The Orchid Lounge Afternoon Tea Is Utter Perfection
In October, Onin.London visited the beautiful The Orchid Lounge at Pan Pacific London to enjoy their Singaporean twist on the classic afternoon British afternoon tea.
The afternoon tea or Kopi Tiam, served daily between 1.30 and 5.50pm was created by award-winning Executive Pastry Chef Cherish Finden and accompanied with a beautiful menu of English Sparkling and gorgeous teas!
Kopi Tiam translates to ‘coffee shop’ and is commonly served across Singapore to people of all walks of life, combining traditional dishes from the different ethnicities that make up the fabric of modern Singapore. Drawing on her Singaporean childhood, Cherish has created the Kopi Tiam Afternoon Tea at The Orchid Lounge to reflect the diverse cultural history of her homeland, blending her respect for the great British tradition of Afternoon Tea with the evocative flavours that remind her of home.
The menus consists of Chicken Curry Puffs with Sesame; Soy and Ginger Marinated Salmon Bao; Char Siu Sou, Savoury Dim Sum Pastry; and Mini Dim Sum Basket and Cherish’s Childhood Favourites Buttery Peranakan Pineapple Tart with Pandan Pineapple Jam and Moist Kueh Lapis Spice Cake alongside a Selection of Hand-Made Patisserie, including Mango Coconut Mousse with Coconut Shortbread; Coffee Tarik with Creamy Mascarpone; Gula Malaka Chocolate Brownies with Hazelnut; and Bandung Bubble Tea with Light Rose and Lychee Choux.
It was so hard to choose a favourite dish whilst we were there as with each offering, the food became better and better. The dim sums and the Lychee Choux were to die for though. Cherish’s pastries also looked too good to eat, definitely gram worthy and we received many compliments for our pictures on the day.
I’ve been to a lot of afternoon teas over the years and would have to say this one was one of my favourites without a doubt. Everything was eaten and there was no take away boxes with cakes that couldn’t be finished. A sign of a great afternoon tea for me is when you leave feeling full and happy, so this one ticked all the boxes.
The Kopi Tiam Afternoon Tea (£68 per person) is the only one in London to serve British Sparkling Wine as their preferred pairing over Champagne, pouring Nyetimber Classic Cuvée, NV and Nyetimber Rosé, NV (£78 per person). Traditionalists can, however, choose to enjoy their tea with a glass of Krug Grande Cuvée Brut, NV (£118 per person). The wider list will include a selection from some of the country’s most revered vineyards including Rathfinny and Gusbourne alongside the more artisanal, such as Breaky Bottom.
As a pet-friendly hotel, Pan Pacific London will also offer a Dog Sitting service to Afternoon Tea guests. Charged at £50 per dog for the two hour sitting, the service should be booked at least 48 hours in advance by emailing concierge[email protected]
We had a great time at Pan Pacific London and will be making plans to visit again soon. It was truly a magical experience as staff made us, and every guest present feel special. They also really know their teas there so make sure you listen to their recommendations as you’ll discover new teas that will then the afternoon tea into an experience you won’t forget.
For more information on Pan Pacific London, please visit:
Written by Tegan LeBon
