Revisited: Afternoon Tea at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Toronto, Ontario
On another sunny afternoon, we decided to head back to Toronto's Park Hyatt Hotel. Nestled in the heart of the Yorkville neighbourhood, this full-service 5-star hotel also includes a residence building as well. The Joni restaurant, headed by Executive Chef Jonathan Williams, is where the magic of their afternoon tea service takes place.
The front foyer.
Entrance to the Joni restaurant.
In our previous review of the Park Hyatt's afternoon tea service, you may recall that we raved about how the service included tea pairings specifically for both the savoury and sweet courses. Well, this time around the Hyatt did not disappoint. The server kindly shared with us that their afternoon tea service is now being done in a 'sakura' style. This meant that it was a five-course afternoon tea inspired by Japanese cuisine. We were happy to see that the tea pairing approach was maintained, with different teas being presented over the course of the meal.
Fresh flowers lined the table setting.
To start, we were given a welcome tea which was a strawberry cold tea with hints of lemon and miso.
First Course: Welcome Tea
For the first course, we were given a refreshing opening tea which was a cold strawberry tea with lemon and miso. The complement to the tea was soothing live piano music playing the background, a signature of the Joni. From there we jumped right into the second course.
Second Course: Savouries
- Pea Custard with Yuzu Ponzu, Peas and Bonito
- Foie Rosette with Pickled Elderflower and Strawberry
- Zucchini Fritter with Garden Herbs, Yogurt and Pickled Ramps
- Ahi Tuna Tart with Citrus, Avocado and Espelette
The Pea Custard in a vibrant green with the Foie Rosette in red. Very delicious.
The Zucchini Fritter was equally yummy.
The first set of savouries were perfectly paired with our second tea of the day, Jasmine Snow Dragon by Sloane Teas.
Third Course: Crab Crumpet
We were then served a third course with a Crab Crumpet made with Granny Smith Apple, Crème Fraîche and Petit Herbs. This came paired with a Darjeeling 2nd Flush from Sloane Teas (one of our favs!).
The fourth course then came along and it consisted of the standard scones and sweet treats (this came presented on a traditional tiered cake stand).
Fourth Course: Sweets and Scones
- Scones in Buttermilk and Lemon/Blueberry
- Pistachio Gateau with Raspberry and Lemon Curd
- Daisy Profiterole with Whipped Yogurt and Cherry
- Tarte Tatin with Maple Caramel and Banana
- Champagne Verrine with Saskatoon Berry
- Koji Tartelette with Roasted Buckwheat and Caramel Ganache
The sweet course came beautifully presented.
The scones, while mini, came in a ceramic Canadian maple leaf-shaped dish alongside quenelles of Devonshire cream and butter.
The middle tier of Tarte Tatins (left and across with banana on top), Pistachio Gateaux (with raspberry on top) and the Daisy Profiteroles with white chocolate discs on Top (closest to bottom and at the top).
The bottom tier with the delicate Champagne Verrine (in glass dishes) and the Koji Tartelettes.
These sweets were presented with a serving of Heavenly Cream Tea from Sloane in a stemmed glass, which was a nice vanilla balance to the flavours in the sweet course. Pouring the hot tea into a glass was interesting because it was a departure from the regular tea cup and teapot you often receive at other afternoon tea services.
The Heavenly Cream tea with a pair of the scones.
Clockwise: Tarte Tatin, Pistachio Gateau, Daisy Profiterole and the Koji Tartelette.
From the vast selection of sweets, we would have to say that the Pistachio Gateau was our favourite, with the Champagne Verrine coming a close second.
Now, after four courses we were beginning to get a bit full....but alas, the service was not done just yet. Enter in the fifth and final course:
Fifth Course: Strawberry Baked Alaska
- Strawberry Baked Alaska with Honey Graham Cracker and Toasted Meringue
This final course was served with another Sloane Tea, Rouge Provence. The Rouge Provence tea was a nice addition as it's a South African rooibos tea with French floral notes. The Baked Alaska was an unexpected ice cream treat that came with a warm strawberry sauce and another hot tea that was poured into fluted glass.
The Rouge Provence tea rounded out the last course of the afternoon tea.
The Baked Alaska came served with a delicious strawberry sauce that one of the servers poured on top.
Post-Course: Espresso Chocolate and Coconut Marshmallow Bonbons
After the fifth course, we also received a tray of petit fours: Espresso Chocolate and Coconut Marshmallow Bonbons to "cleanse the palate". Each piece was tasty but by the end of the fifth course, we were quite full and struggled to finish them.
The post-course treats.
The Verdict
This new 'sakura' style afternoon tea with Japanese elements is a winning combination for the Park Hyatt. The fact that there were five courses and that each came with a tea, was both unique and unexpected as we're currently not aware of any other afternoon tea services in Canada that do this.
The servers were great (we had a handful actually), and they were both attentive and knowledgeable. Park Hyatt is also well known for their food presentation. While some of the savoury items were a bit too salty or fishy for our palate (we didn't enjoy the Ahi Tuna Tart and kindly received a substitution courtesy of the chef), we thoroughly enjoyed the Pea Custard with Yuzu Ponzu, Peas and Bonito and the Foie Rosette with Pickled Elderflower and Strawberry. Additionally, during the service we received a special explanation of the savoury dishes by one of the head chefs (thanks Chef Drew!) and a complementary extra pot of tea, which we greatly enjoyed. The scones were much smaller than regular scones served during other similar afternoon tea services, so we will reiterate our earlier comment in the previous review that the Joni should consider adding an extra scone per guest and maybe removing one of the sweets from the sweet course. By the time we got to the fifth course, we were quite full and none of us were able to finish our Strawberry Baked Alaskas nor the post-course Bonbons.
As we've mentioned before in our earlier review of the Park Hyatt afternoon tea service, they pride themselves on having a tea sommelier on site to help with food pairings. This new take on afternoon tea did not disappoint as each of the five courses came paired with a great tea. The music was also great as the pianist in the restaurant played his version of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and TLC's "No Scrubs", among other top hits.
Our Rating
☕️ ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ 1/2 / ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ [4.5 out of 5 tea cups]
We are giving this revamped Park Hyatt afternoon tea service 4.5 out of 5 tea cups. The service, taste, presentation and ambience were all great but we felt it was a bit too much food.
You can book your own afternoon tea at the Park Hyatt Hotel Toronto by contacting the Joni Restaurant at: 1-(647)-948-3130.