the collins room - the berkeley

my flatmate (and fellow birthdate buddy) and i, had been researching places all over london for the past couple of months and with such a vast selection to dig through, we finally narrowed it down to one fabulous hotel located in knightsbridge - the berkeley's fashionista's afternoon tea.

prêt-à-portea is their latest and greatest creation. with an assortment of colours and themes inspired by the worlds finest fashion designers. if you're a fashionista then this would be right up your alley. 

after being seated on a luxurious caramel coloured leather chair, we were welcomed with of complimentary glass of laurent perrier bubbles and some brightly coloured green menus awaiting our our perusal. 

leading designers such as jimmy choo, alexandra mcqueen, valentino and my favourite man of fashion at the moment, moschino have all been used to create some mouthwatering cakes, elegant canapés and fancies for your tasting pleasure. 

a selection of tea sandwiches were bought to the table first, followed by a beautifully presented three tier cake plate. 

a vintage tea pot of opulent orange chilli tea was ordered and we were all set to go. all the china here is designed by paul smith, so quality has not been spared. 

we came up with a divided strategy to eat 1-2 savoury then change it up with something sweet. its all about life balances as they say :)

matthew williamson macaroon, moschino 'yellow m' handbag of blood orange and victorian sponge cake, creamy than creamier goats cheese and chutney together with dolce & gabbana's whimsical owl with blackcurrant flavours of the forest and milk chocolate sprinkles are just some of the wonderful creations the berkeley have come up with. 

everything is constantly replenished, so as to be expected, you will no doubt over eat and why not i say, it cant be helped when you are surrounded by suchgoodlooking pieces of food art.

another option is to bundle up the left overs in a cutesy fuchsia cardboard bag to take away with you. just another glamorous touch that the berkeley has to offer. 

top notch service, sophistication and pure elegance. a wonderful way to spend a birthday or any afternoon for that matter. don't forget to take a few snaps in the front foyer before you leave. their flowers are designed by mcqueen's and i believe, are some of the best arrangements around. just gorgeous!

dear diary,

the best for the last! sadly i am leaving london tonight but it’s been an amazing 10 days trip meeting fantastic people, doinggoodwork and mainly eating super food! this afternoon, we went to the berkeley where they have the pret- a- portea going on. it's their 10th anniversary and this afternoon tea is a delicate collection of cakes and fancies, inspired by the world’s finest designers. our afternoon tea started with an amazing plate of mini sandwiches and burgers, along with a steaming pot of tea. the sandwiches included chicken, duck, salmon, egg and mayo and a pesto one too. they were all beyond yummy. then came the highlight- our dessert stand! every dessert on that tray was a piece of art and i am only going to mention a few of them! burberry’s classic trench coat taking the form of a chocolate biscuit with creamy royal icing, jimmy choo’s glittery gala pointed- toe shoe in velvet praline cream cake with hazelnut with hazelnut croquant. other desserts were inspired by monolo blahnik, lanvin, moschino and the list goes on! you get the idea? perfect afternoon for someone who loves shopping and food! yes, it’s a pinch on your pocket but once in a while indulgence is necessary, right? so goodbye london, see you very soon again!

all the fuss about this restaurant is what got me hyped in the first place. someone's taste in food i trust recommended this place to me. this is a fancy place so put your fancy pants on and dress classy. the interiors are beautifully decorated with a modern touch to it. the service is quitegoodbut for a fine dining restaurant i expect the waiters/waitress to write down my order not to memorise it. i'm going to be honest, although they didn't write the order down, everything i ordered was on the table but again for a fine dining restaurant i don't think this manner is acceptable. anyways, the staff is really hospitable and welcoming. the vibes are so professional and fancy.

appetisers
burrata: the burrata was tasty but not as lpm to be honest. it was tasty though, not bad at all! 4/5

beetroot salad: to me, i didn't like the salad much but it was good/acceptable 3/5

qinoa salad: the chef has made a unique touch to the classic salad. he has added of what seems like apple to it which added a much more sweeter and delicious element to the salad. loved it 4.5/5

mains
angus burguer: the dish is basically 5 mini burgers served with french fries. the burgers were juicy and absolutely tasty. my taste buds couldn't resist the spectacular mouthwatering beef 5/5

pink sauce penne: this was not written on the menu but the staff agreed on doing one for my partner which opted for one since her last visit. anyways, the penne was delicious and the sauce was not heavy at all. my partner said that she would come for more! 4.5/5

pizza margharitta: the pizza wasgoodbut to be honest i had much better at other pizzerias. 3.75/5!

beef fillet steak: i being a steak expert absolutely fell in love with this dish. i had requested it to be cooked "well done". the meat was soft, juicy, mouthwatering and dangerously scrumptious. it was served with what looks like mayonnaise added with some kind of herbs. loved the combination! 4.25/5!

drinks
berry berry: this is their signature drink which my partner as well as the staff suggested so i had to fight the urge of not ordering drinks for i am not a juice person. i'm going to be sincere in this review and i have to say that it didn't live to its reputation. i was half disappointed with this. the drink had a weird taste which wasn't my type maybe others would like it but not me. sorry :( 2.5/5!

this is a afternoon themes tea place like many others in london but according to me i really loved the flavors here.
the view wasgoodand same goes for the staff . i really liked pret-a-portea here and that is a must try .
they have a caramel room which is agoodtouch.
if you want to have agoodtime then this place is surely for you.

i have always had a delightful experience whenever i come to this place. if you want to enjoy a hot cup of tea along with some freshly baked pastries overlooking a beautiful environment, then this is the place to be. the snack menu also seemsgoodand i would try few of them on my next visits. service has always been quick and efficient. highly recommended!!