High Life, High Tea

Dear all,

Gem here! Sorry we have been away for far too long. We are just disappointed over the dire of lack of readership but I'm back and I'm going to psycho Jim into coming back and I hope that this blog will be up and running again.

Jim and I always make it a point to have afternoon tea (yes, afternoon tea, not high tea - high tea refers more to the expensive hotel/ taitai version of afternoon tea) during the week. Sure, it's partly because we enjoy each other's company. But who am I kidding - it's mainly because we are in love with the idea of afternoon tea. Let me explain myself: It starts with dressing for the tea date. You want don't want over-the-top clubbing attire, you steer away from dreadful kopitiam-wear of small shorts with havianas flip-flops, or from stifling formal wear. Your wardrobe has only one aim: effortlessly-CHIC. The next part is the waltzing in into some sexy lazy-looking establishment, being led to seats by professional service staff, settling down on the plush seats, and being greeted with a stylish menu that promises unpronouncable but truly delectable treats... You flip the laminated pages one after another, taking in the delighful description of each dessert option, and find yourself repeating this process a few times over. "This flourless chocolate soufflé or this strawberry shortcake...wait a minute, how about this caramelized pear tart?" You are in a dilemma... but a good one. Spoilt for choice, you naturally take quite a while to decide and end up ordering some fancy flowery/fruity/combined flowery & fruity tea (which comes with an attentive piece of homemade biscotti delight) and a slice of heaven (which is strawberry shortcake IMO)...

Oh no, it does not end here. The fancy tea comes in a whole setup of matching porcelain teapots and cups. Your chosen cake comes in one of those white curvy plates with extravagant garnishing of fudge, berries, mint leaves and even gold flakes. It almost looks too good to be destroyed by your dessert fork but your taste buds cannot resist. The eating part then officially commences. You elegantly sip your combined flowery & fruity tea, you delicately polish your strawberry shortcake, in between your frivolous, whiny and bitchy (there, I said it) conversations with your fellow lifestyle whore. Sometimes, you throw your head back in a calculated laughter that must come off as spontaneous and effortlessly-spirited and charming...just because.

I love tea. Jim loves tea. It's not just tea... it's the entire tea experience I describe that I am in love with. Well, in this blog post, Jim and I want to share some accessible cool places to have awesome afternoon tea that will not burst your budget. Specifically, I will be introducing 3 places, and Jim, another 3 so prepare to be spoilt for choice.

Gem's Top 3 budget-friendly-yet-still-chic places for afternoon tea:

1. 1 Caramel Patisserie Cafe (for Cakes and Tea)

This is my most recommended high-tea place. On weekday afternoons, please head down to 6 Handy Road (it's located just NEXT to The Cathay) for 1 Caramel's Afternoon Tea special - 10 SGD(++) for a slice of cake and a pot of tea. Many of the cakes are awesome (p.s. I have tried almost every single one of them) and the Strawberry Shortcake, Lychee Rose, and Chocolate Berry Lust is just O-R-G-A-S! I don't know about you but for me, dessert > actual food. So, the cakes are awesome... but don't go thinking that they give you NTUC-available tea (Lipton! Twinnings! GASP!) to go along with it. They have a wonderful selection of flowery/fruity/flowery&fruity combined tea, all of which are named stylishly. Well, tea choices are very subjective but in case you are interested, my favourites are the Happy Birthday tea, Charlemagne, and Bain De Rose. Jim loves the Camelot, i think. Anyway, the staff are kindof nice, albeit rather unprofessional, in my opinion. But with the price that I'm paying, I'm not complaining. In any case, I rather my staff unprofessional than SNOOTY because nothing makes me (Jim too) mad more than ATAS ARROGANT staff!!! Okay, I digressed. Anyway, if you are in the area, drop by 1 Caramel and chill...

