Nestled within Hilton Singapore Orchard, the serene tea lounge of Ginger.Lily offers a tranquil retreat amidst the bustle of Orchard Road. With its airy, conservatory-inspired interiors and lush botanical accents, it provides a lovely setting to savour their latest Botanical Afternoon Tea: From Root to Bloom, for an afternoon of elegant pastries, chit chat and warm brews.
Botanical Afternoon Tea: From Root to Bloom 4.2/5
This seasonal afternoon tea is presented by Executive Sous Chef Cindy Khoo in collaboration with premium French dairy brand Président Professionnel and Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) chef-confectioner Gabriel Le Quang. Inspired by the journey "from root to bloom", the menu draws on nature's forms and flavours to create dishes that are both gorgeous and quietly inventive.
Guests enjoy free-flow coffee and an artisanal Pryce tea selection, a delightful opportunity to sample a variety of brews throughout the afternoon. And for a little extra charm, the tea experience comes with complimentary stickers featuring hand-drawn illustrations by local artist @pwendraws.
Bergamot Gougère
First, we were served a light bite of Bergamot Gougère, aromatic and delicate. The baked choux puff was airy, topped with a crisp Gruyère cheese crust and shaved cheese. An easy and enjoyable bite to start the afternoon.
Savouries tray
Next, a pretty silver 3-tiered stand of savouries arrived at the table. I enjoyed this course a lot, as the selection offered a refreshing departure from typical afternoon tea fare. I also appreciated that the bites were less bread-heavy than on their previous menu, making each piece light enough to leave room to savour the sweets that followed.
Cured Trout Crêpe
Delicate crêpes rolled into neat layers around Cured Trout, finished with a light shichimi cream. Popped this into my mouth, and it was gone in one bite.
Tartiflette Croquette with Curry Pearls
Inspired by the classic Alpine dish, this Croquette combines Reblochon cheese, Hokkaido potatoes, and caramelised bacon into a crisp golden ball. The filling is indulgent and hearty, while the Japanese curry pearls bring a subtle spice that cuts through the richness.
Fungi Gyoza
A highlight was the Fungi Gyoza, filled with locally farmed mushrooms and béchamel, where the earthy umami of the mushrooms was enhanced by the sauce's creamy richness.
Smoked Duck Chip
Dainty cubes of citrus-marinated smoked duck are paired with bright orange segments and a touch of yuzu, all balanced on a delicate rice paper chip. The crisp base contrasts with the tender duck, and the citrus adds freshness to the flavours.
Shrimp Toast
Marinated shrimp atop crisp, golden toast, finished with sriracha mayonnaise. Tiny lime pearls add bursts of tangy brightness, and together they make for a delicious toast. The prawn-to-toast ratio was very good.
Braised Wagyu Brûlée
Another highlight was the Wagyu puff pastry braised with Ginger. Lily's house-blend dark chocolate, an unexpected pairing that worked surprisingly well, the bittersweet chocolate adding depth to the buttery, flaky pastry and tender wagyu. This course is presented with a touch of theatre, prepared tableside with some flames.
Sweets resin case
The sweets were just so pretty, showcased in a clear resin case by Singapore social enterprise JOJOMAMA, adorned with colourful pressed dried flowers. Each cake inside resembled a miniature edible sculpture.
Top Tier: Matcha Swan, Rose & Olive Oil
The Matcha Swan caught my eye immediately. Shaped gracefully like a swan, it features airy matcha Chantilly, a crunchy pistachio praline, and fresh raspberries perched delicately on its back.
The Rose & Olive Oil cake had an interesting flavour combination. Fragrant rose is paired with lychee and raspberry compote. Crafted to resemble a pink rose, it is stunning, though the olive oil made it a slightly acquired taste.
Second Tier: Chocolate & Pomelo, Président's Cheesecake
I was pleased to have at least one chocolate dessert on the menu, and Chocolate & Pomelo offered just that. The tart is flaky filo dough, filled with chocolate cream, layered with tangy citrus gel and fresh pomelo. This was my favourite sweet of the afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Président's Cheesecake features a smooth pink-glazed exterior and showcases creamy Camembert, perfectly complemented by sweet-tart blueberry compote.
Third Tier: Pear & Shiso barquette, Japanese Strawberry & Dill
The Pear & Shiso barquette was fragrant with lemon curd, coconut cream barquette, fresh pear, and shiso, blending sweet, tart, and herbal notes in every bite that left me feeling pleasantly uplifted.
The Japanese Strawberry & Dill combines light citrus sponge with Japanese strawberry compote and dill pearls, though I found it a bit too sweet for my liking.
Bottom Tier: Scones
I was at this point getting a little too full to finish eating the scones at the table, and took home the Vanilla & Cranberry Seed Scones. They were delicious after being warmed up, and paired really well with the yuzu strawberry confit, citrus vanilla confit, and clotted cream.
An afternoon at Ginger.Lily is time well spent, with professional, friendly service and an afternoon tea that is charming to look at, and a pleasure to eat. For this particular menu, though, the savouries were the highlight for me, outshining the sweets. I left the tea lounge feeling refreshed and relaxed.
Time: 12pm to 5.30pm (last seating for walk-ins at 4.30pm) Please note each table is reserved for a two-hour seating.
Price: $65++ per diner, with coffee and tea served throughout
MOËT & CHANDON IMPÉRIAL BRUT CHAMPAGNE: additional $15 ++ for a glass or $65++ for a bottle
Photographed and penned by Shermine. Through her pictures and stories, she shares her journey of savouring new flavours and experiences. Note: This is an invited tasting.
Ginger.Lily
Hilton Singapore Orchard
Level 5
333 Orchard Road
Singapore 238867
Tel: +65 6831 6273
Website
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)
Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am to 1am
Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to ground level. Turn left onto Orchard Road. Walk down Orchard Road. Cross the road and walk to the destination. Journey time is about 5 minutes. [Map]
