High tea

Tea at Laduree, Ginza

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I don’t feel so guilty for not going to the gym this morning, because I woke up to sea of snow. The ever-picturesque view from my apartment window:

From Laduree

So that gives me extra time to do a blog post of the first afternoon tea for the year in Tokyo.

From Laduree

After running around watching the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, I ended up in Ginza where I met a handful of friends for afternoon tea. I had chosen the venue with it’s location in mind – prime real estate in Ginza with views of the Marathon to boot.

From Tokyo Marathon 2012

The building on the corner in the photo above is where we had afternoon tea – on the second level of the Mitsukoshi departo (in the corner of the shoe section) is Laduree French tea salon.

From Laduree
From Laduree

We got there early (before midday) to secure a seat. This place gets busy and reservations not accepted.

From Laduree

It’s a little heavy on the French decor.

From Laduree

The sole reason for doing this venue on this day was to watch the marathon whilst having tea. The L-shaped tea salon has large glass windows with full views over the Ginza intersection, allowing front-row seats to the Tokyo Marathon. Check it out!

From Laduree
From Laduree
From Laduree

So yep, safe to say, that Laduree Tea Salon is the best place to go and watch the Tokyo Marathon with a cup of tea and macaroons in hand.

From Laduree

We we’re in fact here for food and tea. Laduree is both a tea salon and french patisserie. They have lots of beautiful-looking sweets to tempt the tastebuds:

From Laduree

The dessert to the left (in photo below) looked oppai-ish.

From Laduree
From Laduree
From Laduree

I started off with the champagne and macaroon set.

From Laduree

The menu here is quite extensive. They offer a la carte light dishes, the 3-tier afternoon tea set, as well as various lunch sets. We actually all ended up doing the lunch set instead of the afternoon tea set. I went with the omelette lunch set which came with an omelettte, mini bread roll, choice of dessert and choice of tea. I probably wouldn’t recommend the sandwich sets as they looked tiny (half a sandwich only). It was a truffle omlette too.

From Laduree
From Laduree

Had a little bit of food envy because a couple of the others got the hot lunch special – choice of fish or beef. They went the beef which looked delicious.

From Laduree

We could choose one dessert (from a select 4). So a friend and I chose a different one each and shared them.

From Laduree

The desserts here are pretty divine. They really excel in the patisserie department. I got to try the giant raspberry and lychee macaroon sandwich filled with raspberries. The other dessert was insanely delicious – chocolate, hazelnut, crispy goodness. Tasted like nutella. Really clean, sharp flavours. The tea selection here was also impressive. 3 pages of teas to choose from. You can choose any tea with the lunch sets.

From Laduree
From Laduree
From Laduree

The highlight of the day were the macaroons. Laduree is famous for their macaroons. I’m generally not a fan of them. Love looking at them, but I don’t enjoy them so much. The macaroons here won me over. They are totally worth it. And you’ve not had a macaroon until you’ve tried Laduree macaroons. Hands down, they win the best macaroon award in Tokyo (to date). This is their specialty. I got to choose two flavours from the window selection.

From Laduree

I settled on the chocolate madagascar macaroon and the citron macaroon. Simply divine. Totally satisfied with my selection. The chocolate madagascar was yummy and the citron was amazing lemon creamy tartiness. Imagine a lemon meringue pie captured in a macaroon. And the texture of these macaroon were amazing.

From Laduree

Macaroon Tower:

From Laduree

Laduree Tea Salon: Level 2, Mitsukoshi department store, Ginza But there’s a bunch of them around Japan. Also one in Nihonbashi (Tokyo). Afternoon tea and lunch sets vary between 3200-3500yen. Champagne and macaroon set 1800yen A la carte also available.

Raffles: High tea in the Tiffin Room

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When in Singapore, Raffles is supposedly the creme de la creme of venues to partake in afternoon tea. I couldn’t go to Singapore and not visit the Raffles Hotel (also home to where the Singapore Sling cocktail was born) so go to Raffles Hotel I did. I only had two days in Singapore and had made a booking for high tea at Raffles a month prior to my visit (booking are generally required). Yeah, I know I made a booking for a table of one! Just moi. But there was no way in hell I was going to miss out on tea here. High Tea is served in the Tiffin Room:

From Tea at Raffles

In true Singapore style, it was pouring rain when I turned up. I was lead to a table by a waiter, and to my shock it was on a table set for 6!

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

Um, do they seat all the single bookings together so we mingle with random strangers? Is this like the loner loser table? I said to the waiter, “Um, do I sit with other strangers? I just have a booking for one.” “Oh”, he said. “I thought you were in a group”. “No, no, just me.” I replied. I was ushered to my correct table, a table for one, by the window (I might add) with a magazine laid out for me, so I need not look like a total loner. How thoughtful. Albeit, a little unnecessary.

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

One of the things here that was a little off-putting as a first impression, was that all the tables were all pre-set with the tiered platters. Made me think, how long had they been sitting there. (There are two seating sessions for high tea here – at 1:30 and 3:30pm).

From Tea at Raffles

I sat down and got comfy for a rainy afternoon of tea and food. In addition to the traditional afternoon tea platter is the buffet which is included in the price. There was dim sum and then some – fruits, scones and a large assortment of Christmas-themed dessert buffet. This is the first time I have been to a buffet dessert afternoon tea.

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

I went for the glass of champagne option. Was a little unimpressed by the fact that they served the champagne in a wine glass (and not a champagne glass). As for teas, there are about 4 or 5 teas on offer. You can try as many as you like, and they’ll bring out fresh pots of tea for you.

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

Even though it was a booking for one, I noticed that my afternoon platter had a serving for two. I obviously couldn’t get through all that food. Tried to sample a little bit of everything though. Everything here was very traditional. And nothing too creative, but all very edible (not mind-blowing delicious though).

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

I enjoyed the little bouquet of fresh white roses which adorned the table:

From Tea at Raffles

They even gave me a cute mini chair to put my handbag on:

From Tea at Raffles

The interior was all very British colonial. White walls, high ceilings, wooden fans. Tea here is popular across all demographics. There were families, kids, men, teenagers, couples, and most tables were occupied.

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

Got me some yum cha. The bbq pork buns were delicious. I have a soft spot for yum cha. Now have many soft spots (mainly arse and thighs) as a result of yum cha and other yummy foods consumed over the holiday break.

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

Didn’t really try any of the desserts. Was too full from everything else, and I’m not a huge fan of all the traditional Christmas desserts. There were things like Christmas cookies, puddings, stolen, cake logs etc.

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

Saved just enough room for scones and fruit.

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

I like a little scone with my cream and jam:

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

High tea was very pleasant. I contentedly ate and drank and took lots of photos whilst it continued to pour down rain. Wouldn’t have been able to do much sightseeing anyway, so it was nice to while away a couple of hours here. Live music as well. A giant harp-like instrument was being played by a woman. The Raffles Hotel is a fancy five star hotel, complete with red carpet all rolled out:

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

Unique colonial architecture makes the hotel hard to miss:

From Tea at Raffles
From Tea at Raffles

The hotel by night:

From Tea at Raffles

Tea at the Tiffin Room, Raffles Hotel. A tick on the bucketlist. Afternoon tea in December (blame Christmas peak season) here will cost you 65 Singapore dollars (platter, unlimited tea and buffet. Champagne extra). Normally it’s about 10-15 dollars cheaper at any other time of the year. Bookings generally required. Seating will only be held for 15 minutes, so don’t be late. Smart casual dress code applies.

