Each November, London’s finest hotels and restaurants overhaul their offerings, adding an extra serving of sparkle to their afternoon teas. For seasonal delights with a unique Southeast Asian twist, Pan Pacific London is just the ticket.
Natural light, festive sight
Afternoon tea is served at Straits Kitchen, the hotel’s Singaporean fine dining restaurant. The venue offers guests the best views of the tallest Christmas tree in London and live music. Cozy and spacious circular sofas provide an ideal setting for a relaxed catch-up or romantic date, while floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows flood the space with natural light, making it feel even more airy and festive. The overall vibe is chic yet unpretentious with the unique essence of the Orient’s serene splendour.
There is an art to feeling looked after, and at Pan Pacific, that art has been perfected. Every little detail has been thought through quite thoroughly, from a delectable amuse-bouche to the teapot placed upon a candle to remain warm throughout the whole ceremony.
Sip the east
The tea menu is very impressive, containing white, green, black, and herbal teas. We started with Taiwanese Oriental Beauty, an exquisite Oolong that has been deeply oxidized and impresses with notes of honey and peach.
Dong Ding, named after a Taiwanese mountain meaning ‘Frozen Peak,’ has a smooth taste with honey, lilac, and melon notes. This Oolong is gathered at heights of up to 1200m in Nantou County.
Silver Needle from China’s Fujian Province was equally delightful, slightly creamy with a clean, refreshing finish.
Ultimate indulgence
A selection of traditional finger savoury dishes includes smoked salmon and fraiche cheese, coronation chicken with raisins and curried mayonnaise, roast beef with horseradish and watercress sandwiches, as well as egg and cress with truffle served on brioche. Should you want more sandwiches, the team generously offers a second serving.
Nothing is rushed here, so there’s plenty of time to enjoy every bite of the savoury goodies before you move onto the warm, freshly baked plain and orange-cranberry scones served with thick Cornish clotted cream, homemade strawberry preserve, and orange marmalade.
A tier above
Switch up on the tea flavours and wait for the final act. When the sweets arrived, we realised that it’s the patisserie treats that really make this a truly magical experience. Rudolph Pecan Tart, Sticky Toffee Cracker Cake, mint chocolate macaron wreath, and a plum and chestnut mousse ‘bauble’ were a treat for the eyes and the palate. No matter how old you are, these edible works of art will put a smile on your face and please your taste buds.
You can elevate your afternoon tea experience even further with a glass of Taittinger Brut Réserve or Prestige Rosé. Raise a toast (and a cake, or two, or four) to Christmas at Pan Pacific. It’s really hard to imagine anything more festive than that.
Festive Afternoon Tea at Pan Pacific London is available daily, 1pm to 4pm.
More information can be found here.
Image credits: © Pan Pacific London
