HIGH ON ARTEASTRY AT ELEMENT BY WESTIN

Like the name implies, ARTEASTRY stands for Art, Tea and Pastry. This creative take on afternoon tea has taken KL by storm thanks to Element Kuala Lumpur, one of the city’s newest hotels.

Available TRACE restaurant & bar every weekend (Saturday & Sunday) from 1.00pm to 5.00pm, you’d find breathtaking views of the city to tease your senses once you arrive at level 40 of the tallest eco-friendly Hotel in KL.

The modern and minimalist all-day dining restaurant is the perfect backdrop for the ARTEASTRY experience, a convivial weekend gathering to be enjoyed with family and friends. 

Once you have selected your choice of fine tea (from four varieties available), a contemporary bento box accentuated with synthetic turf and elongated slate trays bearing dainty savoury morsels will be brought to your table.

The tempting array included Waffle with Salmon and Crème Fraiche, Apple & Duck in Savoury Cones, Chicken Sliders in Mini Croissants with Tomato Relish, Tomato and Basil Macarons, Confit Portobello Mushroom & Swiss Cheese Bruschetta.

Also in the line-up were light and fluffy Scones, Earl Grey infused and Raisin studded, accompanied by Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jam. We found most of the delicious items on-point except for the savoury macarons. I’m all for such inventiveness but the macarons had sadly softened by the time we got around to devouring them.

Luckily the minor hiccup was soon forgotten when the chefs trotted out their artistic dessert presentation. It was rather theatrical but fun-filled and made quite a splash with everyone.

Billed as “The Red Splash”, a white chocolate sphere of Framboise a la Mascarpone is placed onto a large sheet of waxed food-grade paper (printed to mimic newsprint). Then the chefs unleashed their creative streaks loose; splashing, dotting and painting an edible work of art on the table with freestyle droplets and strokes of Raspberry Confit, Mango Purée and melted Chocolate.

Clusters of Meringue Shards along with Vanilla, Chocolate and Chlorophyll Soil, Sponge Fingers, Mascarpone, Fresh Berries, Edible Flowers and Mango Chutney were used to decorate the creative swirls and streaks. For the finale, we were invited to pick up the white chocolate sphere and drop it in the middle of the art piece and create a delectable mess in the centre.

The overall effect might appear terribly chaotic but surprisingly, the various combinations of flavours and ingredients worked well together once we spooned up the different items to sample.

Priced at RM78 nett per set for 2 persons, the ARTEASTRY afternoon tea is highly recommended as a unique and great value experience. Reservations are advisable since its popularity has spread by word of mouth and gone viral in social media.

For reservations, please call TRACE, tel: 03-2771 3351. Address: Level 40, Element by Westin Hotel, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur.

SWEET ON BUTTERFLY DESSERT CAFÉ

Afternoon tea at the Butterfly Dessert Café is a nice way to escape the crazy traffic choked madness of Sri Petaling. Parking is available at the multi-storey carpark nearby but Malaysians are too stingy/lazy/selfish (pick one or all) to bother hence the double/triple parking nightmare within the commercial area.

Our frazzled nerves were instantly calmed when we stepped into Butterfly Dessert Café which is one floor up down a lane of shoplots and a boutique hotel. Modern bulbous pendant lights and multi-pronged chandeliers add a touch of class to the minimalist interior. A towering floral arrangement at the display counter lends a cheery touch whilst clusters of tables and chairs are found throughout the elongated space.

Opened in April this year, Madame Butterfly (as the owner prefers to be known) told us Butterfly Dessert Café is a tribute to their mother who had a penchant for dessert.

“We grew up eating Mom’s tong sui (dessert broth) and both of us eventually morphed into avid home bakers,” she said. “Like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, we have now transformed to become café owners. Our aim is to attract social butterflies to come and enjoy our lovely dessert at Butterfly Dessert Café.”

Besides plated desserts and afternoon tea, the sisters also accept orders for customised cakes and caters to small private parties on the café premise.

“Our Afternoon Tea set proffers savouries and sweets at RM48 for two persons. Available on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, the set includes a pot of tea of their choice but customers can change it to any beverage of their choice at extra surcharge.”

Presented on a triple tier stand, the assortment of savouries and sweets may look dainty but our first-hand experience proved the selection was no lightweight fluff.

We relished the lush deliciousness of the triangular crust-less Egg Mayo Sandwich and Cucumber Cheese Sandwich – a classic afternoon tea mainstay.

My personal favourite was the feather-light, subtly tangy Lemon Macarons. Similar fresh tangy-sweetness was noticeable in the juicy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, helping us to refresh our palate before we sampled the remaining morsels.

Madame Butterfly explained they take great pride in making light, flaky Croissants. We love the crisp, extremely flaky outer crust that shattered once we bit into it. The buttery taste was delicate yet discernible whilst the internal warren of tender, stretchy layers was good enough to eat minus butter or jam.