Afternoon tea at Peter Bar (Peninsula Hotel, Tokyo)

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My last afternoon tea review – in Tokyo, at least – for 2011. Although fear not, I will be partaking in some afternoon teas abroad before the year is out. This was my 13th afternoon tea sampled this year. That’s a hell of a lot of scone eating right there. I’ll be leaving next week, so I did my December Tokyo afternoon tea on Sunday just gone – a party of four. After my Autumn leaves photowalk, I walked on down to the Peninsula Hotel in Yurakucho.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

This is the third time I’ve been to afternoon tea at the Peninsula hotel. But it was an afternoon tea with a slight twist. Having done afternoon tea at the Lobby Lounge twice already, they also offer afternoon tea at the bar on level 24. The bar is called Peter – a somewhat unusual name for a bar. Why Peter? More importantly, who is Peter?

From Peter Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea on this winter Sunday afternoon took place at Peter Bar. I loved the décor here. Am interested in who designed the concept. It was well followed through. It was kind of a bachelor pad vibe with its black chairs, black marble bar, yet had a feminine touch with metallic silver trees and leaves. And if I do say so myself, I think my photos did the place justice.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

From Peter Afternoon Tea

Wide glass windows offer views over Tokyo city, and plenty of sunlight. The light was rather too glaring though, uncomfortably so. Just as well there was only an hour or so of daylight left. The Afternoon Tea set here includes a generous glass of champagne for starters.

From Peter Afternoon Tea

Before the afternoon tea platter was brought out, we were served soup for starters – this was a welcome treat. We had celery soup and carrot soup. Who knew celery even had a flavour. Both were very tasty and warming to consume given the colder weather now.

From Peter Afternoon Tea

I’ve been served all kinds of foods at afternoon teas ranging from churros to mini burgers, to quiche, croquet monsieurs and even spring rolls, but I have never had soup at an afternoon tea before so this was rather different. When you do as many afternoon teas as I have, it’s always nice to note how different venues do their take on afternoon tea. Here there are no three-tiered platters. Instead, it comes out on a metallic silver tree stand with the various branches as the tiers, and leaves as the plates. I totally loved this. I so want me one of these tree platters. The leaf plates even came off the stands like actual plates. I loved that the tree theme of the decor bar flowed through to the servingware. The natural light here provided prime lighting conditions for photo taking.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

Fancy, and oh so classy.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea

There was an assortment of bun sandwiches with different fillings – these buns, much like my own, were soft and fluffy. (My buns are perhaps more the former, rather than the latter). They were interesting that’s for sure.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

As for desserts – there were 7 different tasting desserts, including tiramisu!

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

So many desserts!

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

I enjoyed this one – it was a citrus and almond thing.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

Tiramisu:

From Peter Afternoon Tea

The only slight inconvenience here was that the tree platters are shared between two people – however there was only one of each kind of sandwich and dessert – so this either means negotiating as to how each item is divvied up, or having to cut everything in half so you get to try a bit of everything. We opted for the cutting in half, so we could at least get a taste of everything. We had the waiter, take away our desserts to cut them up. As always, I saved the scones/biscuits for last, accompanied with cream and blueberry jam.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

Tea selection here was rather limited.

From Peter Afternoon Tea

No English breakfast tea. No Ceylon tea. Blasphemous. Went with the Assam which was the next best thing.

From Peter Afternoon Tea

No tea sampling here either. You can choose whichever hot beverage you like, be it tea or coffee – and stick with it. Once you’ve made your selection, it is then unlimited refills. They serve tea here by the cup. Every time you wanted a refill, they’d bring out a new cup with your tea. Much to my disappointment, no teapots. And they were a little slow with the service here. On the plus side, there are decent views. Would have been a great sunset were it not for all the buildings obstructing our view. But that’s Tokyo for you.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

Night view:

From Peter Afternoon Tea

And the glamour novelty factor here makes it worthwhile. I loved the tree and leaf theme that was going on.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
Tea with a view

So want to get one of these! Where to buy?

Leaf tree tea tier

Here is an interesting group shot of my tea friends. We were actually seated in front of a mirror column, so it was actually a little weird to be looking at ourselves whilst eating. Made for an interesting photo though.

From Peter Afternoon Tea

The Peninsula hotel offers two very different takes on afternoon tea. The Lobby Lounge is much more traditional. Peter Bar, on the otherhand is more modern, avant garde. If I were pressed to pick between the two on the basis of an afternoon tea experience, I think I’d go with the Lobby Lounge. Peter Bar is probably better suited as a cocktail bar. Check out how it transforms as a bar by night:

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

The interior design here is very cool. Both the Peter Bar and the Peter restaurant adjoin with a funky entrance.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

The afternoon tea menus between the two venues are both very different. Even the scones between the two are totally different. Lobby Lounge plus points: traditional, unlimited tea sampling, better scones, excellent service. Peter Bar plus points: views, modern/interesting, tree leaf platter. I had wanted to go here on the basis of the tree leaf platter alone. Afternoon Tea at the Peter Bar, however, is only available on weekends and public holidays. The Lobby Lounge afternoon tea is available everyday. You can’t really go wrong with afternoon tea at the Peninsula Hotel at either venue. It does draw the crowds though. The Peter Bar Afternoon tea set costs 4,180yen (with service charge, tax etc all included). The set includes a glass of champagne (not sparkling wine), soups, sandwiches, desserts and scones, and unlimited hot beverage (tea or coffee) of your selected tea/coffee blend.

From Peter Afternoon Tea
From Peter Afternoon Tea

Reservations necessary/highly recommended. I personally only recommend for small groups. The bar is quite small and narrow. It leads out onto the Peter restaurant which I’ve heard is amazing for dinner. Peninsula Hotel, Peter Bar website and info here. Complete photo album can be viewed here.

Afternoon Tea at Mariage Freres (Ginza)

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You know you’re a tea geek when you spend your weekend (that is, time not at work) hanging out with your boss and your boss’ cousin for afternoon tea. A few weekends ago, actually the weekend after I got back from Turkey, I went to afternoon tea with my boss (my manager at work) and his visiting cousin from New York. My manager, like me, is a huge foodie. And his cousin is a huge tea lover. And by huge, I mean massive. Ah, a kindred spirit. She puts me to shame. I love the whole experience of “Afternoon Tea” – the food, the tea and the ambience. She, however, was a tea expert and Anglophile (lover of all things British). It did not escape my observant spectacled eyes that she was even wearing tea earrings – on one ear was a teacup and the other ear was a teapot! She was visiting Tokyo and during her two-week stay had partaken in at least four afternoon teas. Impressive. So we tried out a different non-hotel tea venue. They call it a Tea Emporium (Tea salon and restaurant). We went to the Mariage Freres in Ginza on Saturday at around lunchtime-ish. Mariage Freres, if it wasn’t obvious, is a French tea brand, founded by brothers Henri and Edouard Mariage – hence Mariage Freres (The Mariage Brothers). They boast a tea menu of about 500 blends. Impressive. Or so their menu would have you believe. It seemed that each tea we tried to order, they were out of stock. Hmmm, perhaps they list 500 teas but maybe they only have about a dozen in stock. I have mixed feelings about this place. Their tea store is impressive, as is their tea selection (all 500 of them). Food was a little hit and miss. But their service was, how shall I say, perhaps very French (and excuse the stereotype) – they lived up to their rude, arrogant service. Or maybe we were just unlucky. We weren’t able to make reservations here. Apparently, bookings are only available for lunch and not if you’re just having afternoon tea. There are four 4 different dining levels here. And the place was pretty full with ladies who lunch. We were seated on the second level dining area. Tea menu was impressive. 500 teas to choose from. Dilemma. Thankfully, the tea menu was nicely categorized according to tea varieties, and also number coded. They also had a tea book (almost like a tea manual which gave an explanation of all the teas). I will go back at some point to buy that book. Yes, it was for sale. It detailed tea history, tea brewing method, plus a blurb about all the 500 teas on offer at Mariage Freres. For afternoon tea, there are a few options available. It’s not the traditional afternoon tea either. It’s more like a little lunch plate. I recommend actually eating lunch before you come here, and then have the afternoon tea here a little later, because you may not leave here feeling full. I opted for the croque monsieur set – which came obviously with the croque monsieur and a salad. It of course included your choice of tea (except the more expensive specialty blends) and your choice of dessert. So no three-tiered platters here. The all-white tuxedo uniforms that the staff wore did nothing for me, except feel as though I was on the Titanic. I like a man in uniform, but these were just tacky, especially for a tea store. I also noticed that ALL the staff that worked there were male. Not that I have a problem with that. They were obviously aiming to please all it’s predominantly female customers. I didn’t spot a single female employee throughout the Tea Emporium. As usual, I got out the SLR to capture and document the afternoon tea. However, no photos are allowed here! Was told off by the staff! I did manage to get a couple of photos in before they saw me and told me off.

