Tinkling jazz piano sets the mood for this ultracivilized afternoon tea that makes you feel as if you’re playing hooky from the world. Though presumably you come to sip, not snack, you’ll find a well-considered if costly mini-meal ($37 a person) of delicate crustless sandwiches that range from the unexpected (chicken salad with hits of pistachio) to the old school (smoked salmon with a dollop of caviar and the quintessential cucumber with crème fraîche). Sweets arrive later on a tiered platter: The shot glasses of creamy chestnut-chocolate mousse and the intense chocolate truffles are especially fine, though petite scones with clotted cream are worth saving room for. As for the tea, a wooden case with a dozen or so vials of leaves to sniff and ponder offers an array of options; when in doubt, there’s always the classic Earl Grey with a dash of citrus. The British have got it right: There are few ills a good cup of tea can’t cure.

This appeared in the February, 2008 issue of The Washingtonian.