Afternoon delights

Whether you’re catching up with an old friend or recovering following a day’s shopping with the girls, the 18th floor Lounge at Hyatt Capital Gate provides the perfect setting for Afternoon Tea.

With comfortable sofa chairs, low tables and plenty of cosy, textured textiles the Lounge has a very inviting feel to it. Take a table for two by the window, people spot with a table for four near the lobby or gather your friends in a booth in the secluded library corner.

The great thing about Afternoon Tea here is the range of options you have. There’s obviously the full Tea Set, but there’s also the option to break it down into its smaller parts if you can’t manage a whole tower. The basic package includes freshly baked scones, salmon brioche, cucumber sandwiches (of course), feta cheese profiteroles and pastirma quiche, plus a range of berry tarts, sweet profiteroles, macaroons and chocolate pralines.

We didn’t fancy the macaroons or pralines so instead we loaded up on extra savouries and enjoyed a slice of an impossibly light strawberry cheesecake. In short, nothing was a disappointment. Although the scones weren’t typically English, the homemade jams we had to smear all over them were divine. The profiteroles – a signature delight at the hotel – were light, fluffy and terribly moreish.

The teas on offer at Capital Gate are also something of a treat. Flown in all the way from Canada, each ‘pot’ of Qi botanical’s T is a flavour sensation. We sampled the earl grey, jasmine, Masala chai and the peppermint. Served in mini cafetieres the tea is so fresh, fragrant and full of flavour that you could very well be drinking it straight from the bush.

What? Afternoon Tea
Where: Hyatt Capital Gate
Cost: AED 175
We say: Great value afternoon with the girls
Contact: 02 596 1234