With the never-ending cafes and afternoon tea places sprouting up in Singapore, the Tea Lounge at Regent Singapore seems to be able to sustain its influx of customers. Apparently, while I was at Regent for a function in December 2015, the Tea Lounge was filled with a throng of Singaporean families, tai tais, expatriates and tourists. When my mum and I decided to visit the next Saturday, their host told me the restaurant was full.
“Wow, it’s so popular?” My mum asked after I told her I was rejected.
“Maybe it’s the school holidays?” I replied.
Thankfully, we managed to return during the Chinese New Year period and it was not as crowded as before. We were “kiasu” and made a reservation one week ahead for the second seating, which is from 3pm to 5.30pm.
Upon approaching towards the Tea Lounge that converts into a cocktail bar for dinner functions, you’d be greeted by a pianist playing jazzy and familiar classic tunes and the restaurant’s elegant, yet welcoming atmosphere.
We were given a choice of two drinks each – either tea or coffee. I was immediately impressed by their diverse range of teas, from flower, to spiced and green teas. The teas also seem to be of premium quality and specially-sourced; I have never come across decaffeinated English Breakfast!
There were also other kinds of decaffeinated teas for the early owls, who’d want to have a good night’s rest!
After ordering my choice of drinks, I scrambled off to take some food. Me being the ultimate sweet-tooth first attacked the sweet department, of course!
There were sooooo many pretty slices of cakes, such as Hazelnut, Rainbow, Spice Rich Chocolate cake, Eclairs, Macarons, and Fruit Tarts to choose from! And then I got distracted by these…
This has gotta be every dessert lover’s dream come true! Waffles, Scones, Churros AND Pancakes…
All that’s missing is a Crepe station!
Am I asking too much? The buffet at Wynn Las Vegas has spoiled me too much heehee…
Based on my memorable afternoon tea experience at the Peninsula Hong Kong, I was only given Strawberry Jam for the scones even though I secretly preferred Raspberry. My mum, who was more vocal about her dismay, asked for some Marmalade and the waiters complied to her request.
Therefore, I like how the Tea Lounge provides such a great assortment of ingredients for customers to DIY their dessert, including crumbles, icing sugar, and sauces like Raspberry, Chocolate, Vanilla and Maple Syrup. Besides the mandatory Clotted Cream, were also Lemon Curd, and Strawberry, Passion fruit and Vanilla, Raspberry Jams to choose for their Scones – wonderful for both the picky and adventurous foodies!
They even had Raspberry Sorbet and Fromage Blanc Ice Cream, where the latter is made out of cheese from France! Do I spot some Vanilla bean in there?
I was a bit turned off by the amount of ice creams left though. These were probably the leftovers from the previous seating at 12pm.
Tea Lounge also offers old-school Nonya desserts to relive my childhood days! Too bad their Ang Ku Kuehs were filled with Mung bean; I prefer mine with Peanut.
Cheng Teng can be a saviour for those who do not want to indulge in Western pastries, but still want to instill sweetness in their life. However, I felt the soup to be rather diluted with that huge chunk of ice, occupying more than half the tank! I felt like I was fishing for the ingredients that sank at the bottom.
After my first round of sweets, I moved onto the appetisers and other savouries, which occupied two-thirds of the buffet.
There were four Salad bowls, such as Duck, Mussel, and Tomato and Mozzarella Salads for the Vegetarians. A canapé and finger food section is also located behind them, consisting of wraps, European cheese, and not forgetting sandwiches like the classic Smoked Salmon and Egg and Cucumber Mimosa.
Everything looked so delicious and I was spoilt for choice! I wish I had five stomachs.
The European section expands even more over here: Scallop and Octopus Salads and Smoked fishes, including Smoked Beetroot Salmon, Scottish Smoked Salmon, Smoked Mackerel, Smoked Cajun Tuna, Salmon Mousse with Horseradish, and herbs.
