[Shanghai] Afternoon Tea at Maison de L’Hui 慧公馆
慧公馆 Maison de L’Hui | Dianping
Address: 思南路59号(近复兴中路) – 59 Sinan Rd near Fuxing Middle Rd (卢湾区 Luwan District) (other locations available)
Date visited: 2013.05
Total bill: RMB¥141
Will return: Yes
There are many fancy hotels up and down the Bund in Shanghai that serve afternoon tea whose existence is validated by its name and view. Their tea sets often cost twice as much as the tea set here, which is priced at RMB¥128 plus 10% service charge. While Maison de L’Hui does not have a view from the 3000th floor of the Park Hyatt, this gem located in Sinan Mansions offers a peaceful retreat from bustling life in Shanghai. Forget that you are in a city of skyscrapers and can hardly breathe through the pollution.
I was seated at a corner by the windows and it was so refreshing to see actual trees since most parks in Shanghai just consist of bushes (not even grass, just bushes). It was raining during this visit but I sat outside during a previous visit and I definitely recommend outdoor seating on a nice day. Service was impeccable. The staff took my ugly umbrella as soon as I stepped inside, bagged it, and brought it to my table. The server routinely came around to check on me and fill the water in my teapot. Maybe they felt sorry for me because I was forever alone T_T.
The food was a bit slow to come out but I found out it was because they were actually making a few of the hot items on the spot because I was the first to arrive for afternoon tea. Some of the descriptions on the menu didn’t match what I got so I think items vary occasionally. I have highlighted the pieces I liked below.
Red Bean Cake
Gelatinous yet milky at the same time. Very good.
Mango Roll
Mango and cream wrapped in egg dough. Nice and light.
Fried Taro Ball
I think this was a sweet taro ball.
Matcha Cake
Dense and creamy.
Pan-Fried Turnip Pastry
This and the fried taro ball was the reason why it took so long for the set to come out. The outer shell was fried perfectly crispy while the inside was warm and gooey. Nice to eat something warm in between cold pieces.
Mango Pudding
Served chilled. Really tasty, fresh mango.
