Archive for the ‘afternoon’ Category
[SHANGHAI] Heritage Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula
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Heritage Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula
Add: The Peninsula, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu / 中山东一路32号, 近北京东路
Tel: 2327 6756
Hours: 2:00~6:00pm
Website: www.peninsula.com/Shanghai/en/
Price: 260 RMB/person, 470 RMB/couple + 15%
Visited on: 2012-08
Please note that this was an arranged tasting.
Last week, I had the pleasure of tasting The Peninsula’s newly-launched Heritage Afternoon Tea in the Palace Suite, a luxurious space that features an enormous private terrace, a spacious walk-in closet, cool amenities like humidity setter and nail dryer, etc. But let’s not get carried away – the focus of the event was the afternoon tea, so let’s take a look at that first.
Following the British traditions of afternoon tea, The Peninsula Heritage Afternoon Tea is a meticulous arrangement of cakes, scones, and sandwiches, complemented with a pot of perfectly steeped tea, with live piano performance in the background.
A traditional three-tier affair.
Starting at the very bottom layer, we have savory snacks like London Roll with King Crab and Cress, Organic Egg Salad with Cucumber and Arugula and Warm Sweet Corn Tartlet with Smoked Bacon and Tomato Confit.
On the second layer, warm scones! The Peninsula’s scones are undoubtedly one of the best in Shanghai: buttery, crumbly on the outside but just a little bit fluffy on the inside, and never too dry. Served with homemade strawberry rhubarb jam, imported clotted cream, and zesty lemon curd – heavenly.
The top layer, with some sweet favorites like English Shortbread, Almond Cherry Macaroons and Elderflower Fairy Cakes.
Afterwards, we took a quick tour of the gorgeous and luxuriously-appointed Palace Suite, starting with the bedroom.
Giant walk-in closet.
Bathtub with a view.
An enormous terrace, ideal for outdoor events.
On our way out, each guest was given a small gift bag to take home to. Guess what’s inside?
Scones :)!
With lemon curd, clotted cream, and strawberry jam.
Bon appetit!
[SHANGHAI] Cafe Paddy
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Cafe Paddy
Add: 394 Yongjia Lu, near Taiyuan Lu 永嘉路394号, 近太原路
Tel: 6466 8608
Hours: 11am~11:30pm
Price: [drinks] 25~45 RNB
Visited on: 2012-07
Look at this lush little courtyard garden. Doesn’t it just draw you right in? Welcome to Cafe Paddy.
The interior is filled with a curious collection of mannequins, carousel pony, skulls, and other vintage paraphernalia, but the atmosphere is far from eerie thanks to large windows and warm lighting.
[SHANGHAI] Spread The Bagel X Amelia’s Jams
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The Pantry
Add: 90 Nanyang Lu, near Xikang Lu / 南阳路90号, 近西康路
Tel: 138 1871 9543
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 7:30am~6pm [Sat-Sun] 8am-6pm
Website: www.bytheco-op.com
Prices: [cookies] 35 RMB/bag of 5 [bagels] 45 RMB/half-dozen [jams & chutney] 35~45 RMB/jar
Visited on: 2012-06
If you remember my post on Strictly Cookies, I had an absolutely sugar high afternoon in Lexie’s kitchen space where she fed me just about everything in her delicious repertoire. I was back there again this week for a little rendezvous with Christine Asuncion from Spread the Bagels and Amelia Heaton-Renshaw from Amelia’s Jams, two of Lexie’s buddies from The Pantry. Uh oh, here comes another afternoon of serious overeating…
Please note that the pictures below were not taken at The Pantry, but at a separate kitchen space.
In the picture above, from top left to bottom right: White Knight (white sesame), Cinnarella (cinnamon raisin), Parmesan Pleaser (parmesan), Plain Jane (plain), Cocoa Fever (chocolate chip), and Everything Supreme (everything!) – 45 RMB for a half-dozen.
Bagels might look simple to make, but it’s actually a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. At Spread the Bagel, the whole drill takes about 16 hours in total and involves steps of making the dough, flavoring, letting it rise, shaping, letting it rise more, chilling, letting it rise more, boiling, then baking. This gives the bagels a shiny, caramel-colored crunchy exterior and a dense chewy interior, which, when paired with freshly-whipped cream cheese (available in regular, scallion, honey walnut, etc.), is just about as simple (yet gratifying) as breakfast gets.
