In case you didn’t already know, I love high tea. And call me obsessed, but it kind of boggles my mind when someone says they’re not a fan! No joke, I was chatting to a guy friend about it and he actually asked “Isn’t that where you go to gossip…?” While that is partially true, there’s so much more to appreciate about high tea. The pretty cakes, the dainty sandwiches, the free flowing drinks… I love how high tea is so indulgent, and it’s a great excuse to catch up with friends and pour the tea. Literally. Anyway I would go more often if I could, but I guess that’s what makes it special!
My equally food-obsessed friend let me know that KOI was holding a winter high tea in August, so of course we couldn’t miss it. In case you didn’t know, KOI Dessert Bar is owned by Reynold Poernomo of Masterchef fame. In fact, he was in the room the entire time we were there! I’ve visited before and loved the desserts, so understandably my expectations were waaay up there. And when this gorgeous setup arrived at our table, I knew we would be off to a good start.
Savoury comes first, of course! We started with these adorable bowls of pumpkin soup, which had sago-like pearls at the bottom. I’d never really had anything like it in a savoury context, so it was quite interesting to eat. The mushroom and leek profiteroles were also pretty tasty, and were the perfect thing to kick off the rest of the truffle high tea.
There were also truffle scones, although I couldn’t really detect any of the flavour in there. They came with jam and vanilla whipped cream, which was a nice touch. Despite being tasty, my only complaint was that I wish the scones were bigger! I’ve had a lot of scones in my lifetime, and they’re definitely meant to be more than just one bite.
Next up were mini versions of KOI’s desserts, such as the Mont Blanc, mango yuzu, and naked vanilla tart. I’ve enjoyed a few of these treats before and enjoyed them, but these renditions came with a twist! The chocolate desserts had hints of truffle, which were subtle enough not to overpower the other flavours. And as always, that mango yuzu was as fresh and citrusy as ever.
Nomtella was exactly what it sounds like – a hazelnut chocolate mousse, complete with a surprise hint of truffle. This dessert was sooo decadent, and possibly one of my favourites! And finally, my friend and I saved the most anticipated one for last… the black truffle macaron. It was an interesting combination, that’s for sure. The truffle flavour was not subtle at all, and with all that buttercream in the centre, it kind of straddled the line between sweet and savoury.
And that was winter high tea at KOI! Admittedly, I didn’t walk away stuffed like I usually do after high tea. After all, there were no tea sandwiches or full-sized scones to be found. But although it’s not traditional, lovers of dessert will probably adore this high tea. I’m already keen to see what KOI will come out with for spring!
