Mixing French-English traditions

Cucumber sandwiches meet mini croissants during afternoon tea at Anantara Siam Bangkok

You can always count on the French when it comes to pastries. And whether or not you’re a Francophile, should good pastries and tea be what you’re looking for, then Anantara Siam Bangkok is the perfect choice.

The lobby of the 34-year-old hotel has been a popular destination for afternoon tea since 1983, and is now under the culinary direction of French executive chef Nicolas Schneller and executive pastry chef Laurent Merdy.

Afternoon victuals in France are often a cup of coffee and lots of cakes and mignardises (bite-sized desserts). Yet, according to the chefs, when it comes to traditional English afternoon tea, you can never miss the classics like cucumber sandwiches and scones.

The Anantara Siam Bangkok’s afternoon tea ritual, Monday to Friday, 2-6pm, is a smooth unification between British culinary heritage and sumptuous French patisseries. Priced at 850 baht a set, the three-tiered platter features a 20-item selection of sweet and savoury delicacies, as well as a choice of tea or coffee.

Here afternoon tea is not just a flimsy imaginative affair, but a discreet haute meal. Before the glossy tiered tray of snacks arrives at the table, guests are treated to a scoop of house-made sorbet to whet their taste buds.

The savoury collection consists of chicken curry pizzetta; duxelle mushroom tartlets; guacamole, sour cream and salsa on brioche; mini croissant filled with egg mimosa; Brie de maux cucumber sandwich; smoked salmon with cream cheese, avocado and salmon roe on toast; and seafood quiche.

While on the sweet side are lemon tart with meringue; mini Mont Blanc dessert; cranberry financier with white chocolate mousse; Valrhona chocolate creameux with Mandarin jelly; raspberry pannacotta; ppera cake; traditional cheese cake; and passion fruit dome, to name a few.

Plain and cranberry scones are served with raspberry-rhubarb jam, preserved strawberry and imported Devonshire clotted cream.

Complementing the French-crafted delicacies are an exclusive variety of tea blends from legendary French tea house Mariage Freres. There are three choices of flavoured French tea specially concocted for the Anantara Siam Bangkok, namely Elephant Blanc, Lune Rouge and Temple de L’aube.

The weekend afternoon tea buffet, priced at 950 baht per person, includes four hours of all-you-can-eat indulgent treats (there is a greater variation of snacks, including the likes of chocolate fudge, mango with sticky rice, freshly made brownies and bread pudding) and two beverage choices of coffee or tea.

For reservations, call Anantara Siam Bangkok on 02-126-8866.