Opus One restaurant is situated in the Radisson Edwardian hotel in Manchester; our visit to the restaurant on this occasion was to experience the fabulous afternoon tea.
Tables are dressed in white table cloths and fine silver cutlery; we are seated under the stoned carved Victorian arches next to the huge glass windows which look out onto the street. Décor in Opus One is very striking, bold and powerful with an oriental vibe; crimson reds encompass the furnishings and the floral arrangements adding a seductive tempting feel.
The tea menu boasts a fine selection of teas including: Chinese, herbal and Indian along with my personal favourite Assam tea which is served with loose tea leaves in a large egg shell white tea pot, the only thing missing here is china tea cups.
Afternoon tea is served on an elegant tiered stand, our selection of finger sandwiches were freshly prepared to order, the choice included: vintage cheddar cheese with cucumber, egg mayonnaise with watercress, freshly cut ham, smoked salmon and topside of beef, all were served on brown bread as requested, each and every sandwich was a delight, normally with afternoon tea I would find one which doesn’t quite work, but here our top tier is clear minus a few breadcrumbs.
This was followed by scones with fresh cream and jam, the scones were slightly warm as if they had just been backed, the strawberry jam was delicious and along with the delicate fresh cream made this a true joy to experience.
Pastries included miniature carrot cakes, chocolate cupcakes, cream horns and fruit tarts, each of these provided their own unique flavours and again there was nothing in this selection that wasn’t a pleasure to taste.
The Opus One afternoon tea is a real treat, set in the perfect location, full of charm and character this really is worth a visit.
The Bill: £15 per head
