在麗池酒店吃下午茶，周邊的佈景就會有種好萊塢聖誕佳節片的感覺。
When I had my tea at the Ritz, I feel like being in a hollywood Christmas movie.
麗池酒店維持其一貫金碧輝煌裝潢路線，在倫敦也很奢華。
一走進飯店就覺得自己回到十九世紀。
The posh decorating at the Ritz is always so dazzling.
麗池下午茶的地點是在 Palm Court，
由於服務很好的關係，一進門就會有服務人員問你要做什麼，並指引方向。
The place that offers afternoon tea in the Ritz is called the Palm Court.
There will be someone shows you the way once you entered the Hotel.
Palm Court 事實上是一個不大的半開放空間，用餐時還會有現場演奏。
Palm Court is not a huge dinning area, but you can enjoy live piano performance while you eat.
用餐空間的中間有一座金光閃閃的雕像。
旁邊意思意思地放了幾盆棕櫚樹，呼應palm court的稱呼。
There's a golden statue in the middle of the court and some palm trees for sure.
當然，要呼應這樣華麗的佈景，麗池也有很嚴格的服裝規定。
不得穿著牛仔褲、脫鞋與球鞋是基本規則。
而男士一定要穿著夾克（西裝為佳，但可以是正式夾克）、領帶與長褲。
如果不符合規定，服務生會正經的請你離開。
至於女士，以我的觀察，穿著你正式場合，像是喝喜酒之類的衣服便暢行無阻。
Of course, there is a dress code for posh place like this.
Jacket and tie for gentlemen, jeans and trainers are not permitted for ladies or gentlemen.
重頭戲，下午茶，當然是要用三層糕點架呈放。
第二層的司康空著是因為這裡的司康要熱熱的吃才美味。
As for the pastries, they were placed on the three-tier stand.
（照片上的中年男子只是我爸，大家莫驚慌）
(The guy in the photo is just my dad. Don't panic.)
由底層的三明治吃起，有起司、燻鮭魚、培根、燻雞、蛋沙拉與小黃瓜六種口味。
口味上，如果跟英國乾冷路線的三明治比起來，這裡的簡直是濕冷路線的極品
台灣人如我，當然比較偏好美而美，不過這裡的三明治用料實在而且味道平易近人。
因此配著茶吃，實在不錯。加上，盤子一空，服務生就會過來猛補三明治，感覺十分貼心。
The waiter will explain the flavors of the sandwich once they are served.
These sandwiches do tastes better than most of the sandwiches I ate in England.
They were soft with warm flavored. Goes well with the tea.
Also the waiter with filled your plate with more sandwiches once it's empty.
至於茶的方面，我們點了英國茶，快吃完時以摩洛哥薄荷茶作結。
麗池的茶是我到英國來喝過最好的茶，在這狂喝茶也值得。
大約有十多種茶可以做選擇。
當然，喝到一半，隨時要更換茶的口味也不是問題，服務生會幫你撤掉所有茶具換新的。
As for the tea, the ritz served the best English tea that I have ever drank!
There are also many different flavors of tea that you can choose from and change the flavor of your tea at your disposal.
當你覺得自己快被三明治打敗時，服務生便會送上一盤像迷你饅頭的司康。
麗池的司康完全與英國的其他司康不同，不乾也不硬，有著非常溫和濕潤的外表與口感。
The scones will be served once you are done with sandwiches.
The scones in the ritz are unique. They so creamy and soft.
搭配司康的德文郡奶油與果醬自然不可少，任君自由取用。
草莓果醬的，也是午茶中的亮點，加入非常多新鮮果肉，不會死甜又味道濃郁。
溫潤的司康配上濃郁的奶油與鮮甜的果醬，真的會讓肚子裡揚起一種午後微溫的幸福感。
The strawberry jam and devonshire cream that go with the scone are delicious as well.
Especially the jam, it tastes like real strawberries with extra sugar!
下午茶的主角，對我來說，當然是這一盤精緻甜點。
每當吃三層下午茶，為了吃到這一層，總讓我有種過關斬將終於抱得美人歸的感覺。
The pastries on the top of the stand are always worth waiting for.
不過在吃到這一層前，麗池的服務生會先推出兩樣每日蛋糕，到桌邊現切。
雖然沒照片，我當日的是檸檬蛋糕與草莓開心果塔。
如果大家去的時候遇到草莓開心果塔請務必點一塊品嚐，你會覺得不虛此生。
Before digging in the last tier, the ritz will served two extra cake.
The type of the cake will change randomly, so cross your fingers!
回到最上層的話題。不得不說這四種點心都做的可圈可點。
其中最令人驚艷的是在盤中西北角的白色糕點。
下層用馬卡龍呈著，抹上藍莓醬與渾圓的檸檬起司霜。
口感上有馬卡龍的酥脆與嚼勁以及入口即化的起司。
而味覺上，酸酸的藍莓配上過甜的馬卡龍，真的很可口。
覆盆子塔上的覆盆子非常新鮮、碩大。
巧克力蛋糕與千層酥也十分的濃厚。
總之，在食物上，麗池酒店下午茶實在是無懈可擊
但由於我與英國食物口味都吃重甜，因此唯一可議的就是普通人可能會覺得有點過甜。
Let's get back to the top of the stand.
The one I loved the most is the one with the white round top.
It actually comes with a macaroon bottom and sticks together by fresh blue berry jam.
The taste was heavenly! Crunchy at the bottom and creamy at the top.
The raspberries on the tart are also fresh and juicy!
Without a doubt, the chocolate cake has the richest taste.
然而，好吃總是有代價，一人份下午茶要價四十二英鎊。這還不是最貴的。
奢華一點，可以加十二鎊升級為香檳下午茶。如果生日也可以加價加生日蛋糕。
However, there's always a price for something delicious.
It costs 42 ponds per person for traditional afternoon tea.
即便如此，麗池下午茶依舊一位難求。
我三個星期前訂星期三的位子，只剩下十一點半與六點半有位子。
（沒錯，我在十一點半吃下午茶）
The reservation is always full despite of the price.
但依舊建議務實的觀眾們早點到，除了遲到很丟臉外以及早到可以狂拍照外。
提早到可以提早入場，雖然用餐時間限制一小時四十五分，但提早到可以提早入場呀！！
想必聰明的大家一定可以理解我的意思。
Also, please don't be late once you booked the table.
更多關於用餐與訂位（For more info.）:The Ritz
<副刊："THE" Powder Room>
在英國電影裡，常見仕女說: I need to go to the powder room to powder my nose!
總覺得這樣的說法非常可愛。但麗池酒店還真有間powder room。
I always found ladies in movies saying, "I need to go to the powder room to powder my nose! " really cute.
The ritz got a posh powder room as well.
必須經過美輪美奐的樓梯才能到達傳說中的powder room。
Here's the entrance.
千篇一律的廁所區我當然就沒拍了。
但下面這個擺放報紙的休息區，真的覺得我可以在此長期起居。
可惜的是，如果要在powder room 幫鼻子補粉的話，這裡沒有提供，得自行攜帶蜜粉。
試想，要能在吃下午茶吃到一半時說：I need to go to the powder room to powder my nose!
這無非就是少女們永恆的夢想呀！！
I didn't take photo of the toilet. They look the same everywhere.
Yet, I feel like I could live in this luxurious resting area.
No wonder the ladies always spent a long time in the powder rooms in the movie.
Diana Chiang.
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