Tea Lounge @ Conrad Singapore Orchard - Art of Chocolate, An Indulgent Afternoon of Valrhona-infused Delights

Tea Lounge at Conrad Singapore Orchard has launched a decadent Weekday Afternoon Tea in collaboration with Valrhona, featuring a curated selection of pastries and cocoa-infused creations crafted with Valrhona's signature couverture chocolates.

We started with a warm, creamy, indulgent Hot Chocolate, though a more bittersweet profile might have made for a better opening given the sweets ahead.

Finger Sandwiches

The tier of savoury finger sandwiches was nothing short of elegant and satisfying. The ratio of soft, fluffy bread to fillings was spot on. The Devilled Mimosa Sandwich offered a classic egg mayo filling, while the Cured Cucumber Sandwich delivered a pleasant savoury crunch. The Smoked Salmon Sandwich with Caviar was mouth-filling and luxurious, while the Smoked Roasted Chicken Sandwich leaned more towards a shaved ham sandwich, though still delectable with its tender bite.

Vanilla Moist Layer Cake

The tea cakes and pastries tier showcases some of Valrhona's key couverture chocolates, including Guanaja 70% that goes into making the Vanilla Moist Layer Cake. I learnt that Guanaja 70% is regarded as the world's first intensely bitter chocolate with 70% cocoa, when it was first introduced in 1986!

Crémeux and White Miso Tart

The Crémeux and White Miso Tart stood out the most for me. It features Matcha inspiration, made with Kagoshima matcha and cocoa butter. The savoury white miso tart also draws on umami, reinforcing the creation's Japanese flair. Among the sweets, I thought this had the most balanced sweetness.

Raspberry Crémeux and Coco Biscuit features Opalys 33%, known for its pure white colour and velvety texture. Coconut is infused into the pastry as well, imparting a gentle tropical note. The Hazelnut Travel Cake is a vegan-friendly cake made using Amatika 46%, Valrhona's first vegan couverture. The nuttiness of the cake came through beautifully. Roasted Buckwheat Mandola is created with Hukambi 53% milk chocolate and elevated with a nutty crunch from roasted buckwheat.

Mushrooms Royale and Dark Chocolate Quiche

In between, we were also served Mushrooms Royale and Dark Chocolate Quiche, both of which were among my favourite items. The dark notes of the pastry tart complemented the creamy and savoury filling especially well. The scones are served with clotted cream, salted caramel chocolate jam, strawberry jam, and calamansi curd.

Scones

In addition to the Classic Plain, there is also the Manjari 64% Chocolate and Candied Orange Zest Scone. Studded with chunks of luscious Manjari 64% chocolate in every bite, it was delicious enough to enjoy with just the clotted cream.

Sweet Risotto

Sweet Risotto was served à la minute, with a choice of three flavours — dark chocolate, raspberry, and matcha. During our visit, guest Pastry Chef Arief Rusli of Valrhona was in residence at Tea Lounge, and we had the privilege of having him finish our risotto with a pepper-spiked mousse. Its contrasting peppery note offset the milky sweetness of the risotto, creating a more balanced and nuanced finish.

Beyond the existing selection of teas and coffee, you can also customise your own Gryphon tea at a dedicated tea station with a variety of ingredients to choose from.

Art of Chocolate is available Mondays to Fridays from 30 March to 10 July 2026, 12pm to 5pm.

Pricings
$54++ per adult
$27++ per child with selection of tea and coffee
An additional $50++ per adult for free-flow prosecco and wines
An additional $70++ per adult for free-flow champagne and wines

Photos and words by Si An. A homebody who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, the smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Tea Lounge
Conrad Singapore Orchard
Lobby Level
1 Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249715
Tel: +65 67253245
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Nearest MRT: Orchard Boulevard (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 5pm
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 215pm, 3pm - 515pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard Boulevard MRT station. Take Exit 1. Turn right and walk down Cuscaden Road. Walk to the destination. Journey time is about 3 minutes.[Map]

TUX Bar & Lounge @ Carlton Hotel Singapore - Newly Crafted Afternoon High Tea Set at $39 Per Pax

TUX Bar & Lounge, located within Carlton Hotel Singapore, is a short walk from Bras Basah and City Hall MRT stations. This stylish lounge offers a cosy setting for intimate gatherings and features various promotions, including Happy Hour (4 to 7 pm daily) and Ladies' Night (4 to 11 pm on Wednesdays).

