| Home | Elizabeth and Alexander's English Tea Room Published: Friday, October 24, 2003 Royal treatment awaits at Elizabeth & Alexander'sBy Shanti Hahler Enterprise writer
Stepping through the front door of the deceivingly small restaurant, guests are instantly wrapped in the warm setting of cozy cloth-covered tables and the clink-clink of real china – saucers and all. The smell of warm bread and brewing herbs wafts through the air, teasing you into ordering something delicious and rich. "Do you think this is how princesses eat?" I heard a woman asking a young child. The wide smile and sparkle in the little girls' eyes revealed that, yes, this is exactly how it is done. But it is not just for princesses and queens; kings and princes, too, will find they are well served on the Tea Room's menu. "A lot of our men either take the Windsor torte or the ploughman's lunch," waitress Louise Ray said. The Windsor torte (10.95) consists of savory meats and cheeses wrapped and baked in a flaky crust and served warm. The ploughman's lunch (9.95) comes with generous slices of fresh French bread and an assortment of spreads, including salmon and cheese spread. Both meals are good choices, and are served with a crisp salad dressed in a light vinaigrette. Elizabeth and Alexander's serves an assortment of 12 different teas, ranging from the traditional black teas to mango and vanilla flavored. A steaming pot easily serves several tea-cups full for two people. For dessert, the sampler plate (4.95) is incredible. As pretty as it is delicious, the plate offers a homemade, authentic mini scone with a smattering of lemon custard, bite-size cookies and other tiny treats. The plate, as rich and yummy as it is, is great to share with a friend over the last cup of tea. Owner Dean Hale's dedication to true English flavor is most obvious in his Afternoon Tea and desserts. "He makes everything fresh everyday," Ray said of Hale. "And he's very particular that if it's not directly from England, it's genuine English." People have called all the way from California to ask if they could have one of our recipes, she added. To this day, those recipes remain locked up tight. The Afternoon Tea (17.95) comes on a three-tiered place setting piled with English crumpets, fresh lemon custard, cookies and other treats that go fabulously with any one of the menu's hot teas. The experience is sure to take you right to the shores of Brighton or to the corner cafes in downtown London. Elizabeth and Alexander's is not a rush-in, rush-out kind of place. It is a relaxing, luxurious treat that attends to all the senses. And it certainly makes for a royal afternoon. Northwest NEWSJanuary 25, 1999 Elizabeth and Alexander's: a place to warm the soulDean and Sue Hale, along with their family, have
worked hard to provide a relaxing, comfortable haven. by Deborah Stone Stepping inside Elizabeth and Alexander's English Tea Room, one immediately senses tranquility and is drawn to the cozy warmth of this idyllic place. Baroque classical music plays softly in the background, and delicious aromas fill the air. The rich tones of the red walls, handsome hunter green accents, and colorful paisley patterns beckon, while the glow of the fire promises welcome relief from the bone-chilling dampness of a winter day. Appropriately located next to the London double-decker red bus at Country Village, Elizabeth and Alexander's is the brainchild of local area residents Dean and Sue Hale and their daughters Sarah Mould and Amy Whelham. Five years ago, the family went to have high tea in Seattle for Mother's Day, and the experience was so positive that both daughters encouraged their parents to open a similar business of their own. "The idea waxed and waned over the next several years, but our daughters kept the vision alive," says Dean. Neither Sue nor Dean had prior restaurant experience. Dean was in the insurance business at the time with a past history of retail management, and Sue was a homemaker. Last June, the couple made the decision to lease the 1,200-square foot space at Country Village. "We felt it was the right time," explains Dean, "and things just fell into place." In creating a tea room, the Hales wanted to provide an opportunity for customers to relax and enjoy themselves in a hospitable environment. "Americans have a pace that is so harried," says Sue, "and it's rare that we take the time to slow down. A tea room is a place where time has settled for awhile. The simple act of drinking tea requires you to slow down because with tea, you have to let it stand before drinking it." Dean adds, "We wanted to make a place where people could enrich their friendships and eat good food and not worry about being