Friday, February 21, 2014

Afternoon Tea at the Mandarin Oriental, Vegas

Me, having afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental in Vegas

I was recently in Vegas for work and managed, despite my busy schedule, to squeeze in time for tea at the Mandarin Oriental.  A girl needs priorities and I was desperately seeking quiet time.  Working trade show events and being constantly 'on' can take a toll even on the most outgoing of us.    
 The Mandarin Oriental is a respite.  It has great views of the strip, but more importantly to me...it was peacefully quiet and smelled nothing of smoke, not even a subtle hint of it.


The tea I chose was the Mandarin blend, a black with essence of orange.  I should have known better and stuck with an English Breakfast.  I'm very, very picky about teas and this was so-so.  But the afternoon tea service more than made up for the just-OK tea.  It was delicious!  On the pricey side, but my mental health is worth it.

The afternoon tea was not an Asian theme; it's standard British-style fare.  However, the Mandarin does offer a gong fu cha service for parties of 3 or more.  Next year I will plan for this and drag along some colleagues.  ;-)
The three-tiered server was very novel. It's a stand-alone unit next to the table and curves back at a slight angle.  The savories were my favorite of the three courses (that's normal for me).  The presentation was spot-on!

Creamy deviled egg and lavash


Smoked salmon and cucumber with watercress spread
Tartlet of mango with goat cheese and spice bread crisp

Black Forest ham sandwich

Traditional scones with cherry preserves and imported Devonshire cream

And for dessert...

Blueberry cream puff (on the right), rum cake (mini bundt), yuzu tartlet with raspberry center and sugared rose (my favorite), a coffee-flavored cake in the little purse (not for me, I don't like coffee) and a passion fruit truffle in the back (also very good!)

If you are in Vegas, I recommend taking your gambling money and going to the Mandarin Oriental for afternoon tea instead!  That way, you're sure to win.

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7 comments:

  1. relevanttealeaf4:18 PM

    Oh how fun, Steph! I loved your photos and detailed description of your Afternoon Tea experience at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Nothing run-of-the-mill there - from the unique tiered server to the food items. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Marilyn Miller7:03 AM

    This is just gorgeous and so well presented. The food looks so good. Love the idea of the egg served in what looked to be the egg shell. And the cucumber with salmon, yumm! Both of these look like they could be gluten free too. Then a ham sandwich such as this is even cut slightly with an artist flair. Cherry preserves, now I am hungry for that. And of course the sweets delight the eyes. Thanks for sharing, what a wonderful respite in your busy schedule.

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  3. La Tea Dah8:35 AM

    A win all the way around! What a delightful respite. The food looks delicious and the tiered tray so unique and perfect for Las Vegas. I'm glad you found a quiet place with quality tea service in the midst of your busy days.

    I loved the pictures!

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  4. Rosemary9:19 AM

    This afternoon tea looks very 'upscale'. Love all your photos... and glad you were able to find a quiet place in Vegas!

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  5. Linda Jennings8:12 AM

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful afternoon tea with us! So glad you could take

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  6. Angela McRae2:20 PM

    May I just say that this is the only thing I've ever, ever read that has made me want to visit Las Vegas? ;)

    Their presentation is truly exquisite. So glad you made time for it, and yourself!

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  7. Quinn1:05 PM

    Thank you for the Vegas tip - I will be taking your advice in June when I'm there for a conference!

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