Undeniably one of the most iconic hotel in Singapore, Marina Bay Sands definitely have a lot to offer. It is one of top 40 largest hotel in the world and they are still building the 4th tower! Do you know that the infinite pool is the largest in the world too?
I literally just knew about that after my random research of the hotel. Numbers really do excite me; so it’s really not a surprise that I love researching the statistics about basically anything! The infinity pool at the top of the boat-like structure holds 1,423,314.83 litres of water!
Okay! Let’s not digress. I am getting too excited.
RENKU: Lounge & Bar is strategically located at the hotel lobby of MBS’s Tower 1. Situated right beside the check-in counters, it can get pretty busy even during the late afternoon. My afternoon tea reservation was scheduled at 3.00pm and the vibe then wasn’t necessarily calm. However, the lounge is on a levelled floor with high structures surrounding it so your privacy is still preserved and that’s really important for me when I’m outside spending quality time. I just love somewhere peaceful and serene, find out if this place checked the right boxes for me.
One of the reasons why I chose RENKU to have high tea is because of their extensive menu. For the price of S$68++ per person, it seems worth for the value of the high tea, or so I thought.
Now, unlike the other traditional high teas, it is not served on a tiered stand here. Instead, the staffs will come by to your table in a gueridon, a cart filled with those delicious, cute eatables.
Scones will also be served hot, straight from the oven to your table. I was craving for some good scones and I didn’t regret coming here for it. Served with cream, strawberry jam and butter; it was just perfect. The scones were airy and fluffy. Something about the golden crusts and caramelised texture of the scones really made me fall in love with it all over again. I personally like them to be plain but the cream and strawberry jam definitely adds an extra umph to the whole party in my mouth.
My all-time favourite savoury is the Smoked Salmon sandwich with Garlic Cream Cheese. The smooth, buttery texture of the smoked salmon was really delicious. It’s a small bite, but definitely flavourful. If you’re into salmon like I am, this would be perfect for you! The creaminess of the cheese really complements the saltiness of the salmon. It’s literally a celebration in your mouth. I couldn’t stop ordering more, my tastebuds were dancing!
Desserts are also served from the cart. I’m particularly not a fan of traditional desserts. I only eat them during a specific time, when I have bad cravings for it.
Sadly, that day wasn’t it so I didn’t had any of the sweets eatables. But it looks beautiful no?
If you’re a tea-enthusiast, this place is perfect for you. Not only the food menu, the tea menu is extensive as well! Not only you can find interesting blends here, but there’s flavours that you literally have never heard before. At least for me!
Exclusively at Marina Bay Sands, special blends are made. In RENKU, there’s two: Durian Lapis and Marina Pearls.
My friend and I decided to get one of each. I love durians so it isn’t a surprise that I chose durian for my flavored tea? I was skeptical at first. I love durians, but in a tea-form? I’ve never tried that!
Durian Lapis Tea (Black Tea, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Freeze-Dried Durian)
Surprisingly, the Durian Lapis tea didn’t smell or taste overwhelming either. I expected my tea to be super yellow and thick! It tasted very milky. It’s like bubur cha cha, just without the sweet potatoes and yams. I also didn’t taste any durian flavour at all. Do I like it? I gotta have to say no. It might not be overwhelming, but it was unquestionably underwhelming. One hundred percent.
Marina Pearls Tea (Jasmine Pearls, Lily Blossom, Juniper Berries, Bergamot, Lychee)
The Marina Pearls tea wasn’t a show-stopper either. I don’t know if it’s just me and my lack of appreciation towards teas, I didn’t taste any of the ingredients above. It tasted so much like the normal Lipton tea. Honest!
Since both of the teas were below-mediocre, I decided to try another flavour. The Nasi Lemak flavoured tea! Just the name of it sounds intriguing no? Blended with genmaicha, hojicha, coconut flakes, dried chilli and pandan; I was weirded out but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to try! Dried chilli in a tea?!
After the staff mixed all the blends, it was time to try the tea! We specifically asked for only one cup instead of the whole tea-pot because I’m just not ready for commitment the surprise? Boy, was I disappointed. I gotta be honest! I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. The tea didn’t taste like nasi lemak at all? Just imagine boiling a pot of ikan bilis and then adding a little bit of salt. It tastes exactly like that! A sad salty, surprise.
But then again, I’m not a tea-enthusiast. I rarely drink tea unless I’m down with a cold or fever. If you appreciate teas, prolly this is the best place for a high tea cause their menu is just fantas-tea-ic. See what I did there?!
Overall, I gotta genuinely say that my whole high tea experience here is somewhat below my expectation. Ambience plays a big part of my review, it’s sad that the vibe here is just.. hectic. Hectic in a sense that I feel the whole system of it is just confusing. Although the staffs knew what they were doing, there wasn’t any personal touch to their service. Everything seemed very transactional?
Like I said earlier, RENKU’s way of serving high tea is totally different than the traditional way it’s usually served elsewhere, in a unique tiered stand that is typically designed to match the theme of the hotels. Being served high tea through a moving cart just doesn’t reflect a good image of a multi-billion luxury hotel. It felt like I was in a low-tier restaurant. It was disappointing. I would appreciate if the staffs were to explain what was going on, about the sequence of the high tea.. rather than having carts coming to your table at the most random time.
Coming from Marina Bay Sands, I absolutely was expecting more. If you ask me, nothing beats Fullerton Hotel. The vibe, the staffs, the service. Just impeccable. The interaction doesn’t feel transactional at all, and the staffs would explain in details about the food and beverages. It was really welcoming to be there. If you haven’t read about my afternoon tea at Fullerton, click here!
Will I recommend RENKU for your high tea? It depends. Are you a tea-fanatic? Or should I say.. tea fana-tea-ic?
If you are, then yes! If you’re not, don’t bother. I’m sorry. All these tea-talk and caffeine is making me blunt and straightforward. But that’s what you’re here for no?! Like other reviews, I would still put out the information here.
Operating hours for high tea:
1st seating – 2pm
2nd seating – 4pm
Price: $68++
Contact: +65 6688 5535
Click here for reservations.
If you have any other places to recommend me, you know where to find me! Looking forward to hear out your reviews if you’re having afternoon tea at RENKU. Who knows your experience is better than mine!
Stay safe and stay health-tea.
Aliff Daniel
Aliff Daniel 