Most recently, TUX introduced its new Afternoon High Tea Set, which is also available at Tuxedo Cafe & Patisserie on weekends from 1 to 4 pm. Guests can enjoy it in the lounge or the newly opened alfresco dining area.

Afternoon High Tea Set 4/5

The set is priced at $39 per person (minimum two diners) and includes a curated mix of handcrafted sweet and savoury delights paired with coffee or tea. For a touch of indulgence, diners can opt for two glasses of Elderflower Gin Fizz or Pol Remy Excellence at $108 for two. These alcoholic options are also available à la carte at $22 per glass.

With six coffee and tea options available, we opted for the Elegant Earl Grey and Acai Berry Pomegranate & Vanilla.

We tucked into the tea, starting with the savoury tower. It included a decent range of Mushroom Quiche, Tuna Sandwich, Egg Mayo Croissant, and Fruity Avocado & Honey Walnut Coulis.

Traditional English and Raisin Scones were also included, accompanied by classic clotted cream, strawberry, and blueberry yuzu jam.

The highlight of the sweets tower was the Tuxedo Signature Cake, which changes regularly. During our visit, we had the Kumquat Hazelnut - a crisp-based dessert filled with rich, nutty chocolate that carried a tangy touch.

Other sweets included Handcrafted Bonbon, Mini Honey Apricot Pistachio, Pina Colada Verrine, Mini Matcha Financier with Yoghurt Cream, Blueberry Cheese Tartlet, and Chocolate Raspberry Verrine.

While the rest of the selection was pleasant, we found the Mini Matcha Financier’s matcha flavour milder than expected.

Combo Platter Selection 4.2/5

Additionally, we sampled the Combo Platter Selection ($38) from the bar’s à la carte menu, ideal for 2 to 3 diners. It featured chicken satay, prawn cakes, fish fingers, marmite chicken wings, and pork skewers.

Though initially had no expectations, we were pleasantly surprised by the piping-hot, well-executed items. Our favourites were the tender chicken satay and juicy pork skewers.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


TUX Bar & Lounge
Carlton Hotel Singapore
76 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189558
Tel: +65 6311 8839
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Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), City Hall (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 4pm - 2am
Fri-Sat: 4pm - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut through Raffles City Shopping Centre to Bras Basah Road. Walk to traffic junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bras Basah road. Turn left and walk down Bras Basah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

The Lobby Lounge @ InterContinental Singapore – Reimagined Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea

Timeless elegance with teatime affair at The Lobby Lounge as Executive Pastry Chef Jason Goh and his talented culinary team bring back the crowd-favourite Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea following its successful debut last year. The updated menu reimagines classic Japanese sweet and savoury delights that marries traditional Japanese flavours with modern culinary artistry.

Japanese Lobster Salad Sandwich 4/5

Seafood Inari with Shoyu Ikura 3.8/5

There are 4 savoury items, and our favourite was the Japanese Lobster Salad Sandwich, which was really flavourful, and we loved the overall texture. The Seafood Inari with Shoyu Ikura has great potential with Hokkaido Scallop, Jumbo Lump Crab, Octopus, Seasoned Wakame, Salmon Roe and Wasabi-Yuzu Dressing but the sweet tofu pocket overpowered all the ingredients. The other 2 items were the Baked Miso Black Cod, which was a little too salty for our liking, and the Charcoal Barbeque Eel Quiche, which has a nice flavour but is a little dry.

