than other afternoon places. In terms of quality, it is up there with the very best. In terms of atmosphere, it is by far my favourite. 

Score: 5/5
Cost: $69pp for traditional afternoon tea, $89pp with champagne. 
Address: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney. 199 George Street, Sydney NSW
Website: http://modekitchenandbar.com.au/high-tea/