Sunday, September 24, 2006

The V Tea Room

I went to The V Tea Room at the Esplanade earlier this afternoon with Audrea for afternoon tea. It's a really nice place, though it is a little pricey. It's definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a place to indulge yourself, and to treat yourself to some very nice tasties.

The decor is very Victorian-inspired and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere without being over opulent. Floors are most probably fake parquet, and the walls are painted a textured red to give depth to the room. The cafe is not a large area, but with the finishings, manages to look very cosy. Furnitures are mostly wood; The chairs are highbacked and well cushioned, the tabletops are marbled.

The service was really good, with multiple staff ready to serve you. They are also very friendly, and look for all ways to accommadate you. I didn't have to wait long for service, and the staff was also very well-informed about the various menu items. When we arrived, there wasn't a table available inside and we were only offered a slightly less nice table ouside. I requested for us to be seated inside once a table opens up, which was quickly seen to. Other notable things about service was their insistence on pouring the first cup of tea, and distributing serviettes with a pair of tongs.

The food is quite good. We ordered a pot of tea, a quiche, and a melt cake to share. The tea was quite good, though as you already know, leaving the bag in the pot will render the tea a little bitter at the end. The quiche was quite tasty, and was quite a healthy portion. The melt-cake was very delicious, with a very interesting texture to it. The staff told us that the melt-cake was their own concoction, being essentially a half-baked cake, with had equal parts of firm and gooey cake. It was quite a good combination, and though they said it was a half-baked cake, it didn't taste undercooked at all. The gooey parts taste more like a sweet yoghurt, and complimented the firm bits very well. It comes in various flavours (Chocolate/durian, hazelnut, strawberry, raspberry) but we had the blueberry one. It is served with bits of fruit, biscuits and a small glass of liquer. We also had a Gula Melaka flavoured ice cream to accompany the cake.

It's not cheap though. Tea for two costs $12, the quiche costs $8, and the melt-cake costs $22.50!! The ice cream costs $5.50. The total bill came up to about $60! Other items on the menu aren't quite as expensive as the melt-cake, with each individual item ranging between $8 to $15.

This is a really nice place for afternoon tea, and I would most definitely give it a try again. The cost may be off-putting, but I'd suggest that you give the melt-cake at least a try once. It's quite different. The rest of the items on the menu look very intriguing, and there is quite a high level of quality. Sometimes you have to pay for quality, and The V Tea Room has that in spades. With the decor, staff and food, you're getting your money's worth. And if you are a tightfisted miser, you can just sit there for hours and keep asking for hotwater to refill your tea. The staff will still treat you like a privilieged guest.

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