Amanda FooIn 1914, American Anna Jarvis, wanting to pay her late mother a tribute, embarked on a fervent campaign to create a holiday that honoured mothers everywhere. Thus Mother’s Day was created.
Aha, you forgot, didn’t you?
Don’t worry; this is what UrbanWire is here for. Instead of bringing mum out for a lunch or dinner and jostling with the hordes, a relaxing high-tea session might be better.
With this in mind, we have sourced out 2 very different teahouses, one eastern (Tian Fu Teahouse) and the other western (Arteastiq). Bringing your mum to either will definitely elevate you to the position of Favourite Child of The Year.
First up is Arteastiq at Mandarin Gallery, a sanctuary hidden on the 4th floor and it’s there that you can enjoy a quiet afternoon with your mother sheltered from the chaos of Orchard Road. The place is cosy, with about 8 tables so you can spare mum of having to jostle with other people here on Mother’s Day.
UrbanWire tasted a variety of drinks and desserts from the tea lounge.
Arteastiq has a few fruit teas available like Pear, Cucumber and Ginger. The Pear Tea ($11) has chunks
of the fruit, not just a sad little tea bag. As a result, the pear flavour will hit you in the face. Just in case she’s diabetic, or trying to keep the kilos off, you can control the sweetness as honey is given separately in a shot glass. This is a wonderful tea to nurse throughout the afternoon as you bond with your mum, sharing secrets.
Arteastiq also recommended us their most popular dessert: Adam In Wonderland ($8), an apple cake. The apple cake is a great balance with sour Granny Smith apples on top of a dense and moist cake bursting with cinnamon flavor.
Arteastiq also has gelatos ($5.90 per scoop). UrbanWire sampled 2: Ginger Spice Tea and Mao Shan Wang (Durian). The Ginger Spice Tea tastes intensely of ginger powder and cinnamon and the Mao Shan Wang obliterates every other taste in your mouth, so intense is the durian flavor, but this means that it’s hard to pair this gelato with any other dish. Plus, don’t count on being too popular if you don’t remove the taste from your mouth.
The second teahouse is perched on the top of the world, or at least feels like it is, being on the 60th floor of UOB Plaza in Raffles Place. This allows you to enjoy a stunning view of Singapore’s skyline and the height provides a rare sense of peace as you slowly sip teas carefully selected by the staff.
Tian Fu Tea House is actually part of Si Chuan Dou Hua and while the main restaurant is reserved for full meals, the teahouse is strictly meant for high tea.
With this in mind, Tian Fu Tea House has developed an Imperial High Tea Set ($20++). This is an extremely well planned menu that pairs 3 different teas with the 9 dim sum-like courses. The courses are of dainty portions, ensuring that you won’t get bloated.
These are: Boiled Crystal Dumpling in Clear Stock, Steamed Prawns Siew Mai, Pan-fried Meat Bun, Prawns Wanton in Shark’s Fin Soup, Pan-fried Soft Pancake with Sesame, Crispy Fried Walnut Cake, Baked Hasma Tart, Si Chuan Shredded Knife Noodle Soup and Homemade Beancurd with Osmanthus.
The first tea, Bamboo Green, is a green tea meant to whet your appetite and get you ready for the morsels you are to savour. This is followed by an oolong tea that hails from Wuyi Mountain in China, Lao Chao Shui Shan, which is paired with 4 prawn courses to curb the aftertaste that’s left behind and it has an added benefit of clearing the throat of phlegm. Pu’er, from Yunnan, is that final tea that helps to rid the palate of the oil.
The first was Si Chuan Shredded Knife Noodles.It’s the kind of dish that leaves you yearning for more, preferably a whole pot if possible.
This little bowl is the epitome of comfort food. The noodles are thick and chewy, refusing to bend to the will of the chopsticks. The soup is also another triumph, with an intense flavor that is imparted by the sprinkling of fried minced meat, which is deeply satisfying.
Another high note of the set is its dessert: Beancurd with Osmanthus.
The syrup is infused with osmanthus flowers and the first bite will shock you as the floral scent floods your senses. It’s so intense that it’s almost like having The Body Shop in your mouth, not just because the smells are that overwhelming, but also because the osmanthus flowers will also remind you of soap, which can be an unsettling experience at first, but it doesn’t take away from the dish at all.
Arteastiq
Address: Mandarin Gallery, Level 4
Telephone No.: 6235 8370
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Tian Fu Teahouse (Si Chuan Dou Hua)
Address: 80 Raffles Place, #60-01 UOB Plaza 1
Telephone No.: 6535 6006
Opening Hours: 2.30pm – 6pm (High Tea)
Rating: ★★★★☆
All photos taken by Jasmine Chong from Kilx Photography.