From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres

I then had to put my camera away for the remainder of the meal. With over 500 teas to choose from, I asked what their ‘ninki’ (most popular, number 1) tea was. Here, it’s the Marco Polo – described as Mariage Freres most famous secret mysterious blend with the aroma of Chinese and Tibetan flowers. The aroma of the tea was very vanilla-esque. It was ok. Not my favourite tea. An impressive selection of tea though, so there’s bound to be one to suit your tastebuds – teas from all regions over the world. The staff are a bit picky when it comes to tea service here. And again, maybe it boils down to a bit of arrogance and the French art of tea, but here the teas are especially timed and brewed by their own tea masters, and all you receive is the pot with the brewed tea – free of the leaves. They are very pedantic about their tea brewing methods. Personally, I like receiving pots with the tea leaves in it. This allows the paying customer (us) to enjoy tea brewed at the strength that we desire. Here, you don’t have a choice. Their strength-brewed tea only. It does dispense with the need for a tea strainer…but I quite like tea strainers. Receiving teapots without the tea leaves in it, means no hot water refill either. You’ll need to order yourself another pot of tea which will set you back about 1000yen. I also think Mariage Freres are tea purists – they don’t give you milk….unless you specifically request it. I can understand that to enjoy and savour the subtle flavours of tea, you shouldn’t add milk, but milk in my tea is a huge comfort thing for me, except obviously herbal blends, green teas, jasmine and Chinese and Japanese teas and the like. What amused me here were the tea warmers for the teapots. The teapots were covered in little armour outfits – a metal tea cozy!

From Mariage Freres

I enjoyed the croque monsiuer – can’t go wrong there. The tiny salad was rather lame and not so tasty. The other lunch plate options were the mixed sandwiches, and something else…I can’t remember. If the afternoon tea plates are too light, there are lunch courses on offer. For dessert we got to choose a selection from the menu or the cake display. On offer are scones, creme brulee, macaroons, and a small assortment of cakes and tarts etc. Normally, I go scones, but on this occasion I opted for the earl grey creme brulee. I hadn’t been too impressed by afternoon tea at Mariage Freres, but it was redeemed somewhat by the creme brulee. I managed to sneak in a couple of pics on my iPhone:

From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres

I thought the food was somewhat overpriced for what it was. It’s about 3000yen. I guess, it’s not so bad, considering the tea itself is worth 1000yen for a pot. But for 3000yen I expect to be somewhat full. And sadly, I wasn’t. And the service was really lacking. We then went down to the tea store on ground level. They have beautiful displays of teapots and teacups. (Apologies for poor photo quality. I was trying to discreetly take them on my iPhone).

From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres

Being as it were, in Japan, there was a woman in a kimono:

From Mariage Freres

What I also loved about the tea store are the wall-to-wall shelves lined with oversized tea canisters! I love tea stores that do that.

From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres

Mari had wanted to buy some tea here, but alas, service was non-existent despite us waiting for about 20 minutes. The staff here are really hoighty-toighty which makes for a really unpleasant experience. Quite the turn-off. They instead bought tea at one of the department stores at another Mariage Frere store outlet. As I mentioned earlier, there are about 4 dining levels here. The venue is narrow but it’s built over four floors: In the basement is the:

From Mariage Freres

(Which I should add, is not a museum at all). On the ground level is the tea store. On the next level:

From Mariage Freres

And then there’s the following two rooms:

From Mariage Freres

Some of their cuisine is made with tea as an ingredient (eg, the earl grey creme brulee). In addition to being a tea venue, they offer French dining.

From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres

You might want to take a French cuisine glossary just to read the menu. I took a lot of photos of outside the store where they couldn’t tell me off for taking photos!

From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres
From Mariage Freres

Mariage Freres (Ginza) gets a decent rating on Tabelog. As for the no photo rule – no photos my arse. There’s a whole stack of photos on Tabelog. 255 photos from Tabelog reviewers alone have been posted on that site. And I reckon there’d be a handful of Japanese bloggers who have all taken photos on their keitai. We were unlucky to have been seated right in front of all the staff. Had we been seated away from them, I reckon I could have gotten away with a lot more photos. There’s another Mariage Freres tea salon in Shinjuku. I’m game enough to go and try that one despite the rather disappointing experience in Ginza. I’m prepared to give them a second chance. But it might have to wait until next year. Mariage Freres website in Japan.

Turkey travel diary: Afternoon tea in Istanbul – delightfully criminal.

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Day 1 cont. (Post 2 of 3) I had just arrived in Istanbul, and after three airplane packaged meals and one free airport meal, I was in need of some real food. The first thing I did when I arrived in Turkey was do an afternoon tea. And yes, on.my.own. When I was in Cairo, Egypt last year, I did an afternoon tea there as well, at the Four Seasons hotel. I made a passing comment on this blog somewhere that I should do an afternoon tea at all the Four Seasons hotels around the world. What a great idea. I’m going to do just that! Henceforth, whenever I’m overseas, I’m going to find me a Four Seasons hotel to partake in afternoon tea at. I’ve already done Egypt, both the Four Seasons hotels in Tokyo, and I can now cross Istanbul, Turkey off the list. The next one will be in Bangkok, Thailand later on this year. I skipped all the million and one things I could have done as a tourist upon my arrival in Istanbul and instead headed straight for the Four Seasons hotel – only a few stars more than my current hostel lodgings! The previous post was merely just photos I took on my way to finding the hotel. I had until 6pm to get myself in before afternoon tea ended, and it was already nearing 5pm. I should mention that the coolest thing ever about the Four Seasons hotel in Istanbul (Sultanahmet district) is that it used to be an old jail during the Ottoman Empire! So cool, it’s positively criminal! The jail was revamped into a hotel back in the early 90s and only opened in 1996. (There is also another Four Seasons hotel in Istanbul on the Bosphorus side). I gotta admit, the hotel was really easy to find because it looked like a giant square fortress. They’ve done a great job of decking it out into an opulent hotel though. It’s colour too, very distinguishing – a Colonel Mustard hue. Due to the fact that it used to be a jail , the architecture of this hotel is very unique – four perimeter walls, an inner courtyard and watchguard turrets. It would be really cool to stay in a room there, sharing quarters where a criminal once lived. Huge novelty factor. In fact, Google Maps still lists the hotel as Sultanahmet Jail (Point A)! What a great venue to do afternoon tea – at a former prison, now a Four Seasons hotel.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Afternoon tea is in the lobby lounge which has 3 separate seating areas – Here:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Here:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

And here:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

I settled on the latter – a covered patio area. There was more natural light, garden views, and it’s where all the other people were seated. I’m sure the hotel staff thought that I was weird, sitting on my own ordering afternoon tea on a Saturday afternoon. Crazy lady, they probably thought, one of those people whom you’ll find dead in a house full of cats. Seriously, that won’t be me! (Thou doth protest too much I say). Here are some photos once inside the former-prison hotel.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

