Whether you have guests in town or just fancy an afternoon in the air con, afternoon tea is the perfect summer holiday respite, says Carolynne Dear. Pinkies out
The Kerry Hotel
The Kerry Hotel has invited award-winning French chocolatier Christophe Renou to design an exclusive Kerry Chokolate Afternoon Tea. Sweet treats include a decadent Tout en Choc – a chocolate torte whipped up using an exclusive chocolate recipe developed by in-house chefs with chocolatier Valrhona; a rum-soaked baba-boule with pineapple and vanilla whipped ganache (I have to admit a personal weakness for rum baba); and a cute little pot of verrine dame blanche. Savoury bites include bitesize rolls of king crab, yuzu aioli, cucumber and caviar; smoked poached baby pear with goats cheese; semi-dried tomato and foie gras terrine on brioche; and delicate poached organic chicken wraps . And of course there are plenty of fresh scones (both traditional and with candied orange) with lashings of clotted cream, berry preserve and apricot jam to complete the feast.
The tea is available until September 3, 2.30-5.30pm daily, $538 for two. lobbylounge.khhk@thekerryhotels.com
Island Shangri-La
The Island Shangri-La has unveiled a limited-time only Peaches & Cream tea (pictured above). Pick your way through a smorgasbord of lavish ingredients, including air-dried Wagyu beef and peach on bruschetta, poached scallop and shrimp with lemon confit on spinach bread, plus a selection of delish sandwiches – white tuna mayonnaise is served on rye bread, while cream cheese is served between toasted walnut bread. Peach tart, Champagne mousse with peach, peach melba eclair, white peach and red currant mousse and peach mint macaroon polish things off beautifully.
$338/person, $558 for two; Mon-Fri, 3-6pm; Sat, Sun and public holidays, 2-6pm; until Aug 31; shangri-la.com
Kowloon 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 tea includes hand-crafted raspberry, sakura and Champagne jam with cranberry scones, pink rose Champagne and lychee jelly, plus savoury treats 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.
Enjoy the tea between 2 and 5pm, Monday to Friday, $498 for two without Champagne, or $698 for two with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose and special items. http://www.shangri-la.com
EAST
Quarry Bay-based hotel EAST has launched a floral-inspired afternoon tea. Waft in on a weekend and enjoy beautiful blossoms infused into a sumptuous summer spread. Delicacies include a lychee rose chiffon, blueberry butterfly pea tart and cherry blossom macarons, as well as fruit scones (naturally) and triple cheesecake. Imaginative savoury bites including lobster treasure box, goose liver creme brulee, Hokkaido scallop tartlet and beet pesto crostini.
The afternoon tea set is available between 3 and 5.30pm on weekends and public holidays, $368 for two and an additional $240/extra person. reservations@sugar-hongkong.com
Grand Hyatt
Cool off at Tiffin in the Grand Hyatt with a scoop of ice cream alongside your tea. Following a campaign earlier this year inviting Hong Kongers to come up with some inventive new flavours, the hotel is now including six of the best as part of its afternoon tea set. The intriguingly named Pigs can Fly, Frozen Lederhosen, So Thai and Royal Fantasy feature ingredients as diverse as salted egg yolk and pork floss to mango sticky rice and coconut. Meanwhile, the tea-stand is host to decadent salted caramel chocolate cake, raspberry cheese tart, pistachio profiterole, apricot jelly and Greek yoghurt mousse with honey lemon.
The tea is available 3.30-5.30pm daily, $298/person or $596 for two, and on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays at $328/person or $656 for two. www.hongkong.grand.hyattrestaurants.com
Beyond the Highrise 