I've only recently become aware of flowering tea - first when Nicola (from Wots for Lunch?) commented on having it at Myatt Café at the V&A Waterfront, and then when Kerry-Anne mentioned that Vista Bar at the One & Only hotel serves a few different flowering teas.

At first I though that the tea was some kind of dried flower - presumably from a tea plant. However on closer inspection I noticed that it appeared to be a bundle if tea leaves wound tightly together by cotton thread. From the photo you're able to see that my tea actually had little red flowers hidden inside, that appeared as the dried bundle expanded and "bloomed" in the hot water.

My review of the tea is that it's very pretty to watch, but lacks the taste of traditional Earl Grey, Rooibos, or Ceylon tea. In addition to my ambivalent feeling about it's taste, the tea is frightfully expensive compared to traditional teas. Personally, I still prefer South African Rooibos over all these - but that said, I'm glad to have tried it - once. :)

While many Capetonians made their way to the beaches or shopping malls to escape the intense heat we’ve been experiencing, Kerry-Anne and I made our way to the tranquil and cool One & Only for High Tea. We spent about two-and-a-half air-conditioned hours sitting in comfy chairs drinking unusual teas and eating the most delectable sweets and savories from the buffet table. The whole experience was truly delightful.

What made the visit to the One & Only a little more special was that we spoke for a while with the hotel’s executive chef, Roberto de Carvalho (who joined the One & Only in December and was formerly executive chef at the 12 Apostles). From what I’ve heard, and from what Kerry-Anne has experienced, executive chefs often tend to be aloof, slightly eccentric, and engrossed in their own culinary fame. Roberto, on the other hand, appeared not to fit into that box at all – he seems to be a genuinely nice guy with a passion for awesome food.

We spoke for a few minutes about the cakes, his yummy macarons, and his new position at the One & Only, and then continued to relax while munching away and being bathed in the 5-star service that you’d expect from an O&O hotel. It was a great afternoon that comes highly recommended.

Read this article about Roberto's move to the One & Only, and perhaps this Q&A session with Muzi Mohale.

I'd often seen Myatt Café in the V&A Waterfront mall, but I've always been a little confused by the place. For some reason the café's never really looked like a café to me. It's location is almost unexpected - and because of this and it's boutique-like décor and styling I've never really been sure what it was - and never taken the time to take a close look.

What eventually led us to Myatt was that it was windy outside and we were looking for a quite and comfortable place to have tea and a light snack. After browsing past other noisy restaurants and coffee shops we stumbled upon the quiet and brightly-lit Myatt Café. Even though the macarons that we ordered weren't comparable to those at Daniela's the good service and great array of tasty teas served in beautiful pots definitely made up for it.

Myatt is located on the top level of the V&A shopping mall, on the far side - close to Primi Piatti.