On the menu were two offerings – traditional afternoon or Turkish tea set. It was tempting to opt for the Turkish one just for something different and a bit more local, but I wanted to stick with the traditional one. The scones won me over. I even splurged and went the Royal option, which included a glass of champagne sparkling wine. Hell, why not. I was on holidays after all. And I had a week of swimming ahead so I could indulge a little without the guilt. I was sure as hell I’d be burning it all off soon enough. I sat myself down and got settled in for an afternoon tea on my own.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

The afternoon tea setting was very traditional, classic English rose. Very un-Turkish, but pretty nevertheless.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

The huge pot of tea came complete with a tea candle warmer. Bless! That totally made my day.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

The signature Four Seasons emblem/logo:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

The afternoon tea set offered perfect portions for one. Three savoury morsels, four sweet treats, and a scone, with a huge pot of tea (enough for about 5 cups of tea). Tea selection was limited, but so long as they had English breakfast tea, I didn’t really care. Tea for One:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Savouries:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

And sweets and scones:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

First up on the menu was a turkey, tomato and gherkin sandwich. Eating turkey in Turkey. Check.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Followed by a Turkish bruschetta of sorts:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

And smoked salmon and caper open finger sandwich:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

And then onto the sweet stuff:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Here is the parade of the assorted cakes:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

And I always save the scones for last.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

A tea party for one. I’m such a loser!

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

On the wall behind me were some of the old prison locks. Pretty cool. If these walls could talk, ay. Imagine the secrets and crimes that these walls held.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Afternoon tea was very reasonable. Turkey is still a relatively cheap country to travel through. Not a part of the EU so you’re not subject to Euros. The Afternoon tea was only 40 Turkish lira (60 with the champagne).

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

I then took myself on a little tour of the hotel, as you do. It’s not a particularly tall building – only 3 or 4 levels high but I went and checked out the views from the Terrace Bar. This is definitely a nice spot to grab a drink. Views of the Blue Mosque, haghia Sophia and even water views of the Sea of Marmara.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Terrace Bar:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Surrounding fortress walls:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Views of some of Istanbul’s top tourist attractions:

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Quite the luxurious hotel. Didn’t get to see the sleeping quarters, but it would be fun to stay a night there in an old jail! I imagine the rooms would be pretty plush.

From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul
From Four Seasons Tea Istanbul

Afternoon tea in Istanbul – accomplished.The one and only afternoon tea I did during my two-week holiday in Turkey. Had wanted to fit in one more at another venue, but alas, did not have time. I’m glad I prioritised it on my first day in Istanbul! A criminally delightful venue! Complete album link. Hotel details.

Conrad Tokyo Afternoon Tea: French fizz and mini morsels

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

If you want to attract ladies to an event, I have two words that will do the trick: “Unlimited champagne”. Well, make that three words: “Unlimited sparkling wine” – coz let’s face it, it did not come specifically from the Champagne region. The folks at the Conrad Hotel, Tokyo, know how to get bums on seats at their Twenty-Eight Bar and Lounge. If the 2 x Michelin star Gordan Ramsay restaurants at the Conrad Hotel (part of the Hilton chain) aren’t enough to attract people, then their Afternoon Tea set with 2 hours of unlimited french fizz/champers/”I can’t believe it’s not champagne”/sparkling wine, certainly will. I had no trouble recruiting fellow tea lovers for September’s Champagne Afternoon tea – 8 people in attendance!

So Sunday afternoon was spent at the Conrad Hotel at their Bar and Lounge – called “Twenty Eight”. And guess what level it’s on? If you guessed level 28, you’d be right! I had originally wanted to do this venue back in August on the weekend that I went to Bvlgari, but they were booked out, hence I arranged to go to Bvlgari instead. So I booked a month in advance for this one. The Afternoon Tea is called “American Classic” and the food was amazing! So darn cute. Everything was mini. And nothing is cooler than miniature food…except for giant oversized food. And to top it off, for a limited time there is a champagne offer which half of us took up on – 2 hours of unlimited Chandon to accompany the afternoon tea. Yes, please! I’m going to launch straight into the food. Another venue that does a modern take on afternoon tea – they’ve done away with the three-tiered platters here. Instead, mini food is presented on a flat glass platter. And the mini food was soooo cute. We oohed and aahed over it. You’d have thought it was a baby shower. No one ate for a good 15 minutes as we happily admired the food and snapped away. Each platter held two servings. I’ve heard of super size me…but this was super shrink me.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

How cute and awesome is mini food. There’s not enough mini food in this world, I say. Proof that good things come in small packages.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

Savouries, sweets and scones all on the one tray, so beautifully presented. Talk about so much fun with food.

From Conrad Tokyo

I’m rather obsessed with this mini food.

From Conrad Tokyo

Food for little people = fun.

From Conrad Tokyo

Can. Not. Get. Enough. Photos. Of. This.

From Conrad Tokyo

We were in for a fun afternoon. Mini morsels of delectable food, washed down with unlimited glasses of Champers!

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

The way to a woman’s heart (or at least mine) is champagne and cute mini food (or giant food). And the food not only looked good but was pretty darn delicious too! It was so hard to pick and choose what to eat first and save for last. My ritual is to eat the savouries first – of which there were three on this occasion. This was the walnut bread with Iberico ham scented with truffles. OMG. So tasty. Love nuts. Love bread. Does that make me carb crazy. And Iberico ham is a really famous, amazing, tasty ham. And it did not disappoint. Sooo good. This was definitely one of my favourites.

From Conrad Tokyo

I think the highlight of the day was the mini burger (slider for you American readers). Mini burgers are so the food of du jour. We were all rather besotted with this burger. It was a perfect miniature burger. God bless burgerlings.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

I couldn’t resist doing a cheesy burger pose! (Clearly, I have no shame.) What can I say, I’m lovin’ it. This is one very happy meal.

From Conrad Tokyo

And inside was juicy. Mini sliders have a tendency to be on the drier side but this surprisingly juicy and not dry. It also had a tasty harisa aioli for extra flavour. The burger was another winner.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

Yum. Yum. It was interesting to see what everyone was saving for last. Someone was clearly saving the mini burger for the end. The last burger standing:

From Conrad Tokyo

Next I had the brie cheese on cranberry bread sandwich. I thought that I would love this, but I didn’t.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

I then moved onto the sweets next. There were a lot of desserts in this afternoon tea, and normally it’s my least-favourite tier. But everything on this plate was awesome and I loved the desserts portion of this particular afternoon tea. Desserts were their forte here. And I appreciate that it took skills to make everything in miniature. There was a lime marshmallow which was very limey – nice and tart, yet sweet and marshmallowy too.

From Conrad Tokyo

This was followed by more miniature food – a tiny devil’s chocolate fudge cake.

From Conrad Tokyo

And then a miniature cupcake. This was really yummy. A pistachio and cherry cupcake. Cupcakes are pretty small to begin with but this about a quarter of a size of a full cupcake.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

It was sad to see the platters dwindle down as the mini morsels were slowly picked off and devoured.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

Getting smaller…

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

So next I tried the New York cheesecake. Personally, I’m not a huge cheesecake fan in general. The only cheesecake I really love is my mum’s cheesecake which she always makes for birthdays and special occasions. It’s a favourite at family and relo gatherings. Anyway, this was the cheesecake – still good nevertheless.

From Conrad Tokyo

Now normally I always…always save the scones for last. I never deviate from this ritual. But I did on this occasion. There were two scones – a plain one and a mango and coconut scone. It was a face-off between the lemon meringue pie or the scones. The lemon meringue pie won! Yes, lemon meringue pie was on offer. Awesome. Especially since just a couple of weekends ago I had been in pursuit of lemon meringue pie. And the only thing better than lemon meringue pie is MINI lemon meringue pie!

