Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
Tea Time: 3pm to 5pm daily
Spill the Tea: This beautiful afternoon tea is hosted in one of Asia's 50 best bars. The chic ambience of MO BAR makes it a relaxing experience; with its luxe, comfy seating that overlooks the stunning Marina Bay area, it's a wonderfully chilled way to spend an afternoon.
The food selection is updated frequently, so you can look forward to new surprises each time you visit. The high tea starters are a great mix of palate refreshers; think tandoori chicken rice paper roll with yoghurt raita, and potato with citrus mayo and chicken floss. These were both my absolute favourites, and they're served ahead of the main tea stand.
Consisting of a wagyu pastrami sandwich, black truffle egg mimosa (very yummy), and Maine lobster in a mini brioche, the mains were served on a cute stand with a pair of gold chopsticks. Desserts were a lovely mix of a yuzu tart, earl grey chocolate mousse, cheesecake with vanilla crème fraîche, and a pistachio choux. Scones (chocolate and vanilla) were served with clotted cream, paired with orange and raspberry jam. The high tea ended with chocolate pralines, along with a mini dessert cocktail from their regular cocktail menu.
MO BAR has a great selection of teas ranging from its own Mandarin Oriental Singapore Exclusive blend to flavours from all over the world. There's also an exclusive tea selection available for an additional $10. The afternoon tea costs $48 per person or $88 for two. Top up $17 per person for one cocktail or mocktail, or $20 per person for a glass of champagne.
Jacqui Young