"The icon in Singapore"
High Tea at the Raffles, what a wonderful christmas gift from one High Tea Inspector to another. This experience was on the "high tea bucket list".
Three of us arrived just before the 3pm reservation along with many other tea lovers. We were shown to our table and offered tea or coffee (no menu for teas). The waiter looked a little perplexed when I asked for green tea. A three tiered stand arrived with one plate of assorted finger sandwiches and two plates with cakes and tartlets, and awhile later, the pots of tea.
The waiter informed us there was a buffet in the next room. Our table was along way from the buffet, right next to the coffee station, so not an ideal location and disappointing considering the booking was made before christmas. I find buffet for afternoon tea interrupts the flow of conversation and prefer to have table service. The buffet offerings looked impressive and I'm sure very well patronised. I would suggest if planning a visit to request a table closer to the buffet and don't plan on eating dinner, if this is your pleasure.
The expectation of High Tea at the Raffles was a little soured when after stepping out of the taxi at the main entrance, to be directed around the side to the Tiffin room as only guests can enter through the main doors (even though the Tiffin room is directly left through the main door)- I found this a little precious.
The Tiffin room has a lovely ambiance, even with full capacity it seem reasonably quiet and the Harpist was "the cherry" touch.
We can now check off the Raffles high tea from our "bucket list" and wonder how high tea at the Raffles has changed over the past 115 years.
