Chocolate dumplings and tea cocktails: China Tang’s afternoon tea is dim sum like you’ve never tasted before
“Here’s how we do Tea at Tang’s,” instructed Leonardo, my waiter dressed in all-white finery. “We’ll start you off with a glass of champagne, then a pot of tea. The savoury dim sum will be brought out first, followed by the sweets, and we’ll end with a tea-infused cocktail.”
That was the precise moment when I knew that Tea at Tang’s – the new dim-sum-style afternoon tea set launched by China Tang at The Dorchester – would be nothing like the dim sum experience I’m used to.
As a Cantonese native born and raised in Macao, I have a complicated relationship with dim sum. Growing up, it was a mandatory part of my Sundays; parents and grandparents requested my presence to make painful small talk with extended family members. The meal always took place at bustling tea houses that thronged with short-tempered staff (often pushing carts around) and screaming children; someone would inevitably spill tea on the white tablecloth.
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But The Dorchester’s fabulous Chinese restaurant felt a world away from all that. For one, it’s Kate Moss’ favourite place to party: the supermodel has chosen its private rooms for her birthday celebrations for many years. The décor was dreamed up by the late Sir David Tang, a businessman, restaurateur and bon vivant who dedicated his life to bridging the cultural gap between China and the rest of the world.
Sure enough, the interiors of China Tang reflected that East-meets-West aesthetic, with a dose of Tang’s signature cheekiness: Imperial yellow walls adorned with a black-and-white nude photograph and an oil painting depicting a Ming dynasty official dethroned by a chimpanzee. There’s also Mao memorabilia in the loos. As I sipped a glass of Charles Heidsieck Brut Premier Cru, Big Band jazz playing in the background, my eyes wandered from the calligraphy collection to the folding fans propped on every table, and onto the Art Deco bar. It all felt vaguely Chinese – but not quite. Not unlike how this afternoon tea was structured.
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Any doubts I had were soon melted away at the sight of gai lan cheung fan, a rice noodle roll with a broccoli and Chinese fried dough filling. “I had this for breakfast all the time back home!” I exclaimed. This hearty, down-to-earth dish wasn’t what you’d expect from a fine dining restaurant, but it was executed perfectly: the light and chewy vermicelli danced with the crunchiness of the dough, dressed up with a sweet soy sauce.
This was followed by a basket of steamed classics: har gao (shrimp dumplings) and shu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), the cornerstones of dim sum. To my relief, the kitchen didn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel with luxury ingredients, such as truffle or caviar toppings, but rather, let the fresh ingredients and handmade quality speak for themselves. The dumpling skin had the delicate texture that only a hand-folded creation could deliver.
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In my past dim sum trips, tea was little more than an afterthought, but the Tang’s Tea Cellar menu was a delight to peruse: other than your typical chrysanthemum or jasmine variety, there’s a rare orchid tea from Wuxi, and a black tea with notes of sweet potato and sugarcane. I opted for a Silver Needle, a fragrant, melon-y leaf also known as the ‘champagne of white teas’. The refreshments came atop wooden trays and brewed in compact teapots: we were advised to switch teas in between courses to cleanse our palates.
If the savoury dishes felt like a warm, familiar hug, the desserts were the real eye opener: a trio of Mandarin delights, Hong Kong-style egg tart and osthamus flower jelly was presented on a ferris wheel-like tray, an interesting departure from the three-tiered cake trays you’d normally see at a British afternoon tea. They were all tasty, but the jelly was particularly impressive: back in the day, the treat was a favourite amongst Chinese princesses and concubines, and this rendition – with wolfberries, infused flower scents and gold leaf – was worthy of its royal status. Less impressive, however, were the black steamed dumplings made with valrhona chocolate and hazelnut ganache. They were too chewy and had a strange and bitter aftertaste – I prefer my dumplings predictably salty, juicy and moreish, thank you.
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As I wrapped up my visit with a gin and lavender tea cocktail (served in a snazzy, hand-painted teapot), it occured to me that I hadn't had a single scone throughout this experience. Tea at Tang’s was a lot more authentic than I expected in terms of the flavours, but all the pomp and circumstance you’d associate with the British tradition were present.
As a lifelong eater of dim sum, I was pleasantly surprised; it was a lovely cure for homesickness at Chinese New Year – and proof that dim sum can be just as grand and elevated of an affair as a classic British afternoon tea. Even if you’re not Chinese, it’s a fabulously comfortable way to get acquainted with the art of dim sum – especially without the stress of navigating around pushcarts.
'Tea at Tang’s' at China Tang at The Dorchester is available Mondays to Fridays, from ￡46 per person; champagne from ￡17, cocktail ￡16
Read the full review: The Dorchester
