Recently, I attended Afternoon Tea at the reopened Hotel Bel Air. The bar was set high because in prior years it was known for the best Afternoon Tea in Los Angeles. The drive down Stone Canyon Road in Bel Air with its gated homes set the tone. We had made great time on the freeway and had time before Tea to wander the hotel and relax in the lobby before our Tea.
We were seated in the Wolfgang Puck restaurant rather than the garden room because it had been raining. The tea was from Art of Tea and our favorite was the HBA Rejuvenation which was a very smooth herbal tea with apricot essence, lemon myrtle, rooibos, and rose hips (no need for cream or sugar). Instead of the traditional three-tiered server, we were served each sandwich separately on our plate by a parade of waiters. I can say that we felt very pampered by the service. The 6 different sandwiches were small “tastings” which was perfect for me. Our favorite was the Sourdough Grilled Cheese w/caramelized onions.
The very best item was the Sour Cherry Blueberry Scone which was not your traditional scone. It was very crunchy on the outside and moist/creamy on the inside – it reminded me of the Kouing Aman from Bouchon in Beverly Hills. The 6 desserts were also bite-sized and our favorite was the Meyer Lemon tart. After Tea, we wandered the magnificent garden before beginning our journey back home. I wish we had more choices for Afternoon Tea in Palos Verdes but until then, I continue my quest “off the hill”. (Click here to read my prior article). And I continue to dream of that delicious Sour Cherry Blueberry Scone – it still makes my mouth water.
