Originating from the desire to fill the long, empty free time from lunch to dinner, Duchess of Bedford VII Anna Maria organized a tea party accompanied by snacks along with her friends. This habit was gradually welcomed and maintained as a part of the lifestyle of the elite at the time, starting in the first half of the 19th century.
By the early 2010s, afternoon tea has made its way to Vietnam and is still considered an elegant experience, loved by foodies all around. Saigonese especially love tea parties not only for the warm aroma of the leaves or the lovely bite-size scones that come along, but that through this activity they can also enjoy other chic cultural features. In Vietnam, the most popular form of enjoying tea parties is English afternoon tea.
Walking around Saigon, it is not too difficult for people to find a place to enjoy afternoon tea. However, for yourself to fully experience the afternoon tea style properly, it’s best to come visit The Lounge.
Located right in the lobby of the Sheraton Saigon Hotel, from the very first moments, customers are quickly introduced to one of most welcoming hotel interiors in the city. With the surrounding decor and vibe, The Lounge allows everyone to set their worries and troubles aside for a moment to relax.
Following modern-style salons, each sofa features three central colors – oxford blue, mustard yellow, and denim grey – and is carefully directed within the space inside The Lounge to accentuate an overall palatial yet distinctive atmosphere. Under the warm whites, the illuminating melody of music and faint aroma of hot fresh tea brings about a poetic ambience. All that customers are left to experience is pure serenity that they themselves might have forgotten all along.
Coming to The Lounge, you’ll be impressed with the extended list of famous teas from all over the world, including Vietnam. Next to the many fragrant cups of tea are the accompanying delicious snacks that have been carefully curated and prepared.
According to the standard time frame, afternoon tea at The Lounge is served from 14:00 to 16:30 daily. However, the tea party here has a bit of a variation as it’s introduced with two different styles of enjoying tea: Asian Excursion and Western Tradition.
Just like its name, the Asian afternoon tea party has attracted the curiosity of many customers here. Because inherently in most people’s subconscious, afternoon tea is always associated with the image of well appointed ceramics and miniature cakes that are so aristocratically British. So, what is it like to take pleasure in afternoon tea in an Asian fashion at The Lounge?
Inspired by the texture and design of the wooden doors found in heritage Asian architecture, the Asian Excursion afternoon tea brings customers to an intricate culinary journey, so difficult to resist through the many petite edible gifts, fully wrapped and complete with a balance of taste, color, and aroma. Attentive even from the selection of ingredients, preservation, processing to presentation, The Lounge’s savory dishes always guarantee the most delectable and freshest tastes.
To accent the slow sips of hot tea are savory dishes such as dumplings with chives, spring rolls with fish sauce, fresh salmon sushi, teriyaki shrimp with pineapple or oven-baked ham with honey glaze.
In addition, the Asian Excursion afternoon tea also delights pastry lovers with sweet Eastern choices, namely soft buttery egg tarts to compliment the lightness of tea, matcha cake to double the tea flavor, along other options like black sesame and peanut filling rice cakes, coconut crepe, and steamed lotus buns.
Meanwhile, the Western Tradition afternoon tea option of The Lounge would not disappoint. Cherishing and preserving the core elements of Western afternoon tea culture, The Lounge offers a three-tier afternoon tea tower that is delicately prepared with light food including smoked salmon bagels, chicken wing baguettes, grilled beef sandwiches with horseradish, mayonnaise egg sandwiches, and savory choux with soft salmon cream filling.
Besides the savory tastes on offer, the sweets and fine cakes of the Western Tradition afternoon tea set is what truly completes the experience. The European pastries of The Lounge always know how to make an impression on customers’ palate after one tasting.
If the mango and raspberry tarts would leave a citrusy after taste, then the chocolate kiss would counterbalance your experience with a hint of sweet aftertaste. The Lounge’s intricate attentions are also reflected in the pixielike petite macarons placed around their creamy caramel flan pudding. Adding leisure to this eye-candy tea party are the delicate toasty scones, perfectly smeared with cream and jam.
Amidst the busy urban life and heat of the afternoon sun, what’s more wonderful than allowing yourself and your loved ones to escape to and be treated with such a tranquil, romantic space of The Lounge. With the early weeks of the new year, come enjoy the warm whiff of tea and share intimate stories with one another here.
Address: Lobby of Sheraton Saigon Hotel – 88 Dong Khoi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Service hours: Daily from 14:00 to 16:30 every day.
Price:
From VND 368,000 for afternoon tea party with unlimited teas and coffee
From VND 498,000 for an afternoon tea party with a glass of Chandon Sparkling wine
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