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

So I broke with tradition and ate the scones next. I just can’t get decent scones in Japan. They are dry, hard, American ‘biscuits’. I preferred the plain one over the mango and coconut one.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

And then down to the last lemon pie standing:

From Conrad Tokyo

I had saved it for last. And it was pretty divine, and so cute to look at!

From Conrad Tokyo

Check out the detail to the mini meringue peaks.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

It was yummy. It was actually way better than the other lemon pie that I had bought. There was such a tiny layer of the lemon curd, but it was so incredibly tarty and awesome. The only downside was the pastry on this pie. It was too flakey. It had been made with puff pastry rather than being a shortcrust pie pastry. Still bliss.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

And then the whole platter was empty. What a sad moment.

From Conrad Tokyo

You might recall that I’ve mentioned before in other tea reviews that it would be nice if they gave us fresh plates. Essentially we are eating savoury foods, scones, and desserts all off the same plate. Today was a prime example of needing fresh plates. Here’s what happens when you eat randomly (this is why I save the scones for last). Someone had obviously saved the mini hamburger for last but was left with a jam-smeared plate. Any afternoon tea venue that offers fresh plates will definitely earn brownie points with me, so as to AVOID the below travesty:

From Conrad Tokyo

I really enjoyed the afternoon tea arrangement here – glass platters of mini food. I noticed that for other guests there in groups of twos – had different glass platters – they were glass platters that were in a staircase arrangement. I was a little jealous of their servingware. Super cool. I zoomed in a random person’s afternoon tea set. You can kind of see in this photo, what I mean:

From Conrad Tokyo

Here are some photos of the Twenty Eight Bar and Lounge. Plenty of natural light streaming in from the tall glass windows.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

Seats by the window only seat two people, but there are great water views over Tokyo Bay.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

It was a lovely afternoon tea enjoyed with a great bunch of friends, including a couple of newbies to high tea. Eight has been my record number of attendees in Tokyo. Our little high tea societea obligatory group shot:

From Conrad Tokyo

I highly rate the food here. Service was only a ok. Views are nice too – over the water. The French fizz offer – always a welcome bonus. Oh, I nearly forgot to talk about the tea. Only three teas are on offer here – Assam, Darjeeling and Ceylon. Nothing special. But for those who declined the champagne option, they went through a couple of pots of tea. Everyone chooses a tea and then you need to stick to it. No tea sampling here. Also coffee on offer as well. Once you’ve selected your tea for the afternoon – it’s as much tea as you like (unlimited refills). I went with the ceylon tea. I’m a little ashamed to say that I did not even drink a whole cup of tea. Was too busy drinking the french fizz!!! The Afternoon Tea – American Classic – was really good here. I thoroughly enjoyed the food.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

The Afternoon Tea set on its own (food platter plus tea/coffee) is 3950yen (tax included). For the 2 hour free-flowing sparkling wine offer in conjunction with the Afternoon Tea set is 6000yen. Pretty good value, I say. For an extra 2000yen you can easily down 5-6 glasses of Chandon comfortably. More, if you’re really keen to get bang for your buck. (NB: That the sparkling wine offer is only valid at certain times of the year. Check with the hotel. It ends at the end of September…which is why we went when we did). The afternoon tea here is like the amuse bouche version of afternoon tea – and my bouche was amused. Touché mon amie.

From Conrad Tokyo

I liked that you can totally relax here and take your time. There is no ushering you out the door in a hurry. Afternoon tea is on offer from 2:30pm, so we booked for right on that time. I was running late, so we probably didn’t start until about 3pm. The unlimited sparkling wine is valid for two hours, and then after that you can stay and continue to have as much tea as you like. Most people left at about 6pm, but I stayed back with a couple of the other girls, and we probably didn’t leave until about 7-7.30pm. It got dark, so I was able to take some night shots of the Lounge in Bar mode.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

Night view:

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

I do love a champagne afternoon tea.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

The Conrad Hotel is a very nice hotel. Modern and contemporary design. I liked it.

From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo
From Conrad Tokyo

I won’t be doing another afternoon tea for a little while now, which is why I indulged up (not that I need an excuse). For a least another 4-6 weeks. No more teas in September because the next few weekends are taken up with a run race, an ows race and little long weekend trip. And then off overseas for two weeks. The Conrad Hotel, Tokyo is located at Shiodome/Shinbashi area near HamaRikyu Japanese Gardens. From the subway you’ll need to alight at Shiodome station. The hotel is connected to the Shiodome exit. Shiodome station is the most convenient access. If coming by JR, alight at Shinbashi station. I got lost coming from this station. And it took me over 15 minutes to get there, although it should have taken way less than that. It can be a little confusing…so allow a little extra time. Hotel website, afternoon tea menu, info etc can be found here.

The Ritz on the House: World of Tea in Tokyo

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

It brings me great joy and pleasure to write today’s blog post. Today’s write-up is a labour of love. So, you know how I have this rather humble blog of mine, and you know how much I love high teas (well, tea and food in general) … well, I have had the rather extreme good fortune of partaking in the World of Tea experience at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tokyo as an invited guest! You might recall that back in May to usher in my (30th! Gasp!) birthday, I had a rather tiny soiree (with some fellow gastronomes) at one of the creme de la creme extravagant high tea experiences at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo – the highest place to do High Tea in Tokyo (on level 45).

Correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe it may also be the highest place to do Afternoon Tea in the World! So after writing that particular blog post and review of the High Tea at the Ritz, the Executive Assistant Manager of Food and Beverage who oversees the dining establishments at the Ritz in Tokyo read my blog, and got in touch with me. I had no idea why he wanted to get in contact with me. So naturally, my imagination went wild. Perhaps a job offer as a food photographer (one can dream), or perhaps he wanted to give me a tea warmer (which I had raved about). As it turned out, much to my delight, he was extending an invitation to me (along with Tami and Kaori) to attend as special guests to the World of Tea experience! Wow. Talk about incredibly amazing.

A free afternoon tea at the Ritz! Now there’s seven words that I like very much. He also wrote me some kind words about that blog post: I quote: “Dear Aleisha, Greetings from The Ritz-Carlton! I have read your blog regarding the High Afternoon Tea experience at our Lobby Lounge. Thank you very much for your honest description of the time spent with us. I enjoyed your subtle sense of humour as well as your attention to details while creating the blog.” —- I was extremely flattered. He had me at: “I have read your blog”. (I don’t think many people I meet could say that to me! My blog has a very small readership.) I won’t get too carried away on this point…must bring myself down a notch. They probably have Google Alerts set-up everytime the word “Tokyo Ritz” appears on the internet. He then went on to say in the email: “Your tea time story brought so much joy to our Lobby Lounge Team! Therefore I would be more than honored if you accept my invitation for our World of Tea. Please feel free to ask your two friends Tami and Kaori to come as well. This is our Lobby Lounge monthly special event in which we partner with different tea company every time in order to create unique and memorable moments for our guests.”

Wow. How exciting. And how unbelievable! This stuff only happens in the movies! This was better than winning the lottery! And then my alarm went off…and this was all just a dream. No, just kidding!!! Seriously all of this happened!!!!

The World of Tea experience happens at the Ritz hotel for three days exclusively every month. Each month they feature different tea suppliers/brands and offer a customized afternoon tea menu (usually based on a theme) with an assortment of tea pairings from that particular tea supplier. In the past they have had Taylors of Harrogate, and Leafull, to name just a couple. Even though I was invited back in May, I decided to take up the offer this month. August’s World Of Tea Experience was presented by Lupicia (a well known tea brand) with the theme being ‘Ryou’ meaning ‘Cool’ – ideal for summer with a focus on iced-tea blends. With a couple of month’s notice, my friends and I had arranged time off from work to partake in this World of Tea experience at the Ritz as special guests. The Ritz on the House!

