Patisserie Valerie

Afternoon tea for four (3)

For Danielle's birthday we got her afternoon tea at Patisserie Valerie as they had an offer on Groupon for £25 for 2 people. It was something different than the usual gifts we would get each other. (Yes her birthday was in July).

Kelly unfortunately couldn't make it as she's living in London but we had her fair share of the food.

It was the first time I'd been to Patisserie Valerie, I have had the macarons that Gabby got me for my birthday a couple of years ago. Sadly it wasn't a good one. 

We walked in & was told there was a 30 minute wait for a table. Told if we wanted afternoon tea it would be an hour wait or anything from the kitchen would take a while but drinks & cakes from the counter would be quick. People were asking if they could book & come back later, the guy said they weren't taking any bookings & that you would just have to wait. There's nothing he can do. The place was full & there just wasn't enough staff to go around which was why the service was so slow.

 It turned out to be a 15 minute wait which was ok. We were seated at a table that hadn't been wiped or cleared & got no service. There's a 15 minute rule of if no-one comes to you, you can go up to complain luckily for them the girl came at exactly 15 minutes from when we sat down. (Hannah was keen to time them). Took out drinks order & food.

Cappuccino 

An eyelash on my milk jug when things were already awful. 

Our tower came around 30 minutes after we seated.

Savoury

Cucumber on white bread

Smoked salmon & cream cheese on brown bread

Egg mayonnaise & cress on brown bread

Ham, spinach & mustard on white bread

Chicken, pesto & sunblazed tomatoes on brown bread

Mini vegetable quiche

Patisserie

1 x mini Victoria sandwich

2 x mini chocolate eclairs

1 mini carrot & walnut cake slice

1 x mini mixed berry mouse slice

1 x mini chocolate mousse slice

Scones

2 x fruit scone

2 x plain scone

Strawberry, apricot & blackcurrant jam, clotted cream & butter

Savoury food were fine apart from the ham mustard sandwich we didn't like them. Found it really weird that you only got 2 slice of each of the cakes between 2 people. The tiniest slices you could eat in one mouthful so not much to share between two. But yet you go 2 chocolate eclairs? Luckily for Danielle & Hannah I don't like them. 

I've turned into a scone after that think I had 4 scones or at least 3/8 of them. Effort in the gym this morning has gone...

Wasn't a great experience at all really disappointed, would not recommend or go again. Service was awful they just can't handle the afternoon tea when it was busy before they even started doing it. The idea of not taking bookings for afternoon tea clearly doesn't work. They really need to have a think over how they are running the shop. I'm sure I could do better!

Hopefully the service does improve & if you plan on going it's a lot better than it was for us today! If you're looking for somewhere to have afternoon tea in Liverpool I would recommend Cuthbert's which I have been to 3x & have blogged about them. Just search Cuthbert's or afternoon tea in the search bar down the side of the page.

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Pinterest || Last.fm

Cake Overload

Reunited with my partner in crime today! 

We went to Cuthbert's Bakehouse to have afternoon tea today for Holly's birthday (her birthday was yesterday).

It was my third time there so knew what to expect. Being honest I didn't really want to go & did tell Holly she should've done something else but it's her birthday so it's her choice! 

I didn't even eat everything & I felt sick afterwards that I'd eaten too much even though I was starving before cos I didn't have breakfast, my stomach was growling at me! One of the cakes the creme pastissiere on the almond cake wasn't that nice a bit disappointed! I was that full that I couldn't face having my dinner, I just had lettuce & the ribs & cut the rice out. Had enough carbs for the day!

Green Tea

Gabby's veggie option

Smoked salmon cream cheese, roast beef & horseradish, coronation chicken & turkey with cranberry sauce

Almond custard cake, Victoria sponge, macaron, chocolate cake & fruit scone

I didn't eat my chocolate cake or Victoria sponge so they went into a box to take home which was probably the worst idea as when we left it was pouring down & was a nightmare holding the box & an umbrella!

Biker Coat - H&M

Blanket Scarf - New Look

Bag - Zara

Necklace - New Look

Dress - Zara

Cut Out Boots - Zara

I'm such a Zara mannequin but I can't help it! It's the only shop that has nice stuff in! This dress was what they call a "special prices". It was only £12.99.

