High Tea, Penang

A bit of luxury goes a long way to boost the weary traveller.

And what better way to taste the finer things – literally – than by taking High Tea at one of the most charming colonial hotels in all of Asia.

The Eastern and Oriental Hotel, in Penang, is all high ceilings, overstuffed lounges and upholstered chairs sitting beneath crystal chandeliers.
Its interiors are plush and its outside is grand, with an enormous white façade greeting visitors and French doors at the back, opening onto an outside area for supping and taking in the sea breeze when one is not inside going, “Ooooh, air conditioner”.

The E&O was built in 1884 by the Sarkies brothers, who went on to build a sister hotel, Raffles, in Singapore.
Both hotels have retained a charming colonial feel, best enjoyed while sipping drinks or, like we did, taking High Tea.

At 40ringgit (AUD$14) per person the E&O’s version of this wonderful dining tradition is excellent value in western terms, though of course a minor budget blowout for a backpacker.

But it was worth every ringgit.

From the moment we entered the marble-floored foyer it was pure and utter indulgence.
There were fat plush armchairs to rest in while waiting for our table, a white grand piano and multiple vases of white lilies trumpeting their intoxicating scent throughout the room.

A trolley awaiting our arrival, I’m sure, was laden with scones. But the real centerpiece was a giant silver tiered platter decorated with the most gorgeous array of mini cakes, tarts and butter biscuits.

We had to suppress our excitement as we filed past to our table laid with silverware, china and a single rose.
Minutes later our selected pots of Mango, Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Orange Pekoe teas, arrived in dainty silver pots.
(My only complaint would be that the tea was in bags, not leaves, so that when the pot was continually re-filled ever so attentively but without adding an extra bag, it became far too weak.)

Soon after came our tiered platter of four miniature scones and three types of sandwiches, all with their crusts cut off.
There was cucumber with cream cheese and red onion, slivers of smoked salmon with cream cheese and a tuna one -all suitably light and delicious.

The scones were divine.
They were firm and not at all cakey, topped off to gorgeousness by strawberry jam and real cream, which, when piled high (yes, we needed our pots re-filled) induced several oohs and aahs, even moving Tess to admit, “I actually licked my knife!”
(Of course we all looked at her in horror, while pursing our lips and pointing our pinkies in the air as we sipped tea!)

Another two rounds of scones later and we were in heaven, saying things like, “Ooooh, these are too good”, “Hehehe, do you think we look out of place?, “Ooooh but these are soooo good, I don’t care”.

That was pretty much the running conversation.

On to the sweets – two plates full of miniature dessert lovelies.
There were three types of biscuits – chocolate with oats, almond crescents and butter cookies - , plus carrot cake, cheese cake, a custard tart lined with chocolate and topped with glazed fruit, a nut cluster covered in white chocolate with sultanas and a moist chocolate and peppermint cake.
Each was divine in its own way, though my favourite was probably the cheesecake which was moist and particularly rich and cheesey.

Almost two hours later and multiple offers to re-fill our plates with more cakes and sandwiches, we had well and truly supped, dined and bemused ourselves with silly jokes about the juxtaposition between our High Tea and the usual life of a backpacker.

And that’s how luxury can boost the weary traveller.