“Under certain circumstances, there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea,“ Henry James declares in the opening of The Portrait of a Lady.
Stepping into the delightful The Tea Place By Manjushree made us feel like a Duchess on a winter afternoon with a pot of tea, a light snack and a book, taken privately in her boudoir. Or like Lady Mary in a fancy-schmancy high tea affair in Downton Abbey.
The two-floor tea boutiquet is yet another addition to the flourishing food scene on Purna Das Road. It’s located opposite the Mystic Yoga outlet and two minutes from Wise Owl.
The place is inspired by Parisian tea rooms {or is it Brit?} and old-fashioned English high teas with toasted finger sandwiches, dainty china cups and all the formality a Downton Abbey lover could wish for.
We're Crushing Big Time On This Parisian-Style Tea Room
Downtown Abbey Feels
A Selection Of Tea
They have a huge collection of teas to choose from — browse through sections on Darjeeling tea, white tea, green tea, oolong, and teas from China, Japan and Nepal. They prices begin from INR 150 {for one carafe which has enough for two cups}.
The tea is served in little glass carafes — like coffee filters — and come with a plate of cookies and a timer set of three hourglasses {green to denote mild, orange for slightly stronger flavor and white for strong tea}. The white and gold-rimmed cups are from Noritake crockery from Japan.
Settle down with your cuppa and a book in the front section which has nice windows, high-back lounging chairs and shelves full of books. You will be reminded of every favourite tea scenes in novels — those by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and the Brontë sisters. Or think of the Mad Hatter’s tea party!
In these books, it’s only in teatime that all the action took place — would-be lovers exchange longing glances, mothers trying to matchmake, veiled insults politely traded between rivals vying for a girl’s hand.
Classic Foods
They have an excellent menu with a choice of sandwiches {they need to get better bread} and salads, wraps and classics like fish and chips, mushrooms on toast, and stuffed roast chicken breast. Earlier they would close by 7.30pm but are now open till dinner. A meal for two would cost around INR 700 {with two tea carafes and snacks}.
Anything Else?
They sell a range of teas as well, sourced from their own plantations, if you want to take some home — they come in beautifully-crafted packs. Pick up a pack or two for yourself or asa gift for someone and throw in a set of those perfect sand timers!
