Lobby Lounge
December 30,
2016
I was given
a complimentary gift on my birthday a few months back by a good friend who
works as a corporate communications executive at the Makati Shangrila. As it is
known that I am inclined with scribbling reviews of restos - in my own terms –
to while away time, I was encouraged to spoil myself with the hotels’ Afternoon
Tea @ the Lobby Lounge. As the complimentary for 3 persons was set to expire
today, it left me with no choice but to spend a brief afternoon there.
Shangrila,
one of the classic hotels in the metro still resplendent of its charm and
beauty. I was guided to a table facing next to a British national, probably
reading the days paper. As she can’t help but notice the notes that I was
scribbling at each sight of pastry that land on the table, she eagerly asked
what was it for. A light conversation ensued and Ms. Lexington graciously
shared the history and enlightened me about how their country practically
influenced the traditional afternoon tea. She claimed, loving nothing more than
sitting down to afternoon tea, and without a doubt one of the most pleasant
ways of whiling away a couple of hours, find the time to relax in elegant
surroundings and enjoy a leisurely cup of tea along with a variety of sweet and
savoury treats.
So, what we
now know as “Afternoon Tea” derives from Duchess of Bedford’s at Woburn Abbey
desire to fill the gap between lunch and dinner with light meal of tea, cakes
and sandwiches in order to satisfy the hunger pangs. The practice proved so
popular that it soon developed into an established social occasion amongst the
higher classes and has endured until today, where it has become popular than
ever.
The lounge
afternoon tea offers three sets that include the Classic set which is based on
the original British afternoon tea with raisin and lemon scones, clotted cream,
strawberry jams, smoked salmon, roast beef finger sandwiches and delightful
selection of pastries and sweets. Each set also comes with your choice of tea.
The Filipino set covers bibingka, vegetable okoy, crisp empanada, chicken adobo
finger sandwiches and more. The Lounge special on the other hand, has foie gras
sandwich as well as smoked salmon croissant, lobster on ciabatta, smoked turkey
sandwich to name a few.
I settled
for the Classic set with all that tempting sweets,however, just with baby bites
though. Had my glucose test did not reached 102.52, I will zero in everything
served at my table and it will vanish without a trace.
The
presentation itself was equally impressive. It came on a modern tier filled
with a generous assortment of sweet and savoury bites. It’s always good to have
a nice mix of flavours and textures and this particular menu did not disappoint,
offering a selection of traditional finger sandwiches filled with, roasted
beef, cheese and onion, and egg, along with sweet potato wrap with mini cheese
and tomato roll.
This was
shortly followed with fruit scones. It was a wholemeal, both sultana and plain,
and were quite small so definitely felt less calorific than some of the larger
scones served at regular teas. It was served with crème fraiche rather than cream
and homemade berries as opposed to jam.
The
sandwiches were all completely divine. Too often sandwiches can be hit-and-miss
with more effort and attention given to the cakes and pastries that are served
as part of the tea. These showed creative flair and included a number of
interesting fillings served on a good range of bread.
Finally the
cakes! The selection includes blueberry and yoghurt chiffon cake made with
fresh blueberries, which was gorgeous and feather light. The flourless
chocolate and mint cake was made with 70% dark chocolate and sweetened with
agave, and the sponge was made with polenta and almonds.
The cake
that fascinated me all the most was the red velvet cake ball, usually a treat
that’s rich and indulgent. I wondered how a healthy version would still be
tasty. The ingredients were odd too, it was made with quinoa and sweetened with
panela (raw cane sugar) and agave, in the centre was soft cream cheese rather
than cream. I was surprise by how much I enjoyed the rather strange combination
of ingredients and the texture was very much still that of a sponge cake made with
flour. It was pronounced the all-around favourite of the day.
Service is
lively as expected from a 5 star hotel, liveried and brisk, respectful but not
fawning, attentive without being obtrusive, resolutely on the right side. In
short, it’s spot-on.
Without
hesitation, I would definitely recommend the lobby lounge. It’s a right place
for corporate people who intend to conduct casual meetings. It is also
conducive for families or friends who want to while away and have laid back
discussions. A place so serene where you can savour quite afternoons with views
of the verdant garden while listening to ambient, standard and soft music
played by no less than the 14 piece Maria S. Esteban Orchestra. The magical and
haunting sound of a cacophony of violins definitely soothes the afternoon, but
the orchestra can break into different genre of music upon request. On their
set break, I requested the acoustic cover version of Sawyer Fredricks’ Collide. Lucky
enough, part of the repertoire was my moms’ favourite “Moonriver”. I miss you
mom.
As I often tell
my busy friends in blue back in the day, there are times
when life can be hectic trying to keep on top of the many commitments and the
responsibilities that we all have. Every-so-often I think that it is important
to pause. Think, gather your thoughts, free yourselves from uncertainty and pamper life with the decency, and respect that you truly deserve. Take time to relax amidst that “sinking
feeling” resulting from an exhausting and weary work day and do something that
is fulfilling and also a little self-indulgent. What better way to compliment yourself
than to spend that cold afternoon with warmth and smile at the sight of a gorgeously decadent treat.
A Joyous New Year to you guys and a million thanks for all those warm comments. See you around...
