Stressful afternoon tea at Perch, Aarhus

This afternoon I "enjoyed" Afternoon Tea at Perch´s tea room in Aarhus together with my Estonian girl friend. It was a mixed experience for both us.

We had in advance booked a table for two for 16.00. We were there on time, however, no specific table was ready for us. The waitress first needed to clear a table for us. I had in advance decided, that I wanted to enjoy the full monty in form of the afternoon tea called "Perch Large Ceremony".

The afternoon tea consists of one pot of tea of your own choice from the extensive tea menu card. Here the waitress was able to tell without hesitation, what each tea is. In addition to the tea you are served a glass cold crémant, which was having an excellent taste. 

The food part was made up of three finger English-style finger sandwiches (cucumber, egg salad and ham with cheese), where I found the sandwich bread to be too stall/dry. Two very excellent tasting crisp scones served with clotted cream, great tasting lemon curd and blackcurrant jam. Two smaller cake: one macaroon and a chocolate something. The cakes were described as delicious, in my opinion they were good, but not over the top neither on visual attributes or taste.

My Estonian friend choice a Summer version of a scone served with whipped cream with elder flower and strawberries. There was plenty of whipped cream and strawberries, but the taste of elder flower could not be located at all !!!

The tea and food were served for us at 16.45 together with the message, that we needed to be finished at 17.30, where the tea room would close !!! I mean, it took the tea room 45 minutes to serve the afternoon tea for us and when we are told to eat it within 45 minutes !!!! At 17.15 a waitress was coming around to all the various guests remaining in the tea room, reminding everyone, that the tea room was closing in 15 minutes time !!!! In my opinion an afternoon tea session is supposed to the a relaxing break in a busy day, so I DO NOT need to be reminded on a regular basis about the amount of time, which I have left to eat and drink, before I am kicked out !!!!

As a small detail. It would also have a good thing, if the tea pot would have been fitted with a tea cosy to keep the tea hot for a longer time. I really dislike it, when my tea become cold.

The afternoon tea costed 210 DKK incl tea and crémant. I will give this afternoon tea two stars due to the the taste and texture of the sandwiches & cakes, but mainly due to the fact, that the extreme focus by the waitresses on, when the tea room would be closing.