Timeless elegance with teatime affair at The Lobby Lounge as Executive Pastry Chef Jason Goh and his talented culinary team bring back the crowd-favourite Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea following its successful debut last year. The updated menu reimagines classic Japanese sweet and savoury delights that marries traditional Japanese flavours with modern culinary artistry.
Japanese Lobster Salad Sandwich 4/5
Seafood Inari with Shoyu Ikura 3.8/5
There are 4 savoury items, and our favourite was the Japanese Lobster Salad Sandwich, which was really flavourful, and we loved the overall texture. The Seafood Inari with Shoyu Ikura has great potential with Hokkaido Scallop, Jumbo Lump Crab, Octopus, Seasoned Wakame, Salmon Roe and Wasabi-Yuzu Dressing but the sweet tofu pocket overpowered all the ingredients. The other 2 items were the Baked Miso Black Cod, which was a little too salty for our liking, and the Charcoal Barbeque Eel Quiche, which has a nice flavour but is a little dry.
Scones: English Buttermilk and Ichida Hoshigaki / Charcoal Barbeque Eel Quiche
Scones are one item we always look forward to during an afternoon tea. The classic Buttermilk Scones are buttery and perfect with clotted cream. The other 2 condiments to go with the scones are Sakura Peach Preserves and Strawberry-Mint Marmalade. Even though we can’t taste the mint, we prefer the Strawberry-Mint Marmalade over the Sakura Peach Preserves. As for the Ichida Hoshigaki Scones, made with dried Japanese persimmon, have a slightly bitter aftertaste, which we are not a fan of.
The afternoon tea set includes a good selection of TWG Tea or Coffee. However, note that it is only one serving. If you order a tea, you may refill hotel water.
Yuzu Kumquat Mame (in shot glass) 3/5 and Japanese Matcha Roll 3.5/5
Okinawan Tartlet 3/5
The Sweet Fancies look so pretty we didn’t know where to start! Our favourite has to be the Kurogoma Ryokucha Mousse, which actually is just a simple black sesame cream on a genoise sponge, but it is so soft and light, and the fragrant black sesame is such a delight; it was unexpected! Chef Jason told us that he was trying to mimic soba for the black sesame cream part, it’s cute. The Japanese Matcha Roll made with roasted almond sponge was rolled with a light hojicha mascarpone cream but sandwiched with 2 pieces of white chocolate, which made it a little too sweet.
Mizu Shingen Mochi 3.5/5
Kurogoma Ryokucha Mousse 4/5
The Okinawan Tartlet has good potential, but the tart shell was too bitter for our liking, overpowering the Okinawan sweet potato crème, and the caramelised macadamia wasn’t sweet enough to balance it out. Mizu Shingen Mochi, the once viral raindrop cake, was paired with Japanese black honey (we thought it was Okinawa’s famous black sugar at first) and kinako (soybean powder). It was fun to eat but nothing surprising. You may adjust your preference for sweetness with the amount of black honey.
Enjoy the free flow of sorbet and gelato, with two flavours rotating daily. We had the Mixed Berry Sorbet and Vanilla Gelato.
Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea is available daily till 12 November 2024 at $65++ per person on weekdays and $70++ per person on weekends. Add on $28++ for one flute of champagne. There are 2 seatings available at 1pm-3pm and 3.30pm-5.30pm.
Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.
The Lobby Lounge
InterContinental Singapore
Level 1
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 68251008
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW, DT Line)
Opening Hours:
Daily: 1-3pm, 330pm – 530pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]