Ladurée afternoon tea at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Laduree is partnering up with The Landmark Mandarin Oriental for afternoon tea on this month of December, and the whole city is raving about it. After having been, I don't really get what the fuss is all about. The only thing from Laduree in the whole set are the macarons (2 per person), the individual paper tablecloth (similar to the one you get at Laduree in Paris), and the big macaron pyramid (for decoration only) at the entrance of the restaurant. 

This afternoon tea set is good yet really overpriced. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental cannot be compared to the much more splendorous Hong Kong Mandarin Oriental located at 5 minutes walking distance, which happens to offer one of the best afternoon teas in town for way way cheaper!!! I really felt I was ripped off by this Laduree nonsense. The set is not worth the price.

The first bad impression was when I went to look at the tea selection. There were just 4 really common teas (Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Jasmine and Peppermint) and then oolong, white tea or green tea, for which you had to add $25! Excuse me?! First of all, in a so called Laduree afternoon tea, it is not acceptable that the only thing from Laduree are two macarons. The least would be some other petit four, or Laduree tea. 

The clotted cream and the jams were very good, but the scones were not really scones. Others may not realize, but for a connoisseur like myself, these were not the real deal. And it's a shame seeing how its brother, the Hong Kong Mandarin Oriental, has the best scones in Hong Kong. These scones had yellow cake consistency. And by the fact that the edges were not toasted, you could realize they had actually just been cut with a round mold after being baked. What kind of a scone is that?!

Don't think the set was just laid on our table like this. You know how I dislike not having a tiered stand for afternoon tea! We actually had a 2-tier stand right next to us, I just forgot to snap a picture of it.

The food was overall good. My review may seem a bit negative but the truth is the food was tasty. It was just overpriced and with not enough Laduree goodies, that's it. 

The best part were obviously the macarons. The silver one was really beautiful. It was mandarine and orange, and the pink one was my all-time fave: rose macaron! Woohoo!!! The other best thing, that I accidentally left for the very end (lucky again!) was this peanut and chocolate tart in the picture below. It was SO good, I inspected every part carefully to try to replicate it at home!

Think twice before heading for this high tea. All everyone is excited about is Laduree, and then there's just too miserable macarons! 

If you call to make a reservation, they'll tell you it has been completely booked. I don't know booked by whom, since I went there and was perfectly able to walk in even though there was a huge line in front of me, which I'm assuming didn't have a reservation either! Is this some sort of marketing technique? 

Visited on: December 12th, 2013

Overall Rating: 3.5* Even though this set was overpriced, most of the food was of high quality, and the service was excellent.

Price: HK$634 for two (CRAZY)

Value for Money: Negative! 0*

Would I recommend it? Let's face it. We all go here attracted by Laduree. Now when you know that all you get from Laduree are two macarons, and that this tea set is one of the most expensive in town, would you still want to go? Probably not.

  

Wedding Wednesday: Sparkling Wedding Fair at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

Last Saturday J and I joined the Sparkling Wedding Fair at the Mandarin Oriental. The fair lasted from 1:30pm to 6pm with the rundown as follows:

1:30pm - 2:00 pm: Guest reception

2:00pm - 2:10pm Welcoming speech and MC acknowledgement

2:10pm - 2:20pm Wedding dance performance

2:20pm - 2:35pm Sharing on the new trends of venue decoration

2:35pm - 2:55pm Make-up and hairstyling demonstration to go with your wedding gown

2:55pm - 3:10pm Sharing on photography trends

3:10pm - 3:40pm Bridal catwalk show with luxury jewellery

3:40pm - 4:10 pm Consultation sessions for vendors and hotel

4:10 pm - 4:15pm MC acknowledgement

4:15pm - 4:25pm Demonstration of creative wedding cakes

4:35pm - 4:50pm Wedding planner presentation

4:50pm - 5:10pm Make-up and hairstyling demonstration to go with your evening gown

5:10pm - 5:40pm Lucky draw

5:40pm - 6:00pm MC wrap up & hotel acknowledgement

6:00 pm End of the show

Whoa! We were quite busy indeed! Venue decoration, floral arrangements, make-up, hairstyling, dresses, wedding cakes... The fair was really inspiring! We did get some very nice ideas, specially regarding the flowers. I particularly fell in love with these roses on the picture below, so gorgeous!

