Tea at the Fairmont

Did you get the latest "daily deal" for Tea at the Castle (Fairmont Vancouver)? B and I did and we went the other day. If you're not sure what's in store for you, here is my review of their Victoria Tea Service. First off, they present you with a list of teas that you can try. Traditional teas include their Breakfast tea, Earl Grey, Orage Pekoe, Camomile, Jasmine, Peppermint and Darjeeling. 
Not one for the ordinary, B tried the Maple Maple (with a hint of caramel) and I tried the Lemon Rooibos (you can have it cold!). If you're not in the mood for something hot, try this or the Angel Falls Mist (Strawberry and Lemon), both are available cold. In fact, I had the Rooibos cold first, and then as we settled into the sweets, I asked for a tea cup and had it hot afterwards - can you say "Best of Both Worlds"?

After the tea was ordered, our waiter brought the sandwiches and sweets! Served on a two-tiered tray, the selection is overwhelming. Savory sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and a wide array of sweet pastries.

I rotated the tray to showcase my two favourites...Smoked Salmon on rye and the Pastry Swan.

This was the first thing we tried was the Egg Salad on a Baguette. Since I'm not really a fan of egg salad, this was a passable offering for me. I loved the presentation more than the actual eating of it.

Ahh...home-baked scone with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Oh my goodness, cut this baby in half and pour the clotted cream on it. Spread some of the strawberry jam on it all, and it's heaven in a bite. 

Another savory offering is the Ham and Brie Croissant...ooops, is my brie showing? This is served warm, so if you can remember, please eat this first while it's hot! The croissant is amazing flaky and the brie is a good gooey compliment to the salty maple ham. Oh yeah, this is one of the highlights for me. 

Another definitive tea time offering is the Cucumber and Watercress sandwich (crustless, of course). Thinly sliced cucumber with tiny leafs of watercress. There's a bit of mayo to hold everything in place, not too much, but just enough to moisten the sandwich. Three bites into this and suddenly, you're drinking tea with your pinky up. 

And the last of the savory sandwiches...Smoked Salmon with dill cream cheese, with a slice of cucumber tucked in between. The rye bread that this is served on is untoasted and thinly sliced, making it an easy bite. Though it looks like caviar topping the salmon, it's not, I don't know what it was exactly, but it doesn't pop in your mouth like good caviar should. 

After all the sammies (plus chicken wings and dry mix noodles at Phnom Penh less than two hours prior), I could only tackle one of the sweet pastries. I chose the Frangipane Fruit Tart, loaded with almond flavoured filling, the tart was topped with a slice kiwi, a raspberry, a blackberrry and half a strawberry. Not a fan of almond filling, but the rest of the tart was amazing.

Ask them to pack up what you can't finish. So for us, later on that evening, I had the macaroon and I swooned. It's so good - just a small tiny baby macaroon, but was so moist and tasty. The next day, I tried the Passion Fruit Pastry Swan - essentially a passion fruit cream puff. Still good even the day after. 
I would totally recommend getting the latest reservation possible and foregoing dinner. It might not look like a lot of food, but the two scones with clotted cream will fill you (happily) like you never expected.
I've had tea at Urban Tea Merchant as well with my mom, and although it's cheaper, I think you get better value for your money here. Have you tried? What are your thoughts?