From World of Tea: The Ritz

Upon arrival, I simply said my name and was ushered immediately to our seats (by the window, I might add). Window seating – always a plus! Me: “Hi. My name is Aleisha.” Them: “Right this way”. (So this is how the other half live! I could get used to this.) We got lovely window seating with great views over Tokyo (it helps to be on the 45th floor).

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

We sat and perused the World of Tea special menu (which I took home as a keepsake. Might have to frame it or laminate or something).

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

The table was exquisitely set up.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

There was a tea course which involved samples of six different teas (all from Lupicia)! What I loved about it, was that each tea was served in a different tea cup/beverage vessel! The Welcome Tea was an Oolong tea served in a champagne glass. (This was a chilled tea). I was half-expecting this to taste sweet.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Mustn’t forget the bird’s eye view of the tea. Look at the clarity of the tea.

From World of Tea: The Ritz

The First Tea was Sencha (a deep-steamed green tea) served in a chawan which I forgot to take a photo of! My only saving grace is that you can see the cup that it was served in, in this photo. It’s the little Japanese cup to the right of the photo (with the little lid on it).

From World of Tea: The Ritz

The Second Tea was a Bocha (a roasted tea) served in a really cool cup and saucer. The saucer was hollowed out to fit the cup perfectly (ぴったり). No mixing and matching cups and saucers with this one! We checked the bottom of the cup and saw that it was made by Lupicia, so me thinks, you can probably purchase them from a Lupicia store.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

The ‘Tea for Break” – the ‘intermission tea’ was Gyokuro – another iced-tea. They alternated between hot teas and iced-teas. It was served in a little egg-cup-like shot glass.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

The Third Tea was a Japanese black tea (hot).

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

And the Encore Tea (I love how they called it an ‘Encore’ tea!) was a matcha tea (a traditional rich Japanese green tea) which was chilled and served on the rocks (i.e. with ice).

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

An interesting selection of Japanese teas both chilled (perfect for summer) as well as hot teas. All the teas presented on this occasion are all from with Japan. The tea menu came with a description blurb of each tea which was very thoughtful. The teas are served as progression throughout the meal, and not served all at once.

From World of Tea: The Ritz

If any of these teas take your fancy then check out Lupicia in Australia, Japan, the US. Don’t you just love how that an anagram for ‘tea’ is ‘eat’ (and ‘ate’) which brings me nicely to the part where we talk about the food (transition…subtle). There was an entree of cutlass fish which I think was part of the savoury tier.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

The flavour was a little too subtle for my liking. It could have done with a bit more flavour. Time for the piece de resistance. The magnum opus. The three tiers of epicuriosity.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Here was the savoury tier which included some delicious sushi! This platter was so visually appealing. Fresh and vibrant colours. Even the photos look edible!

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

First, you must eat with your eyes, as beautifully captured on my SLR Nikon D5000 (you’re welcome). Hence, an overload of photos. The sweets tier:

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

And then the scones, with the beautifully quinelled (curled scoop) of cream:

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

And lest we forget the jam and preserve condiments.

From World of Tea: The Ritz

Once the tiered platter is brought out, no one is allowed to eat until I’ve taken no less than 200 photos of it, which takes a good 10-15 minutes. Then we’re allowed to eat. (I apologize to anyone who eats with me.) My ritual then is to bring each food portion down onto my serving plate, followed by another photo session, but at least this time I’m not preventing other people from eating. I always start with the savoury plate. Such clean presentation. Such awesome food photography skills (I am typing this one-handed whilst I toot my own horn with the other) 🙂

From World of Tea: The Ritz

How skillful was this corn shinjo. The outer layer of the corn kernels have been delicately placed around the seafood cake to make it look like a slice of corn cob! Food art.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

The food menu was very Japanese-influenced. Sushi, sweet potatoes, rice noodles (which just quietly, something was amiss with).

From World of Tea: The Ritz

I love the clarity of the rice granules in this next shot:

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Following the savoury treats is the sweet delights. Remember: Savour then Devour.

From World of Tea: The Ritz

I arrange each onto my plate, like so:

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Same plate, different angles!

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

This was the rose flavoured white peach tartlet which was delicious.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

There was also a yuzu chocolate macaroon. Love chocolate. Love yuzu. I couldn’t get enough photos of this! I am rather obsessed with looking at macaroons. I could look at them all day and take photos of them all day. I like looking at them more than I like eating them. I’m actually not a huge fan of them…still eat them nevertheless. (Just thought of an awesome idea. I am going to change my computer screen wallpaper at work to a macaroon display). Look here and here (two Google image searches, different spelling – ‘macaroons’ and ‘macrons’.) I took about thirty photos of this macaroon. I will spare you all thirty. Here are just a handful.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

The art of restraint is one I have not yet mastered when it comes to food. I always save the scones for last.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Keeping in mind that the theme of this tea was ‘Cool’ – it was only fitting that the menu was fresh, vibrant, light, colourful, refreshing and very さっぱりした。 I found that the assortment of Japanese teas was very cleansing. And to prove that I am not being paid or ‘influenced’ by the Ritz to write a glowing review – I will say the following that could have been enhanced: – more staff, faster service (this was mentioned in my first review of the Ritz). – fresh plates to be brought out for each tier. Now, I don’t know of any hotel or tea venue that does this. But I think this would be a really nice touch and I would commend any hotel that does this. At every afternoon/high tea that I’ve done, you have only one small serving plate that you use as you work your way through the three tiers. It would be preferable to have fresh plates so that after I’ve eaten my savoury morsels, I am then not eating off the same plate that has cakes on it next. Not necessary. But nice. I think such a gesture would make a five-star place stand out from the rest of the pack. Relaxing, eating, drinking – no better way to spend a Friday afternoon, courtesy of the Ritz.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Three very lucky gals enjoying a World of Tea right here in Tokyo!

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Live pianist as well to provide some ambient sounds.

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Halfway during our afternoon tea, the manager who had extended the invitation to us, came over to introduce himself. It was lovely to meet him in person. Each month they try to do outdo themselves coming up with better and more creative World of Tea experiences from all across the globe. And various tea suppliers/tea brands are coming on board to showcase their tea line. I’m sure there is something to suit every taste. You should keep an eye on their events calendar to find out which ones pique your interest. Afternoon Tea at the Ritz is very popular and they have carved themselves a nice little niche in this market. They offer a regular afternoon tea which can be enjoyed on weekends. They also have the more extravagant Ritz high tea (which I indulged in for my birthday). There’s also the monthly World of Tea experience which changes every month. They also have a children’s Teddy Bear afternoon tea just for the kiddies! What’s more, is that you can also do a Ladies Afternoon Tea luncheon (more a lunch than an afternoon tea.) Check their calendar for specials. Current offer is: 4th lady is free in a group of 4, that is, four for the price of three.) I am fan of the artworks which adorn the Lobby Lounge inside the Ritz hotel. I have since discovered that the artist is Sam Francis. (You’re welcome). The World of Tea experience is generally held once a month over three consecutive days on the last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the month (best to check via their website for dates etc). Each month has a different theme, presented by a different tea supplier with a totally different menu. Teas from all around the world are presented. So you won’t expect the same thing twice. You can, however, guarantee that it will be creative and unique. Given that they’re on a weekday, it’s not something that I would normally be able to experience. Having worked overtime during this week doing additional computer training at work, I was able to take a few hours off work to attend this tea (in lieu of overtime pay). Judging by the crowd in the Lobby Lounge, it seems that this is quite popular amongst ladies of leisure. So this is how the other half live. I even saw one lady partaking in afternoon tea on her own. Kudos to her (*virtual high five* – *tap chest twice peace sign*). One of my other friends told me that she did afternoon tea alone when she was in the UK where at the Jane Austin teahouse you can order the Mr Darcy afternoon tea set. (Me squealing with joy on the inside). ‘Awe’ and then ‘some’. That just went straight onto my bucketlist!

