Binge - Afternoon Tea at The Ritz Carlton and Chef Pang's Stupendous Sweets

While tete-a-tete’s are taking the form of cocktails and tapas among the girls these days, it looks like the Afternoon Tea is still alive and kicking….But if there’s no boozy tipples on the menu, then the nibbles have got to a be really good too, to be picked up on our radar of Simply Fab stops.

One that more than meets our muster is the afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore’s Chihuly Lounge. I have been here a few times, and even though it is pricier than many other spreads in town among the luxury hotels, this stands out for Chef Terence Pang’s creativity. The last one I tasted had a summer, beachy theme with pastries and cakes made out as sailboats and surfers. This November (until 28 Nov), his theme is ‘Indian Autumn’.

Tuck into chocolate almond sponge flavoured with spices, praline lemon tarts, and a super unusual pea mousse with wasabi cherry jelly. For a little action, pain perdu with maple is done a la minute. There are savouries of autumn produce too - scallop confit with green leek vichyssoise, Indian cheese tikki with grilled Portobello mushrooms, grilled beef rolls with bamboo shoots and chives as well as seafood gyoza with korma dressing. All this you eat off Bernardaud’s ‘Feuille d'or’ tableware, and accompnay with a mind boggling choice of 30 teas. How to choose?!

Spot the teensy little droppers next to each chocolate slice? Add your own syrup. Cute huh?

As for the good chef, let it be known that Chef Pang is one exceptional talent who has so far been underrated. Cheerful and unassuming, he doesn't seem to be given enough recognition and air time for his superbly artistic morsels. They taste as good as they look, and transport even adults to an idealised childhood candy moment. And pardon my gushing, they are some of the most creative and unique I have seen here in all my 20 years of being a food scribe. (The other guy is Exec Pastry Chef Christophe Grilo of the Hilton Singapore - but more on him on another post.) Here  eye candy of Chef Pang's edible 'artwork' (above and left) from an earlier Brunch on '78 at the Ritz Carlton (their super glitzy brunch that happened only once a quarter which I believe is now over).....see the pretty pictures and salivate! Let's see what we churns out for December!

Price: $42 per adult and $21 per child (6-12 years old) on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:30 to 5 pm.

Tel : 6434 5288 for reservations
- Ee Waun

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Binge - Mooncake Madness and Chang Er Ratings Part 1

We are happily inundated by a deluge of mooncake news this year. So cutting to the yolk of the matter, when it’s time to seek out our inner Chang Er, detox on Chinese tea and nibble on mooncakes, here’s the sea of choices you have….SimplyFab gives you a quick run-down according to our tongue-in-cheek lunar ratings based on the following categories: 

Chang Er’s Faves: Traditional or down-to-earth flavours that we think would be widely enjoyed.

Lunar Lights: Creative, unusual, yet with wide appeal

Off Into Orbit: So wild it’s orbiting round the moon. Watch Chang Er fly after it!

Fairmont Hotel (13 August to 22 September)

Chang Er’s Faves: The Baked Mooncake with Roasted Pine Nuts in White Lotus Paste is one of the nicest traditional baked mooncakes from hotels this year. Soft lotus paste with a decent bite, in a thin baked skin. You can’t go wrong with this. ($48 per box of 4)

Lunar Lights: The Mini-Snow Skin Organic Muesli Chocolate Mooncake ($53 box) comprising chocolate swirl sprinkled with muesli and wrapped in a chocolate shell (new this year); Baked Peach-shaped Single Yolk & Macadamia Nuts in White Lotus Paste; and their bestseller, Champagne Truffle & Chocolate Ganache in snow skin.

Off Into Orbit: Okay, this isn’t really round the moon, but it’s levitating a little off the ground. The Golden ‘Qi’ Mooncake, a new baked creation by Chef Mandy Yeo made with Chuan Xiong, Wolfberry & Fig in White Lotus Paste….If we had to give this to someone, it’ll be to an ancient family member or a Naturopath we like.

Trade in your old unused mooncake box and get $10 off your mooncake purchase to support the environment.

Contact: Mooncake Hotline at  6338 8785

Mandarin Orchard (16 August to 22 September)

Chang Er’s Faves: A really grand boxed presentation of a dragon and phoenix each made from five assorted mooncakes, reflecting yin (phoenix) and yang (dragon). Great taukays and their embellished wives will definitely like! The five assorted baked mooncakes that make up the Mandarin Fortune Dragon ($108) include the traditional Baked Mooncake with Double Yolks and single yolk with White Lotus Paste, Macadamia Nuts and Low Sugar White Lotus Paste and Baked Mooncake with Ginseng, Wolfberries and White Lotus Paste for vitality, performance and power!

Lunar Lights: The Mandarin Fortune Phoenix ($118) falls into this category for its rather unusual make up. Of the five bing pi mooncakes in this box set, we like the Osmanthus and Red Bean Paste, Green Tea Mooncake, Oolong Tea Mooncake but are a tad concerned about the Ginseng Mooncake. Is it a little bitter? I was never was a fan of ginseng…Bought as a pair, the “long and fong”. Out of the box (literally!), there’s also the Mini Snow Skin Green Tea and Melon Seeds Mooncake ($46.80 for a box of 8) which sounds really cool with…err…green tea.

