Yesterday was my birthday and, though I'd celebrated over the weekend, I wanted to do something to make the night feel a little bit special. I'd heard about this place from a couple of friends who live in the west village and, after reading some reviews and looking over the menu, decided that a late-night high tea in a french-inspired cafe would be the perfect thing to do on a cold and rainy tuesday evening in september.
The cafe (opened only four months ago) is adorable, with vintage chairs and posters, a pressed tin ceiling, candle-lit tables and french music playing softly in the background. The tea selection rivals that of Alice's Tea Cup, with over 100 L'Age de The teas in golden canisters on the shelves, and the prices are (more or less) reasonable: the macaroons are $2 each ($25 for a dozen), a platter of tea sandwiches from $4 to $8, and the high tea service $18 per person. Damien Herrgott, who has worked as a pastry chef at Laduree in Paris and Bouley Bakery in Manhattan, is responsible for the exquisite pastries displayed beneath the wooden bar. We ordered the tea service, and everything we tasted was fantastic: the tea sandwiches (smoked salmon and dill, cucumber and cream cheese, curried chicken) were delicious, the tea cakes moist and flavorful, the macaroons perfectly airy and the scones sweet, buttery, and sprinkled with sparkly sugar crystals. But the best part was the atmosphere. We arrived at 8:30 and, though the place was full (and remained so throughout the night), it was relatively quiet, flooded instead with french music, flickering candlelight, and the warm, buttery smell of pastries.
Great for a casual lunch or dinner with a few friends or - if you really want to feel parisian - a cappuccino, a couple macaroons, and a good book.
10 Morton St. (b/w Bleecker and 7th)
website
*recommendations:
smoked salmon tea sandwich
salted caramel macaroon
chai macaroon
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