[SHANGHAI] Awfully Chocolate (2)
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Awfully Chocolate
Address: 169 Wujiang Road, Jingan District, InPoint Plaza #120 / 吴江路169号四季坊商场120号
. 174 South Xiangyang Road / 襄阳南路174 号
Tel: 6267 9390 (Wujiang Road) / 6267 9391 (Xiangyang Road)
Hours: 10am~10pm
Website: www.awfullychocolate.com
Price: [ice-cream] 27 RMB/scoop [cupcakes] 25 RMB [truffles] 73 RMB/100g
Visited on: 2012-04
I really just wanted one scoop of chocolate ice-cream when I visited Awfully Chocolate this afternoon, but things never go as planned…
[SHANGHAI] Afternoon Tea at The Langham XTD
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Cachet at The Langham XTD
Add: 99 Madang Lu, near Taicang Lu / 马当路99号1楼, 近太仓路
Tel: 2330 2288
Hours: 6:30am~10pm [afternoon tea] 2:30~5:00
Website: xintiandi.langhamhotels.com
Price: [afternoon tea] 280~350 RMB/set
Visited on: 2012-03
After sampling afternoon tea sets at so many hotels in Shanghai, I think I’m just about done. There was, however, one last hotel that I wanted to try, and that is the Langham Xintiandi. I’ve heard good and bad things about the Tiffin Afternoon Tea served at its Cachet Lobby Lounge, and what’s better than coming here and tasting it for myself?
Cachet Lobby Lounge, with floor-to-ceiling windows that span two stories, is a bright and airy space ideal for afternoon tea. The cherry on top? Live harp performance.
The tea-smelling set up at Langham reminds me of Smith & Hsu in Taipei. It’s an amusing and somewhat overwhelming experience to open bottles after bottles in an attempt to find the perfect blend. At the waitress’s recommendation, we settled with these two: The Langham Blend and Palm Court Exotic Blend.
The Langham Blend is, as the name suggests, the classic here. It’s a mix of first and second flush Assam, Darjeelings and Tippy Golden Orange Pekoe black teas that have been blended to create a refined and rounded flavor. The Palm Court Exotic Blend, on the other hand, is a blend of Chinese Fujian white tea with hibiscus flowers, rosehip peel and rose petals. I personally preferred the Langham Blend, though the girly girls might pick the Palm Court Exotic Blend for its pink hue. A fun detail is that tea at Langham comes with an hourglass, which guides you to steep the tea for exactly three minutes before pouring it.
[SHANGHAI] Ginger
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Ginger
Add: No.1, 299 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Huashan Lu / 复兴西路299弄1号, 近华山路
Tel: 3406 0599
Hours: 9:30am~9:30pm
Website: www.gingercafe.cn
Price: [drinks] 25~45RMB [food] 42~98 RMB
Visited on: 2011-04
I have been to Ginger a few times before, but never thought it was anything special. This past Wednesday I sat out with a friend in its tiny alley patio, and I gotta say, this is a pretty sweet spot for the Spring weather in Shanghai. I only had a pot of ginger tea so I can’t comment on the food…you will have to go and find out yourself.
Still full from lunch, all I ordered was ginger tea with honey (35 RMB).
[SHANGHAI] Afternoon Tea at The Living Room, Park Hyatt (2)
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The Living Room at Park Hyatt
Address: 87/F, Park Hyatt Shanghai, 100 Century Avenue, near Dongtai Lu 世纪大道100号, 上海柏悅酒店87楼, 近东泰路
Tel: 6888 1234
Hours: [Afternoon Tea] 2:00pm~6:00pm
Price: [Afternoon Tea Set] 218 RMB + 15%, [Tea/Coffee] 60~65 RMB + 15%
Website: www.parkhyattshanghai.com
Visited on: 2012-02-24
I’m quite a fan of Park Hyatt’s afternoon tea set, but this time I went back to try their alluring array of à la carte desserts. Cream puffs, fresh fruit tarts, cheese cakes, mango puddings, chocolate mousse…ready for a sugar high afternoon?
