Mary Poppins High Tea at the Sofitel Melbourne

Mary Poppins has flown into Her Majesty’s Theatre and Sofitel Melbourne is celebrating her arrival in style.

Sofitel, a hotel known for its classic French origins and luxury, has created a decadent high tea that serves as a feast for all the senses.

Upon arrival, we are ushered to our seats in a cushiony lounge and offered glasses of NV Madame Dumont Blanc de Blancs champagne. The clusters of jewel coloured couches and high ceilings are sophisticated and enchanting, and the tinkling of a grand piano in the corner gifts the whole afternoon with a magical touch.

The room has been set with two long tables, one with the savoury options and the other boasting a generous range of sweet treats. In a surprising twist, the Sofitel has opted for a buffet-style rather than the traditional tea stand.

The savoury selection consisted mostly of tea sandwiches. A stand-out was the Cackleberry free range eggs with mayonnaise and mustard cress, which was the perfect creamy combination. The Billingsgate prawn cocktail was delicious and the compressed apple the perfect pairing to add a touch of sweetness. The cucumber and minted cream cheese on toasted English muffin was a classic, refreshing bite to cleanse the palate before heading to the sweets table. Also on offer was an inventive array of hot savoury items, including Dingley Dell shepherd’s pie and a ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ chicken with tarragon and white wine cream sauce.

A spectacular array of treats awaits us on the next table, all with Mary Poppins-appropriate names. Trifles and slices lay row upon row, and the piece de resistance, the chocolate fountain, glugged away merrily.

To begin we tried the ‘Feed the Birds’ lemon sponge. Beautifully moist and decadent without being overly sweet, the lemony tang of this little cake was the perfect place to start. The chocolate bird perched on top added a touch of childlike playfulness.

The ‘Tuppence’ of apple and salted caramel tartlet was a combination you’d expect to go well together, and you’d be right. Unassuming on the outside, the inside of this little tartlet was a riot of flavour completely at odds to its appearance.

The Mary Poppins hat of chocolate cherry profiterole was another favourite, with the hints of cherry coming through every time you took a bite.

The ‘A Spoonful of Sugar?’ salted coconut, passionfruit and matcha spoon was also an interesting idea that tied cleverly to the Mary Poppins theme; however, it was perhaps just a bit too rich even for a single spoonful.

Also on offer were fruit scones with fruit preserve, lemon curd and clotted cream, which were perfectly dense and buttery without being dry, although the addition of fruit was maybe not as classic as some would have hoped!

To finish off, we were offered ‘raspberry iced’ sorbet, which was the perfect refreshing touch to end the afternoon.

Filled with wonder and delight, this high tea was an unforgettable experience that the whole family is sure to enjoy.

 

Sofitel Melbourne Mary Poppins High Tea Menu:

Savoury Selection:

• Cackleberry free range eggs with mayonnaise & mustard cress
• Cucumber & minted cream cheese on toasted English muffin
• Chalk farm chicken with mayonnaise & grain mustard
• Mrs Kirk’s cheddar cheese with Branston pickle
• Billingsgate prawn cocktail with compressed apple
• Smoked salmon & chive cream cheese crumpets
• Dingley Dell shepherd’s pie
• ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ chicken with tarragon & white wine cream sauce
• Mr Banks’ potato pottage with poached vegetables, beans & barley

Sweet Selection:

• Mary Poppins hat of chocolate cherry profiterole
• Smokey London chocolate slice‘Tuppence’ of apple & salted caramel tartlet
• ‘Bert’s Jacket’ opera gâteau
• ‘A Spoonful of Sugar?’ salted coconut & passionfruit & matcha
• ‘Feed the Birds’ lemon sponge
• Rum punch trifle
• Poppin’ chocolate cups with tea cake biscotti
• Edible chalk
• Fruit scones with fruit preserve, lemon curd & clotted cream
• To pass around ‘raspberry iced’ sorbet

 

Book the Mary Poppins High Tea at the Sofitel Melbourne here.

 

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