Scones: English Buttermilk and Ichida Hoshigaki / Charcoal Barbeque Eel Quiche

Scones are one item we always look forward to during an afternoon tea. The classic Buttermilk Scones are buttery and perfect with clotted cream. The other 2 condiments to go with the scones are Sakura Peach Preserves and Strawberry-Mint Marmalade. Even though we can't taste the mint, we prefer the Strawberry-Mint Marmalade over the Sakura Peach Preserves. As for the Ichida Hoshigaki Scones, made with dried Japanese persimmon, have a slightly bitter aftertaste, which we are not a fan of.

The afternoon tea set includes a good selection of TWG Tea or Coffee. However, note that it is only one serving. If you order a tea, you may refill hot water.

Yuzu Kumquat Mame (in shot glass) 3/5 and Japanese Matcha Roll 3.5/5

Okinawan Tartlet 3/5

The Sweet Fancies look so pretty we didn't know where to start! Our favourite has to be the Kurogoma Ryokucha Mousse, which actually is just a simple black sesame cream on a genoise sponge, but it is so soft and light, and the fragrant black sesame is such a delight; it was unexpected! Chef Jason told us that he was trying to mimic soba for the black sesame cream part, it's cute. The Japanese Matcha Roll made with roasted almond sponge was rolled with a light hojicha mascarpone cream but sandwiched with 2 pieces of white chocolate, which made it a little too sweet.

Mizu Shingen Mochi 3.5/5

Kurogoma Ryokucha Mousse 4/5

The Okinawan Tartlet has good potential, but the tart shell was too bitter for our liking, overpowering the Okinawan sweet potato crème, and the caramelised macadamia wasn't sweet enough to balance it out. Mizu Shingen Mochi, the once viral raindrop cake, was paired with Japanese black honey (we thought it was Okinawa's famous black sugar at first) and kinako (soybean powder). It was fun to eat but nothing surprising. You may adjust your preference for sweetness with the amount of black honey.

Enjoy the free flow of sorbet and gelato, with two flavours rotating daily. We had the Mixed Berry Sorbet and Vanilla Gelato.

Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea is available daily till 12 November 2024 at $65++ per person on weekdays and $70++ per person on weekends. Add on $28++ for one flute of champagne. There are 2 seatings available at 1pm-3pm and 3.30pm-5.30pm.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Lobby Lounge
InterContinental Singapore
Level 1
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 68251008
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1-3pm, 330pm - 530pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Tiong Bahru Bakery @ JEM - Well-loved Tiong Bahru Bakery Opens First Branch in the West

Tiong Bahru Bakery (TBB) has been steadily growing and expanding since its founding in Tiong Bahru. Recently, they opened their 17th outlet and are making their debut in the West by spreading a new branch in JEM at Jurong East.

The warmly decorated 60-seater space is conveniently located next to the mall's taxi stand and is a short walk from Jurong East MRT station. It operates from 7.30am to 10pm daily, making it fit for a drop-in any time of the day - whether you are looking for an early breakfast, a hearty brunch, or a dessert spot after dinner.

It continues offering its classic bakes, pastries and desserts alongside freshly brewed coffee, tea and juices to complete the meal.

Brie & Roasted Mushroom Croissant 4.5/5

We quickly demolished the savoury Brie & Roasted Mushroom Croissant ($12.60). The flaky croissant was filled with rocket leaves, earthy sautéed mushrooms, onions and generously portioned brie. I particularly appreciated how the base of the croissant remained delightfully crisp.

Tartine Set 4.2/5

The Tartine Set is a returning favourite, and fans would be happy to hear that this is now officially available at all outlets. Comprising slices of TBB's signature sourdough served with Le Beurre Bordier butter, La Trinquelinette jam, and a beverage of choice. It makes for the perfect choice as a substantial snack or light meal.

