The luxurious furnishings and old world charm of TWG's tea salons makes them them easily mistakable for outposts of a premium Parisian tea chain, but did you know that the company was actually established in Singapore in 2008? Bewitched by its beautiful decor and the numerous tea canisters on display within the glass-walled enclave, D and I joined the queue outside TWG's Ion Orchard outlet one day for a classy afternoon treat.
I ordered the 1837 tea time set menu ($18++), which included a pot of TWG tea as well as a choice between two scones, two muffins and a patisserie from the trolley. To my disappointment, the raisin-studded scones looked better than they tasted- they were dry and overly crumbly, and weren't buttery enough for my liking. At least they were warmed before serving.
While the red tea jelly was quite nice, I would have preferred my scones to be paired with rich clotted cream instead of whipped cream.
A pot of tea at TWG costs $11++ and upwards, and no refills of hot water are provided as the tea has already been strained before serving. (FYI: No sharing of teapots is permitted.) Fragrant and calming, my Vanilla Bourbon Tea was just one of the numerous teas on offer- you'll definitely have a hard time choosing your beverage here! I didn't take to its slightly sour tang though.
On another occasion, I picked up some macarons ($2 each) from TWG's booth at Takashimaya Food Hall for tea. While credit has to be given to TWG for giving a spin to the ubiquitous macaron by infusing them with tea, the shells were too soft and sweet for my liking. With the exception of Bain de Rose (pink), which featured beguiling floral notes, the tea flavor in the other macarons was too muted. That being said, I adored the sticky caramel filling in the Napolean tea & Caramel macaron (black) and found Grand Wedding tea, Passionfruit & Coconut (purple) and 1837 Black tea & Blackcurrant (dark pink) pleasantly fruity.
#02-21 Ion Orchard
Opening hours: 10am-9.30pm daily