I could not go past this section without taking some caviar! It’s also my first time seeing varying types on the same table. The orange Salmon Roe and Tobiko are usually seen in Japanese food!
I was also pleasantly surprised by the Dips that Tea Lounge has to offer; I liked their Hummus and Artichoke. The Tzatziki was a bit too creamy for my liking.
AND I found something interesting for all die-hard Truffle fans:
You could probably add the honey into your waffle. Tell me how it goes! Moving onto the drool-worthy Asian food counter… Yes this is NOT the end.
It is definitely the most popular amongst diners – even spotted a line at one point in time!
Local delights have never looked better.
The counter was filled with Spicy Chicken Wings, Char Siew Paus, Alaskan King Crab in Singapore Chili Sauce and Fried Man Tous, Chicken Satays, and Steamed Salted Egg Custard Buns.
All my weaknesses…
Nevertheless, what attracted me most was this thick gooey goodness – King Prawn Congee with Dry Scallop and Goji Berry.
I rarely have congee and when there’s King prawns and dried scallops in it, I am sold.
Common to traditional Chinese cuisine, dried scallops are known to add a distinct and dimension to any dish, like stir-fried broccoli, egg white fried rice, braised dishes and Chinese broths. I love mine in Chicken soups with dried shiitake mushrooms because it gives off a rich, salty and seafood flavour. And the bigger scallop, the better (and more expensive). I even regularly brought my own dried scallops to Australia so I could cook them in my soups! Say bye bye to MSG-laden stock cubes.
At the other end of the counter is the Carving Station, which comprises of all the proteins! I believe that there was Roasted Leg of Lamb and Confit Salmon in Olive Oil, which I did not have the opportunity to take!
We’d expect every buffet to have some sort of bread or savoury carbohydrates right? Don’t worry, Tea Lounge has got it covered.
There were varying Pies and Quiches.
And can you guess what this is?
I thought it was roasted pork from afar. And when I went for a closer look…
You’ll never guess it in a million years…
IT’S TOM YUM FOCCACIA, yup. The warm light is not doing any good too. It looks SO mouth-watering under it!
Even these Chicken Floss Buns are screaming at me to put them into my tummy.
Last but not least, we have the sushi section that looks a bit underwhelming…
But why stuff yourself with rice when you can have the rest of the yummy and not-so-ordinary food?
Traditional Scones
Taste: 2/5
Oh man, I was looking forward to having this for a comparison taste test to the faultless ones at the Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong.
And once again, I was right about Singapore’s scones – what a letdown. This is exactly what I mean when talking about unpalatable scones, and has immediately made it to the list of the “bad” scones I’ve had (TWG and Coffee Club are inside).
The texture was too dry and it did not give that airy, fluffy crumble when breaking it apart with my fingers like how it should. To be honest, I died a little bit inside. Seems like I have lost confidence in scones, yet again. Sigh. You can do better, Singapore.
King Prawn Congee with Dry Scallop and Goji Berry
Taste: 4.5/5
Being a fan of seafood, I am pleased with the sweetness of the broth, broiled with the King Prawns – to the extent of wondering if any sugar was added!
The addition of fried onions on top, and random bursts of sweetness from the goji berries made the congee made it even more comforting and tasty. I went for a second round of this.
Alaskan King Crab in Singapore Chili Sauce and Fried Man Tous
Taste: 4.5/5
This would have been full marks if the Fried Mantous were as crispy like Jumbo Seafood’s. However, the Tea Lounge has managed to perfect the signature Chili Crab Sauce! I love how the luscious shreds of Alaskan Crab supplemented the thick and not-overly-spicy sauce.
Very addictive. I finished the sauce like a soup – until there wasn’t a single drop left! (My mum witnessed my act of gluttony.)
