Afternoon Tea Review - The Grand Tea Room in Escondido

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Photo courtesy of The Grand Tea Room

As you know, I never go on a business trip or holiday without researching afternoon tea venues first. On a recent trip to the San Diego area, I had the pleasure of checking out a new venue, The Grand Tea Room at 145 West Grand Avenue in Escondido. The three of us splurged on The Grand Tea, which included a soup starter in addition to the traditional British-style three-tiered afternoon tea. Usually I don't hold with departures (like soup or salad) from the traditional afternoon tea menu, but I made an exception in this case and was glad I did. That house-made tomato basil soup, served with a Parmesan toast, was extraordinary!
 But let me digress from the food to the decor for a moment. Long a fan of the posh hotel tea, I often find tea rooms much too froufrou for my taste. You know what I mean--every surface swathed in cutesy. I just find all that sweetness cloying. I needn't have worried. The proprietor of The Grand Tea Room, clearly a woman of taste, has designed a tea room that has all the sweet touches one might expect of a tea room but without overdoing any of them. Even the bathroom was both charming and pristine. But back to the menu ...

 The tea was properly made in beautiful 6-cup teapots, one for each of us. (Please don't ever bring me a tea bag and some tepid water in one of those silly little 1- or 2-cup pots; I came here for some tea!) One friend appreciated their having a decaffeinated black tea on the menu, something often lacking. The sandwiches and savory, a zesty little house-made crustless quiche, did not disappoint. The scones were delicious, but the bright pink glaze on their tops struck the only jarring note on the table. The tiny desserts were works of art. With no more serious cause for complaint than that pink glaze, we felt it was a fabulous tea all around!  The gift shop at the front of the tea room had a marvelous selection, everything from teapots to fascinators! My small collection of tea hats did not include a single fascinator (even after the Royal Wedding in January), and it was high time something was done about that! No photos yet, but believe me, it is fabulous. I'll be wearing it to the next afternoon tea, wherever that may be. And I expect to cause a sensation!

For reservations (not required at all times) or further information, call The Grand Tea Room at 760-233-9500 or visit The Grand Tea Room website. For tea at home, see How to Make a Proper Cup of Tea, Tea and Scones, and my review of the Zojirushi Water Boiler and Warmer.

Note: What are your favorite places for afternoon tea? I'm especially interested in tea rooms in the US, UK and Canada; but, wherever you've found a great afternoon tea, I'd love to hear about it!