The Lobby Lounge at Crown Perth has to be THE best place for people watching in WA, and their Parisian glamour-inspired high tea is also quite the talking point, for all the right reasons.
In the first five minutes I was there, I was distracted by the parade of people from all walks of life, and that’s saying something given I was sitting on a red velvet chair against a giant love heart. It seemed only fitting then that I was offered a glass of French champagne to accompany my three-tiered tower of sweet and savoury delights, with a strong emphasis on the savouries, with six on offer.
So, without further ado, I started the afternoon with a mollusc that is synonymous with romance, (and something you don’t see every day on a high tea menu) a virgin Mary oyster shooter, complete with a touch of Tabasco. Few foods are as divisive as oysters, but thankfully I belong to the love camp, so it was a very welcome start to the afternoon.
Continuing with the seafood theme, I had the ocean trout gravlax with cream cheese on a blini. This two-bite delight was refreshingly light after the tang and heat from the shooter. The caviar and crème fraiche canape brought a welcome crunch to the menu, with just a hint of the sea this time. While the duck and orange tartelette brought a rich French flavour to the table.
The chicken and cranberry mini baguette was yet another winner, and although cranberry is traditionally paired with turkey, this worked just as well. To finish up the savouries, I had the truffle, cucumber, and egg finger sandwich, which also ticked all the right boxes due to the generous, delicious filling and light, fluffy bread.
It was then time to order my Dilmah peppermint tea for the four desserts, and first up was the lemon meringue tartlet and raspberry gel. The gooey lemon centre was to die for, and the dollops of meringue and raspberry gel were the ‘cherry on top’. Next was the dish of the day, and believe me, the competition was fierce. The red velvet roulade with mascarpone cream was THE perfect dessert, not too heavy and not too light. The mascarpone cream rolled up in multiple layers of springy, fresh red velvet sponge cake was next level.
Tradition made a return in the form of the lovely, light sultana scone with strawberry jam and Chantilly cream. I finished the afternoon with my customary chocolate treat, the dark chocolate and hazelnut sponge cake with coffee caramel ganache. There was a lot to take in, with the rich chocolate mousse centre the definite standout.
The L’amour High Tea at the Lobby Lounge is one not to be missed! It celebrates Parisian glamour in all its splendour, from the striking ornate red furnishings to the super indulgent and carefully crafted French inspired menu which includes an equally impressive gluten free option.
Prices start at a very reasonable $59 for the non-alcoholic option, up to $99 for flowing Piper-Heidsieck NV champagne. There is also an extensive cocktail/mocktail menu available, I highly recommend the Watermelon Cooler and Apple No-jito. This French cabaret theme runs until May 28, and bookings are essential with two seating times daily, 11am and 2pm.
Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled; you never know who you might see in the lobby.
L’amour High Tea menu:
Sweet:
- Lemon Meringue Tartlet & Raspberry Gel
- Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Sponge Cake with Coffee Caramel
- Red Velvet Roulade with Mascarpone Cream
- Sultana Scones with Strawberry Jam & Crème Chantilly
Savoury:
- Ocean Trout Gravlax with Cream Cheese on a Blini
- Chicken & Cranberry Mini Baguette
- Virgin Mary Oyster Shooter
- Duck & Orange Tartelette
- Truffle, Cucumber & Egg Sandwich
- Caviar & Creme Friache Canape
High Tea Perth – find more experiences
in our High Tea Venue Directory
