The Grand Dame has returned, and there’s no better time to enjoy an exquisitely-crafted afternoon tea within the gorgeous Grand Lobby of the iconic Raffles Hotel.
There is nothing quite so wonderful as treating yourself to an afternoon tea: tiers of finger sandwiches, delicate pastries and pots of fragrant tea; nibbled on and sipped at as you lounge and while the day in the company of friends and loved ones. Even better if it is in the style of a proper English afternoon tea, complete with scones and clotted cream!
Well, after nearly two years of extensive renovation, the iconic Raffles Hotel is set to reopen once more on 1st August 2019 (just in time for National Day!), and you can get your Afternoon Tea fix at their restored Grand Lobby! The Grand Dame has been restored and refurbished, given a sprucing up, yet retaining her classic, understated elegance.
While the Hotel will only open its doors in August, you can start making your reservations for the Raffles Afternoon Tea (S$68++ per pax)! Served daily, it’s an extensive affair that allows you to have a leisurely, luxurious tea-time from 12pm to 6pm, or anytime in between; crafted with classic sandwiches, home-baked scones and pastries thanks to Executive Pastry Chef Tai Chien Lin and his team. Complemented with a well-curated collection of exquisite teas from Mariage Frères, you can also choose to add on Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve and Brut Rosé from S$20 per glass, for a little extra indulgence!
Here, the Afternoon Tea set is a three-tier beauty. There are finger sandwiches on the bottom layer, made with pillowy-soft house-made bread in assorted flavours and fillings: we loved the crab mayo with curry bread; and chicken mayo with mixed grain bread. Wonderful too, was the smoked salmon-filled squid ink sandwich.
The middle tier had the cakes: a pretty strawberry yogurt roll; as well as a playful crunchy peanut bar topped with a “peanut”, inspired by Raffles Hotel’s iconic Long Bar, where guests used to throw the peanut shells all over the floor! However, our favourite on this tier was the adorable Pistachio Religieuse, where the choux pastry gave way in our mouths to fluffy pistachio-chocolate cream.
On the top tier are an aromatic fruit and nut loaf, as well as a refreshing coconut panna cotta with passionfruit and mango; the latter of which cleansed our palate with its burst of tangy tropical flavours.
Of course, what’s an afternoon tea without scones? Take your pick from plain or raisin, home-baked and served alongside clotted cream and rose petal jam. Light, aromatic, and mildly-sweet; the home-made rose petal jam was absolutely lovely – together with the clotted cream, they formed an almost bandung-like flavour that wasn’t as cloying. Warm, buttery and fluffy, we were in heaven munching on these scones! They paired well with the tea too – we picked the fragrant and unique Maori Blue tea that had notes of vanilla and sandalwood.
Wondering if you should get that glass of bubbly along with tea? Hesitate no more – you’ll get to enjoy an additional pastry from Chef’s dessert trolley if you order a glass of champagne! We tried the Lemon Meringue Tart and Hazelnut Paris Brest; and couldn’t decide on a favourite between the two – the former being bright and zesty, without being overly cloying like some lemon tarts can be, while the latter was wonderfully nutty and rich with the aroma of hazelnuts, buttery and addictive. Highly recommended.
Raffles Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea: 12pm – 6pm
Evening a la carte menu: 6pm – 10pm
Raffles Hotel Singapore
1 Beach Road, Singapore 189673
(Located at the Main Building, accessible via the main hotel entrance)
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