Ambiance of the Up and Above Restaurant and Bar

When the elevator opened its doors, we saw a huge Sakura tree in the full bloom. Right after that, it became clear to us that the tree is actually a part of the Zen garden. Moving forward, we feasted our eyes on the massive art pieces placed all around the lounge. They not only look nice but also stretch the peaceful vibe throughout the Up & Above Restaurant and Bar. That is no small job for such a vast space! For that reason, the dark and soothing colors dominate the area. Although many large windows make this place tranquil all-day dining place with a city view.

Tea Selection at the Up and Above Restaurant and Bar

For the Sakura afternoon tea, we got to choose from the Mariage Freres tea. This unique French tea brand is responsible for the French art of tea and an important part of French gastronomy.

Since the late 17th century the Freres family sparked their interest in tea. That is way before they opened their first tea shop in Paris in 1843. More than a decade later, in 1954, the Mariage Freres gourmet tea company was established. Obviously, the research lasted more than one generation, while the successful business keeps on flourishing for more than 175 years.

Sakura, Sakura!

The first tea choice for the sakura blossom afternoon tea at Up & Above bar was evident even before I reached the end of the afternoon tea menu. We had to have a cup of the cherry blossom tea known as Sakura, Sakura by Mariage Freres. Its sweet notes are as delicate as the Japanese sakura blossoms. This scented green tea is a sensual combination with sweet nectar indications. I liked the fact that after longer steeping time it became more serious.

The Vert Fuji Yama

Our second pick for the Okura afternoon tea came from a very special place in Japan, it grew close to the sacred Mount Fuji. This pure green tea nourishes the body with light hay, spinach, and asparagus notes. Later, after a few minutes of steeping, it got gentle astringency that cleaned the pallet.

Okura Afternoon Tea Sets

At Okura Prestige Hotel, Bangkok afternoon tea changes with the seasons. This time we were lucky and got a taste of seasonal Sakura, Sakura! High tea, which cherishes a majestic sakura cherry blossom. On the other hand, we were eager to try out their standard high tea, called Okura afternoon tea.

When we were at the Up and Above restaurant bar, we had a taste of the Sakura high tea and the Japanese standard Okura high tea. In both sets, the beautiful serving box protected the high tea savories so well that even the bread retained its softness after we were done with the photo shoot. No matter what we tried, everything was really fresh and well designed, not to mention very tasty.

Scones at Okura High Tea

Every season affects the Okura Prestige Bangkok scones in its own way. For the Sakura season, we got ours garnished with the pickled Sakura blossom. Besides the beautiful decoration, it also added some flavor to it. Perhaps the pink color was the most noticeable addition. Along with the sweetness, it set the scones straight to the Sakura theme.

When it comes to taste and texture, I must say I liked it, even though they weren’t the traditional kind. Regardless of the scones style, they went well with the silky clotted cream and sweet jam. If the jam had been home-made it would have been even better. Honestly, I couldn’t stop thinking of Sakura cherry blossom jam. That would be »a dream come true!«

Afternoon Tea Starters at Up and Above Restaurant and Bar

I often find myself wishing to begin the afternoon tea set with its sweet side and sometimes I do it. This time I went “by the book” and started with the peach sorbet. Lucky me! I loved its cooling freshness with a lovely counterbalance in the form of the fine vanilla crumble.

After my sweet tooth got content, I was ready for the poached egg with potato espuma. For such gentle stars, the truffle oil and pesto were spot on. All I needed for boosting the flavor of this warm cloud was to stir it a little and dig in.

Sakura Afternoon Tea Savories

Savories at the Sakura afternoon tea set at the Up & Above bar followed the English tea tradition. The tea sandwiches included ham, egg, and cucumber fillings all moist and tasty. I liked the abundant fillings with multiple textures. To me, the most adorable was the shrimp and apple choux pastry which tasted even better than it seemed.

You Might Also Like

Author’s Lounge High Tea

Cafe Botanica Bangkok High Tea

Erawan High Tea

House On Sathorn Afternoon Tea Review

Okura Afternoon Tea Savories

Exquisite Japanese afternoon tea set spoiled us with the sophisticated bites. After our Nobu afternoon tea in Kuala Lumpur, I can’t resist getting to know more of the Japanese cuisine. At Okura Prestige Bangkok, I loved every single bite. All four savories were fresh, full of flavor, and fabulous looking.

My favorite was the marinated tiger prawn with chilled Dashi adding a splash of the sea to the taste. This ultimate Japanese broth got an upgrade with the Shinmeji mushrooms and pea sprout for more flavor and texture. All of which come together in a bouquet of clean flavors where each ingredient played its part.

In fact, the same philosophy was present in the second bite. In this case, the king crab became even juicier with the help of the Japanese melon. At the same time, the spicy tobiko mayonnaise added the pleasing warmth at the end. Talking about Japanese melon, we still can’t forget the one from Le Normandie lunch. Thank you, Japan and skillful chefs!

