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It was a sad day when my favourite place to have afternoon tea, ie The Chihuly Lounge at Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore, closed down. For several years, it was my best choice for Festive Afternoon Tea in Singapore. The interesting thing is there are two restaurants in Ritz Carlton where you can have afternoon tea. One is Colony, and the other is The Republic (that replaced The Chihuly Lounge).
The vibe I get from The Republic is that it is more for drinks and also they do a 3-tier afternoon service there instead of a buffet style. So I haven’t been enticed to visit yet. Colony on the other hand is a buffet restaurant. I simply love their decor and ambience and I’ve also had the buffet at Colony before. However the afternoon tea that they used to serve is heavy on local/asian food, whereas I want something more akin to an English Afternoon tea.
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The good news is that for Colony’s Festive Afternoon Tea this year, it has more Western items, so I decided to give it a try. I wonder if they’ll keep to this more Western theme for their normal afternoon tea next year? At $75++ per pax, this is one of the most expensive afternoon teas in Singapore. But before you run away, I would like to add that it is also one of the more value-for-money afternoon teas!
This is because a flute of Champagne Barons de Rothschild Ritz Réserve Brut NV or a festive cocktail is included in the $75++. Most hotel afternoon tea places would charge a minimum of $20++ (very likely more) for that glass of Champagne, so the afternoon tea at Ritz Carlton effectively costs $55++.
Unagi Kabayaki Bun, Grated Peanut, Pickled Mustard
Also, the afternoon tea at Ritz Carlton Colony is a semi-buffet. There will be an assortment of savoury items presented in a 5-tier ceramic tiffin carrier, served once. However, you can have unlimited servings of desserts! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the savoury items were slightly larger in size as compared to many other places which seem to think that dainty = as small as possible.
Oscietra Caviar, Smoked Salmon, Tangerine Gel, Rosette Shells
My favourite item has got to be the Ocietra caviar with Smoked Salmon. Yes it tastes as good as it looks.
Spicy Masala Turkey Pani Puri, Deep-fried Paneer Stick
The other savoury items were also very good. Perhaps the Truffle Brie Sandwich with Onion Marmalade was the least impressive of the lot, tasting a bit more basic, but still good nonetheless.
I had a hard time going through all the items at the dessert line. In addition to all the mini cakes and mousse cups, there was a truckload of chocolate pralines to go through, plus 5 different flavours of ice cream and made to order Egg Waffle!
With that much food, it was just as well that they only offer 1 beverage (in addition to the 1 flute of Champagne).
So back to the question, is the Colony Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore Festive Afternoon tea worth the $75++? I would say yes for the following reasons
– It’s the Ritz Carlton. You have to pay a premium for the luxurious setting and ambience
– Effective cost is $55 or maybe even $50 if you factor in the cost of the champagne
– Generous amount of savoury items
– Unlimited portions of desserts
– Great service
My one big grouse though is that 2 hours is simply too short to enjoy an afternoon tea buffet! The very idea of an afternoon tea is that it’s meant to be slow, where conversation takes centrestage. Also the Christmassy decor was so pretty we spent a fair bit of time taking photos!
Disclaimer though, if you want really exquisite nibbles and canapes, with expensive ingredients, (eg from here and here) then it may be better if you stick to afternoon tea places that offer 3-tier sets. What Colony offers is the four points I’ve listed above, and I wouldn’t hesitate to visit again some time in the near future when the menu has changed.
FYI, the dessert station for their Festive Afternoon Tea is largely the same as that for their Festive Lunch and Dinner buffet. So if you’re keen on the desserts but not so on the savouries, or want more savoury options, you can check out the buffet lunch and dinner. Of course the pricing will be different. Yes it’s going to be more expensive.
Do note that all credit card discounts do not apply during the festive season.
Scroll down for more photos
Closer look at the burrata tomato tart
Truffle Brie Sandwich, Onion Marmalade
Loads of pralines, Christmas cookies and tarts
Closer look at the pralines and miniature tarts. In the background are scones and the egg waffle station
Don’t miss out on the log cake and the Eton Mess!
And last but not least, the scones. It’s not afternoon tea if there are no scones.
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Pricing: $75++ per pax, includes a flute of Champagne Barons de Rothschild Ritz Reserve Brut NV or a festive cocktail
Afternoon Tea Timing: 3.30pm – 5.30pm Monday to Saturdays (18 Nov – 30 Dec 2023)
Address: Colony, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, 7 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039799
Contact: +65 6434-5288 | Email
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