I came home & my Topshop jacket came!! I only ordered it yesterday & was trying to use the tracker but it wouldn't work. Was not expecting it to arrive already. I am in love it's the best coat ever. Unfortunately as I got back at 4pm it was already dark! You'd have thought it was 9pm! So the photos aren't great since it's black but don't worry I'll be living in it so you'll be seeing plenty of it, be sick of the sight of it!

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Pinterest || Last.fm

Afternoon Tea

Take 1 the girl didn't know how to use my camera...

Scones, almond cake, chocolate cake, Victoria sponge, macarons, smoked salmon on crispy bread, roast beef on crispy bread, cranberry & brie sandwich & coronation chicken sandwich

Today I went for afternoon tea for the second time at Cuthbert's Bakehouse. It's one of them things where I feel I've done it before so I don't need to go again but I went along as Kelly's American friend Maddie was visiting so she wanted to do British/English things with her. She'd already done all the touristy stuff with her as she's been her since last Sunday & they went to Barcelona from Thursday - Sunday night. 

We got the same things as the last time I went with Holly & Gabby the only different was we got Victoria sponge's instead of bake well tarts which I would have preferred. I ended up boxing the chocolate & Victoria sponge as I don't like chocolate or cream. The scones last time were also nicer.

Kelly thinks she's hilarious

My postcard wall off Kelly is looking good (not really a wall but the side of my wardrobe). We have a thing where if she goes away somewhere she will get me a postcard & if I go away somewhere I'll get her one which is a pretty good deal as I've actually got more from here than vice visa. The London one isn't from her though but from David when he left for London in first year of uni 4 years ago now!

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Last.fm

Afternoon tea for three

This always happens I have no social life then everyone decides to go out.. I was out for lunch on Friday with Kelly, Danielle & Hannah then today I went for afternoon tea with Holly & Gabby. Gabby was home for the weekend & it's my last free weekend before I start working weekends & not being able to go to the gym which is killing me knowing I can't go to boot camp on Saturday mornings (my favourite & best class I go to) or circuits on Sunday mornings! :(

I'm going to have hardly any time for the gym now that I have 2 jobs which makes me sad as I love going to the gym it's my second home I spend so much time there! I've said this before but the gym is the best investment I've ever made. It's been a year since I've joined & I don't regret it at all. Even though I've made more progress & seen change more the past couple of months then have the whole year... But at least there is progress eventually.. The endorphins you get from the gym is so real it makes you feel a million times better after it, relieves stress, gets you fit, gets you stronger, makes you happy the list of benefits is endless! 

Going for afternoon tea kind of just ruins the whole point in going to the gym though... I've been wanting to try it for ages. We went to Cuthbert's on Mount Pleasant which is a cute little bake house that does tea & cake.

Bike Coat - H&M

Scarf - Urban Outfitters

Bag - Zara

Pants - H&M
Cutout Boots - Zara

Mine & Holly's

Scone, chocolate cake, almond cake with creme patissiere, pistachio macaron, choclate macaron, raspberry tart with creme patissiere, smoked salmon & cucumber on crispy bread, coronation chicken sandwich, beef with rocket & tomato on crispy bread & we think it was goats cheese with cranberry sandwich.

Gabby's veggie

Same cakes but she had roasted mushroom & peppers on crispy bread, think goats cheese with cranberry & salad sandwich, the other two had cheese on it too.

I ate everything apart from the chocolate cake as I'm not a fan of chocolate especially not as a cake so I ended up swapping with Gabby for her almond cake to take home. I ended up having her roasted mushroom & pepper crispy bread & her lemon macaron whilst also having Holly's smoked salmon crispy bread. I was so full & felt a bit sick. Definitely regret eating all that as I didn't have dinner when I came home. We did go quite late at 3 as me & Holly went to the gym in the morning.

I thought it was nice but I'm not sure whether I would do it again, definitely not any time soon but I have learnt for next time not to eat everything & to take things home with me! It's something you should try if you've never been before, especially if you do like cake as a treat as it's not cheap either. It cost us £15 each. It was nice catching up even though I see Holly most days at the gym but it's not quite the same sitting down & having a chat over tea & cake!

9-11-2014

Frood's photo of the day

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Last.fm