Nobu InterContinental Hong Kong - Japanese Afternoon T-Set

Rating: ❤❤❤❤

Tired of the same old English style afternoon tea? Why not try the Japanese afternoon tea at Nobu Hong Kong at Intercontinental in Tsim Sha Tsui! Available on weekends only from 2:30-5:00pm, it's an afternoon tea with a twist offering Japanese umami and sweet treats along with Japanese Rishouen Green Tea or coffee of your choice. Prices start from $288 for 1/ $488 for 2 for the Simply T-Set or you can go all out for the Fizzy T-Set with a glass of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut for $468 for 1 / $828 for 2. With a classic view of the Victoria Harbor, it's a fantastic way to spend a weekend afternoon!

Extra-Fine Hojicha (3/5) - Rishouen Tea was established in 1947 in Uji, the birthplace of Japanese tea. With 5 different flavors to choose from, I decided to get the hojicha because I wanted a stronger tea flavor. The tea leaves were steeped in a tea pot but unfortunately the flavors were quite mild. In fact, all of my friends' tea were very light in flavor. I would probably recommend getting their green tea cold drinks instead as they looked pretty enticing.

Harumaki (4/5) - the first umami I tried was the Japanese spring rolls with ebi and cucumber. It was very refreshing to eat while I especially adore the tangy garnish on the harumaki which complimented the shrimp very well. 

Hokkaido Cheese (4/5) - the cheese came with Japanese rice crackers and dried salmon sticks. The cheese was very creamy with a slightly salty flavor. I just wished there were more crackers as I still had a lot of leftover cheese after I finished the crackers. The salmon sticks were a pleasant surprise as I thought they tasted like ham or bacon at first. 

Yuba Bun (4.5/5) - I love the twist of using deep fried tofu skin as the bun for this salmon sandwich! The yuba was crisp to eat while the sweetness of the daikon pickle complimented the flavors of the salmon perfectly. 

Tamagoyaki (4.5/5) - I was intrigued by the green color of this tamagoyaki which apparently comes from edamame or Japanese soybeans. With wild mushroom fillings, the omelet was delicious with a soft and delicate texture and a slightly sweet flavor.

Matcha Waffle (4/5) - served with Hokkaido honey, sesame cream and Japanese apple jam, the matcha waffle was soft with a slightly chewy texture. The green tea flavor wasn't that apparent but the yummy sauces more than made up for it. All of them went well with the waffle but my favorite was the sesame cream! If only the outside were crispier, this would have been flawless.

Warabi Mochi (3/5) - these were pretty disappointing as the texture was not as soft as the ones I've had in Japan. The kinako or toasted soybean flour was also not that fragrant or toasty.

Amai Spoon (4.5/5) - this dessert was gorgeous with a lovely pink sakura mousse dome floating on a layer of lychee jelly while topped with sugar powder and chrysanthemum petals. I tipped the entire spoonful of heavenly delight in my mouth and everything just came together perfectly. 

Patisserie's Pick (3.5/5) - the chocolate mousse cake was very rich and flavorful but nothing about it was particularly spectacular. 

Verdict - with the high quality of food, service and environment, the one-of-a-kind Japanese afternoon tea at Nobu is definitely worth a try! 

Nobu Intercontinental Hong Kong
18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
+852 2313 2323
http://www.noburestaurants.com/hong-kong

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