For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2016/03/14/champagne-afternoon-tea-buffet-colony-ritz-carlton/
After a grandiose renovation, Ritz Carlton’s Colony opened in September last year, replacing the luxury hotel’s all-day buffet restaurant, Greenhouse. The décor, in hues of black, brown, gold and pops of pastels, is undeniably grand. Dining in such a handsome setting is an experience in itself. You won’t be disappointed with the top-notch service standard here.
Enjoying some leisurely time, albeit temporary can be really therapeutic. Every afternoon from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, sans Sundays, Colony offers 2 types of Champagne afternoon tea: British 3-tiered set where warm pancakes with French vintage caviar take center stage, and smorgasbord high tea. Since both are priced $49++, we went buffet afternoon tea, which we felt gave us more bang for our buck. If you don’t take alcohol, you can swap your flute of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne for a glass of freshly squeezed juice.
The savory buffet table comprises of 5 different varieties of open faced sandwiches and a small selection cooked finger food.
Sandwich selections include: Smoked Salmon, Mozzarella and Tomatoes with Guacamole Spread, Asparagus & Cucumber, Crabmeat atop Sautéed Mushrooms and Tuna. My favorite was the succulent crabmeat and fragrant mushroom sandwich.
Other warm savory nibbles are flaky Chicken Pie, Crispy Seafood Fritters, Chicken Floss and Vegetarian Quiche.
Let’s move onto the riotous collection of desserts~
On this plate, there’s Strawberry Textures, Ricotta Cheese Vanilla Mousse with Cinnamon Apple & Pineapple Compote, Cream Horn and Chocolate Banana Tart.
The next plate features Tiramisu, Vanilla Crème Brulee, Lemon Tart with Meringue, and Mixed Berries Compote with Guanaja Chocolate Cream.
My top pick is the Vanilla Crème Brulee, which was smooth and well-balanced, being neither too eggy nor too sweet. It also possessed an exterior which has a resounding crunch of burnt sugar.
Sweet treat’s I didn’t manage to try (because I too stuffed) were the Brownie with Coffee Cream, Carrot Cake, Green Tea Mousse, Orange Caramel Cake, Champagne with Cassis Mousse, Vanilla Cheese Cake and Lychee Tart. Not pictured in the review, are Scones with clotted cream and various condiments, as well as a selection of Nonya Kuehs.
The house made Earl Grey Gelato stole our heart the moment we took our first lick-its flavor is intense and its silky texture glides down the throat like a dream. This is a must try, DO NOT miss it! Other options to vanquish the heat are Gula Melaka Geleto, Rum & Raisin Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream and Mango Raspberry Sorbet.
Free-flow beverage selections include coffees, hot chocolate and teas from Tea Bone Zen Mind.
Colony is an up-market spot for afternoon tea and I was expecting to be blown away, however only a handful of items made an impression. What’s more, there were no labels on the food items; hence you’ll have to guess what they are based upon their looks. One could ask the staff, but it will be much more convenient if there were tags so that guests could make informed choices and select items according to their taste preferences. In a buffet, I’m sure everyone would prefer to save precious stomach space for items that they like.