Chocolate Kouign Amann 4/5

Apart from the original Kouign Amann ($5.50), check out the Chocolate Kouign Amann ($6.70) studded with bits of chocolate within the swirls.

Quiche Lorraine with Salad 3.8/5

We tried another item from the savoury menu, the Quiche Lorraine with Salad ($13.70). I appreciated how the palm-sized quiche was nicely served warm, but I didn't find it as value for money compared to the other items. The taste was average, and the quiche was eggy, with bits of bacon within.

Hot Chocolate 4/5

There's an extensive choice of beverages, from coffees to teas, bottled juices, kombucha and non-caffeinated options. The Hot Chocolate ($6.80) was nice and not too sweet.

Hojicha Latte 3.8/5

Similarly done less sweet, the Hojicha Latte ($8.50) leaned a lot more milky than I would prefer.

Exotic Cheesecake 3.8/5

The Exotic Cheesecake ($9.50) was much lighter in its cheese notes than I expected. It had a coconut sponge paired with lime and vanilla cream cheese mousse, a mango, passion fruit and yuzu filling, topped with coconut and lime chantilly on a coconut crumble.

Chocolate Tart 4.2/5

Try TBB's Chocolate Tart ($8.70) if you are here for a sweet treat. Although it has chocolate from top to bottom, it's layered nicely with drops of caramel to finish.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tiong Bahru Bakery
JEM
50 Jurong Gateway Road
#01-34/35
Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 6877 4812
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Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Bar Intermezzo @ Orchard Hotel Singapore - High-Tea Semi Buffet With Free-Flow Dessert Bar

Bar Intermezzo at Orchard Hotel Singapore presents a High Tea Semi-Buffet with a free-flow dessert bar and a complimentary glass of Prosecco per person.

What I like about this semi-buffet is that there are three tiers of cold and hot savouries instead of the usual 1 or 2 tiers, which are enough to fill me up before I move on to the dessert bar. Freshly baked scones are also served with free-flow of coffee and tea.

Crab Cake with Saffron Aioli, Unagi Kabayaki Quiche

Prawn Vol-au-Vents, Gammon Ham and Truffle Cheese, Hokkaido Scallop Crudo

The variety of savouries offered is wholesome and hearty, even though they may be dainty in size. In particular, I enjoyed the Crab Cake with Saffron Aioli and Gammon Ham and Truffle Cheese from the hot selection. The latter was delectable, with a rich and creamy mouthfeel from the melted cheese, a classic combination done right. Both were perfect with my glass of prosecco.

Truffle Egg Sandwich, Black Angus Beef Tartar, Gravlax Salmon Sandwich

From the cold selection, Black Angus Beef Tartar stood out with an interesting combination of chocolate tart and beef, enlivened with a slice of gooseberry. The bitter-sweet notes from the chocolate tart went really well with the meat. Gravlax Salmon Sandwich was equally scrumptious with a luscious slice of Gravlax salmon.

Durian Chocolates

Jivara Tart

Praline Chocolate (with Alcohol)

The dessert bar offers a variety of small sweet bites, and my favourites are the chocolate items such as Praline Chocolate (with Alcohol) that literally bursts with alcohol and Jivara Tart. The Durian Chocolate made with creamy durian mouse with dark chocolate was also surprisingly delightful.

There's also a Valrhona Chocolate Fondue. Not as rich as I would like it to be, but decent enough.

Yuzu Tart

Macarons

Other sweet selections include tangy Yuzu Tarts and a variety of Macarons.

Bar Intermezzo's High Tea Semi-Buffet is available on Saturdays and Sundays, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM at $50 per pax (min. 2 pax to serve). For reservations: Tel 6739 6668 or Email intermezzobar.ohs@millenniumhotels.com

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Bar Intermezzo
Lobby
442 Orchard Road
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 67396668
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Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (NS, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk to Wheelock Place. Walk to traffic junction of Orchard Road and Angullia Park. Cross the road to Royal Thai Embassy. Turn left and continue down Orchard Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]