The Living Room at Park Hyatt
The view
Caught this reflection by chance…please excuse the digression :)
Reflection
Reflected
Voilà, here they are. Classic French pastries baked fresh daily, just sitting there quietly in their glistening crystal shields, tempting folks like you and I with their alluring colors.
[SHANGHAI] Hai Pai Afternoon Tea at Andaz
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Hai Pai at Andaz
Address: Andaz Shanghai, 88 Songshan Lu, near Taicang Lu / 嵩山路88号上海安达仕酒店1楼, 近太仓路
Tel: 2310 1720
Hours: [afternoon tea] 2:30~5:30pm
Website: www.andazshanghai.com
Price: 258 RMB + 15%/set for two
Visited on: 2012-02-12
Fellow afternoon tea-ers, here’s a new spot for you in Xintiandi. Andaz Hotel’s Hai Pai, a fusion restaurant with a modern Shanghainese spirit, recently launched afternoon tea service in both of its compartments. The right side is of a modern Shanghainese decor, while the left is in the style of a French bistro. I chose the right side for its floor-to-ceiling windows, though the music selection was curiously eclectic…Jay Chou + Lenka mix?
Hai Pai
Colorful chopsticks
Roast chickens on display
Hai Pai afternoon tea (258 RMB + 15%/set for two) is definitely one of the more affordable hotel afternoon tea sets out there. What it includes: the savory – 6 small dim sums, 2 cheese and ham sandwiches, 2 smoked salmon sandwiches and 2 mini lobster tarts; the sweet – 4 flavors of eclairs, 2 green tea madeleines, and 2 honey lemon madeleines. The size is about just right – it won’t leave you stuffed, but you probably won’t be needing a full dinner after this either.
[SHANGHAI] Cafe des Stagiaires (3)
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Cafe des Stagiaires
Address: 54 Yongkang Lu, near Xiangyang Nan Lu / 永康路54号, 近襄阳南路
Tel: 3425 0210
Hours: [Tue-Sun] 10:00am~midnight
Price: 20~30 RMB/coffee
Visited on: 2012-03-09
Are you sick of me posting about this place yet? Yes, I was back at Cafe des Stagiaires again. A snapshot of my afternoon: a cup of latte, a cup of cappuccino, canelé, éclair, pumpkin tart, mini strawberry tart, and mini citron tart (all 10~30 RMB/piece). Liked everything I tried, but the winner of today was definitely the pumpkin tart (though the canelé was very close behind).
Click here to see my first visit and here to see my second visit.
Latte, 30 RMB
Pastries, 10~30 RMB/piece
Pumpkin Tart
A full house
Click here for pictures from my first visit and here for pictures from my second visit. I have a feeling that I’ll be back very soon :)
[SHANGHAI] Éclair at Andaz
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Éclair at Andaz
Address: Andaz Shanghai, 88 Songshan Lu, near Taicang Lu / 嵩山路88号上海安达仕酒店1楼, 近太仓路
Tel: 2310 1720
Hours: 7:00am~10:00pm
Website: www.andazshanghai.com
Price: 18 RMB/eclair, 30~50 RMB/coffee or tea
Visited on: 2012-02-12
Éclair at Andaz specializes in – you’ve guessed it – éclairs. But before we go on, here are a few words on Andaz for those of you who are unfamiliar with this hotel collection. It is Hyatt’s new line of contemporary, boutique-inspired hotels, located in hip cities around the world like London, New York, and LA. Shanghai’s Andaz, opened only a few months ago in October 2011, is the first in Asia and the sixth in the world. Next time you are in Xintiandi, be sure to drop by and check out its chic designs.
Éclair
Interior
Back to Éclairs, where éclairs take center stage. These oblong-shaped pastries are made from pâte à choux, baked until crisp and hollow inside, then filled with flavored pastry cream and glazed with fondant icing. The word éclair actually came from a French word meaning “lightning” or “flash of lightning”…Why? Je ne sais pas.
Éclairs
Also available: a selection of chocolates, cupcakes, tarts, quiches, breads, and the likes.
