Introducing a high tea to a city like Oxford, already overflowing with afternoon delights, is punchy at best. But Kibou has raised the bar by delivering its new Japaneses offering on an epic scale.
Not only is Kibou’s Japanese tea enormously good value, but its aesthetics, taste and originality took our breath away.
If you haven’t been, Kibou is a new recruit to Oxford’s Little Clarendon Street, opening back in July. https://oxinabox.co.uk/review-kibou-oxford-does-it-live-up-to-the-hype-hell-yes-get-ready-for-a-japanese-extravaganza-and-savour-the-unexpected/
Everything Kibou does, it conducts with style and verve, so when news filtered through about their new Japanese tea, which has to be booked 48 hours in advance, we were there for the first sitting.
Seated in one of the ornate booths in the lavish and kookie interior, we were given a tea menu and asked to choose. Some familiar, some unknown, we tried a variety from a fragrant, light imperial jasmine, the soothing hojicha (roasted, smoky green tea) and the genmaciha (green tea with toasted brown rice) which became an immediate favourite.
As if that wasn’t enough we then had to pick from the champagne, cocktail, sake, matcha, or the straight forward classic tea (£23 per person), or its vegetarian alternative (£19).
We sat back and awaited with bated breath. But would it resemble a British high tea? Yes and no, because while it came on an ornate three tiered stand, there were no sandwiches here. Instead it came full of delicacies, flavours and titbits, some familiar, others entirely unknown, and literally took our breath away. It’s Instagram heaven.
Where to start? With the tiny cakes and pastries on the top, the shichimi chocolate tarts sprinkled with sweet red chilli dust, tiny Carmella tiramisu pies topped with burnt meringue, or the piquant, glistening cinnamon and apple gyozas, all absolutely bursting with flavour.
The next layer revealed a fishy feast – delicately prepared tempura prawn California rolls, vibrant spears of salmon tataki with mango salsa and the gleaming sea bream nigiri. The vegetarian version was as complex, the sushi bursting with daikon (a Japanese radish), avocado and fresh ginger, so skilfully created.
But the best surprises lay in wait at the bottom, the mocha; tiny pearlescent, dusted, textured, squishy globes filled with ice cream, so unlike anything we’d tried before, the butterscotch my favourite.
And the spongy custard dorayaki with strawberry compôte, like a pancake version of a Victoria sponge. Throw in a glass of champagne and we were in heaven.
So if you want an experience like no other, to expect the unexpected, to be surprised, wowed and silenced by the food, then book in now. It really is a tea to remember, just don’t forget to book 48 hours in advance.
The Kibou afternoon tea runs from Sunday to Friday from 2pm to 4pm. Book here https://kibou.co.uk/locations/kibou-oxford#offers
