Foodaholic!: Fairmont Royal York

Earlier last week, I had the pleasure of attending a Royal Afternoon Tea in celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday inside Fairmont Royal York's Royal Suite. Fairmont Royal York is known as the Royal Family's choice of residence when they visit Toronto, and the Royal Suite is where they would stay in. Dining in the Royal Suite was an incredible experience, and I am thankful for the opportunity.

Fairmont Royal York is an upscale hotel in the heart of downtown Toronto at 100 Front Street West. They have been providing afternoon tea service since they opened in 1929. Afternoon tea is served in the Library Bar, and takes place every Saturday & Sunday with seatings at 12pm, 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Reservations are highly recommended.

Before we got to the tasting, we were introduced toExecutive Chef Robert Mills, who recently revamped the afternoon tea menu. Having had their previous tea menu, I like this one better as it's definitely more refined. Afternoon tea is $50 per person, and please note that they cannot accommodate substitutions for afternoon tea.

AFTERNOON TEA MENU AT FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK

Fairmont Tea Selection:

Fine Selection of Premium Fairmont Loose Leaf Teas

Scones:

Traditional Cranberry Scones with Devonshire Cream and a Selection of Preserves

Traditional Finger Sandwiches:

Smoked Salmon Mini Bagels with a Citrus Aioli
Chicken Celery Salad on a Sundried Tomato Brioche, Caramelized Pecans
Open Face Grilled Seasonal Vegetables on Pretzel Bread with Hummus
Organic Cucumber with Pink Peppercorn Cream Cheese
Smoked Aurora Turkey Breast on Brioche with Cranberry Aioli and Arugula

Selection of Pastries:

Chantilly Swans with Fresh Berries
Mini Guava Chocolate Cups
Mini Meringue Tartlets
Mini Dark Chocolate Truffle Torte

$50 per person

Like most traditional afternoon tea, it's served on a three-tier stand. The first course is from the bottom tier, which consists of traditional cranberry scones served with Devonshire cream, and a selection of various preserves. The scones were freshly baked, moist, and contained nice crumbly edges. Absolutely one of the best scones I have had.

The middle tier consisted of traditional finger sandwiches, and there was a nice assortment of sandwiches being offered. The Organic Cucumber with Pink Peppercorn Cream Cheese sandwich is one of the Queen's favorite delicacies. I also enjoyed it a lot as well. The cream cheese perfectly complemented the refreshing cucumber to make a delicious mini sandwich.

The last tier was the dessert platter consisting of a selection of beautifully crafted pastries. Out of the four pastries, my two favorites were the Chantilly swans with fresh berries, and Mini Meringue Tartlets. The golden cream puff swan was filled with rich and creamy chantilly cream. Additionally, the Chantilly swan pastry was part of their previous Afternoon Tea menu, but Executive Chef Robert Mill opted to keep it for the new menu as well.

Lastly, we also got to try the delectable Chocolate Biscuit Cake. It's essentially the same cake recipe that was used for William and Kate's royal wedding. The cake itself was decadent, and would be perfect for any chocolate lover.

We also had the opportunity to select one choice of loose leaf tea from their fine selections. I opted for the Genmaicha Green Tea - ancient tea of the Samurai. Grassy, vegetative character is perfectly balanced by warm, full-bodied bakey notes that are almost chewable. You can also enhance your afternoon tea experience with champagne or sparkling wine for an additional cost.

After our afternoon tea experience, we got the chance to go on a tour of the hoel, and I learned a lot of historical facts about Fairmont Royal York. Fairmont Royal York also offers their guests the opportunity to go on a complimentary historical hotel tour after their afternoon tea experience. Guests will embark on a tour that will take them through the hotel's famed Imperial Room, Canada's largest hotel kitchen, and Toronto's smallest bar.

Many thanks to Anita, Sonya, Jessica, and Brian of Fairmont Royal York for a lovely afternoon, and the warm hospitality.

Address: 100 Front St W, Toronto, ON M5J 1E3

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fairmontroyalyork/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/fairmontroyalyork/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/FairmontRYH
Website: http://www.fairmont.com/royal-york-toronto/

Disclaimer: The food provided in this post was complimentary. However, all of the opinions expressed in this review are of my own.