When I was recently blogging about Tea Lounge @ Regent Hotel where its scones are very popular with the locals, I was reminded of the best tea time experience I’ve ever had when I visited the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon.
Getting a taste of olde England in Shakespeare’s hometown was something very surreal to me. While exploring the historic town on foot, we came across this tudor house-medieval style cafe that specialises in home-made English food.
We came at a time when they were about to close for the day so it was empty in the cafe but the service staff (or the motherly lady boss?) greeted us with all smiles and made us feel very much at home.
The cafe offers a straightforward menu of delicious home cooked food for breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas such as toasts (many different flavours to choose from), full English breakfast, jacket potatoes, sandwiches, paninis, salads, desserts and pastries, and more. We ordered the quiche and scones with tea.
Homemade Quiche of the Day (£5.95), served with a variety
of salads and warm new potatoes in mayonnaise with chives
Food presentation is unpretentious, just like how you’d serve up food at home. The portion was generous (typical of western dining) and I just love the colours of the vegetables. Makes the whole dish looks so appetising and yummy. I fell in love with the quiche the moment I took my first bite. I wasn’t expecting a gourmet quiche but this was truly exceeding my expectations beyond scale. The baked custard was very delicate and rich in flavour. Together with the crispy crust, it just melted in the mouth. I exclaimed to myself, “I’m so going to miss this when I return to Singapore!”. And true enough, I’ve been missing it ever since. And to date, I haven’t found one quiche here in Singapore that is comparable with it.
Cornish Cream Tea Set (£4.25) with 2 home-made scones,
served with clotted cream & jam and a pot of tea for one
What is an English afternoon tea without scones? This was also my first time trying scones with Rodda’s brand of clotted cream. Mamma mia! How could I ever love 2 things at once? If the scone was divine, the clotted cream was equally heavenly! What a match made in heaven. The scone was baked to perfection. Moist, warm, slightly crumbly texture. The clotted cream would be the best accompaniment. Creamy, thick, rich in flavour. A real Cornish classic.
Rodda’s Clotted Cream is made in Cornwall and thanks to a mix of fresh coastal air, subtropical climate and lush, green pastures – the milk produced is especially rich and full-flavoured, perfect for making into clotted cream. I have tried several brands of clotted cream from UK and Australia but they were nowhere close to Rodda’s standard.
I told the husband, next time we’re back in the UK, we will have to visit Cornwall. Maybe the Rodda’s factory too. And I’m going to eat scones with clotted cream to my heart’s content for sure!
If you’re planning for a holiday to England, do visit Stratford-upon-Avon and also try the food at Deli Cafe. An excellent place to rest your feet and have tea. It’d be a beautiful experience not to be missed.
Deli Cafe
13 – 14 Meer Street
Stratford Upon Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6QB
Tel. 01789 295705
Website: http://www.delicafe.co.uk/