Afternoon tea in New York's Plaza Hotel was never just about the food. The palm trees, harp music, spirit of Eloise - the naughty little girl who lives at the Plaza in a famous series of children's books – made it into a cultural artifact.

But following a $400 million US renovation, tea at the Plaza is now all about the food. There's still music and palms, but the bland flavours of the original menu have been revamped by the hotel's new French chef, Didier Virot.

There is still cucumber on buttered white bread, but there's also prosciutto and tomato confit on olive bread,
a morsel of lamb on a tiny grilled pita, and a puree of eggplant, goat cheese and basil, with a sliver of olive, in
a tart.

That's $60 a head. For the real tea fan, an alternative menu includes lobster, black truffle, caviar, and a chocolate pot de crème. For just $100 US per person.

- With files from the Associated Press