Sakura Afternoon Tea Sweets

“That is so cute!” I kept saying when I saw our cherry blossom afternoon tea set. Even Ian had the “kawaii” (the Japanese word for cuteness) in mind, and the pink is not even his favorite color. Nevertheless, Sakura blossom is all about the pink color and celebrating life. To put it differently, it is about the spring, which brings along fragrant and subtle flavors.

Sakura chocolate praline certainly captured the essence of Japanese Sakura celebrations. Firstly it got the pickled sakura blossom on top plus it puts in mind the transience. Time passes the same as the chocolate melts away and in the end, it becomes a memory. A sweet memory cloaked in white chocolate and refreshed by yuzu (Japanese citrus).

Also, the subtle sakura mont blanc carried out the lightness of the spring. The layered chiffon cake resulted in an airy cloud filled with strawberry cream and a potent sakura scent. Delicious, bite!

Additionally, the shiny lychee and peach cheesecake might be described as the spring in the full bloom. It comes down to the intense lychee aroma and delicate peach jelly filling in the middle, making it a divine bite.

There is more of cute deliciousness like the choux cream cherry blossom or the cherry blossom macaron. But the white peach and lychee verine deserve a special mention. I really can’t be quiet about the silky pannacotta topped with fruit puree. It was so fragrant and light!

Okura Afternoon Tea Sweets

Distinctly Japanese desserts included the green tea daifuku and matcha chocolate praline besides the sakura macaron. First I want to stop at the daifuku which is basically filled mochi. In our case, this glutinous rice cake was filled with the bean paste that could taste something like dark chocolate. Well, not really, but definitely comforting enough and slightly sweet. It was great with the matcha powder coating! A pleasantly chewy farewell before finishing the tea time with the refined matcha praline. Could it be any better?

Final Thought

The seasonal change on the menu is one reason to return to the Okura Prestige Bangkok for the new afternoon tea set. Yet the permanent Okura afternoon delight is in my eyes a tempting alternative worthy of tasting at any time of the year. I know that Bangkok isn’t known for the seasonal changes, but it is a cosmopolitan metropole with a real sense of the world.

That is why it feels right to have a taste of more traditional Japanese morsels or the edible spring interpretations. The sakura afternoon tea got me a little nostalgic for the perfect springtime, somewhere in the past when the climate wasn’t that broken as it is now.

All things considered, Okura afternoon tea is a star among Bangkok’s afternoon tea offer and it’s a must for all foodies wandering in this metropolitan city.

Okura Afternoon Tea Review Card

• 9/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 9/10
  TEA SELECTION – 9/10
• 10/10
  PRESENTATION – 10/10
• 9.3/10
  BITES – 9.3/10
• 9.2/10
  VALUE – 9.2/10

Price and Location

Each set for two people will cost you about 50 USD, which is a great value. Here is a link to a location for easy navigation. Enjoy!

The post Okura Afternoon Tea at The Okura Prestige Bangkok appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Ambiance

The owners of The Tea House Bangkok have an admirable taste for interior decoration and coordinating that with their menu offer. It was our first afternoon tea in Bangkok and it made a lasting impression. The Tea House Bangkok on Thonglor has two parts. The first is more like a living room where you can entertain yourself in many ways. The most obvious entertainment is the admiration of antiques and then, there is the ceiling mirror. The mirrored perspective surely is very amusing, especially as the mirror is above the bar.

Nature lovers will enjoy plenty of sunlight surrounded by live plants in the second part of The Tea House Bangkok. There is a glasshouse with a green wall on one side and the real ferns hanging from the ceiling next to the chandelier. I liked the idea of a garden afternoon tea and Ian was keen for some natural light. No second guessing where we had our chic high tea, right?

Tea Selection

As an appropriate reference to the antiques, The Tea House Bangkok holds a Mariage Freres tea selection, a company whose beginnings date all the way back to 1854. That is when the Mariage brothers founded the Mariage Freres tea company in Paris.

Ian felt an adventurous connection with the fearless travelers of the past that started the international trade. Spot on for his mood was the flavored black tea, the Marco Polo. Still boiling hot but already pleasing, when the aroma similar to chocolate hit the air. This is a very complex tea where the fragrances of Chinese and Tibetan flowers combine earthy and fruity notes.

I also felt inspired by the past but in a more secure way. Fine china, greenhouse, leafy plants, my darling… Only the smell of roses seemed to be missing. Certainly not for long as my choice, the Blanc & Rose, was infused with a delicate floral aroma. The white tea with Oriental rosebuds was wonderfully aromatic. The duet is very noble on its own, but to boost that I got a cup with a rose on the bottom. Could it be any more perfect? Well, with a matching teapot it would be!

