Thailand

R bar Bangkok afternoon tea review: Among the innovative afternoon tea offers tried by by Happy Hour Asia the ’Choco Bliss’ for sure belongs to those that stand out!

Here, Renissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel offers to ”experience the blending of rich chocolate heritage with a modern twist”, and an ”unforgettable culinarey delight, infused with rich chocolate ingredients”. And – sometimes has to be the first – an afternoon tea without the ubiquitous scones!

And in terms of experiencing a ”fusion” afternoon tea – this is the one! Most, or let’s say a standard afternoon tea, usually includes both savoury food items, such as salom and egg sandwiches , and sweet items. This particular all-chocolate edition goes all the way – in the sense that it blends them together: chocolate with food!

It is chocolate-heavy and themed around the percentage of dark, white, milk and even pink chocolate!

So in addition to including various chocolate types and percentage of chocoloate for each menu item, also the savoury items here come with chocolate! There are three such items on the lowest tray in the afternoon tea cage: 1) 70% Dark chocolate Guanaja within a Pulled beef sandwich with avocado, chocolate mousse and Thai spice chili! 2) 64% Dark chocolate Manjari within Blow torched Taleggio cheese sourdough mini sandwiches, with fig chocolate marmelade 3) 35% White chocolate Ivoir within Tart of Matcha (green tea) white chocolate jelly, smoked salmon, caviar.

The mixing of chocolate with non-sweet items really comes as a surprise, where the pulled beef sandwich especially turns out to work well and has a very interesting texture. At first, the green pea size mousse dots is mistaken to be pandan, while it is indeed avocado!

The salmon an caviar tarte feels familiar, with just a hint of chocolate.

The Italian Taleggio cheese has a fruity tang and thus can work better together with something sweet, we reckon!

top and middle levels on the afternoon tray presents the sweet items and these artisan creations are certainly not easily whipped up! It also allows us guests to learn more about certain techniques and ingredients behind certain names!

60% Dark chocolate Guanaja comes within the Dark chocolate mousse, salted caramel, hazelnuts, which tastes awesome and visibly resembles the famous French éclair. Combine this with a coffee mocktail found on the menu and you have a dream combination!

The 37% Pink chocolate Fraise that comes within a purple-hued Strawberry ruby mousse, with Bavarian cream and vanilla cake, is light. Bavarian cream, crème bavaroise or simply bavarois is a French dessert consisting of an egg-based cooked custard and gelatin or isinglass, into which whipped cream is folded.

Then there’s the beautiful Milk chocolate Chantilly, raspberry Couils, sweet dough, with 40% milk chocolate Jivara. Chantilly cream is made of cold whipping cream or heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.Coulis is a form of thin sauce made from puréed and strained vegetables or fruits – here raspberry. It seems that these are combined and looks gel-like and the tart has a red-garnished ”hat” with white chocolate on the top.

The remaining three pastries were (two of them with Ganache – a glaze, icing, sauce):
Chocolate-dense 64% Dark chocolate Manjari within a Cappucino cream, chocolate Ganache, sponge; 35% White chocolate Ivoire within Pate a Choux, white chocolate Ganache, biscuit; and
35% Blond chocolate dulcey within Caramelized chocolate, Feuilletine, toasted almon (egg-shaped on the top). Feuilletine, or pailleté feuilletine, is a crispy confection, made from thin, sweetened crêpes. With the delicate crunch his pastry is also a winner and makes wonders together with you choice of coffee!

The Mocktail with passion fruit, and in different yellow layers, was also thoroughly enjoyable! An afternoon tea and mocktails made with true passion! Let’s see what comes next…