WASHINGTON TEA | FOOD REVIEW
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1-3 Washington Buildings, Penarth. Info: 029 2070 9158 / www.waterlootea.com
I will happily admit I am a big fan of the Waterloo Gardens Teahouse in Penylan. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it’s just (sorry to sound hipster) too popular and the cosy cafe just doesn’t have enough room to cater. That’s why I was so happy to hear about their new venture Washington Tea in Penarth.
The new teahouse is thankfully much bigger, and the space certainly came in useful when I attended their fortnightly Food and Tea night, which was sold out.
The night consists of a five-course meal with a complimentary tea in between each dish. We were treated to an organic beetroot and ginger soup to start, a beautiful bright red way to begin the meal with a sharp taste and comforting ginger undertones. A dish of smoked trout and mackerel terrine followed, matched perfectly with a salty and fresh caper salsa.
Teas varied from a sweet fresh mint Moroccan blend to a tangy and fragrant sparkling hibiscus.
Though there were many more highlights, it was the dessert of Braeburn and almond tart that stole the show: soft, sweet and perfectly balanced. After his first bite my partner looked up to me and said, “I am never eating anything else ever again.”
Perhaps one of the best parts of the meal was the group effort that went into it. Not only had the people at Washington Tea picked our great food, but they had vegetables sourced from those at Cardiff’s Riverside Market, fish from Snowden & Co and alcohol picked out by The Bottle Shop in Roath. All local, all fresh and all chosen with great thought. This collaborative effort is far more than a gimmick and it really pays off when you sit down for meal at Washington Tea.
words: HEATHER ARNOLD