Word got around that a new little tea room has opened in my home town of Portsmouth, so as soon as I arrived back I had to check it out!
The Garage Lounge used to be an old shop called Allan Motor’s which sold tyres (hence the name) which has been lovingly converted into a quirky little tea room appealing to a large audience from groups of yummy mummy’s through to couples looking to share a cake. What’s more, it is open till 11pm most nights if relaxing with a glass of wine is more your thing.
The eclectic decor included a mishmash of furniture, retro lampshades, photo frames and even an old style birdcage. The cakes are positioned on a grand dresser in the middle of the room in which a few customers were gathered round, deciding what to have. I opted for a skinny latte and a slice of gooey almond tart.
The slice arrived on a slab of slate which was accompanied by a dollop of natural yogurt and fresh fruit adding a touch of sourness if the tart proved too sweet for your tastes buds. This accompaniment went well but there was no way this tart was too sweet for me! An option of natural yogurt or fresh cream would have provided more choice, appealing to those like me who have a sweet tooth.
The crust was surprisingly soft for a tart and I think a slightly more crumbly base would have been better as it wasn’t very sweet or sugary. Then again, with the sticky toffee-based filling a sweeter base may have been a little too over powering. The filling lived up to its name and was lovely and gooey. Small slices of almonds were sprinkled on top and hidden in the filling adding to the consistency. A little more almond would have been nicer, further separating the different textures but this is only a small point to make.
Overall, I was impressed with the gooey almond tart and The Garage Lounge in general (check out the decor of the loos!) and would return again. In comparison to other nearby cake stops, Manna, Old Portsmouth (Review coming soon..) still leads in the cake stakes but The Garage Lounge tops on atmosphere as a great hangout spot for all ages. Check it out!
Living life, loving cake,
H x