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Cachet at The Langham XTD
Add: 99 Madang Lu, near Taicang Lu / 马当路99号1楼, 近太仓路
Tel: 2330 2288
Hours: 6:30am~10pm [afternoon tea] 2:30~5:00
Website: xintiandi.langhamhotels.com
Price: [afternoon tea] 280~350 RMB/set
Visited on: 2012-03
After sampling afternoon tea sets at so many hotels in Shanghai, I think I’m just about done. There was, however, one last hotel that I wanted to try, and that is the Langham Xintiandi. I’ve heard good and bad things about the Tiffin Afternoon Tea served at its Cachet Lobby Lounge, and what’s better than coming here and tasting it for myself?
Cachet Lobby Lounge, with floor-to-ceiling windows that span two stories, is a bright and airy space ideal for afternoon tea. The cherry on top? Live harp performance.
The tea-smelling set up at Langham reminds me of Smith & Hsu in Taipei. It’s an amusing and somewhat overwhelming experience to open bottles after bottles in an attempt to find the perfect blend. At the waitress’s recommendation, we settled with these two: The Langham Blend and Palm Court Exotic Blend.
The Langham Blend is, as the name suggests, the classic here. It’s a mix of first and second flush Assam, Darjeelings and Tippy Golden Orange Pekoe black teas that have been blended to create a refined and rounded flavor. The Palm Court Exotic Blend, on the other hand, is a blend of Chinese Fujian white tea with hibiscus flowers, rosehip peel and rose petals. I personally preferred the Langham Blend, though the girly girls might pick the Palm Court Exotic Blend for its pink hue. A fun detail is that tea at Langham comes with an hourglass, which guides you to steep the tea for exactly three minutes before pouring it.
Those in the mood for something bubbly mood might want to opt for a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne, elegantly poured in an elongated champagne class.
Here’s the Tiffin Afternoon Tea set, 280 RMB with tea or coffee, and 350 RMB with Laurent Perrier champagne. What it involves: 2 layers of savory bites (duck terrine with black truffle, tuna with avocado and sun-dried tomatoes, arugula and pancetta with tomato spread, and the likes), and a layer of sweet tidbits (macarons, eclairs, opera cake, fruit tarts…)
To be honest, I wasn’t so impressed by the small bites on the three-tier stand, but quite enjoyed the buttery raisins scones. Served with jam and clotted cream, but of course.
Will I be back? Yes, but maybe I won’t go for the whole set, but instead just order tea and perhaps try their a la carte desserts for a change. For me, the main attraction here is the ambiance – to have something this spacious and pleasant in Xintiandi area, that in itself is quite something already.
