This is one place one will not want to miss out for English High Tea and has achieved almost 100% positive reviews via internet and word-of-mouth. Since Goodwood Park Hotel is housed in a uniquely designed building with decorative plasterwork and graceful archways, it is no surprise the ambience offered by L'Espresso was pleasant.
Located alongside the hotel lobby, this café offers comfy leather seats and floor-to-ceiling glass windows, providing plenty of natural lighting and a nice view of the main pool.
The buffet includes a beverage which can be tea, coffee and soft drinks. For an afternoon tea, the spread is worth mention with its main focus on sandwiches. The selection of sandwiches is extensive with fillings ranging from sausages, chicken, seafood, Parma ham, etc.; accompanied with fruits, vegetables, caviar, etc. to contrast the overall taste. Apart from the right proportion of filling, the slices of crustless, lightly buttered white bread is soft and fresh.
The open sandwiches looks lovely on its presentation and the few that leave a deep impression were,
Tortilla Wrap with Pepper Chicken where chunks of well-seasoned chicken were neatly wrapped in the tortilla;
Chicken with Apple & Apricot in Crispy Shell, a lovely twist from the conventional kueh pie tie where the fruits provides a refreshing and light punch;
Salmon Mille Feuille with Caviar for its layering effect and freshness.
The croissant sandwiches were not soggy despite the generous filling and the soft, buttery pastry makes it delectable with a melt-in-your-mouth effect.
Apart from the sandwiches, there is a small section of finger food. Something to munch on if you want savoury when taking a break from the desserts.
Many has raved about L'Espresso's scones and according to Yuan, it was one of the best which he has eaten so far. Slightly glazed on the top and has a cake-like texture.
Bread Pudding was more memorable for me for its fluffy buttery content. Sufficiently moist and not overly sweet.
Crème brûlée is a must try at L’Espresso and setting aside the conventional rich custard base with its layer of hard caramel. What makes it outstanding from the other crème brûlée we have tried was its strong and fragrant vanilla scent whiffing in every bite.
The dessert spread boasts a diverse assortment of fabulous cakes, fresh tropical fruits, tarts and chocolate fondue. This is one buffet dessert lovers would not want to miss out since L'Espresso includes Deli's popular cakes and pastries such as Goodwood's signature
Royal Chocolate Crunchy Hazelnut,
White Chocolate and Green Tea Cake, Apple Tart, Chocolate Éclair, Strawberry Tart and Cheesecake.
People who don't mind a sour twist to their palette would not want to miss out the
cassis slice for a nice combination of raspberry gelee and alternating layers of almond sponge cakes;
lemon meringue tart for its generous lemon filling, topped with a hardened piece of meringue. Since the proportion of lemon filling tipped over the small blob of meringue, one can expect a sour twist on the tartlet pastry with a tiny hint of sweetness.
Mango Pomelo Soup (杨枝甘露) was disappointing in our opinion as it resembles a mango puree rather than the version found in Chinese dessert huts. Probably lacks the coconut milk and evaporated milk.
Reservation is a must given its full house crowd on a Monday afternoon and service is commendable, given the frequency the tables were cleared and the water was refilled. With the pianist playing in the background, its classy ambience and the spread of tea, finger foods and desserts, it is no surprise that L'Espresso offers one of the best tea-buffet on the breezy poolside terrace. However, this buffet focus on English high tea so don’t expect a variety like what an international buffet gets to offer.
For Afternoon Tea,
Monday to Thursday - 2pm to 5pm
$33++ (A), $16.50++ (C, 6-11 years old)
There will be 2 seatings for Friday to Sunday,
11:30am to 2pm (1st seating)
2:30pm to 5pm (2nd seating)
There is a promotion for the first seating till the end June where each adult pays $28++; second seating remains at $33++ (A), $16.50++ (C, 6-11 years old).
L’EspressoGoodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Operating hours : Set Lunch - 12pm to 2pm
Afternoon Tea - 2pm to 5pm
Set Dinner - 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Drinks - 10am to 1am
Tel: 6730 1743
