Kibou Oxford in Little Clarendon Street has just launched a new afternoon tea menu and we were one of the first to go along and check it out.
If you don’t think of a sushi restaurant as the obvious place to head to for what is perceived as a quintessentially British experience, think again. Let’s start with the tea, for here there is a range spanning from Matcha and Sencha to Earl Grey and English Breakfast. Or, how about a glass of champers (Taittinger, darling) sake or one of Kibou’s famously delicious cocktails? We opted for the Sake Coladas – think pina colada but lighter in flavour and without the naughty richness but with all of the fruit-infused booze kick. Plus, in a bid to remain suitably decorous, we opted for a pot of Imperial Jasmine on the side.
A good afternoon tea relies on the delicate and exquisite nature of the food on offer – a bijoux bun, a finger sandwich or perhaps a tasty morsel of some fruit-filled fancy. What Kibou have done is swap out the sandwiches for sushi and filled their tiered stands with some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes including salmon tataki, sea bream nigiri and prawn tempura. All breath-takingly fresh and succulent and each beautifully presented alongside a scattering of edible flowers.
There is a vegetarian option on offer, too, with tempting-sounding temaki and California rolls but I’m embarrassed to say that professionalism took second place to greed. It’s fair to assume, though, that the standard would be equally impeccable.
The sweet options were something of a revelation. Cinnamon and apple gyoza (think poshed-up Maccy D’s apple pie but a million times more tasty), gloriously decadent shichimi chocolate tartlets, creamy soft, sweet mochi balls and triangles of pillowy dorayaki pancakes filled with custard.
It’s not just about the food, though. The ambience is so often the make-or-break element of any dining out experience and this is where Kibou also truly excels. Genuinely warm and friendly staff who are know their menus inside out and make every effort to make all guests feel special. Plus that fabulously stylish interior meant that on a grey dingy day we felt relaxed and cosy and – by the end of the meal – extremely well fed.
Afternoon Tea at Kibou Oxford is available Sunday to Friday, 2-4pm but you must pre-book. You could also treat a friend or loved one (or mum?) as a gift voucher. Find out more at kibou.co.uk