Off Into Orbit: Mandarin Orchard has always been pretty restrained, so nothing’s blasting off to the moon from here this year. Generally tried and true flavours rule and that’s perfectly okay to me.

Contact: Mooncake Deli Counter at  6831 6320/ 6285

Marina Mandarin (24 August to 22 September)

Chang Er’s Faves: Baked mooncake with Cashew Nuts in White Lotus Paste ($44.80++ for a box of 4) and baked mooncake with Double Yoke in White Lotus Paste ($48.80++ for a box of 4) both with low sugar content!

Lunar Lights: Mini Snowskin Mooncake with “Han Tian” Rose Paste and Champagne Chocolate ($48.80++ for a box of 8/ pictured) is a blend of rich champagne chocolate with “Han Tian” rose paste, or Mini Snow-skin Mooncake with Green Tea Paste with Chestnuts. These two are Chinese Master Chef Aw Yeong Kin’s new creations this year. We think these two would work nicely but are not so sure about the next two….

Off Into Orbit: Also new this year are his mini Snow-skin Mooncake with Mixed Berries and Whisky Chocolate ($48.80++ for a box of 8) tangy with wild berries and smooth whisky chocolate, and Mini Snowskin Mooncake with Green Apple Paste and Macadamia Nuts ($48.80++ for a box of 8 pieces).

If you want variety, pick up the Selection of Mini Snow Skin Mooncakes ($50.80++) containing two pieces each of the four new snowskin flavours.

Contact: Peach Blossoms at 6845 1118 or email peachblossoms@meritus-hotels.com

Goodwood Park Hotel (10 August to 22 September)

Chang Er’s Faves: Assorted Baked Combo ($48), containing a piece each of Lotus Seed Paste with Melon Seeds, Lotus Seed Paste with Double Yolks, White Lotus Seed Paste with Double Yolks and Assorted Nuts with Ham. Can’t go wrong with that.

Lunar Lights: Favourites back by popular demand since it was launched in 2008, the Mango with Pomelo in Snowskin Mooncake comprises mango puree with mango cubes and pomelo sac. ($24 for two pieces; S$42 for four). Then there’s also D24 Durian Paste in Snowskin Mooncake and Cempedak Paste in Snowskin Mooncake, also proven concoctions making a return appearance. (S$28 for two; $50 for four)

Off Into Orbit: The Almond Beancurd with Longan Giant Snowskin Mooncake ($11 per piece) commemorates the hotel’s 110th anniversary. At 12 cm in diameter, it contains almond beancurd paste with longan bits, presented in a elegant gold silk drawstring pouch. Another new thing is the Apple Caramel Snowskin Mooncake with fresh and caramelised green apple amid green apple puree. Hmmm……

Contact: Mooncake Call Centre at (65) 6730 1867 / 1868

Ritz Carlton Millenia (23 August to 22 September)

Chang Er’s Faves: You really can’t go wrong with traditional basics. We like Ritz Carlton’s refreshing yolkless option of a combination package - two large and six mini baked mooncakes without a yolk in sight! ($58.50)

Lunar Lights: Chef Fok Kai Yee has rolled out a new mini bing pi jujube paste with walnut mooncake where the smoky flavour of the jujube filling complements the crunchy walnut bits. For the kids, the chocolate mooncake and mini chocolate mooncake should be a hit.

Off Into Orbit: Not much in this category, except perhaps mini bing pi lycheetini mooncake. We like our lychee martinis, but we’re really not sure if it works as a mooncake. What will Chang Er think?

Contact: Summer Pavilion at 6434 5286

Grand Hyatt Singapore (25 August to 22 September)

Chang Er’s Faves: This hotel can always be trusted for good pastries and sweet stuff for takeaways. Plus they’ve always been known for the creative streak. This year, we like their Chinese Chess Set Traditional Mooncakes ($78) made of little bite sized mooncakes – first you play Chinese chess, then you eat up your opponent’s pieces. How cool is that?

Lunar Lights: It’s usually the bing pi mooncakes that hide the surprises. At Hyatt, the mini Champagne Truffle mooncake and Black Sesame Yuzu Truffle are new this year and falls into our new and nice category. ($55 per box of 8)

Off Into Orbit: Blasting to space is the new Sakura Flower Cherry Truffle ($55 per 8) with Lindt white couverture chocolate. Poetic, but we’d rather stay on the ground.

Contact: 6887 5492 or e-mail us at mezza9.sg@hyatt.com
 

Four Seasons Singapore
Chang Er’s Faves: Apart from the traditional baked mooncakes that is standard everywhere, the Baked Mooncake with Pandan and Single Yolk ($50.00) is becoming a pretty classic flavour too.

Lunar Lights: Here’s something pretty cute – the new Yin-Yang mooncake ($55 per box)comprising black sesame and water chestnut pastes wrapped in traditional baked pastry. That should please grandma.

Off Into Orbit: If you’re into boosting fertility and feminine vitality, I hear you need to load up on gong-quai! And aren’t you in luck – the hotel has launched its new signature creation which incorporates this very wonder herb! The Dong Quai mooncake with single yolk costs $55

Contact : Jiang-Nan Chun at 6831 7220

We've got a few more to come....so keep an eye out for more lunar news.  

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