Food 4 Thought: Restaurant Review - Four Seasons Afternoon Tea

Four Seasons Biltmore

1260 Channel Dr., Montecito

565-8237

Hours: Friday and Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m.

Afternoon Tea has a tradition dating back to the 1840s in England - though the origins of tea drinking stem from China. Allegedly Anna, 7^th Duchess of Bedford, was feeling a bit peckish in between the usual two mealtimes in England, breakfast and dinner, so the Duchess decided a pot of tea and a light snack would suffice. One thing lead to another and everyone copied her – meaning that afternoon tea became a socially accepted practice, thus resulting in tea parties. Ah, England. Though we hearty Americans won the war of Independence, the civility and properness of British afternoon tea can still be experienced at the most non-British of places, the Four Seasons Biltmore here in Santa Barbara, which has been offering tea since 1987. Is it a more formal experience? Yes. Should you go? Yes, at least once if you’ve never experienced it, and you needn’t wear wacky hats, but I do suggest it.

Wacky British Tea Hats!

The Full Afternoon Tea ($33) includes two courses; a first course of finger sandwiches and a second course of pastries, scones and other hedonistic snacks. There are a dozen teas to choose from: standard offerings like Earl Grey (rather proper, eh Giles?) to peppermint herbal, and Japanese sencha. You can upgrade to the Montecito Tea ($36), which adds a glass of Sherry, or the Royal Tea ($39), which adds a glass of Champagne or Kir Royale.

The finger sandwiches arrive first and these will change seasonally. My visit included a cranberry-turkey salad sandwich with spinach on sourdough with delightful savory note; a smoked salmon with watercress greens on pumpernickel topped with beets which is piquant but slightly overpowered by the bread; and a cucumber, Point Reyes blue cheese, arugula, mix on raisin walnut bread topped with sliced poached pears. The poaching of the pears however removes the citric notes, which would actually enhance the flavors.

The smoked salmon, watercress and pumpernickel

The desserts on the second course will rotate every week or so therefore some of these items will change. The three-tiered tray is loaded with strawberries dipped in chocolate all juicy and ripe with a thin, not a clunky thick, coating of chocolate on them. The coconut cookie is a tad dry but definitely has a preponderance of coconut. The small current scone is served warm and is best topped with the lemon curd.

I’ve never understood crumpets, a loose battered griddlecake, but they are terribly British. Even with a topping on them these traditional discus dough cakes do nothing for me. The coffee macaroon was soft and mild almost like a mini coffee break. The bite of cheesecake is supremely decadent and frankly way too small for something this good. It’s smooth as silk with a mild graham cracker crust and the strawberry topping makes this a perfect bite of food. The tartlet is made with blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and blackberry in a small square filled with custard. There’s a pleasing burst of fresh berry fruit balanced against the creamy custard and crisp pastry shell. Save the chocolate tart for last. This has a crisp cookie crust topped with a small gold decorative leaf and a stunning creamy dark chocolate-caramel center, all ideally balanced and the exclamation point of a great time. Of course there is the addition of small dishes of lemon curd a citric tart smooth wonderful curd; strawberry jam which is viscous and sweet; and Devonshire clotted cream which is surprisingly buttery yet mild for you to slather on whatever (or whomever) you want.

Food:          ★★★★

Service:       ★★★★

Ambience:   ★★★★

Afternoon Tea - British style

(NOTE: Ratings are ranked 1-5. Each restaurant is visited multiple times in accordance with guidelines of the Association of Food Journalists. Michael Cervin is the Santa Barbara region restaurant reviewer for Gayot.com, and was the restaurant critic for the Santa Barbara News Press for eight years. He judges at professional and charity food and wine events.)