Delaunay Counter

This month’s scone blog features four fabulous places to enjoy scones. I started off with a visit to the Delaunay Counter which is one of my favourite cake places in London. The  Counter is a separate eat in/ take away deli, adjacent to The Delaunay Restaurant, and its menu is inspired by the grand cafes of central Europe. I often stop by for tea and cake but I have been curious to try their afternoon tea which is offered at an unbelievable price of just £12.95, so how could I resist! The afternoon tea was served on a three tier cake stand. I had specially requested the vegetarian option which included egg mayonnaise, cream cheese and aubergine savouries and two mini cakes.  A large pot of English Breakfast Tea was included in the price. All of which were very tasty but onto the scones.

Delaunay Counter

The afternoon tea is usually served with Gugelhupf  but if you ask they will substitute it for a scone. The large fruit scone was served warm. The texture was a little unusual, but in a good way, as the base of the scone was similar to a crunchy biscuit but still soft inside. It was accompanied with a pot of strawberry jam which was extremely fruity with very large pieces of strawberry and this really stood out as one of the nicest jams I’ve had. There was also a pot of whipped cream rather than clotted cream. The  jam and cream came in generous portion sizes.

Delaunay Counter

Apart from the food, what makes the Delaunay Counter so special for me its charming ambiance as it has magically  recreated the feel of those fabulous Viennese coffee houses. The counter is just groaning with a delicious selection of cakes from Black Forest gateau, Dobos to sachertorte. The walls are decorated with Austrian posters and photographs. The atmosphere is charming and the service is laid back so you don’t feel like you’re being rushed through, even through being located on Aldwych near so many theatres, it can get very busy especially  just before performances start. As a big fan of The Counter I was delighted with their exceptionally good value afternoon tea and very happy to discover that their scones are just as amazing as their magnificent cakes.

Ratings:  Scones: 2,   Accompaniments: 2, Service: 2, Ambience: 2, Overall:  8/11

Fat Rascal Scone at Bettys

The regular reader(s) to my blog will know I’m in love with Bettys. For those who are not acquainted with Bettys, their tearooms are a Yorkshire institution. Last time I visited their York branch  I did a special blog post about their fabulous afternoon tea, so please read that if you’d like more details about Bettys. On this visit to York we tried their famous Fat Rascal Scones. These scones are exceptionally large and extremely fruity with currents, orange and lemon peel. The scone was served warm and accompanied with two portions of star shaped butter. It’s one of those scones where less is more and jam and clotted cream would only detract from it’s deliciousness. The scone has a crunchy exterior and an inner softness and is bursting with zesty flavour. The scone cost £4.10 and is humongous and almost being a meal in its self.

Bettys

I particularly adore the Fat Rascal’s cheeky face which has cherries for eyes and almonds for its teeth. How cute is that? There was attentive service throughout and we enjoyed sitting downstairs again where they have beautiful wooden panelling and decorative glass panels. For me Bettys really epitomises the perfect tearooms and I’m already looking forward to my next visit.

Ratings:  Scones: 3,   Accompaniments: 2, Service: 2, Ambience: 3, Overall:  10/11

Perkin Reveller

Firstly a big thank you to Anomalous London for the great company and the fabulous recommendation of meeting at Perkin Reveller, a British contemporary restaurant located between two of London’s most iconic buildings, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. It has floor to ceiling windows providing wonderful views of the River Thames and there is also outdoor seating. I ordered the scones which arrived delightfully presented on a wooden board. There were two large scones which were served warm. There was one plain and the other fruit, which is a combination I particularly liked and both tasted delicious. They were accompanied with cute individual jars of home made strawberry jam and clotted cream.  There’s a medieval theme to the restaurant which not over done, the service was good and despite its location it didn’t feel touristy so its a great place to visit if you are in the area. In case you’re wondering, and I certainly was, Perkin Reveller is a cook’s apprentice in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

Ratings:  Scones: 2,   Accompaniments: 2, Service: 2, Ambience: 2, Overall:  8/11

The Townhouse

The Townhouse is a Georgian home which was originally built for French Huguenot  silk weavers located opposite Nicholas Hawksmoor’s majestic Christchurch in Spitalfields. The house now has a shop and gallery with a café in its basement. I’ve visited a few times as it is a marvellous oasis of calm on a Sunday from the nearby busy and bustling Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane. I love going downstairs into the kitchen and sitting at the big table displaying its pastries as for just for a moment or two I can dream this is my own Georgian townhouse.  There is also a small adjoining room with tables that is available. This time I was there to meet my group for refreshment before I lead them on a guided tour of Spitalfields. So when we confirmed the booking with Fiona and she’s asked if there were any special requests I suggested having scones.

 The Townhouse

Firstly I need to say that their scones would usually be served with jam and cream, however, as I arrived early, I had mine with butter and this has been reflected in the marks for their accompaniments. The plain scone was served cold with a generous portion of butter. It had a good texture to it with just a slight flakiness and it dissolved in the mouth when I ate it.  As I was with a group I didn’t make a note of the price but their food is always affordable. They serve a nice selection of homemade pastries and they made special heart shaped macarons for Valentine’s Day. They also serve good quality teas and coffees and every time I’ve visited I’ve had great, friendly service.

Ratings:  Scones: 2,   Accompaniments: 1, Service: 2, Ambience: 3, Overall:  9/11

Until next time…

The author of this blog is a qualified City of London and City of Westminster Tour Guide who leads guided walks combining world famous landmarks with hidden treasures often missed by the crowds. 

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