shanghai | Sugared & Spiced

The Ritz-Carlton Pudong

Add: Ritz-Carlton Pudong, 52/F, 8 Shiji Da Dao / 世纪大道8号, 上海浦东丽思卡尔顿酒店52楼
Tel: 2020 1717 / 2020 1888
Hours: [afternoon tea] 2:30-5pm
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com
Price: 198~268 RMB + 15%/afternoon tea set
Visited: Nov 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

It was a full house when I visited Aura on a Saturday afternoon. The atmosphere was perfectly vivacious – not so quiet that I felt obligated to mute my conversations, but not so loud that it felt clamorous in the least bit. With soothing live jazz permeating the air, gracious waitresses and waiters waltzing around, and a full view of Lujiazui and the Bund – I knew this is a place worth lingering.

The Ritz-Carlton Afternoon Tea Set (268 RMB + 15%) is a traditional three-tier affair. Though it’s designed for one person only, the abundance of food is enough to satisfy two people. Smaller sets and a la carte options are also available.

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2011/10/262015/10/10

[Shanghai] Anantara Spa at the PuLi Hotel

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Anantara Spa at the PuLi Hotel Add: 1 ChangDe Road near Yan’an Zhong Lu / 常德路1號近延安中路 Tel: 2216 6899 Hours: 10am-10pm Website: spa.anantara.com/shanghai/default.aspx Price: Anantara Signature Massage 1,080 RMB + 15% (check menu for other treatment prices) Visited: Oct 2011 The entire PuLi Hotel oozes tranquility, but its spa area is in yet another world of its own. Internationally-renowned…Continue Reading “[Shanghai] Anantara Spa at the PuLi Hotel” →

2011/09/252015/10/10

[Shanghai] Afternoon Tea at Flair, Ritz-Carlton

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Flair Rooftop Restaurant & Bar

Add: Ritz-Carlton Pudong, 58/F, 8 Shiji Da Dao / 世纪大道8号上海浦东丽思卡尔顿酒店58楼
Hours: [afternoon tea] Sat & Sun 2-5pm
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ShanghaiPudong/Default.htm
Price: 228 RMB + 15%/set
Visited: Sep 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

Every five-star hotel has its own version of the traditional English High Tea, and Flair Rooftop Restaurant & Bar at the Ritz-Carlton Pudong is doing something quite uniquely Asian. Prawn dumplings and California roll? Yes ma’am, they’ve got them. Let’s take a look at what else is on the plate.

There are two types of tea sets at Flair, a “Flair Hi Tea Set” and a “Roof-top Hi Tea Set”, both priced at 228 RMB + 15%. Depending on which set you order, you can either get….

Spring rolls with tamarind sauce (Roof-Top Tea Set) or vegetable samosas (Flair Tea Set).

Teriyaki chicken roll (Roof-Top Tea Set) or smoked salmon Californian roll (Flair Tea set).

A quartet of mango soup with pomelo, ginger creme brulee, coconut meringue tartlet, and green tea cheese cake for the Rooftop Tea Set.

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2011/09/152015/10/07

[Shanghai] Cha Mi Living 茶米家

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Cha Mi Living 茶米家

Add: Fumin Lu 201, near Julu Lu / 富民路201号，近巨鹿路
Tel: 5404 3842
Hours: 11am-9:30pm
Website: www.chamiliving.com
Price: [tea] 40~60 RMB [desserts] 28~48 RMB
Visited: Sep 2011

Cha Mi Living is about good tea, good rice, and good life. I stumbled upon its Fumin Lu branch two weeks ago, and fell in love with this chic little concept store. If you like tea, tea desserts, or teaware, be sure to drop by and take a look.

Plain wood, warm lighting, simple colors.

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2011/08/282015/10/10

[Shanghai] Red Velvet Afternoon Tea at Waldorf Astoria

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Salon de Ville, Waldorf Astoria

Add: Waldorf Astoria, 2 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 中山东一路2号上海外滩华尔道夫酒店
Tel: 6322 9988
Hours: 10am-8pm
Website: www.waldorfastoria.com
Price: 338rmb+15%/person, free flow of coffee, tea, and finger food
Visited: Aug 2011

Afternoon Tea at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai. The tea set itself was not particularly impressive, but I quite enjoyed the regal yet relaxed ambiance brought alive by classical music performance (cello and violin on the day of my visit, harp on most weekends). What I liked most about Salon de Ville, in addition to its plush furnishings, is that there is a comfortable distance between each clusters of sofas, making it a perfect spot for a quiet afternoon of private tête-à-têtes.

The Red Velvet Afternoon Tea Set, priced at 338 RMB/person, includes a free flow of savory bites, finger sandwiches, scones, cakes, signature red velvet cupcakes, and coffee or tea (try the Irish Whisky Cream, which actually doesn’t contain any whisky but is rich and aromatic enough to intoxicate.)

