An elegant afternoon at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok

Bangkok Post

6 days ago

Opened in early April, Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, the second Aman in Thailand and the 36th property from Aman Resorts, has introduced a signature summer afternoon tea at 1872, the hotel's sunlit lounge and bar on the lobby floor. It's named after the year historic Thai investor and developer Nai Lert, aka Phraya Bhakdinorasreth, was born.
A sophisticated tea should be enjoyed in an enchanting atmosphere; therefore, make a point of walking around the floor to discover Thai-inspired decorations whose inspirations may wow you. Behind the front desk, there's a white wall installation whose irregular surface should easily draw your eyes in. It's made of 3,000 luk kang, spinning tops, of varying sizes, fascinatingly arranged to spell '๑', Thai numeral one, to auspiciously signify a beginning. You can't miss a 40-foot replica of a tree with golden leaves, inspired by a centennial chamchuri tree at Nai Lert Park. It grandly reaches down from the ceiling, almost touching a reflective pond adorned with floating lanterns that evokes a Loy Krathong vibe. Handcrafted leather clouds that cast ever-changing shadows throughout the day by the kinetic lighting - a nod to Thai puppet shadow play n a ng yai.
The visual feast doesn't stop there as it extends to the afternoon tea's presentation. The colourful sweet and savoury treats, befitting summery bites, stand out on a two-tier black serving tray. You can enjoy afternoon tea indoors underneath the soaring ceiling or outdoors on the expansive balcony (when the weather is kind) with an overlooking view of Nai Lert Park in the foreground and skyscrapers in the background.
Created by French-born executive pastry chef Florian Couteau, the afternoon tea is inspired by his childhood memories of summertime gatherings in France. Each bite reflects the vibrancy of summer through the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables sourced from across Thailand and beyond. No added sugar.
The indulgent set kicks off with the chilled Tomato and red pepper sorbet, a gazpacho-inspired starter that opens the palate with a sweet and savoury blend. The savoury selection comprises bursting-with-flavour Smoked trout tartlet with dill-infused sour cream and ikura, savoury-yet-citrusy Duck confit waffle accentuated with orange compote and pistachio, delicate-and-decadent Alaskan crab cannelloni with apple and cucumber jelly topped with Oscietra caviar and refreshing-yet-tangy Shine muscat tartlet with thyme-infused goat cheese and sherry vinegar.
For something sweet but not saccharine, dig into Melon parfait, which combines French and Thai varieties of melon for a refreshing sweetness which goes great with Prosecco jelly and slightly tangy Fromage blanc for a delicious contrast.
The sweet side of the set is also a symphony of flavours, I find. Aman 70% signature chocolate tartlet blends artisanal chocolate sourced locally from Chiang Mai, Chantaburi and Phetchaburi, paired with buckwheat and miso caramel for a touch of umami. Exotic baba means the classic French cake gets a tropical treatment with pineapples sourced from Hua Hin and Phuket, and citrusy notes of passionfruit. Pistachio and berries layer cake highlights raspberries from the North while Apricot and whisky tart pairs sweet and fragrant Roussillon apricots with the smoky depth of Japanese whisky Nikka.
You can't complete an afternoon tea without scones. 1872 serves freshly baked plain and blueberry scones accompanied by homemade clotted cream, banana and passionfruit jam and lemon curd.
Oh, and if you like it sweet without the guilt, opt for the Mango sticky rice black tea. I don't know what kind of voodoo they do, but I do get an essence of the classic dessert in every sip. If you want to go full-on summer, opt for Summer meadow blend, which tastes orangey at first before slight bitterness quickly takes over. The tea selections from other Aman destinations, including Aman Kyoto's signature matcha, are also on offer.