Want to know more about Cambodian cuisine? Then let me give you an idea that will keep you excited. Below I’ve written an extensive Khmer inspired afternoon tea review that offers an insight into the cultural blend that is part of Cambodia. Enjoying the Park Hyatt Siem Reap afternoon tea is an unforgettable experience that will stick in your memory and inspire you to recreate some of the dishes at home. In case you feel like having some of the western style treats their signature high tea is a way to go.
Ambiance
Inside the Park Hyatt Siem Reap hotel, is a peaceful courtyard with a pleasant shade and tranquil ambiance. The setting is about symmetry with a beautiful tree in the center of it. An important part of the cooling effect is also the water surrounding the tree. Open space is big enough to catch some breeze without jeopardizing privacy.
Altogether is a lovely chill-out place with or without a cup of tea. For the best comfort keep in mind the smart casual dress code applies after 5:00 p.m.
Harney and Sons Tea at the Park Hyatt Siem Reap Afternoon Tea
We choose two different teas for our Park Hyatt Siem Reap afternoon tea time. Both were from the Harney & Sons brand, which promises to deliver tea of the finest quality. I liked the serving style, which included the teapot full of hot water next to the standard items. In this case, I could fill up the teapot straight away.
Rose Scented
Black tea with rose delivered everything the name has vouched for. Starting with the lush rose aroma combined with the strong black tea notes. Besides the pleasing fragrance, I got to taste the roses trapped in the silky liquid. To me, it felt best when I paired it with the sweets or on its own as a pallet cleanser.
Caribe
Our second choice also included floral notes combined with some fruitiness. Much lighter with guava, coconut, and strawberry besides the hibiscus and marigold. All rounded up by the blend of black and green tea for more complexity. In the after-effect, black tea produced some earthy and woody notes, while green tea delivered soft tartness to the cuppa.
Scones
For the first time, we got scones with a few treats in the same basket. Among all the puffed rice cracker felt like a light starter right before the warm scones. Ginger cookies fitted best right next to the tea, but they weren’t really to my taste.
I can say that the homemade zesty orange marmalade and sweet mango jam were excellent. Along with the sweet spreads we also got the clotted cream and sour cream. As a matter of fact, the sour cream resembled the cheesecake topping and gave me a few ideas while I enjoyed it with mango jam.
The scones for our high tea at Park Hyatt Siem Reap tasted pleasant, especially when I bit into the crunchy crust. Besides that, I liked the yellowish color and airy interior.
Khmer Inspired High Tea
The local high tea set was divided into three sections of savories before the sweet selection.
Kroeung Khleam Siem Reap
The word “kroeung” indicates finely ground ingredients into the paste for seasoning purposes. Chosen components vary from personal preferences and the desired effect on the final dish. I think that the idea behind our Park Hyatt Siem Reap afternoon tea was to create refreshing bites.
Marinated Prawn Salad
Fresh lemongrass was the most noticeable from the herbal mix and it invigorated the sweetened marinade also containing the fish sauce. All together it worked well with the soft prawn sprinkled with peanuts.
Watermelon Salad with Fish
I have never imagined the dry salted fish could work so well with the watermelon. Now that I’ve tried it I can say it is absolutely delicious and I’ll try to imitate this salad sometime in the future. For this salad, the chef at the Park Hyatt Siem Reap selected the perfect watermelon; the one with compact flesh and sweet taste. The herbal bond for this contrasting salad also couldn’t be better made of crushed fresh mint leaves.
Mango Gazpacho
Ripe mango with cucumber is another refreshing combination that made a lasting impression. Naturally, it was more to this cold soup than just rejuvenating tonic. It started with the perfect marriage made of cucumbers and shallots along with the fresh mint and vodka.
Warm Selection
Crispy Crab Cake with Roasted Tomato Dip
Basic seasonings for the crispy crab cake proved the right choice to expose the delicate crab meat. Especially because of the divine tomato dip leaning towards the fruity side. Honestly, I could taste cherries in it! That was an incredible bite full of textures and flavors with an aftertaste that put the crab in the center.
Grilled Beef Skewer with Vegetable Pickle
Crunchy pickles with ginger added freshness to the moist beef skewer filled with herbal paste. In addition to that, the crisp pickles and peanuts provided a firm crunch to the tender meat.