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2011/08/072015/10/09

[Shanghai] Summer Desserts at Maison Pourcel

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Maison Pourcel Add: 8/F, 35 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Changle Lu 陕西南路35号8楼, 近长乐路 Tel: 6215 8777 Hours: [La Table] 5:30-10:30pm [Studio Bar] 11:30am-11pm Website: www.maisonpourcel.com Price: [La Table] 700 RMB+/person, [Studio Bar] 300 RMB/person Visited: Aug 2011 Please note that this is an arranged tasting. Last week I had the pleasure of trying two new desserts…Continue Reading “[Shanghai] Summer Desserts at Maison Pourcel” →

2011/06/122015/10/07

[Shanghai] Lohasly / Nap Cafe

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Lohasly / Nap Cafe

Add: Jiashan Market B208, 37 Alley 550 Shanxinan Lu / 陕西南路550弄37号嘉善坊B208室
Tel: 6426 0836
Hours: 10am-9pm
Website: www.nap-cafe.com
Price: 30~50RMB/coffee and tea
Visited: Jun 2011

This past weekend I discovered a hidden gem in Jiashan Market called Lohasly / Nap Cafe. It’s a store, it’s a cafe, it’s a studio. Take a look at the pictures and you’ll see why I’m in love with this cozy little spot.

First of all, Lohasly / Nap Cafe is a cafe. The menu is simple – there’s coffee, tea, and pies. We tried a pot of soothing Darjeeling (50 RMB), and the prompt refill of hot water kept us going the whole afternoon.

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2011/05/092015/10/09

[Shanghai] La Maison du Macaron

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La Maison du Macaron (venue closed)

Add: 966 Changle Road, near Wulumuqi Road 长乐路966号, 近乌鲁木齐路
Tel: 6209 4060
Hours: 10am-7:00pm (closed on Mondays)
Price: [macaron] 7 RMB [tart] 18 RMB [drinks] 15~20 RMB
Visited: May 2011

La Maison du Macaron is a small French patisserie on the Changle Rd/Wulumuqi Rd intersection, and is so far the only shop in town that specializes in macarons. The owner is a Shanghainese local who holds a diploma of pastry arts from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and her macarons – while not in the same rank as those exquisite creations at Pierre Hermé – are priced at only 7 RMB a piece and really not too shabby.

We tried salted caramel, passion fruit, and lemon (7 RMB each). All were quite good, but salted caramel seemed to be the winner. I’d be interested in going back to try pistachio, chocolate, or any new flavor that happens to be in store that day.

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2011/04/242015/10/07

[Shanghai] Lapis Sky Garden

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Lapis Sky Garden

Add: 7/F, 10 Baoqing Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu 宝庆路10号7楼, 近复兴中路
Tel: 6474 7979
Hours: 7:30am-1:30am
Website: www.lapisskygarden.com
Price: [drinks] 35~60 RMB, [Food] 150 RMB/person
Visited: Apr 2011

The Lapis Group is quickly building a small collection of trendy hot spots in Shanghai – Lapis Lazuli, Lapis Thai, Lapis Casa, and most recently, Lapis Sky Garden. Sitting on top of the Lapis Casa boutique hotel, Lapis Sky Garden is an airy cafe/restaurant/lounge with an outdoor rooftop garden and panoramic views of the French Concession. The food (Mediterranean cuisine to be exact) as been garnering negative reviews, so we skipped that and just went for some afternoon drinks.

There are three sunrooms at Lapis Sky Garden, each adorned with comfortable cushions, an abundance of sunlight, and great views of the French Concession. These popular spots get snatched up quickly so be sure to make a reservation in advance.

There is also an outdoor “rooftop garden” with a trickling water wall.

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2011/04/212015/10/07

[Shanghai] Zen Cafe

shanghai

ZEN Cafe

Add: 2/F 7-1, Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu / 东平路7-1号2楼, 近衡山路
Tel: 6437 7390
Hours: [Sun-Tue] 10am-10pm [Fri-Sat] 10am-11pm
Webiste: www.zenlifestore.com
Price: [drinks] 20~40 RMB
Visited: Apr 2011

ZEN Cafe is the cozy attic coffee shop on top of ZEN Lifestore on Dongping Lu. It’s a small place and fills up quickly on weekend afternoons (no, they don’t take reservations), but empty spots are likely to be found during the evenings.

The first floor is ZEN Lifestore, which features a unique array of home embellishments and furnishings. It takes in both traditional Chinese culture and European aesthetics, combining best of the two worlds into tea cups, antique lamps, paintings, porcelain dolls, and the likes.

A small courtyard right outside the store.

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Category: shanghai

[Shanghai] High Tea at Aura, The Ritz-Carlton Pudong

[Shanghai] Anantara Spa at the PuLi Hotel

[Shanghai] Afternoon Tea at Flair, Ritz-Carlton

[Shanghai] Cha Mi Living 茶米家

[Shanghai] Red Velvet Afternoon Tea at Waldorf Astoria

[Shanghai] Summer Desserts at Maison Pourcel

[Shanghai] Lohasly / Nap Cafe

[Shanghai] La Maison du Macaron

[Shanghai] Lapis Sky Garden

[Shanghai] Zen Cafe

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