Afternoon Tea Menu

At The Tea House Bangkok on Thonglor, you can choose between a few high tea options and every set has different delights. We were hesitating between the Château set, which had sandwiches at the bottom, and the Afternoon tea set with scones. For us, the scones are a must when it comes to the afternoon tea and for that reason, we decided to go with the Afternoon Tea Set.

Our Afternoon Tea Delights

Our chic high tea stand came very quickly, which was a relief! There was a delightful aroma in the room which had made us become somewhat impatient. The mini-scones, still warm, were placed at the bottom of the porcelain sandwich stand, with a French boutique butter cube and strawberry jam. The scones were the closest to the savories in this set as all the rest were sweets. For me, it was a difficult choice to make despite my sweet tooth!

Scones @ The Tea House Bangkok

The mini-scones didn’t have the desired texture, but the taste was good. The perfect souflé shape pointed exactly to where they should be split in half and get butter and jam all over.

Next to the scones was a flaky pastry made with the pure butter: the Palmier. This crisp butterfly shaped Palmier was pleasantly sweetened and delectable. Even sweeter was the Chouquette, but if anyone wants less sugar intake, it is easy to remove the pearl sugar from the top. Otherwise, the little pastry puff had a rich flavor of butter and egg-based dough.

Pastry

The five different pieces of creamy pastry were waiting for us in the middle. The first one we shared was the succulent Royal Coffee. The coffee flavor wasn’t too overpowering even though the filling on the bottom layer was infused with it. After coffee, we were eager for the chocolate mousse. This lush chocolate cloud with a toothsome dough had some lovely crunch.

Strong flavors continued with the next bite with the intense Bande Mangue Passion. Taste of the passionfruit gave the counterbalance to the sweet mango. The next piece, the apricot yogourt, was more gentle but still very tasty with its light texture. Then there was the pear and almond tartlette, which was just fabulous.

Macarons @ The Tea House Bangkok

On the top, there were two different macarons and a delightful choco cube. Both macarons had a perfect meringue, which was crispy right on the touch of the teeth. On the inside, it was pleasantly chewy, but still, after a bite, it melted away. The first macaron was filled with earl grey cream that had a pleasant and lingering aftertaste. The raspberry macaron was more intense on the tongue but nonetheless exquisite.

You Might Also Like

Author’s Lounge High Tea Review

Cafe Botanica Bangkok High Tea

Erawan High Tea

Okura High Tea Review

House On Sathorn Afternoon Tea Review

Critique

Some set high tea menus are without scones, which is a minus. After all, scones are a super important part of every afternoon tea. Although our set got scones, which were tasty by the way, we didn’t get a savory part. Maybe this is only our preference so… Anyway, another flaw is the location. Inside simply don’t get along with the exterior and neighborhood. But hey, Bangkok is busy almost everywhere and locations are limited. And when it comes to aesthetics – the teapot simply doesn’t fit in this great ambiance and other tableware.

Conclusion

The Tea House Bangkok design is perfect for a romantic gateway or friends gatherings in the heart of Bangkok. The delicacies on the three-tier tray used for afternoon tea might vary from day to day in order to assure freshness.

Frankly, we did miss some savory part on our set – maybe just a club sandwich or something just as simple and it would be spot on. On the other hand, the sweets were ridiculously delicious. Every single bite surprised us with its technical perfection and clean taste.

The tasty sweets made by the skilled pastry chefs were presented only by one piece each, which led to me viciously judging if Ian bites too deep into my half – I don’t like sharing food no matter how romantic it seems! Especially not when it is that tasty. Quality ingredients speak for themselves and some of them are imported all the way from Europe.

This afternoon tea has a very pleasant vibe and we totally recommend it. Antiques, a room full of plants, great tea and delicious bites – could you ask for more? As you can see, Bangkok is totally serious when it comes to afternoon tea – The Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the Erawan Tea Room high tea, Zest Bar afternoon tea at Westin Hotel and now this. Simply amazing!

The Tea House Bangkok on Thonglor Location is CLOSED

Yes my friends, while we are posting this up we found that The Tea House Bangkok on Thonglor is permanently closed. As we said, the location is a big downside to this amazing tea house. Luckily, there is another location in Bangkok – The Tea House ChangChui. However, this location is even more spectacular. And for the extra bonus, you can check out ChangChui park, which is amazing. However, the last time we were in Bangkok we simply ran out of time to check out this park and visit The Tea House ChangChui. The sorrow is still alive. Damn Visas!

The Tea House Bangkok Review Card

• 9.3/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.3/10
• 9.1/10
  SERVICE – 9.1/10
• 9.5/10
  TEA SELECTION – 9.5/10
• 9.3/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.3/10
• 8.9/10
  BITES – 8.9/10
• 9.1/10
  VALUE – 9.1/10

Price and Location

The’ afternoon tea menu for two persons will cost you about 29 USD. Here is a location of The Tea House on ChangChui, since the one we reviewed is permanently closed.

The post The Tea House Bangkok – Nostalgic Afternoon Tea appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.