Stuffed Fish Cake
This compact fish meat wrapped around the long bean would be very nice on its own. Even so, it was much better when I coated it all in the widely adored sweet chili sauce.
Afternoon Tea Sandwiches
Even though this section of Park Hyatt Siem Reap afternoon tea is listed in the menu as the sandwiches, don’t expect them to be prepared in the western style. My guess is that in Cambodia people eat these dishes often as a street-food meal.
Num Pang Pate
Obviously, I’ll start the afternoon tea sandwich review with the one closest to it. That is a two-bite sized brother of a famous Vietnamese sandwich known as Bahn Mi. Already on the first glimpse, I felt content by its substantial filling. The feeling only got better once I have bitten into it and blended all the flavors. The most important are the quick-pickled vegetables, pate, and bread all flawless and delectably seasoned in this case.
Rice Paper Rolls
For this classic, we got minced pork, pepper, sweet basil, and cucumber all firmly wrapped in the rice paper. Next to this crisp bite we got the delightful sauce made with lime, sugar, coconut, peanut, and god knows what else. All I know is that it added that extra dimension to the toothsome roll.
Beef Salad
A stuffed cucumber never tasted so good! Admittedly the precisely carved cucumber was more of an edible bowl than anything else. But on the second thought, its young skin also contributed some effect to the salad. Slight bitterness connected to the coriander, spring onion, chili and beef, all marinated in the lime juice and fish sauce.
Chicken Curry
Inside the tiny pot, we got two slices of garlic bread on top of the curry sauce. In the sauce itself, I could taste all the main ingredients that were in it besides the chicken and sweet potatoes. That was the coconut milk for the thick gravy along with the curry paste and onion.
Khmer Inspired Sweet Selection at Park Hyatt Siem Reap Afternoon Tea
Local afternoon tea at Park Hyatt Siem Reap also includes typical Cambodian desserts with unique sauces. Just like scones got their specials the sweets got a company of caramel, pandan and toasted sesame sauce.
Stuffed Sticky Rice Cake
The bouncy texture of the sticky rice dough got even more fun after the sweet liquid popped out of the ball. On its own the dough is all about the texture, but once it is combined with something tasty it is easy to understand why people love it so much. First of all, it’s fun when palm sugar with grated coconut showers the mouth. After that splashy encounter things only get tastier.
Caramelized Banana with Coconut Milk
You know how it goes; if the ingredients are good, the final product can’t be any different. Fresh bananas are always beyond comparison and if the variety is right, the end product is spot on. This was a simple yet splendid treat.
Steamed Rice Layer Cake
This beloved colorful treat is more about the texture and the looks than the taste. That is why I’m not fond of it, but I taste it to check if there is something I’m not getting. In this case, the creamy melting texture felt all right with subtle pandan notes.
Num Krok
This ball of the airy soft interior has a baked outer layer that carries more flavor, but the trick is in the sauce and spice. I’d change the spring onion for some galangal although the coconut sauce is the winner. Even with onions, this snack can be eaten at any time of the day, even on the full stomach.
Final Thought About Park Hyatt Siem Reap Afternoon Tea
This Khmer afternoon tea proved to be all we wished for when thinking about the Cambodian food. All the bites accomplished to satisfy both of us and so did the kind and professional service. With that being said it is fair to add that the afternoon tea Park Hyatt Siem Reap is one of the best afternoon tea in Siem Reap.
Park Hyatt Siem Reap Afternoon Tea Review Card
- ATMOSPHERE – 9.3/109.3/10
- SERVICE – 9.7/109.7/10
- TEA SELECTION – 9/109/10
- PRESENTATION – 9.4/109.4/10
- BITES – 9.2/109.2/10
- VALUE – 9.2/109.2/10
Price and Location
Park Hyatt Siem Reap Afternoon Tea set for with a glass of Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne, will cost you 40 USD per person. If you would like to skip bubbles, you can choose Khmer-Inspired High Tea, which is 25 USD per person, or 3 USD more for Signature High Tea. Here is a link to a location, for easier navigation here in Siem Reap.
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