British Tea Room

British Tea Room Rocks! I decided after some mulling over that I am going to add to the blog, about every 4th or 5th posting, something about a non-Fort Collins restaurant. Now this may seem like heresy to people, particularly natives. I have often noticed the people who have grown up here think of Greeley, for example, as a foreign land that requires a visa to get to, in addition of course to the travel time. For someone from Southern California, this seems strange. When I was in my late teens, all the best restaurants were either in downtown LA or even further out from me on La Cienega Boulevard. It seemed natural to hop on the Pasadena freeway, drive an hour, dine and then drive back. Given that long intro, I am going to blog about the Wildflower Tea Room in Broomfield, which is owned and run by Brits. I love a good British Tea Room/Restaurant; this is of course despite the fact that I realize that 90% of the things I might eat there are going to challenge my LDL cholesterol...but they will really help my endorphins, those crazy little hormones that may you go "ah!" (like the girl from Ipanema). When I was at UCLA there was a great little British tea room in Santa Monica that really got me addicted to scones, and funky small cucumber sandwiches. Greeley used to have a British Tea Room with Steak pies, Bangers, etc, but it is gone. And I truly miss Loveland's Miss Attie's Tea Room which was elegant as well as tasty. So it was with much anticipation and excitement that I went to the Wildflower Restuarant and Tea Room in Broomfield. I had signed us up for High Tea. This started out with a cranberry scone. Now this may seem ordinary, but this was not just any ordinary scone, anymore than Bilbo's ring was just a plain ring! This was almost right out of the oven, flaky and tasty and served an option of either home made strawberry perserves and/or double clotted Devonshire cream. Then came either soup or salad--I opted for the salad as one of the dressing choices was a home made Bass Ale vinagrette, I was not disappointed. Tea was flowing strongly too by this point, but they also gave us champagne. Whew! I was already feeling semi-full from this when the waiter showed up with one of thos cone shaped carried trays that seem unique for High Tea w/ a what seemed like a multitude of microsandwiches and desserts. It was a nice mix of traditional (cucumber sandwich w/ a dill spring) with some unigue items like a diced shrimp on a crostini, jalapeno cheese puff and Guiness chocolate petit-four cake. At the end of this I was beginning to feel like Mr Creosote from the Monty Python movie, not quite to the bucket stage, but close. But wait (like the ads on TV say) there's more! Not more food right then, but there other menu options for dinner, lunch and their pub. I literally can't wait to go back to try Bubble and Squeak or Scotch Egg appetizers. And, their adjoining pub , the Burns Pub, not only has one of the largest selections of single malts I have ever seen but once a month has a Whiskey Dinner, with 3 whiskey's paired with an appetizer, entree and dessert. Gaelic Heaven on earth! The whole complex of the pub and restaurant are attached to a Bed and Breakfast, which I may need if I go to the Whiskey Dinner. So, gentle readers, stretch your boundaries and try this place. It is not too far from Costco, for those of you who drive down there for deals...use the money you have saved to indulge your inner British Glutton. Last item: a contest. Because I don't have a 12 year old boy in the neighborhood who can show me how to correct the spelling on the title of this blog...please submit your answer as to why "Northen" is actually correct instead of "Northern." Submit your answer on the blog site, not Facebook and the most creative answer will win: a meal out for 2 with Shelley and me. What a deal! All for now, Berm