This New Style Of Afternoon Tea Will Convert The Sceptics
For a 20-something-year-old from Dublin, Afternoon Tea is admittedly a tough sell. But looking down at the menu at COMO Shambhala, the new(ish) afternoon tea at COMO The Halkin, I liked what I was seeing. Instead of ‘clotted’ cream there was a mango and passion fruit cheesecake, instead of an egg and mayo triangle there were spicy tiger prawns. Now this I could get excited about.
What sets it apart
You might have noticed the food they serve doesn’t really sound like Afternoon Tea – and that’s deliberate; this is tea by way of Bali, all about combining an enjoyable food experience with ancient rituals of wellness. That is to say, natural food and drink that makes you feel great.
As well as trying to tread that so-often difficult line of being a ‘guilt-free’ meal as well as a delicious one, Como’s tea is ingredient-focused. Each dish aims to showcase both the taste and nutrition of its elements with minimum tampering – many of them are raw, and all are ultra-fresh. It does feel like the culinary equivalent of a spa day which, for those looking to indulge, might be a turn-off. But it’s a different kind of indulgence, and no less delicious.
Our experience
On arrival, I was dying for a coffee but didn’t want to risk spoiling my already rising sense of serenity with what, on the wrong day, can be a liquified form of anxiety. Instead, I trusted the waiter’s suggestion of the signature ginger tea. As far as I can remember, I’ve never been blown away by a tea before, but this one came closer than I ever thought possible. Fiery ginger, undercut by just the right amount of sweetness – I still wistfully remember it while drinking my Tesco lemon and ginger at home.
This is tea by way of Bali, all about combining an enjoyable food experience with ancient rituals of wellness
From there, in between wondering if it’s impolite to ask for yet another tea refill, the meal comes in two stages. First, the savoury – the aforementioned tiger prawns in a delicious orange blossom and kaffir lime pureé (undoubtedly the star) along with various healthy bites filled with vegetables and grains.
For the sweet course, it becomes incredibly stylish. There’s a cube of strawberry, infused watermelon, hibiscus, and white chocolate, and an impressively constructed faux coconut with a dusted dark chocolate outer shell. The standout was the light, creamy and zingy mango and passion fruit cheesecake, which is so fresh it may even be healthy.
The tiger prawns in a delicious orange blossom and kaffir lime pureé were undoubtedly the star
Verdict
Another promise of this tea was that you wouldn’t be left with the usual sluggishness that comes from filling yourself to the brim. This promise was kept, but perhaps too much? I wasn’t exactly hungry, but definitely wouldn’t have said no to another course. But maybe that is just the way in Canggu.
As I luxuriated in the final sips of tea, I had the sudden urge to book a swim in a lido and text my friends asking if they’d be up for Parkrun in the morning. I think it had the right effect.
5-6 Halkin St, London SW1X 7DJ
