When I left my previous workplace, my colleagues kindly gave me a voucher for a “Japanese afternoon tea” at the Courthouse Hotel in London. How can I say this? It’s not really Japanese and it’s not really an afternoon tea either:
Japanese Afternoon Tea in a bentō box – The Courthouse Hotel London – Silk Restaurant
Japanese Afternoon Tea in a bentō box – The Courthouse Hotel London – Silk Restaurant
Japanese Afternoon Tea
The Courthouse Hotel London, 5* Hotel (map)
Overall Mark: ★☆☆☆☆
Japanese Afternoon Tea price: £29.50/person
£40 with a glass of Champagne or Japanese Plum Wine
Tea Refills: Yes; Food Refills: No
Service: 3 to 6 pm
in the Silk Restaurant
The Courthouse Hotel London Setting ★★★☆☆
This boutique hotel is set in a former magistrate’s court, just a few minutes away from the Oxford Circus tube station and Liberty department store.
The contemporary decoration feels somehow at odds with the hotel’s history, but I must admit I loved the lobby’s atmosphere.
The Silk restaurant ★★★☆☆
Afternoon Tea is served in the Silk restaurant, where Asian idols and a former British courtroom setting awkwardly coexist. Some may like these daring decorative choices but I just found them a bit tacky.
Still, there is plenty of space and natural light, and the venue is pleasant if you’re not too bothered about the decoration.
The Tea & Beverage Selection ★★☆☆☆
There are 11 teas & infusions on offer (black, green, white, oolong and herbal) from Twinnings and the English Tea Shop. I could forgive the use of teabags and the temperature issues but it’s just incredible that a “Japanese afternoon tea” does not offer any Japanese tea, such a basic Sencha.
For an extra £10.50, guests can get a glass of Claude Renoux Champagne or a glass of Plum Wine. I recommend the latter as it turned out to be the best part of the afternoon tea.
Japanese Afternoon Tea in a bentō box – The Courthouse Hotel London – Silk Restaurant
The Food ★★☆☆☆
Since there are no scones and very few sweets, I’ll evaluate the food in a single category. The food is served in a very cute Bento box. It’s too bad that the contents were so unremarkable:
- Chicken katsu (Crumb fried chicken supreme)
- Broccoli tempura (Broccoli florets fried in butter)
- Daifuku (Rice cake with Azuki beans filling)
- Edamame
- Steamed vegetable gyoza (Hearty and flavourful dumpling)
- Califonia Maki (Inside-out sushi roll with cucumber, and smoked salmon)
- Cucumber maki roll (Large sushi roll filled with cucumber)
- Lemon tart
- Green tea mousse (Creamy green tea infused with mousse)
- Strawberries
The quality is quite disappointing for an afternoon tea in this price range. Despite appearances, it’s also quite frugal (the quantity below is for two people).
The Service ★★☆☆☆
The restaurant staff is both polite and efficient, but some staff members could have been more welcoming.
The booking process may be tedious, especially if you have a voucher.
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★☆☆☆☆
This may seem harsh but the Courthouse Hotel’s so-called “Japanese afternoon tea” is the worst afternoon tea I’ve had in a while. The decor is tacky, the tea is not loose-leaf and the food is rather bland. If you fancy a Japanese afternoon tea, you’d better choose Ichi Sushi.
NB: It’s possible to get a better deal if you buy a voucher from Virgin Experience:the afternoon tea price falls to £21/person with a glass of Plum wine/Champagne. For such a price, I’d give it two stars.
+: The location
+: The Plum wine
+: Good voucher price
-: The Silk restaurant
-: The teas (no Japanese tea?!)
-: Bland food
-: Tedious booking process with voucher
Email: silk@courthouse-hotel.com
Phone number: 020 7297 5555
Address: 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL
