My very good friend Tania once told me that when she was a little girl, her mum used to take her to the restaurant that was in Peter Jones. She would order Welsh rarebit and a knickerbocker glory each time. It was a fond memory of her childhood and it involved two food items that being a Canadian, I’d never tried. So I went searching for a place that had both items on the menu. This was no easy feat. Finally I found a place that had both items in stock. The Parlour in Fortnum & Mason is a self-styled, old-fashioned ice cream parlour that is equal parts luxury and whimsy. OK. So it’s high concept, but how is the food? Here’s what I thought: The list of sweet treats was endless. Cakes, sundaes, floats, milkshakes, you name it they have it. It is a dessert lover’s (specifically ice cream lover’s) paradise. The Welsh rarebit is excellent. Strongly flavoured and creamy, it’s served on crumpets and it’s delicious. The savoury menu is very short. Apart from the Welsh rarebit, the savoury items are only so so. I had an open-faced chicken Caesar sandwich that was decent but not memorable. The knickerbocker glory was delicious. Vanilla bean, strawberries and 12 year old balsamic vinegar, frosted strawberry and shortbread ice creams with raspberries, chunks of pineapple, raspberry coulis and topped with whipped cream and candy sugar. Yum. The people at the table next to us were actually staring at it. It’s pretty pricey for ice cream. £12 for the knickerbocker glory and most other ice cream desserts. Everything else is really affordable though. I’ll be going back with Tania to re-live her childhood memory. Only more luxurious of course.

My very good friend Tania once told me that when she was a little girl, her mum used to take her to the restaurant that was in Peter Jones. She would order Welsh rarebit and a knickerbocker glory each time. It was a fond memory of her childhood and it involved two food items that being a Canadian, I’d never tried.

So I went searching for a place that had both items on the menu. This was no easy feat. Finally I found a place that had both items in stock.

The Parlour in Fortnum & Mason is a self-styled, old-fashioned ice cream parlour that is equal parts luxury and whimsy. OK. So it’s high concept, but how is the food?

Here’s what I thought:

  • The list of sweet treats was endless. Cakes, sundaes, floats, milkshakes, you name it they have it. It is a dessert lover’s (specifically ice cream lover’s) paradise.
  • The Welsh rarebit is excellent. Strongly flavoured and creamy, it’s served on crumpets and it’s delicious.
  • The savoury menu is very short. Apart from the Welsh rarebit, the savoury items are only so so. I had an open-faced chicken Caesar sandwich that was decent but not memorable.
  • The knickerbocker glory was delicious. Vanilla bean, strawberries and 12 year old balsamic vinegar, frosted strawberry and shortbread ice creams with raspberries, chunks of pineapple, raspberry coulis and topped with whipped cream and candy sugar. Yum. The people at the table next to us were actually staring at it.
  • It’s pretty pricey for ice cream. £12 for the knickerbocker glory and most other ice cream desserts. Everything else is really affordable though.

I’ll be going back with Tania to re-live her childhood memory. Only more luxurious of course.