From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz
From World of Tea: The Ritz

Housewives with wealthy husbands that can afford to do tea on a weekday (as you do), whilst the rest of us peasants have to work for a living. Where do I find me one of these rich husbands so I can do tea at the Ritz on a weekday every month?! World of Tea experience costs 6000yen per person. I am extremely grateful to have been able to partake in this courtesy of The Ritz. Thank you to Mr Cernia and his team at the Lobby Lounge at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Tokyo for the generosity shown to myself and two friends. We truly appreciate it. It was a wonderful, unforgettable experience! As a collector of memories and experiences…this one rates up there! Disclaimer: This review (as with all my reviews) are simply in my humble opinion, and are written purely as a hobby. I am not a professional food critic or writer (although am happy to do so if you have an offer!). I don’t recommend that you just start a blog just to get yourself a free meal. I write and blog about food and High Teas in particular purely as a hobby without any intention of profiting from it. For me, I am passionate about tea, about food, about food photography and Japan (hence this High Tea Project). Keep in mind that I have done over 16 high teas in Tokyo alone (over a period of 18 months), and over 20 high teas combined around the world, and this was the first time I have ever been given such a “gift”. My High Tea Project takes a toll on the wallet and the waistline. Yes, it’s a health hazard. It is just a hobby. But a hobby that I love. I have also reviewed well over 200 dining establishments throughout Japan on this blog and this is the first time I have ever “gained” something from it. Also be mindful of the fact that I also first went to the Ritz for afternoon tea on my own dime. You can read about that here. So this particular occasion was a fortuitous blessing and certainly not an expectation (although happy to take any offers if other 5-star hotels would like to follow suit!). Warning: Shameless spruiking/plugging. As an amateur food photographer, I would love to take photos of your food. Food is the only currency required. That’s right, no cash, just food, for my services. If you would like to enjoy High Tea at the Ritz check out their website. The hotel is located in Midtown (Roppongi). Complete photo album slideshow (this was the culled version and it has 132 photos. The full album contained 168 photos and that was after I trashed all the dud shots. This blog post has taken me over 3 hours to put together with text, images and links. It’s 4.30pm on Saturday arvo and I’m still in my PJs!) More photos of the Ritz can be found in my other post. Please feel free to leave a comment!

 

Afternoon tea in Nagoya (Marriott Associa hotel)

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I’ve done an afternoon tea…actually not since my birthday high tea at the Ritz. But fear not, I have one planned for this weekend. In the meantime, here is one to tide you over. When I was in Nagoya over Golden Week, I did an afternoon tea there at the Nagoya Marriott Associa hotel for a friend’s birthday. It was standard. Not bad, but not awesome either. But pretty good by Nagoya standards, I’m betting. It’s been over two months now since I went there…so my memory is a little sketchy. The hotel is in the JR tower attached to the Nagoya JR station. Follow the signs within the station. It’s on level 15, same level as the Nagoya station skywalk observatory lookout point.

From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea

It’s a very nice hotel with a busy lobby area.

From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea

In the lobby lounge, called ‘Scenery’ is where afternoon tea is served.

From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea

It was quite busy. Reserve in advance.

From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea

A tea party for four.

From Nagoya Marriott Tea

Here was the top sweets tier:

From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea

It looked very cute!

From Nagoya Marriott Tea

And then there were some sandwiches. Not impressed with the mayonnaise over the tomatoes. The Japanese love mayonnaise! They even put it on pizza!

From Nagoya Marriott Tea

The sandwiches weren’t too impressive.

From Nagoya Marriott Tea

But the scones were pretty good though. Scones are such a comforting food. Nothing better than scones with jam and cream and a cup of tea.

From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea
From Nagoya Marriott Tea

The table always gets really crowded at afternoon tea – cups, pots, saucers, plates, cutlery, serving tiers…

From Nagoya Marriott Tea

No tea sampling here. Just choose your one tea blend. Everything was very futsu here. But if you want to partake in afternoon tea in Nagoya this is probably your best bet. Although I did go to one other cafe in Nagoya and also ordered the afternoon tea set there too. Tea set at the Marriott Nagoya is 2500yen. Info here. This weekend, I have another fancy afternoon tea planned…and an even bigger afternoon tea surprise event next month…which I have been keeping secret for a long time now. Can’t wait until the end of August when I can reveal!

High Tea at the Ritz , Tokyo

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

I died and went to heaven last Sunday. Heaven is level 45 of the Ritz Carlton hotel. When I die, that’s where I’m going. For my birthday this year, I decided to do the creme de la creme of high tea experiences. I had planned to do this since way last year and had been saving this venue in particular for my birthday. That’s right, High Tea at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo. Pure indulgence. The Ritz Carlton high tea tops in terms of views and price. Tea at the Ritz is the highest place to do afternoon tea in Tokyo. On level 45, there is no higher place to indulgence in tea and scones, topping both the Park Hyatt (level 41) and the Mandarin Oriental (level 38). I have done my research (I have a high tea spreadsheet) and there is no higher place in Tokyo at least to partake in afternoon tea). It is also the venue that comes with the highest price tag for afternoon tea in Tokyo. It’s hard to justify paying 75 buks for an afternoon tea on any given Sunday, but considering it was my birthday treat it was worth going there, so I went with a couple of other foodie friends for a very small birthday soiree. Warning: Photo overload. The Ritz Carlton is in Roppongi Midtown. The entrance floor mat:

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

From the ground floor, you’ll need to make your way to the hotel lobby which is on level 45. The lift will take you straight up, bypassing all other floors.

From Tea at the Ritz!

High Tea is at the Lobby Lounge.

From Tea at the Ritz!

Table setting:

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Traditional classic decor with some contemporary trimmings. Bright pink menu!

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Lots of nice little touches. An assortment of jams…

From Tea at the Ritz!

Strawberry, Apricot, Orange marmalade and Honey.

From Tea at the Ritz!

Tea strainers:

From Tea at the Ritz!

Lots of little details here make it a great tea experience. One of these highlights were the tea sampler. This was the first place I’ve been to in Tokyo/Japan where they brought out a tea leaf sampler box. Here you can smell and look at the tea leaves. Genius. Very few hotels offer this. The only other venue where I’ve seen this was in Sydney at the Wentworth Sofitel from memory…maybe.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

A decent enough selection of a dozen different blends.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

We settled on the Ritz Carlton hotel blend (a chocolate black tea blend), English Breakfast tea (a favourite and a classic), and the Strawberry and champagne blend. The downside to tea at the Ritz is that you can’t sample all the tea blends like you can at other tea venues. You can choose a tea blend per person. So between the three of us, we could choose 3 teas. They are served in really large teapots that serve 5-6 cups. We shared the three tea blends. Hot water refill for the teas is available though, so still lots of tea consumed. I probably had about 8 cups of tea (at least 2-3 cups of each tea). That’s still a lot of tea. Would have been nice to try some of the other blends though. Another of the highlights here which I really appreciated were tea warmers! I’m embarrassed to say that I had never seen a tea warmer until that day. It was such a great touch. It was so nice and surprising to have a sip of hot tea every time I lifted my cup. I am so used to the tea getting lukewarm as is normally the case at afternoon tea. I never even knew tea warmers existed. I so want to get me one! Up until now, I thought people only used tea cozies/tea warmers to keep teapots warm. Tea warmer:

From Tea at the Ritz!

