Sunday am. I need caffeine, and stat. BUT, this femme wants something different than the usual café. Luckily, I was invited to sneak a peek at Salon de thé Cardinal which will open today!
Nestled above Sparrow, the Mile End tea room is a welcome addition to the hip quartier. Incredibly beautiful space: Eclectic Victorian. Velvet settees, mismatched antique bone china, hardy boy library, travel steam trunks, and the pièce de resistance: a glittering crystal chandelier shimmering over the entire salon.
If Nate Berkus & Marie Antoinette had a love child, Cardinal would be the result.
The aesthetic beauty doesn’t end at the interior design.
In house pastry chef, Kathy Daehler, puts her own stamp on the delicious nibbles. A mixture of English High Tea classics (cucumber triangles, scones & shortbread) as well as the french classic: palmiers. BUTTER HEAVEN!
The branded bourbon biscuits? Adorable & Delectable!
Detest fishing the teabag out of the pot? Not to worry, the fine folks at Cardinal do it for you. They have carafes that are continually heated to the right temperature to ensure your tea drinking experience is pinky lift worthy.
As for the actual teas, the salon carries an assortment including Princess Diana’s favourite: Norfolk Breakfast. I take this as a sign: next time, I’m wearing my tiara.
And the best part, you get all the accoutrements of high tea without all the pretentious overtones.
Cardinal is accessible to all.
Even those with laptops are welcome to perch in the study-esque 2nd floor. And les filles, let’s be real: your grandmère is coming to town and wants to meet your amour? Cardinal will put a smile on g’ma’s face while making your lumberjack feel at home ; ).
Salon de thé Cardinal, I simply have one question: until my lumberjack appears will you go steady?
I’ll be waiting with my tiara in hand.
Bisous,
Mlle Fab rincess in Waiting
xo
