One day, we have to do an in-depth study as to why a lot of Malaysians love Afternoon Tea. Sorry if you’re one of the few who doesn’t but for those who do will find themselves intrigued by what Altitude has to offer with their version, which is why we decided to head over there for a taste test. What we already knew for sure is the breathtaking view from all corners of Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur.
True enough as we were seated at one of the tables by the window, we could see both the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers. Couple that with plush sofas, touches of marble and gleaming gold accents, and the ambience instantly receives a hundred points for us. The finishing touch? The sweet melody from the man playing the keyboard meets a rounded deep bass by the lady at the cello. Now that we’ve set the scene, let’s move on to the main event: The Afternoon Tea set which comes in three stages.
WELCOME
Garden Herb Garlic Tuile | Rosemary Coral Crisp | Lobster Cone
Served in a coupe glass as an accompaniment to the Savoury tier, the three ‘snacks’ as I’d call it was a cute touch. Crispy and flavourful, there were only two faults: The garlic tuile surprisingly tasted a tad sweet while the filling in the cone was a tad salty.
SAVOURY
Foie Gras Delights | Land Meets Sea | The Classic
Three delectable bites on a glass plate. The foie gras was pleasant, rich and a generous dollop. Land Meets Sea was a beautiful creation – beetroot macaron as the base topped with dill, sour creme and a rather subtle-tasting house cured Atlantic salmon. The Classic, a roasted beef sandwich with horseradish sauce, pales in comparison considering the other savouries, as you would discover below, had a very unique direction.
The Cracker
One word: Strong. The menu states an existence of ginger and lemongrass but I’m not sure if this was in the crab meat grissini (yummy and delightfully crispy) or the curry cappuccino (it hits the throat but in the way that makes you want to keep drinking it). The curry overpowers this dish a little but with a few minor tweaks, it’ll be ace.
The Sea Wave
Yet another interesting concoction by the chef. Sea urchin créme, sliced Granny Smith apple and shaved bottarga make a quirky combination. I personally like my sea urchin in classic uni form so this might not be for everyone. Be sure to eat it with the apple slices and you’ll find a lovely mix of the familiar taste of sea urchin and the sweet-sourness of the apple.
SWEETS
The savoury section clearly displays the lengths the team at Altitude went to create something distinctive. The sweets section is where its Afternoon Tea set really shines. The presentation is as appealing as its desserts, most of which are bite-sized, and which sadly applies to the soft and fluffy scones. Available in plain and cranberry flavours paired with clotted cream and housemade fruit jam of the day, I love them. I only wished they were slightly bigger. Everything else — from the briolette bites to the mango passionfruit explosion to the strawberry Eton mess — was amazing.
The Afternoon Tea set at Altitude is priced at RM88 per person and is available from 2.30pm – 4.30pm. Reservations are encouraged and can be made via 03 2113 1823. For more info, visit the website.
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