Breast cancer support
Hotel Icon is supporting ‘Pinktober’, or Breast Cancer Awareness month, with a pink-themed ‘Pink Sensation Afternoon Tea’. According to executive pastry chef Danny Ho, Hotel Icon will be making a generous donation to the Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry (‘The Registry’) in support of their efforts to raise awareness for breast cancer. The Registry is a non-government charity organisation supporting Hong Kong’s high risk breast cancer programme by providing free access to genetic screening and consultation for under-privileged, high-risk breast cancer patients and their families. The tea features savory and sweet treats including taramasalata with caviar, pastrami reuben sandwiches, shrimp salad on toast, vanilla strawberry rose panna cotta, chocolate-dipped strawberries and a swan-shaped raspberry coulis with rose choux. The hotel will be gifting a Pink Sensation drink to every guest who wears pink to show their support. Diners can also enjoy unlimited Haagen Dazs pink ice cream as well as a $50 Haagen Dazs cash voucher.
Pink Sensation Afternoon Tea is available 3-5pm and 5-7pm until November 30, $288/person or $546 for two. hotel-icon.com
French crystal inspo
Sheraton has partnered with luxury French crystalware producer Lalique for a themed afternoon tea in the hotel’s Sky Lounge. Soak of some of the city’s most spectacular views along with a yummy tea. Mon Premier Cristal Afternoon Tea has been inspired by Lalique’s Mon Premier Cristal fragrance collection. Every tea diner receives three miniature Lalique Mon Premier Cristal fragrance miniatures served alongside the tea, Sensuel, Tendre and Lumiere. The tea is, of course, divine, featuring a Mont Blanc of raspberry and lychee, a nutty peach tart with almond and white chocolate, a strawberry and lychee pink choux and a pink Oreo cake filled with blackcurrant cream. Savoury items include foie gras with peach gel and coconut snow, lobster and beetroot sandwiches, crab meat tartlets and crispy-coated Iberico ham croquettes. And for an additional $30 you can treat yourself to a Rosy Garden cocktail which is whipped up using strawberry and rose sorbet with dried rose petal, pineapple juice and milk.
Mon Premier Cristal Afternoon Tea is available 3-6pm (weekdays) and 2-6pm (weekends and public holidays) until October 31, $338/person. marriott.com
Best of British
Gough’s on Gough is celebrating its first birthday on Gough Street with a classic British afternoon tea. Tea-drinking is a national pastime in the UK and the cake-accompanied breakin the middle of the afternoon is said to have come about back in the mid-nineteenth century when the Duchess of Bedford complained of a ‘sinking’ feeling towards late afternoon. So she took to her boudoir with a pot of tea and some bread and cake. Her friends began to join her and the event flourished into what it has become today. The New British Afternoon Tea Experience includes a selection of savouries and sweets served with tea or coffee on vintage china hand-picked in the UK. Delicate finger sandwiches contain British classics such as poached chicken and tarragon mayonnaise; beef and wholegrain mustard; and smoked Scottish salmon with creme fraiche and cucumber. Homemade raisin scones are served warm with clotted cream and jam. Shared desserts from the tea stand include lemon and mascarpone mousse, chocolate and orange dome cake and carrot cake with buttercream.
The New British Afternoon Tea is available on Saturdays only, $248 per person or $488 for two. Goughsongough.com
Brilliant birdcages at Shangri-La
The Kowloon Shangri-La is pulling out all the stops to celebrate its 37th birthday with a pink-infused tea. And you can add sparkle to the event with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose in honour of the 200th birthday of the first blended rose by the formidable Madame Clicquot. The stunningly instagrammable tea arrives in a birdcage and takes jam to another level with its hand-crafted raspberry, sakura and Champagne offering, perfect slathered over the with cranberry scones. There’s also pink rose Champagne and lychee jelly, plus savoury treats including Balik-style salmon on blini, and lobster salad and beet sandwiches. Additional extras if you’re enjoying a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose include yellowfin tuna tartare brioche with ricotta cream and pink pepper-blanched peaches, goat cheese tortilla wafer served with blackberry compote and confit orange zest, and watermelon and rose petal shooter with white chocolate palmier.
Tea is served from 2-5pm, Monday to Friday, $498 for two without Champagne, or $698 for two with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose and special items. Shangri-la.com
Beyond the Highrise 