Oyster Box Hotel
Where: 2 Lighthouse Rd, uMhlanga
Open: Daily 2.30pm to 5pm
Call: 031 514 5000
I received the most unusual invitation – high tea at 36 0000 feet. Yes the Oyster Box Hotel was piloting a promotion of high tea on a Lift flight from Durban to Cape Town. What a wonderful idea.
And so instead of a predictably boring two-hour flight to Cape Town, where all you can do is try to take a nap and hope you don’t wake up with drool down your shirt, we were entertained to something of a fun ceremony. Even the air stewards got into the act, no longer having to do their beef or chicken act as they wheel the trolley down the aisle.
We were presented with a white box wrapped with red Oyster Box Hotel ribbon and given a selection of teas to choose from. I went for the green tea with jasmine which was delicious. For those who say they don’t like green tea, they really should try this combination.
The box on opening revals a lovely finger salmon sandwich on the hotel’s signature health bread. I could have taken a loaf of that bread home if they would let me. And their signature cucumber and lemon cream cheese sandwich on turmeric bread. A Cape Malay-style snoek tartlet with apricot chutney was another little delicacy along with really lovely leek ricotta and gruyere quiche. All flavours I love.
Then two lovely crisp macarons highlighted the sweet selection. One dark chocolate and mint, the other raspberry and white chocolate, along with a miniscone with strawberry compote and clotted cream, and a cheese scone with chive butter and mature cheddar.
What a wonderful treat and a pleasant way to spend a flight. The two hour trip had never been more fun.
But that was just for appetisers.
Then on Monday the Glass Guy and I were treated to the real thing at the hotel itself.
It’s a lovely room – the old courtyard which was brought into the hotel as a sunken lounge in the last renovation. We relax in comfy cane chairs, the wine waiter soon topping us up with bubbles. The piano is playing mood music in the background. The cups and saucers are pretty pink florals by Royal Albert, the tables beautifully set with silver cutlery and starched napkins.
Our waitress takes us through the buffet groaning with tempting goodies, and then the tea stand where the choice of teas is astounding – with peppermint, or chamomile, or Earl Grey. I choose a tea with French vanilla, and the Glass Guy one with almonds. The loose leaf tea is then put in an infuser and the glass pot of hot water brought to the table complete with a timer. We thought three minutes would probably do the trick and watched as his pot turned a golden yellow and mine a deep red.
Both teas were lovely, although the marzipan depth of his had me a little envious.
There are little crystalised sugar sticks on the table so you can stir into your tea if you fancy. Although personally I think tea tastes better without sugar.
We started with some savouries: a mini quiche Lorraine which was enjoyable although they might have been better served hot, and some lovely tandoori prawns on a skewer. There was their house cucumber sandwiches served in turmeric bread which were delicious. No cucumber sandwich had tasted this good. Another house speciality which is one of Mrs Tollman’s recipes is the chicken mayonnaise sandwich coated in roasted almonds – what a delight the buttery almonds made on the sandwich. The little brie and caramelised onion vol aux vents were a treat while I never got to try the mini bagels with goats cheese and roasted tomatoes, or the mini burgers on bao buns. They look good though.
Next we hit the cheese board: the highlight being a perfectly ripe piece of grand brie, suitably oozy and pungent. In fact every time the Glass Man went back to the table, some of that brie just crept onto the plate. There was a lively mildly-aged gouda – usually such a tasteless cheese but this had lovely nutty flavours. There were two blues, camembert and some goat’s milk cheese pressed into chilli and black sesame seeds, along with hummus, a lovely snoek pate and baba ganouj.
The kitchen sent out a plate with an array of hot snacks – samosas both lamb, and cheese and corn and little chilli bites. Our wine waiter fills our glasses.
And then there was all things sweet – a veritable array. Lovely little fingers of cheesecake topped with strawberries, a beautiful and very pretty heart shaped dark chocolate cake with a dark chocolate centre, tempting little blue berry tarts, and lovely little lemon meringues, and good caramel coated profiteroles.
We looked at the table with four beautiful gatteaux sitting under domes uncut. There’s a chocolate cake, a gluten free chocolate sachertorte, a carrot cake and a chiffon cake. The Glass Guy is a carrot cake nut so we decided to upend the display and cut a slice. It was lovely and spicy and generous with nuts and had a proper tart cream cheese icing. And despite the fact we’d taken the meanest slice possible, we still couldn’t finish it all.
And we never got to the scones served with an array of jams and creams and cheeses. And the little side sushi bar with prawn, crab stick and vege rolls. Next time
It was five o’clock. Two and a half hours had flown in a delightful blur of tempting treats in a beautiful things.
Food: 4
Service: 4 ½
Ambience: 4 ½
The Bill: R495 ahead.
