A Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

Signatures of Love ‘A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea’

Signatures of Love ‘A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea’ at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

Words: Jacob Weber
Photos: Rich Callahan

There really is a lot to love about the Signatures of Love ‘A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea’ at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur. 

Famous for its themed high teas and carefully curated collaborations with luxury brands, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur have partnered with the iconic Acqua di Parma to celebrate the season of love. And it’s a very good match. 

The menu celebrates the Italian luxury house’s latest ‘Signatures of the Sun’ fragrance, Magnolia Infinita, by incorporating its natural scents and ingredients through the Sweet and Savoury sections. It’s been crafted by Executive Pastry Chef, Carlos Valente, and his team. Chef Carlos, from Madeira, Portugal, has over 38 years of international experience in five-star, Michelin-starred restaurants and hotels.

It’s RM188 net per person – which includes a glass of non-alcoholic bubbles or an excellent selection of coffee and tea – for an indulgent and creative spread. Guests will also receive an Acqua di Parma gift bag with samples of the new fragrance.

Oh, not to mention you’re getting one of the best views of Kuala Lumpur.

A Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Altitude, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
A Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Altitude, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Signatures of Love Acqua di Parma
Altitude, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
A Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Signatures of Love – A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

Signatures of Love’ A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea’ – Savouries

The first dish, Cloud of Emotions, sets the bar very high. It’s a perfectly creamy Idaho potato espuma, rich and fluffy, with morsels of mushroom and black truffle to add more taste and texture. The Scottish Romance is fancy finger food; a Scottish smoked salmon sandwich with hand-crushed pink pepper and a clever grapefruit confit which adds a subtle tang.

Everlasting Affection is a delicious dollop of chicken pâté on a crust of raisin bread. It’s well balanced between the savoury, earthy pâté and the sweetness of the bread. It’s topped with gold leaf for that extra something. Hey, it’s Valentine’s Day.

(Well, Valentine’s Month. This afternoon tea is running 3-5.00pm every day until March 15th 2023.)

I’m also impressed with the Warm Sunshine. A sun-dried tomato bun is the stage for a tasty prawn and soft-shell crab combination, which finishes with a satisfying crunch. There’s also Kaluga caviar and yuzu to elevate this dish – with the yuzu a homage to the Magnolia Infinita fragrance). I just secretly wish it was bigger.

A Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Savoury Selection
A Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Savouries

Sweets Selection – Valentine’s Afternoon Tea  

There are almost twice as many sweets as savoury items on this menu – after all, Valentine’s Day is about treating someone special (and/or yourself, because self-love is important too). Chef Carlos is clearly having some fun with these natural ingredients from the fragrance, and the menu is impressively varied in sweetness, flavour, and texture.

I unconsciously reach for the scones to start – I suppose it’s the British genes. The Classic Scone & Rose Scones are delightfully sweet and buttery, and the accompanying homemade jam is absolutely excellent, bursting with deep berry flavours. For good measure, I also order an English Breakfast Tea, which, despite its name, is an essential ingredient to any proper afternoon tea.

The Admirer, a lemon curd dome with white chocolate ganache and lemon jelly, is a medley of rich and tangy, thick and sweet – and altogether, it’s very tasty.

The Citrusy Passion turns out to be one of my favourites, an indulgent citrus compote topped with Speculoos ganache. The speculoos – or you may know them as Biscoff biscuits – adds a complex layer of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger to play with the sourness of the compote. 

Pastry fans will appreciate the Heart’s Rhythm, an almond tart with fresh strawberry and strawberry cream, with the tang of the strawberries really coming through from the first sniff to the last bite. There are more clever combinations at work in the Emotion Gem – a milk chocolate mousse and blueberry jelly with hazelnut sable – and everything is doing its job very well. 

We finish the sweets with Orange’s Cheesy Affair, a well-thought-out dessert that incorporates the orange notes from Magnolia Infinita. It’s a creamy, sweet cheesecake with a little tangy balance coming from orange zest and curd.

Signatures of Love Acqua di Parma
Acqua di Parma – A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Signatures of Love Acqua di Parma
Signatures of Love featuring Aqua di Parma
Signatures of Love Acqua di Parma
Rose & Plain Scones
Signatures of Love Acqua di Parma
Sweet Selection

Some of the menu items may be a little rich and sweet for some – especially when there are this many of them – but you can’t fault the creativity, even if you can’t quite finish it. One more cup of English Breakfast Tea (and another glass of rosé, which we ordered separately), a long gaze out the window – this view really is something special – and it’s time to head home, thoroughly satisfied. 

Signatures of Love Acqua di Parma
Selection of Fine Tea
A Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
Bubbles with a View

And if you’re planning a very special Valentine’s date, then there’s a little something extra in it for you if you get a room at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur. Anyone who books directly with the hotel during February 2022 will receive another complimentary Acqua Parma gift. 

Signatures of Love Acqua di Parma
Acqua di Parma Samples

Reasons to visit ‘Signatures of Love’ A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur: classic afternoon tea elevated with a uniquely creative approach; indulgent and well-balanced sweet and savoury menu; excellent service in a beautiful setting with one of the best views in Kuala Lumpur; and who doesn’t love free samples of luxury fragrance?

Signatures of Love – A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea

Altitude – Level 53, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
2, Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
+603-2113 1821
banyantree.com

Signatures of Love ‘A Valentine’s Afternoon Tea’ at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur is available from February 8th – March 15th 2023, from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm and is priced at RM188 per person.

Find more spots for afternoon tea here and stay up to date with the latest culinary happenings around Malaysia here and here.

3 Comments

  1. I do like tea’s
    Coffee is on and stay safe

  2. Happy Valentine’s day!

  3. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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