The Luxe, 6 Handy Road #01-01A Singapore 229234
+6338 3282
http://www.1caramel.com/

2. Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie (for Ice Cream and Cakes)

If I had to recommend a chic place for quality ice cream, Canelé immediately comes to mind. Honestly,I do not like ice cream from random Gelato places - see: Udders, Venezia, Island Creamery, etc nor ice cream from Ben & Jerry's - sure, they serve very fun flavours but quality-wise (i.e. the texture, consistency, flvour-depth and presentation), it's not "up-there". It should also be mentioned that they are not cheap! A single scoop of chocolate ice cream with copious amounts of the most outragrous mix-ins, all served in a paper cup can easily set you back by at least 6 SGD. That's a lot of money for a lot of crap nestled in mediocre ice cream. On the other hand, a single serving of ice cream creatively assembled in a sophisticated porcelain dish from Canale cost about SGD 8 (++) and you can be rest assured of the quality. I highly recommend 66% (Chocolate ice cream with chocolate crumble and dark chocolate shards) and L'amour (Rose petal ice cream with raspberry swirl, rose meringue and lychee pieces) but the rest (I've tried almost all the flavours) are very yummy too!

If you do not feel like having ice cream, you can opt to try their cakes. I've tried some of them and found them to be so-so only though I particularly enjoy the one called "Barcelona" - it comes with a tube of blood orange jelly or something like that. I should also mention that they serve quite-nice sandwiches (order the Croque Madame) too if you need something savoury rather than sweet!!!

Anyway, as a final point of mention, you will be having your ice cream in a laid-back and warm atmosphere, as you should be, and not in some noisy parlour with attractive and sometimes bitchy 18 y/o female scoopers.

#01-01A Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road
+6738 8145
http://www.canele.com.sg/

3. Fosters - the English Rose cafe (for scones and little sandwiches)

This neat cafe tucked snugly at the corner of Holland Village is an unpretentious place for an afternoon tea. It's afternoon Devonshire Cream Tea is priced very reasonably at 10 SGD (++). This Tea Set entails oven hot scones, cake and tasty finger sandwiches accompanied with butter, homemade strawberry preserve and fresh cream with a choice of a cup of tea or coffee. No one item particularly stands out for me but the whole set-up (the tea set, the warm rustic ambience with just enough afternoon light filtering in as well as the reasonable pricing) is simply cosy, homey and endearing for 2 to idle and chat the wonderful afternoon away...

277 Holland Ave Holland Village Singapore 278994
+6466 8939
http://www.fosters-restaurant.com/

Well, if you have a little more moolah to spare, try pricier joints such as 2 am Dessert Bar, the V Tea room, and the likes and relish the feeling of "RIP-OFF". Because really, pricier does not necessarily mean value-for-money! I really like the creations of 2 am dessert bar especially the chocolate tart (18 SGD (++), if I remember correctly) but IMO, it's too overpriced.

If you have alot alot more money to burrrrn and are conscious of where you step into, please (1) ASK ME OUT and then (2) we will proceed for HIGH tea at hotels - the ones worth mentioning are: Rose Veranda at the Shangri-La and Tea Lounge at Regent Hotel. Their high-tea selections are absolutely fab!!! If I had the dough, you will find me there every other afternoon.

Anyway, this marks the end of my Top 3 budget-friendly-yet-still-chic recommendations for quality tea here in Singapore because for most of us, our ZARA-pockets are not deep enough to fund regular splurges at __insert expensive high tea places catered to tai-tais/ tai-tais-in-the-making___, ne?

Speaking of desserts, I just have to write about Pierre Herme...

Gem's MUST-TRY-SOMEDAY: Desserts by Pierre Herme

I have not tried any creation by Pierre Herme - one of France's leading pastry chef - and if I don't do so before I depart from this world, I will be full of regrets. I have only heard praises about his delectable creations, my heart flutters when I see pictures of whatever he comes up with , my soul just yearns for his slice of paradise and my mind works up a frenzy over how to get to Paris - NOW! Jim has had the good fortune of patronizing Pierre Herme and the luxury of delighting in his Macaroons... I hope that my turn will come someday...

*P.S. For all you Gossip Girl fans out there, do you remember the epic scene where Chuck finally professes his love for Blair (last episode of Season 2)... the macaroons he gifted her was from Pierre Herme! (:

Love,
Gem