I also loved the carnations hanging from the chair in a ball like these ones below! I guess I really am into carnations ^^

This table below was prettily decorated, too! I just don't like this Chinese style tablecloth, I think a plain color tablecloth would be way better. Unfortunately, the venue we booked for our Hong Kong wedding uses the same kind of tablecloth. I wonder if J will agree on buying plain color ones for our 18 tables just for that one day? :p

In case you are wondering what the Lucky Draw on the rundown was, let me tell you, it was AMAZING! I so wish I got it :D These are the six prizes that were given away!

1. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong: One-night weekend stay in a Harbour Room with breakfast

2. The Mandarin Cake Shop: One personalised wedding cake (to the value of HKD10,000)

3. Pierre: Dinner in Pierre Gagnaire's Michelin-staarred restaurant

4. Man Wan: Dinner in the awar-winning Cantonese restaurant, Man Wah (to the value of HKD2,000)

5. The Mandarin Spa: Utopia Advanced Anti-ageing Facial (valued at HKD 2,090)

6. The Mandarin Spa: Mandarin Oriental Signature Spa Therapy (valued at 1,925)

The unbelievable thing is how many names were called of people that left the place before the lucky draw. I mean, seriously??? How can you let these prizes escape!? I'm personally considering joining next year again even though I'm already married just for the lucky draw! The whole fair is actually such a nice event, time flies! Plus there's free flow of champagne, orange juice and Perrier during the whole time, you can imagine! Some yummy appetizers were also served around 4pm.

l had a lot of fun, and J did, too! We didn't have the chance to plan our Barcelona wedding together a month ago when I went back to Barcelona because he couldn't join me, but we most certainly did enjoy this wedding planning together last Saturday! :)

High tea at the Clipper Lounge - Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

Last Sunday, as it's becoming a tradition for me, was high tea day. This time was high tea for a party of four, since my parents were in town. I wanted to take them to the Four Seasons, since I heard is the best high tea in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, by the time I called to make a reservation, they were fully booked and we were 8th on the waiting list! Needless to wait for a positive call, I called the Mandarin Oriental instead, where I got a table for four at the Clipper Lounge. It turned out to be a great decision, because it allowed me to discover what I think is the afternoon tea set with the highest food quality in Hong Kong. This tea set is an expensive one for sure, but the price is well  worth it. Every item in the afternoon tea set is a delicatessen made with the best ingredients. It was the first time I had a tea involving foie gras and black truffle among others, and I enjoyed every single bite. The set is a big one too, so you better come with a big appetite! As for myself, I couldn't get to finish the whole set.

My tea choice was Mandarin Oriental's signature blend: "Taste of the legend", an oolong tea with vanilla, cocoa-caramel, flowers and orange that delighted me to no end! 

Plain and raisin scones

This is an extract from the Short History of Afternoon Tea as written in the menu of the Mandarin Oriental...

"Afternoon Tea - A Short History

The tradition of Afternoon Tea was the creation of Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford, who in 1840 decided that eight hours was more than one woman should reasonably be expected to wait for dinner, and instructed her butler to bring tea, bread and butter to her drawing room at 5 o'clock.

Finding this repast ideal, she began to invite friends to join her for tea and nibbling daintily on slices of bread and butter. - A new social institution was born."

And finally a glimpse at the couples and our two sets for two!

Mandarin Oriental's Afternoon Tea is served either at the Clipper Lounge or at Cafe Causette, located on the same floor. Since we go to Cafe Causette for lunch or dinner often, I booked a table at the Clipper Lounge this time, but both locations are perfectly fine.

Visited on: 4th November, 2012

Overall Quality: 5*

Price: HK$448 + 10% service charge for a tea set for two

Value for money: 5*

Would I recommend it? Yes, this is so far the best food I've ever had for high tea.