Hard to touch the taste of TWG
The Singapore teas giant opens a second salon in Bangkok offering great tea-infused dishes
SINGAPORE’S FINEST leafy export, TWG Tea, now has a second “salon” in Bangkok, at Siam Paragon. The letters stand for The Wellness Group, which Taha Bouqdip and Maranda Barnes founded in 2008, and a visit to the new 300-square-metre bistro, with more than 450 blends from 38 countries on offer, certainly leaves you feeling well.
Heady aromas from Argentina, Turkey, Malawi and what some people still call Persia are among the intoxicating options joining the signature Haute Couture collection of Silver Moon Tea, Geisha Blossom Tea and Singapore Breakfast Tea.
Just for the new Bangkok outlet, Golden Swan Tea has been created, said Yuthachai Charanachitta, chief executive at Italthai Group, TWG’s partner in Thailand. It mixes Formosa oolong with black tea, aromatic Thai fruit, orchids and wild honey.
The 80-seat salon has a menu of tea-infused salads, sandwiches, main courses, pastries and French-style savoury and sweet crepes – the Bourbon Island Crepe and 1837 Crepe are not to be missed.
The TWG Tea Salad is made with Comptoir des Indes tea-smoked salmon, foie gras, marinated shrimp, herbed Roma tomatoes, French beans and corn sprinkled with chives and served with an 1837 Green Tea infused vinaigrette.
Sweet Secret Salad is smoked Scottish salmon with arugula, avocado, strawberries and Secret of Vietnam Tea. Lobster
Timbale is marinated lobster, avocado, coriander and chives with spinach shoots drizzled in a Love Me Tea-infused vinaigrette.
For the main course, Carre d’agneau is lovely roasted rack of lamb with a stewed bell pepper, zucchini ratatouille and a Moroccan Mint Tea-infused gravy. Happy Sole is a steamed paupiette of French Dover sole tossed with lobster sauce infused with Happy Tea.
But back to those crepes, which chef Philippe Langlois knows Thais love. There are 10 to choose from. Ocean Crepe contains fresh and smoked salmon and leeks in a rich cream flavoured with Moroccan Mint Tea. The 1837 Crepe has a marmalade of raspberry, blueberry, cherry and black currants infused with 1837 Black Tea. It comes with 1837 Black Tea ice cream.
With hundreds of teas to decide among, ask for help with “tea pairing”. Generally, though, white and green tea go well with salads and starters, while black and blue tea suit meats best.
Compared to the flowery, fruity and caramel impact of 1837 Green Tea, Imperial Lapsang Souchong is smoky black tea infused with the scent of Chinese pine, perfect with any savoury meal. Vanilla Bourbon Tea is red tea from South Africa blended with sweet TWG vanilla. It can be served warm or iced and it’s suitable for children as well.
And Saicho Tea pays homage to a revered tea master of Japan, a fine green tea blended with pomegranate blossoms.
BEYOND BE-LEAF
Here’s how they make the tea at the salon. Try it at home:
>>Pop a filter in your pot and warm the pot with boiling water.
>>Place the tea in the filter and let it stand for a few minutes so the steam can begin extracting the leaves’ aroma.
>>Pour enough hot water on the tea to cover the leaves.
>>Let white tea and other fine grades steep for seven to 15 minutes, green tea two or three minutes, blue tea four to seven minutes and black tea three minutes.
>>Remove the filter so the flavour remains consistent from first cup to last.
>>Stir the tea and pour into a fine bone-china cup.
>>TWG Tea Salon and Boutique on M floor of Siam Paragon opens daily from 10 to 10. Call (02) 610 9526.