herded in and out." In six weeks the Hales and a crew of friends worked nonstop to transform the building, using a vision that Sue and her daughters had of the space. The tea room got its name from the middle names of the eldest daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, and her husband, Simon Alexander Mould. Elizabeth and Alexander's is comprised of three rooms, each with their distinct decor. The Tea Parlor is the main room, where the gas fire stove radiates warmth, and family photos, dating back from 1927, line the walls. The Churchill Room, designed by Simon, is decorated in hunter green tones with memorabilia from the Churchill era on the walls. Bookcases, wingback chairs, and a case of war medals give it a masculine flavor. Behind the Tea Parlor is the Alexander Room, a private space with one large round table, making it suitable for small gatherings. There are thirteen tables total in the restaurant. Over a dozen kinds of tea are served (coffee is also available), and there is a full breakfast and lunch menu, in addition to the specialized tea service offerings. The menu was created by daughter Amy who, with no formal culinary training, dreamed up original recipes and worked to perfect them. "We had friends and neighbors come to our house before we opened the place and they tried out all sorts of dishes," says Amy. "We got feedback and then we would incorporate all the suggestions and keep practicing. It was fun!" Elizabeth and Alexander's English Tea Room is open Tuesday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays until 9 p.m. For information or reservations (groups of five or more), call 425-489-9210. Note:
Elizabeth and Alexander's is now open Monday through
Saturday for Breakfast and Lunch
Friday, May 3, 2002
Tearoom's fare is a delight Elizabeth and Alexander's Tea Room has something for everyone, even the most macho macho man. By Anna Poole Herald Restaurant Critic BOTHELL -- When women tell Dean Hale they'd like to go to a tearoom but their male relatives are resistant, he has the answer. "I tell them to bring their husbands, sons and brothers to our place, sit in the Churchill Room and have them order the Windsor torte," he said. Hale and his wife, Susan, own Elizabeth and Alexander's Tea Room. The restaurant's named after their daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, and her husband, Simon Alexander. Alexander is from Eastbourne, England, and re-created a tearoom from his home.
The Windsor torte ($10.95) isn't a dessert cake. It's a puff pastry filled with smoked ham, roasted red bell peppers, eggs, spinach and smoked Swiss cheese. The pastry's rolled, turned and rolled many times so that it rises during baking. On a recent visit, mine was light, golden, crisp and very filling. A mixed green salad with olive oil-balsamic vinegar dressing complimented the torte excellently. My friend ordered a two-cup pot of the restaurant's featured tea, Private Reserve Mango, while I stayed with my preference of a black, hearty one, English Breakfast. I dropped in a sugar cube from the miniature sugar bowl with its tiny tongs while my friend drank hers straight. In addition to the traditional tea choices such as classic Earl Grey and Darjeeling, the tea list includes two herb teas and two decaffeinated selections. Two-cup pots are $1.95 while six-cup pots cost $3.95. The afternoon tea menu ($16.95) includes a selection of tea sandwiches, scones, crumpets, lemon teacake, lemon tartlet, shortbreads, seasonal fruit and a pot of tea. The specialty tea menu features scones or finger sandwiches, seasonal fruit and a pot of tea from $4.95 to $9.95. Neither seemed substantial enough, so we selected from the lunch menu. My friend chose the chicken salad croissant and spinach salad accented with mandarin oranges and almond slices. The croissant was flaky and fresh. Bits of artichoke hearts, black olives and celery highlighted the ample chicken salad filling. The oranges enhanced the salad's vinaigrette dressing. Both lunches came with a mound of seedless red grapes as our fresh fruit. The kitchen staff had just pulled the bread pudding from the oven and was preparing the orange butterscotch sauce ($4.95) so we were unable to try it. Next time, we decided and settled on the chocolate raspberry torte ($3.95). It was dense and rich, as expected, and a lacing of raspberry jam festively decorated the cake. The Hales' other daughter, Amy, was instrumental in developing the restaurant's recipes and menu. "Amy created our scone recipe after about eight tries. We get many comments on them. They're the best of the best," her father said. We found it all to be jolly good.
And here are some other reviews of our tea room |