Just in time for tea

TEA IS HARDLY new to Thailand, but lounging about with an Earl Grey or Darjeeling and some scones never quite caught on until the recent arrival in Bangkok of trendy tearooms. We already have Twinings tea boutique and Harrods tearoom from Britain as well as Singapore-based TWG that cater to Thais with the wherewithal to indulge the fine brews of tea.

Now Bangkok is also blessed with the world’s first and full-scale tea lounge belonging to German tea brand Ronnefeldt, which was established in 1823 in Frankfurt.

Located on the first floor of Gaysorn mall, the 1823 Tea Lounge by Ronnefeldt offers diners more than 70 distinct flavours together with afternoon tea sets, all-day light meals, pastries and an extensive drink list.

“Tea is becoming popular in Thailand thanks to its healthy benefits and the variety of choices available. Ronnefeldt is one of the oldest tea traders in the world and supplies top-quality teas to luxury hotels and restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide including Bangkok’s Siam Kempinski. It’s a family-run business that has traditionally focused on trading rather than catering and thus has no tearooms, even in Germany. We proposed the company to set up its first tearoom in Bangkok and we now hold the exclusive rights to create Ronnefeldt lifestyle tea lounges in Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region,” says Russell Paine, co-founder and chief executive of Next Hospitality Group, which manages Gaysorn’s restaurants and bars.

Ronnefeldt was founded by Johann Tobias who developed his passion and knowledge for tea during his travels to Rotterdam and London. His first customers were the hotels frequented by Russian dignitaries around Frankfurt and soon Tobias was supplying the Russian Tsar. The teas are prepared by plucking only two leaves and one bud – the youngest and mildest part of the tea plant – from all major tea-growing regions including India, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan and Japan.

Occupying an area of 160 square metres, the tea lounge boasts an elegant decor with a gold vaulted ceiling rising in the centre above a white marble table display where you can select the tea you wish to try. A large window opens into the front of the shopping mall and behind the long black marble counter and its display of pastries is a storage wall filled with tea tins that are both decorative and functional. Another wall is covered in classic antique tea drawers and golden oldies play softly in the background setting the scene for a relaxing break. Patrons can sit inside the lounge or at a table in the mall.

Two exclusive blends have been prepared especially for Gaysorn. The Bangkok Blend (Bt288) is Oolong tea blended with tropical flavours of papaya and pineapple while the Gaysorn Blend (also Bt288) combines light flowery Pai Mu Tan white tea from Fujian with ripe mango and hints of citric notes.

The blends are best enjoyed as an afternoon set and there are three from which to choose. Each is for two persons and arrives at the table on a modern three-tier stand. Available from noon to 6pm, the most luxurious set is 1823 Gold Indulgence (Bt1,280) that features pan-fried foie gras with caramelised peach, filo puff cup with Scottish smoked salmon tartar, honeydew melon wrapped with black forest ham, prawn bruschetta with German mustard and golden salmon roe, and crabmeat salad with guacamole. The two top tiers are filled with sweets including chocolate balls, scones, tea-infused macarons, a golden chocolate dome mousse, Battenberg cake and Imperial Torte – a refined delicacy imported directly from the Imperial Hotel in Vienna. They are served with jam, clotted cream, and Chiang Mai honey infused with 24k gold leaves and rose petals. 

The smaller Ronnefeldt Signature set (Bt880) boasts pretzels wrapped with ham and topped with black lemon tea mayonnaise, an open face Emmental cheese and pickle sandwich, a mini Munchner white sausage with sweet mustard, and smoked black lemon tea trout on Pumpernickel bread with trout caviar. Sweet treats include raspberry star cookies, vanilla almond half moons, your choice of macarons, Gugelhupf marble cake, Mozart chocolate balls, and the Imperial Torte.

“Our tea chinaware sets are made by the renowned German porcelain manufacturer Tafelstern. We keep the tea in vacuumed packs before storing it in tea tins so that the leaves are kept away from heat, light, air and moisture. This will keep the tea fresh for much longer,” Paine explains.

For something a little more substantial, check out the Crab Cakes (Bt480) – delicate baked crabmeat drizzled with mango orange dressing and served with herb salad, edible flowers, garlic baguette and thinly sliced Serrano ham. Equally tempting is Chicken Penne Pasta (also Bt480), which is tossed with red wine sauce, slices of slow roasted chicken breasts, foie gras, mushrooms, low fat cream and herbs. A business lunch set will be available in the weeks to come. 

The special confection here is Imperial Torte, which was apparently created by a kitchen apprentice in honour of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria during the opening of the Imperial Hotel in Vienna in 1873. The recipe is a closely guarded secret but the ingredients include fine milk chocolate, almonds, marzipan and cacao cream. The confection is shipped from the Imperial Hotel in a pinewood box and the tea lounge offers a single torte (Bt250) dressed with gold leaf and served with fresh cream and a perfume bottle filled with vanilla essence. 

The tearoom also has an extensive menu of iced beverages from iced tea, chocolate and coffees to frappe and smoothies. One of its signature drinks is Thai Iced Tea (Bt135) topped with milk and a scoop of Thai tea ice cream. A selection of wines and champagnes is also available. 

 

 

SWEET TREATS

>>1823 Tea Lounge by Ronnefeldt is on the first floor of Gaysorn mall and open daily from 10am to 8pm.

>>Call (02) 656 1086.