Tuesday, June 14, 2011

It's summer, here's a nice thing to do: High tea at Emirates Palace

When my friend Bethany was here we took in high tea at Emirates Palace and it was amazing. I wanted to do it because I was worried she wouldn't get to see the hotel – which is about 100 times more amazing than that pale substitute in Sex and the City 2 – as sometimes you can't just rock up and take a look inside. So a reservation for tea was made, and it was a good thing. I had to show the security guard the confirmation text message before he would let our taxi proceed through the gates.

The service was impeccable and the treats delish. I chose China Smoke, a tea that smelled much like a campfire (and tasted of one too, as I recall). There were napkins draped in laps, strainers, warmed milk – the whole shebang. In addition to the two trays of treats, one traditional and the other Arabian-themed, we were each given four tiny scones. I cannot express to you how good they were. The waiter even asked if we wanted more, which we did, but would have been too stuffed to eat.

All told the whole thing, with water, cost more than Dh500 (Cdn$132). Steep, sure. But for a friend who travelled all the way from Canada, shelling out Cdn$250 for a visa plus plane fare, and me with my weirdly British love of tea and scones? Well worth it.
This is wheeled over to your table.
You can't see the best part: the scones.


That is real gold leaf. 

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