Please note: Since writing this, Ugly Butterfly has moved from Carbis Bay to The Headland Hotel in Newquay, where you can find Adam Handling and his team still doing wonderful things, just in a different location.
[Disclosure: I visited Ugly Butterfly as part of judging for the Afternoon Tea Awards but couldn’t help but write about it here]
Whisper it quietly, but afternoon tea isn’t my number one choice of dining experiences. I’ve tried a fair few in my time, from local cafes right up to that so-called bucket list experience of afternoon tea at The Ritz. Yet despite being a fairly simple concept – sandwiches, scones and cakes – it seems there’s a widespread struggle in getting it right.
From rock hard scones and a conveyor belt feeling that’s about as far from relaxing as you can get at The Ritz, to stale sandwiches, flat fizz and more, the perfect afternoon tea has proved elusive.
Until now.
I don’t say that lightly, as the internet is littered with extremes like ‘perfect’, ‘iconic’ and all the other over-the-top words we bandy around willy nilly. But afternoon tea at Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling, sat in its beautiful spot in Cornwall’s Carbis Bay, was an utterly flawless experience from start to finish.
More than an afternoon tea, this is a showcase of what Adam Handling is all about, mixing a focus on provenance and reducing waste with an impeccable attention to detail and the kind of storytelling that saw him excel in Great British Menu.
From the minute we walk through those glass doors and gaze from the bar down at the white sands of Carbis Bay, the clever combination of feeling you’re somewhere super special yet somewhere you can kick back and relax is noticeable. It’s the kind of atmosphere I like – the proof that excellent food and drink doesn’t have to come with a side order of snobbery.
We’re here for afternoon tea, but a quick glance at the drinks menu and an explanation from the bartender on the use of ‘waste’ wherever possible has me ordering their seabed margarita, made with oyster shell tequila, while there is zero issue with my husband going off-menu and asking for a Bloody Mary.
We spend a few minutes sitting in silence, both staring out of those floor-to-ceiling windows wondering if we’ll spot the dolphins and seals that come to play in the bay. Safe to say, it could happily be hours, and my big dream is to return to that seat and wile away an afternoon working my way through the cocktail menu, snaffling snacks, and staring that that view.
But for now there’s another task at hand. Afternoon tea.
For that, we’re led into the equally-impressive dining room. Before we’ve even eaten anything, it’s a feast for the eyes, from more of those picture-perfect views to the open kitchen behind, the decor, and an air of calm that seems to wash through the space.
Afternoon tea itself is a multi-course affair. This is Adam Handling’s gaffe after all, so it was never going to be a ‘couple of sandwiches, cakes and a scone’ experience. This is a clever combination of the classic English afternoon tea and the precision and imagination you’d expect from a place with this name above the door.
First up is a showcase of the waste-reduction theme behind Ugly Butterfly. A broth made out of the duck that’s served on the tasting menu. It’s a lip-smacking, concentrated cup full of duck that wakes up the tastebuds in just the right way.
It’s impressive, but just the prelude to what actually turns out to be one of the highlights of the tea – the snacks. A party for the eyes first, it feels like we’ve been transported to a Great British Menu banquet, where nothing is ever served on a simple plate, and your life is that bit richer for it.
A ‘crab sandwich’ is a tiny tart packed with light white crab meat pepped up with a citrus tang, adorned with tiny crab-shaped decorations and served with a crab shell. It’s Jamie’s favourite, but for me that title goes to an amuse bouche that manages to perfectly resemble a packet of cheese and onion crisps. The only fault is that it’s over too quickly, though that leaves room for the ‘chicken sandwich’ that comes with the tale of Adam’s sister’s love of a leftover roast chicken sarnie.
Our enthusiasm lubricated by the joys of such simple yet superlative snacks – and a choice from the selection of champagne and sparkling wine on offer as part of the afternoon tea (no such thing as a bogstandard glass of flat fizz here) – we can’t help but add the optional extra course.
It’s as simple as simple can be, yet beautifully decadent. ‘Potato’ which is essentially a crispy hash brown, then a choice from two tins of caviar, brought down to earth with an easy explanation and the fact it’s served on the most basic of vegetables. There’s a bit of theatre as we watch it delicately piled on top of the potato and smoothed into a puck shape, then we’re left to devour it, washed down with what’s left of the fizz.
The smiles say it all, and we’re not even onto the actual tea, but it’s not long until the main event arrives, artfully arranged on a tree-stand. While the snacks had been clever plays on flavours and textures, there’s an air of the classic about the elements perched on the different levels of the tree.
Simple finger sandwiches, with all the classic fillings. Egg mayo, cucumber, and ham and piccallili. Fresh as fresh can be, no airs and graces, but with the trademark precision when it comes to presentation that comes with a place of this calibre.
Rather than overdoing it on the sandwiches, the savoury side is made up with a slice each of sausage roll that’s predictably well-proportioned in terms of sausage meat and pasty. Plus smoked salmon served on top of bread. A showcase of simplicity.
Unlike the sweets, which remind us that we’re in a place where there are undoubtedly as many sets of tweezers in the kitchen as there are tablespoons.
A vibrant apple macaron, a St Clement’s tart that perfectly balances tart orange curd with sweet meringue, a chocolate mousse creation complete with hint of coffee and the kind of mirrored chocolate work that has you gazing at it unsure of whether you’re quite ready to spoil it. The final treat is a Batternburg-esque cherry cake encased in the thinnest layer of marzipan.
That whole top level is a sugar party that’s both subtle yet intense. It has us both declaring we’re done, until we remember the scones. One glance, and I have no doubt this won’t be a repeat of the Ritz experience. While so much is precise in this experience, these scones are clearly homemade and a country mile from the identikit creations we were served up in Piccadilly.
There’s clotted cream, of course. And two jams – one plum and one apple. Both delightful, both the right amount of tang to contrast the sweet creaminess. Before we know it, they’re gone, washed down with the light teas we’ve been recommended from the selection of nine different choices. So much for not being able to manage any more…
Almost as quickly as it started, it’s suddenly over. By the time we leave the dining room is awash with those beautiful tree-inspired tea stands, and by the looks of people’s faces I’m not the only person who’s blown away.
Unlike some places, we’re not rushed out to make way for other people. Instead, we move to the bar to soak up more of that view and plan our return. I could go on, but you get the picture. Ugly Butterfly is a special place. Yes, the setting is stunning, and the concept is great. But it’s something about the way it’s done, the way it’s simultaneously top-notch yet fun, high-end yet relaxing. Exactly how these things should be.
