Dining Out Boston

In August of this past summer I visited a good college friend who had recently relocated to London. Among the many wonderful excursions she took me on was High Tea, an elegant, very girly affair conducted in the salon of a swanky hotel.

Since then I've tried to recreate the experience in my own home, but of course, it's just not as good because I just don't have the knack for making dozens of mini watercress, egg, and salmon sandwiches. Or, for that matter, cute, tiny cakes. So, when my old roommate Feng suggested we gather for High Tea at the Boston Harbor Hotel I was eager to see if its version was anything close to the authentic English experience.

Well, it wasn't the same, but it was very good, and certainly better than what I was serving at home. (Shocking, I know.) For $17 you have your choice of black, blended, green, or herbal teas, all served in individual pots equipped with their own strainers, and an array of bite-sized sandwiches, scones, and desserts.

I debated between tried-and-true English Breakfast and "Margaret's Hope", a fine Indian tea. Eventually I selected the latter, a good choice as its delicate flavor proved to be a better complement to the food. In England, tea fare is usually served in courses: scones with jam and clotted cream first, then sandwiches, and finally cookies and desserts. At the Boston Harbor Hotel all are brought out at once on a three-tiered platter, which holds exactly one of each dainty for each member of your party. For me and my friends, this roughly equated to one chocolate flake scone, cinnamon raisin scone, salmon & cucumber sandwich, egg creme sandwhich, crab salad sandwich, blueberry cream tart, pear pie slice, coffee cake, apricot soufflee, and chocolate-covered strawberry per person. Incredible variety but not overwhelming portions because everything is just slightly bigger than a quarter.

The Harbor Hotel decorates its tables for High Tea with several gracefully strewn handfuls of rose petals, which I proceeded to unconsciously not-so-graciously shred all over my place sitting during a heated Oscar debate. The server kindly ignored my mess when he brought me more hot water.

The only thing thicker than the clotted cream at High Tea is the amount of estrogren streaming about from one table of women to the next, so it's probably best to leave the men at home. For the similar reasons, I can't think of a better setting for a bridal shower/Mother's Day/grandma birthday gathering. And, if for some reason, the tea just ain't cutting it, you can add a glass of champagne to the whole affair for just eight dollars more.

The Info
Boston Harbor Hotel
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston
www.bhh.com