The teapot sits on top and the candle inside keeps the tea really nice and hot. Love it! A really great touch which made it a really nice tea experience.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Inside the tea warmer is a tealight candle. Hence why those candles are called tea light candles, I suppose. Genius! Ahhh, a relaxing cup of tea.

From Tea at the Ritz!

Sitting in the soft plush sofa soaking up the ambience….bliss. It was raining, grey and overcast outside, so it was nice to be inside enjoying a most decadent high tea. Onto the food – there are two high tea options here. The (regular) Heavenly High Tea (standard price) OR the Ritz Carlton High Tea. We, of course, went the very indulgent Ritz Carlton High Tea (7500yen). Crab meat, foie gras, salmon…bring it on.

From Tea at the Ritz!

Voila, the piece de resistance!

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Dessert tier:

From Tea at the Ritz!

Canape tier:

From Tea at the Ritz!

Scones:

From Tea at the Ritz!

The canapes were divine! Tasty morsels of some of my favourite foods – scallop, crab meat, prosciutto! Topped off with delicacies such as caviar and foie gras.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Check out at the crab meat topped with caviar, wrapped in mango.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Lots of sweets…

From Tea at the Ritz!

Bird’s eye view.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Salt caramel macron.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Scones…

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Live pianist too, and men enjoying high tea.

From Tea at the Ritz!

Tami and Kaori, also arranged a little birthday cake for me as well. (The Ritz has an upgrade plan where you can order a little celebration cake).

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Yay. Happy Birthday to me.

From Tea at the Ritz!

Here are some photos of the Lobby Lounge and atmosphere.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Indoor water feature.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Amazing views from the 45th floor!

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

The bar…

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Loved the artworks!

From Tea at the Ritz!

In case, you were wondering (but probably not) the tea brand used at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo is Lupicia, specially blended for the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Here are some photos of Roppongi Midtown where the 5-star hotel is located.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

Looking up… the Ritz Carlton hotel.

From Tea at the Ritz!
From Tea at the Ritz!

A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. A very indulgent, extravagant afternoon tea. A standard afternoon tea is also available with less decadent canapes (and dessert and scones) for about 3800yen. They even offer a kids afternoon tea called the Teddy Bear Tea set! Fancy that – kids doing afternoon tea at the Ritz! Highlights at the Ritz – great views, gourmet food, beautiful blissful atmosphere (exactly what I want heaven to be like), tea warmers, and tea leaf samples, unlimited seating session. Only downsides were: slow service, no unlimited tea sampling and it was a tad too pricey at 7500yen (plus 13% tax added on top of that). That being said though, was very worth it. A memorable experience and birthday partea to remember! Details, including menu, of High Tea at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo can be found here.

Sakura Afternoon Tea at Chinzan-so (Four Seasons hotel)

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I have done a high tea write-up. A couple of weekends ago, I did a spring-themed sakura (cherryblossom) afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Hotel – Chinzan-so.. There are two Four Seasons Hotel in Tokyo – one at Marunouchi (which I have done before) and another at Chinzan-so. Chinzan-so is actually a Japanese garden in Tokyo, near Edogawabashi. In the precinct of the Chinzan-so Japanese garden is the Four Seasons hotel, as well as Chinzan-so dining function centre. As I discovered, it’s a very popular place for weddings. I must have seen at least half a dozen weddings there. We had planned on doing this particular afternoon tea for a while now but decided to postpone it in light of the events that had taken place in Japan over the last month. My past high tea reviews – I usually critique them, and I will continue to do so. A little part of me feels a little guilty to be critiquing the service and quality of afternoon tea when so many people are suffering right now. But I don’t want to change what I have done in the past. I’m still in Japan, where I have been for the last several years, and I will continue to not only enjoy what this country offers but also to continue to help where I can in rebuilding Tohoku. …so without further ado, I shall recall the afternoon tea had on April 9. Weather was unfortunately not so great for hanami, but perfect to be inside enjoying afternoon tea. The Four Seasons Chinzan-so hotel is a very elegant, traditional hotel. It is absolutely palatial. Fit for royalty. Totally different from the Marunouchi Four Seasons. That hotel brand knows how to diversify. They couldn’t have been two more different venues. The downside to this venue, is that they don’t take bookings at all. We got there at 1.30pm and were told it would be about a 90minute wait. So we decided to go for a walk around the Chinzan-so Japanese garden and along the Edogawabashi riverline. After killing an hour, we then went back to the hotel to wait, only to be told we’d have to wait some more. After a total of 3hours, we finally were seated at 4.30pm. Talk about an epic wait. We were starving by this time too. Not impressed by the waiting time nor the service here. Big points lost there. They just kept telling us to wait. After three hours had passed we approached them again. Initially they told us we could have a table but only for an hour. What! A three-hour wait only to be kicked out after an hour. They don’t take bookings nor are their seating sessions. Then they told us we could stay longer for an hour only if we were willing to wait some more first! What! We queried this, and then out of thin air they ushered us into a vacant window seating area with no time limit. 4.30pm, hungry and after waiting for hours, we finally got ourselves seated in for an afternoon tea.

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea here is in the Le Jardin Lounge, so called because it overlooks the Chinzan-so garden (Jardin is French for ‘Garden’).

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Inside the menu, this was written…

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

We opted for the champagne set. We figured we had deserved it. It had been a month of tension and stress in Japan. People stopped enjoying themselves, cooped up inside homes, stressing and in state of fear and gloom. We decided to indulge a little. Nothing says indulgence more than a glass of Moet.

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Looking in…the glass is half-full.

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

And then the piece de resistance – the three-tiered platter of treats arrive.

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Savouries…

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Sweets…

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

And scones…

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

The food did not last long.

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Portions were small but very flavoursome. The food was good, and cherry blossom-themed. Here, you try as many pots of tea as you like, always a major plus.

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Plenty of teas to sample. A very decent selection of exotic, unusual blends.

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

The afternoon tea experience here is very traditional, very classic. Very nice indeed. Waiting time – expect it. Service – ok. Very courteous slow, although service is on the slow side. Food – flavoursome but standard. Not mindblowing but still very good. Atmosphere – plenty of seating, but very busy. Decor is very nice. Value – debatable. The set with champagne is 4950 (4500 + 10% tax). Without champagne is 3500yen from memory, and then add tax to that. Definitely not one of the cheaper afternoon teas on offer in Tokyo, especially when service is not up to par. Still a lovely experience for die-hard tea lovers like myself. Keep in mind unlimited tea and unlimited seating session (when you actually get a seat).

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea
From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Given our long wait to get in, it was only fair to outstay our welcome. We had wasted half a day trying to get a seat, so we didn’t leave until around 8pm. Given that weren’t seated until 4.30pm and by the time we got through the food and about 4 or 5 pots of tea, we took our time. Crowds had gone home by this time so we leisurely had afternoon tea with an unlimited seating session. We spent seven hours at this hotel and we weren’t even guests of the hotel. We made our way back towards the station through the Chinzan-so garden which was lit up – perfect for taking this photo…

From Chinzan-so Afternoon Tea

Chinzan-so Four Seasons hotel changes their menu with the seasons. No bookings accepted. Take a book and be prepared to wait, or get there really early (which doesn’t really make it an afternoon tea). Access: Alight at Edogawabashi station (via subway). Take exit 1A. You’ll see a riverline walk (Edogawabaashi river park route). Walk along that for about a good 10minutes until you reach the Chinzan-so Japanese gardens (free entry). Walk through the garden precinct, and follow the Four Seasons sign. (When walking along the riverline, continue to walk along it and don’t be tempted to walk up any of the stairs, even though your iPhone map looks like it’s telling you to get up to higher ground. Ignore your iPhone directions.) Chinzan so Japanese Garden – free. Popular wedding photo spot.