For English afternoon tea I got sandwiches and sweets all inspired by the West.
Going back to the things you like is normal, even while traveling. Fortunately for us, we return to the place sooner or later to tick off some of our desires. One of our wishes was to check the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur (KL) again since our Mosaic Buffet adventure. This time our victim was Mandarin Oriental KL high tea.
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Extraordinary desserts at the buffet kept an open question if the afternoon tea can relate to that. Here around KLCC, the high tea competition is intense. Especially with afternoon tea catered at nearby Four Seasons KL and High on Sugar afternoon tea buffet at neighboring Hyatt. Ou, and not to mention the unforgettable Japanese Nobu afternoon tea… So let’s check if Mandarin Oriental KL high tea can keep the pace with them in our extended review.
Inside the Lounge on the Park is weak lighting for alluring feel, with classy Chinese furnishing. At the end of the lounge, you can see the jungle view which combines the best from the natural and urban worlds. In general, this makes it a perfect place for one of the best high tea in KL. Of course, one can stop just for a cuppa, and relax on the outside terrace where sadly food is not served.
The tea enthusiasts will be delighted to know that at Mandarin Oriental KL high tea, there are 60 premium TWG teas on the tea menu. Apart from a comprehensive selection of invigorating teas I was happy to see Rooibos and a few other caffeine-free tea blends. I put my finger down for the Jasmine Pearls tea. It seems like I can’t get enough of this fragrant pair of Chinese green tea and jasmine blossoms. Especially I love its floral tenderness with green tea tartness and nice grassy finish.
High tea treats are exhibited on a three-tier red-brown massive stand. By aside, I got a delicious scones condiments and here they are generous with them.
Both plain and raisin scones came to the table pleasantly heated with plenty of colorful spreads. First, I tried the lemon curd and loved its richness in texture and flavor as well. Then, another citrusy delicacy tempted me, this time in mandarin orange. The mandarin marmalade proved to be a right zesty switch and went well with the clotted cream.
Yet, I enjoyed the combination of strawberry jam and clotted cream even more. Just like jams were top notch so were the tasty scones with a firm crust.
The Mandarin Oriental KL high tea menu looked promising including all four sandwiches with a splash of extravagance. Even with delightful filling, I can’t go past the bland bread slices. In a word, the gravlax salmon suddenly loses the grandeur and sour lemon cream can’t fulfill the lifeless bread.
In general, the savory English tea time snacks at Mandarin Oriental KL high tea would be way better with fresh bread. Among all four I liked the grilled chicken with Cheddar cheese the most. Its dense filling connected the meaty flavors with mild cheese, allowing me to forget about the bread.
Just as expected after our feast at the Mandarin Oriental Mosaic buffet, the desserts are the real star of this afternoon tea menu. To my excitement, the tea time cakes looked not only splendid but also tasted delicious. Leaning towards the traditional English tea cakes all the pieces were juicy with a sophisticated twist.
I started with a cherry cheesecake with delicious Amarena cherry on top. The decoration itself is a flavorful and tasty trend that continues with the moist cheesecake. The next treat I loved was the light carrot sponge cake with cheese frosting on top. I liked the firm texture of the cake and how well it worked with the topping.
Among the top grade sweets was also the delightful chocolate orange delice. To point out, this combination of light chocolate and orange juiciness truly got the better side of both ingredients.
Also, the remaining three pieces were more than adequate. The first one was a tart with strawberries from Cameron Highlands. Here, I must say something about the Cameron Highlands, the location itself is not to brag and strawberries from there are far cry from good ones. Even so, the chef brought the strawberries back to life with his experiences and infused it with absent essence.
As a result, the fresh strawberries tasted better than the ones from my grandmother’s garden. Speaking about childhood memories, the apple crumble cake also belongs to the revived zone. The only thing I would change is the sugar amount, that is; reduce it noticeably.
Ups and downs of the Mandarin Oriental KL high tea set left me with mixed feelings in the end. It started with an impressive visual image of the Lounge on the Park, including the sandwich stand. I also shouldn’t overlook the kind service and talented pianist making afternoon tea even more special. Regarding the afternoon tea sandwiches, I believe there is some room for improvement. Evidently, it starts with the bread, but also some amuse bouche wouldn’t hurt. If you need more inspiration for your next afternoon tea, check our Best High Tea in Kuala Lumpur (KL) article.
Afternoon tea set for one person is settled at 36 USD, which makes it one of the priciest here in Kuala Lumpur. Anyway, if you add 12 USD to that you will get also a glass of champagne and indulge these treats with style. Here is a link to the location in a case you don’t know, where Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur is.
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