SKY HIGH TEA AT NOBU

It seems like only yesterday when I took Mom, sis and bestie to Nobu for afternoon tea. Perhaps it’s time for a revisit since Nobu has just refreshed and updated its Sky High Tea menu. Especially now, with new Pastry Chef Jackie Teo sweetening the experience with his delicate and inventive creations.

The young chef’s pastry prowess shines through in the Premium Menu (RM138 per person). Some of the irresistible treats we sampled were playful whilst others artfully blended French-Japanese influences. 

 

Teo’s youthful flair was evident from the offering of Caramel Mousse with Miso & Butterscotch Glaze. We loved the mini dramatic touch of having hot sakura sauce (sakura tea, milk and cream) poured over the chocolate disc with an edible dab of gold on top to reveal the contents inside the cup.

His attention to detail also emerged in the tiny sugared white flowers perched atop the flawlessly smooth domes of Chocolate Miso with Chocolate Sponge. Our palate welcomed the dessert’s lush savoury-sweet flavour combination.

Crisp and soft textures tangoed on our tastebuds when we bit into the Yuzu Mango Mille Feuille, sandwiched with mango cream and tiny dollops of cinnamon curd. For the Matcha Cake with Adzuki Bean Paste & Crispy Tuile, the chef paired it with honey as sauce for the mini green tea cakes, to lend moistness. Apart from the dainty portions, we enjoyed the muted sweetness of each dessert thus ensuring no undesirable cloying aftertaste.

Nobu KL is also known for its range of mixology tipples. Nothing adds further refreshment to sultry afternoons than the well shaken and stirred house Mocktails (RM28 each). Recommended choices include Lychee Passion (pineapple juice combined with passionfruit & lychee), Calamansi Shisho (calamansi lime juice jazzed up with shiso and ginger ale) and Yuzu Pina Cooler (pineapple and yuzu juice infused with ginger and ginger ale).

A somewhat off-beat drink is Strawberry Matcha (RM26) – an interesting, tri-coloured concoction of soya milk layered with freshly blended strawberries and green tea. It sounded kinda whacky but surprisingly, the cold drink proved more than agreeable.

On the savoury front, a joyful riot of vibrant accents and differing textures tickled our tastebuds. While a classic temptation of Smoked Salmon with Sour Cream Roll hardly rocked the culinary showboat, newer nibbles of Snow Crab with Ricotta Aioli and Lobster Tacos with Tomato Salsa managed to up the ante for the touted premium afternoon tea experience. These left us craving for more so I reckon that was a good thing.

I also wanted more of those wickedly delish Toro Tartar on Pumpkin Biscuits. Diminutive in size but chockful of bright, voluptuous nuances and nice textural contrasts, they were delightfully sumptuous. Although I’m not big on fried softshell crab, I was charmed by the on-point Softshell Crab with Watermelon Ponzu as it hit all the right flavour and texture notes. Such tastiness was complemented by delectably hearty Wagyu Gyoza dumplings.

Need more dishes to supplement the tea morsels? Then peruse the menu for samplings of Nobu KL’s house specialities such as Padrón Pepper with Shimeiji (RM28). Known as shishito pepper in Japan, the mild green pepper came slightly scorched and blistered, teamed with earthy shimeiji mushrooms and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds – a sublime appetiser to tease the discerning tastebuds.

A fun way to wrap up your Sky High Tea outing should include a serving of Coffee Jelly (RM20), a light, splendid coffee jelly and cream treat. Just the presentation alone should pique your Instagram interest, trust me.

Nobu KL’s Signature High Tea is priced at RM93 per person while the Premium Menu is priced at RM138 per person, inclusive of complimentary green tea.

For reservations, call Nobu KL, tel: 03-2164 5084.

OLD MEETS NEW AT E&O HOTEL’S VICTORY ANNEXE

A seamless blend of modern luxury and old-world charm is my ideal staycation at The Victory Annexe of The Eastern & Oriental Hotel (E&O Hotel) in Georgetown, Penang.

On a recent work trip up north, we decided to experience the E&O Hotel’s magnificent new wing which has 128 sea-view and sea-facing suites. Opened in March 2013, our plush but pragmatic 55sqm Studio Suite (one of the 118) is a serene haven with its own private balcony, tastefully reflecting the colonial style of 1900s and discreet Victorian trimmings. Modernity comes in the form of complimentary WiFi access, satellite TV, mini bar with complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and a mini capsule-coffee machine.

We slept like babies in the cosy, comfy bedroom which includes a dark wood, retro-style writing desk and a reading corner furnished with a wing chair. However, it was the expansive bathroom with twin vanity cum basins, claw-footed long bath and a separate rain shower that left me weak in the knees. I especially like the bath’s vintage design of the taps and handheld shower as well as the seductive scent and lovely lather evoked by the bath amenities.

 

Should you wish to splurge a little, there are 14 Corner Suites available on this Victory Annexe. The 123sqm space comes with a separate living room, dining area and expansive sea views. Even the corridors wending through this wing are spacious and adorned with polished timber flooring, large windows with colonial-style moulding and photographic works.

As guests of the Victory Annexe, we enjoyed exclusive access to the Planters Lounge. We felt instantly at home in the welcoming, warmly lit outpost which boasts wraparound balcony seating, a reading cum dining room and a semi-partitioned long cocktail bar with high stools.

 

We thoroughly relished the more than ample Continental breakfast spread proffered: eggs cooked on request, international cheese board, assorted cold cuts, bread and pastries, cereal, fruits and juices.

Unsurprisingly, evening cocktails proved a major crowd-puller with the Victory Annexe guests. During our visit, the lounge was packed to the rafters with everyone downing copious amount of canapés and house pouring drinks: wines, spirits and liquors laid out. Complimentary coffee and tea is served throughout the day too.

The breezy Poolside Terrace is another fab refuge so we couldn’t help but sneak in a session in the windswept swimming pool. What touched me most is the intuitive gesture of serving water to us by the poolside personnel. It was a first in my hotel sojourns so E&O Hotel definitely earned extra brownie points with this thoughtful gesture. Other guest facilities include a fully equipped gymnasium, a ballroom and five meeting rooms with all the requisite amenities and services.

Owned and managed by the Eastern & Oriental Berhad, the stately E&O Hotel was reopened in 2001 after major refurbishment. Its colourful history harks back to 1884, with two Armenian brothers, Martin and Tigran Sarkies establishing The Eastern hotel. Due to overwhelming popularity, The Oriental was added in 1885. 

A grand hotel with Moorish minarets, a domed lobby and beautifully manicured gardens, the two properties were later combined to become the Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

Today, an aura of its illustrious historical past and old-world traditions remain evident in the Heritage Wing. Round-the-clock butler service and opulent setting are the norm rather the exception here.

Onsite, the E&O Hotel draw gourmands and guests with Sarkies, 1885 and Farquhar Bar; fine dining outposts serving extensive menus ranging from Penang’s famed local delicacies to fine European fare. (Separate F&B review coming up soon)

For reservations, call Eastern & Oriental Hotel, tel: +604 222 2000. Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, Penang. www.eohotels.com