On a side note, I suspect their Alaskan Chili Crab dish originates from Summer Palace restaurant upstairs. I have tried it previously and felt that it was too watery – not as thick and flavourful as I’ve liked it to be. Thankfully, the rendition served at Tea Lounge was a lot better – maybe because they kept it in the fridge overnight and the flavours started to set in, like how a curry or pho broth does.
Apparently, I gave into the Chicken Floss Bun and Tom Yum Foccacia, and I did not regret having them! They were absolutely DIVINE and I paired them with the Alaskan Crab in Singapore Chili Sauce.
Chicken Floss Bun
Taste: 4/5
Surprise, surprise! I haven’t had any Floss bun for a really long time (many years to be exact since I’ve been living in Australia), and while I was munching it, I discovered another layer of tasty floss.
I opened it up and wow!
I am not sure if all floss buns are like that, but it definitely makes the bun here more special! Floss bun foodies out there, please enlighten me on this.
Tom Yum Focaccia (Before & After).
Taste: 5/5
Pardon me for my messy eating, but I like all my breads to be soaked with spreads and sauces.
I know I am weird.
Nevertheless, the Foccacia is fluffy and each bite feels like a warm hug. The fried shallots and dried cherry tomato slices on top further adds a fresh local take on the quintessential Italian bread! Paired it with foie gras, artichoke dip, and the Chili Crab sauce and I magically ascended to heaven.
Another delightful surprise was my Cappuccino that came with latte art! This is one exceptional point that outshone Peninsula’s, as it was made by a coffee machine.
My fill of their salads and other appetisers.
BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Cappuccino, Rose Tea, King Prawn Congee, Chili Crab, Octopus Salad, Nonya Kueh, Tom Yum Focaccia, Mushroom Tart
Taste: 4/5 I daresay that this might be one of the top afternoon teas in Singapore. I like the range of their Western and Asian, and sweet and savoury offerings at $63++ and you could pick food that you fancy; many afternoons teas places like the Landing Point and Sheraton, which have a similar price point, serve their tea on a cake tier. I usually feel pressured to finish those finger food that I do not like. It is also a great occasion to treat yourself, and half of your meals for the day are settled!
Ambience: 4/5 Great mood set by the pianist. My mum enjoyed his repertoire of Mandarin and English melodies. The organisation of dishes was also flawless and ambience was enhanced by stunning flower centrepieces.
Something to be improved would be the arrangement of tables because we were half-seated under a staircase.
Service: 4/5
Frankly, I was a tad annoyed by the handling of reservations because one day before my actual booking, I was called by the hotel twice. However, as I was away, I called back the next morning to confirm my booking – only to have another person calling to confirm my reservation an hour later again. And the funny thing is that, the place was not even full when I was dining there. I was stumped by their miscommunication or what not.
During the buffet, all the chefs and waitresses were polite and approachable in general. The chef who helped me to take my servings of King Prawn congee thought I am a tourist and was amused by my lengthy photo-taking sessions around the restaurant (as usual).
I’ve met quite unfriendly reactions when I take photos of every crevice of a cafe, or restaurant, but this was a positive one. I had a good laugh when he had the notion that I was Japanese!
Tea Lounge @ Regent Hotel Singapore
Address: 1 Cuscaden Rd, Singapore 249715
Phone: +65 6725 3245 / +65 6725 3246
Email: tealounge.rsn@fourseasons.com
Opening hours:
– Three-tier Afternoon Tea (Monday to Friday): 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.
– High Tea Buffet (Saturday and Sunday):
12:00 – 2:30pm (first seating)
3:00 – 5:30 p.m. (second seating)
Reservations:
> Instant Online Reservation
Directions: The Regent is located in between Tanglin Mall and St. Regis.
Nearest MRT would be Orchard, where you can walk 13-minutes towards Tanglin Mall for a little work out. If you prefer not to walk, you can take a bus 26 from opposite Four Seasons Hotel, or 103 opposite Orchard station.
Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY
BUNNY MUNCHIES 