We passed this one on to food critic, Eating Las Vegas co-author, and unlikely tea-room attendee (see photo) Al Mancini.
As you can see, however, the questioner actually submitted this some time ago and, following some private back-and-forth with QoD, since we were unable to run the answer in this forum in time for her trip, the lady in question has also since answered her own question by providing us with a review of her own, which we'll post after Al's take on the subject, which follows.
Before I answer your question, let’s get our terms straight. "High tea" refers to a late, hearty working man's meal that's more akin to dinner, and as far as I know is not available in Las Vegas (although you can savor some of the typical dishes, like Cornish pasties, at one several British-style pubs in town, a la Gordon Ramsay or Crown & Anchor).
What’s served at Bellagio's Petrossian Lounge is Afternoon Tea -- a much more ladylike and formal affair, in the form of a light snack served from midday. It generally includes finger sandwiches, pastries, scones with clotted cream, jams, and of course tea, served in a refined setting and general atmosphere of gentility (it's a fixture at London's famous Ritz hotel, for example).
Petrossian's take on this afternoon repast delivers on all the essentials and is served seven days a week, between 1 and 4 p.m. You have a selection of a dozen or more loose or bagged teas to choose from, various sandwiches and pastries, and the soothing sounds of the lounge’s resident piano player, for $35 per person. If you're feeling extra-decadent and fancy a glass of bubbly, Champagne is also available. And, as the distinctly un-English name suggests, since Petrossian is among the world’s foremost suppliers of premium caviar, you can also supplement your meal with the roe of your choice (wallet permitting).
Back in the '90s there was something of a fad for Afternoon Tea, with lots of options available, but these are fewer and far between these days. However, Four Seasons also offers a classic afternoon tea Monday through Friday, from 3 to 4 p.m. only. The basic price of $34 includes your choice of nine teas with scones and pastries. You can add Champagne for an additional $15.
Finally, Mandarin Oriental’s Tea Lounge, located in the stunning 23rd floor Sky Lounge, offers afternoon-tea service from 2 to 5 p.m. daily. (The Tea Lounge is open earlier, but you can’t get the full service outside of those hours.) For the basic package, including your choice from more than 20 teas, plus with all the usual accompaniments, you pay $36, or you can add a glass of Veuve Clicquot for an extra $20. This is also the best place for tea if you have kids, because they offer a special children’s version, where the sandwiches include PB&J and other kid-friendly dishes, for $28. Also, while this wasn't what you asked about, the Mandarin also offers the most unique tea service in town: a traditional Chinese welcome ceremony, for $15. This version one doesn’t come with food, but features the very cool traditional serving ritual (or rather, an abbreviated version of same, since the full Chinese Tea Ceremony can go on for hours). It's best experienced by parties of three or more.
So, thanks to Al for his input. Now comes the review of Petrossian's Afternoon Tea, as experienced by the person who first submitted this QoD -- for which thanks!
"They start off by helping you determine which of the many teas you might like to try: We picked the one called "Relax" and it was really good. Then we each could choose 4 finger sandwiches. I had a salmon one (yuck), a watercress and cucumber one (yummy), a chicken salad one (yummy), and a ham & Gruyere cheese one (good). We each had two scones that were delicious, followed by assorted pastries.
"You'd better come hungry, because it's a lot of food: We couldn't eat it all! The presentation was beautiful and the service excellent. They set up the tea in the back of the lounge, right next to the bar, which was not too relaxing -- too much noise, including from the nearby casino floor, too. There was only one other couple having tea while we were there, but they were set up for more customers later. The cost was $35 per person -- more if you wanted Champagne. Would I do it again? Probably not, but I'm glad we went. Everyone should try it at least once."
