BRASSERIE HUDSON QUAY - AFTERNOON TEA

As a little treat for winning Independent Shop of the year for the WHOLE nation, I thought I would celebrate like every tea lady would and head out for afternoon tea.

As a huge supporter of independent businesses, I follow a lot of places via social media and look through all their yummy photos - which I just want to gobble right up. When I saw that Brasserie Hudson Quay over by the river had started to serve afternoon tea, I thought it was best for everyone to take responsibility and go try it out! Not that this has anything to do with my love for afternoon tea and maybe a cocktail or two...

I love the Brasserie and have been quite a few times for dinner. Their menus are carefully put together with the finest ingredients. The delish dishes are made with such passion you can taste it! They support the local college too and have their students cooking up a storm in the kitchen. The interior is extremely arty and definitely brings the outdoors in.

I was totally reeled in by the duck egg and pea shoot salad cream sandwiches. 

A little pot of olives and salad was real tasty. You see that cheeky one to the right, the big one? I thought I would take a little bite while my friend popped to take a look at the views outside. It was the spiciest olive I have ever tasted! Served me right. HOT HOT!! As he took a bite of the other 'big' olive there was red faces all round. 

You have got to have a margarita to celebrate, right? My favourite cocktail in the world.

The sandwich selection was great. Cheese and tomato chutney, salmon and cucumber and those yummy duck egg and pea shooters. YUM.

I was way too excited to get stuck in, hence the blurriness. I did feel that I fit right in with the decor and the exotic plants. It really wasn't on purpose.

The tea came and it was a real palate cleanser after my tequila wonder.

I always love to see what tea is served up for afternoon tea. I'm not one for picking Twinings as a first choice. However this was extremely light and accompanied the afternoon tea perfectly. I wasn't really feeling a dash of milk today, thankfully this tea was great black.

Ok so these scones!! OH MY! I opted for the cheese scone. The plain little cheese scone... that when cracked open had some amazing blue colour and I just knew that one of their speciality cheeses had been baked right into the mix. After a little enquiring, I was totally correct. A Harrogate Blue. Churned right down the road not too far from the seat I am sitting in. I could talk about these scones all day long.

Then came the fruit with clotted cream and jam. Lots of cream and jam. So much that it oozed and I was not ashamed of the mess I made.

As if I wasn't full enough, there was this yummy chocolate mousse cake delight with a raspberry on top. A rich end to a fantastic afternoon tea.

As an up and coming area of Middlesbrough, Middlesaven - where Brasserie Hudson Quay is -  is THE place to be, totally underrated. With the CIAC building at Riverside One home to some lovely modern apartments and Middlesbrough College, which looks like something from the future, it's great what is happening over here. Just a short walk from the town centre you have got to go and take a look at the marina and soak up some local sights. With Temenos a stones throw away - which was designed by international sculptor Anish Kapoor - we really do have some great pieces of art on our doorstep.

Around the river, you have a little path you can stroll around before dinner and take in the beauty of these new buildings and what Middlesbrough has to offer - and what it is becoming.

There is a little terrace outside at the restaurant where you can sit and watch the sun glimmer off the water while you enjoy your afternoon tea and chat away till your hearts content... when it's warm enough of course.

We had the Afternoon Tea with a cocktail which was a steal at £15. Without cocktail is £10 and you really can't fall off. There is also a cream tea available which is the scones with clotted cream and jam and tea for £6 for those that want a lighter option.

Thanks for letting us be your very first afternoon tea customers. I am going to tell the world and will most certainly be back.... those cheese scones!!