We smeared the house-made strawberry preserve and butter onto the Scones instead. Although clotted cream won’t be remiss with the burnished gold goodie, Madame Butterfly explained it was impossible to serve such a luxurious item due to its high cost.

Luckily, sweet distractions came in the triumvirate of Passionfruit Meringue, Earl Grey Cheesecake and Orange-Mango Trifle. Each of the offerings stood out for their playful flavours, tickling our tastebuds with fruity overtones juxtaposed against a mildly creamy canvas.

Saving the American Chocolate Cake for the finale proved wise as the voluptuous cocoa taste easily eclipsed lighter nuances. This was the perfect counterpoint to cups of freshly brewed tea. Take your pick from English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Spring Green Tea, Kiwi Berry, Chamomile Blossoms, Lemongrass Ginger or Genmaicha.

For reservations, please call BUTTERFLY DESSERT CAFÉ, tel: 03-9054 0289. Address: Unit 3-1, Jalan Radin Bagus 6, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily except Wednesday from 2pm to 10pm

DINE IN STYLE AT E&O HOTEL PENANG

Afternoon Tea At 1885

Guests can feast like kings and queens when they stay at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel (E&O Hotel). Five out of the six F&B dining outlets on premise are open to the public while the sixth - Planters Lounge - caters exclusively for guests of the E&O Hotel’s Victory Annexe.  

As tribute to the year the E& Hotel was established, 1885 serves classical dishes with modern inflections in a sophisticated setting that oozes posh exclusivity harking back to the colonial era of yesteryears.

 

We were hosted by the E&O Hotel's genial marcomm director Eileen Chong for a la-di-da English Afternoon Tea (RM65.30 nett per person) in the spacious Gold Room. Many VIPs including the current President of the US (you know who-lah) have dined in this posh space before...so can you with a minimal spend of RM1K.

 

Gilt trims on white walls, plush floral carpet underfoot and French doors looking out to landscaped gardens accord plenty of privacy in the room. It was fun, slipping into tai tai mode for that afternoon, trying to decide on which of the 16 types of tea we should order.

Since I was intrigued by the idea of boozy nuances in my tea, I chose the Irish Whiskey Cream -- malty Assam autumn tea with faint smoky cocoa husk & aroma which was brewed for 4 minutes. Hubby's choice of Jasmine Gold had the scent of freshly plucked jasmine petals rounding off the fine Chinese tea, brewed for 3 minutes.

Special mention must be made of the savoury array of finger sandwiches. Here, the magnificent seven varieties include roast beef with grain mustard mayonnaise on village bread, cucumber with cream cheese & dill on white-brown bread, chicken breast with horseradish cream on white bread, Scottish smoked salmon with lemon butter on poppy seed bread, egg mayo with chopped shallot & alfalfa sprouts vol au vent, soft cheddar cheese & ripe tomato on whole wheat bread, and lemon chicken salad with celery in puff pastry. A good testament to their deliciousness is when both kids and adults reach out for second helpings.

Forget about canned whipped cream and run-of-the-mill jam as 1885 only proffered housemade strawberry jam and real clotted cream to accompany its warm, oven-fresh Raisin and Plain Scones. A decidedly sublime treat that went splendidly with our cuppa.

Despite their dainty portions, the selection of Cakes & Tea Pastries was ample tummy fillers. Depending on the chef's choice for the day, the luscious line-up may include mini fruit tartlets, brownies, macarons, cheesecake and a pudding of sorts. Decadent but hey, you only lived once so forget about the guilt trip and just enjoy!

Buffet Takes Centrestage at SARKIES

Buffet is a top draw at Sarkies, a charming colonial-style restaurant adorned with black & white floor tiles, rattan wrought cane chairs and marble topped tables. A popular culinary oasis with Penang folks especially for its expansive buffet spread, a meal here traverses tempting choices from east to west, local to international.

 

 

Unless you have a gargantuan appetite, it pays to be selective when you hit the food parade. Recommended specialities from reliable friends range from Roast Duck and Char Kway Teow to the a la minute Grilled Fish and assorted Curries.

Prowling around the different counters devoted to a myriad of cuisine, my top picks include a turmeric-yellow chicken curry (above), chilled seafood, mutton curry, the vast salad bar and roti canai made on the spot.

 

Kid-friendly options abound too. The maki sushi was a riot of colours and appetising flavours as are the pizzas and noodles available. Of course, reserve stomach space for the bewildering variety of dessert if you have a sweet tooth.

Opened from 6.30pm to 10.30pm daily, Sarkies serves buffet breakfast (6.30am -10.30am), buffet lunch (12noon - 2.30pm) and buffet dinner (7pm - 10.30pm). The restaurant is at the Victory Annexe and distinctly separate from Sarkies Corner which proffers a la carte specialities from 10am to 11pm.

For more information on 1885 or Sarkies, please visit: http://www.eohotels.com/