Cost – £29.95 (July 2018)
Parking and Access – There is a reasonable amount of parking in the village of Woburn, some of which is quite close to the Coffee House. There is also a reasonably large public car park behind the Woburn Hotel, accessed from the road leading through the park. There are some cobbles to get over on the pavement area. The Woburn Coffee House has steps to access the toilets, lounge area and the conservatory.
Background – You may have noticed this is the third time I have reviewed the Woburn Coffee House. This time I am reviewing their Summer menu which is available throughout July and August, plus some dates in June and September. My previous reviews have been for the Christmas and Spring menus. Someone has got to do it…….!!
Options Available – A vegetarian option is available.
Contents – Tomato and garlic bruschetta with basil marinated bocconcini and pesto, sticky pork belly in toasted brioche with pickled cucumber and coriander, mini salad Nicoise with tuna and tomato, crab and shrimp vol-au-vents topped with avocado and lime foam sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, nigella seeded choux bun with coriander curried chicken. Cherry and almond scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream. Baked Malibu cheesecake with fresh pineapple and mint salsa, lemon and blueberry bundt cake topped with violet and blueberry compote, fresh berries and a meringue rose, Yuzu fruit and raspberry posset garnished with soft meringue and a lime shortbread finger, strawberry and prosecco marshmallow. Pot of tea.
Comments – We were back at the Woburn Coffee House to sample their Summer Menu. This time we were able to book just a few days ahead, although they prefer to have as much notice as possible. We were seated back in the conservatory, as we had been on our first visit, which was bright with sunshine and had the doors open out onto the garden.
We chose English Breakfast tea plus a glass of milk for the non-tea drinking party member of our party. We also asked for a jug of homemade lemonade but there was none available so we asked for a jug of Pimm’s and a jug of the house peach iced tea. We requested that the tea and milk should come when we started our scones.
As before, the table was beautifully laid with matching tablecloth and napkins and pretty flowered china.
The Pimm’s and iced tea arrived quickly in a glass jug. Both contained slices of fruit, as did the glasses we were brought at the same time.
The fabulous Afternoon Tea arrived on two five-layer brass cake stands shortly afterwards.
As before, we found that the savoury items were all superb.
Even things we had previously thought we wouldn’t like proved to be really delicious.
On this occasion my favourites were probably the sticky pork belly
and the curried chicken choux bun. And the tartlette.
And the mini salad……….
As on our previous visits, we were each offered a cheese and chive scone with butter and kiwi and pepper jam whilst we were eating the savoury items. It was warm and delicious.
Our tea and milk arrived as we started the sweet scones. We had a large china teapot of tea between two of us plus a smaller teapot for one. The milk was in a glass. The tea was made with tea bags and we were able to obtain a refill.
I very much enjoyed the cherry and almond scones, which were very fresh and tasty. However, one member of our party was not so keen as she doesn’t like the flavour of almonds. There was enough strawberry jam but nowhere near enough clotted cream (the portions were even smaller than on previous occasions!).
Luckily, we were able to share the cream left for our non-cream eating party member, and also requested an extra cream which just about gave us enough for the scones. We were given some butter, on request, for our non-cream eater.
The sweet items were all really good as usual.
My absolute favourite was the yuzu fruit and raspberry posset. I have no idea what a yuzu fruit is but it tasted lemony and was delicious. Even the little marshmallow square was really nice (and I don’t particularly like marshmallows!).
The house peach iced tea was really refreshing, cold and delicious. Needless to say, the Pimm’s was also very good but didn’t last long!!
Service was pleasant and helpful as usual.
We still have the autumn and winter menus to try at some point. And we are already booked in for Christmas!!!
| Savouries | 2.0 |
| Scone | 2.0 |
| Jam | 2.0 |
| Cream | 1.5 |
| Cake (variety) | 2.0 |
| Cake (quality) | 2.0 |
| Tea | 2.0 |
| Presentation | 2.0 |
| Service | 2.0 |
| Value | 2.0 |
| Total | 19.5 |
Sarnies Scones and Cakes 