Ever since I glanced upon
Writers Bar when we dined at
Spectrum, I have long been wishing to come back for it. There's just something about its grandeur, solemnity and coziness that calls upon the bookish and geek side of me.
My wish was granted when my friend
Sumi invited for an
afternoon tea.
Writers Bar at the
Raffles Hotel Manila is a modern interpretation of the original
Writers Bar in
Singapore. It is styled as a library with real books from various writers who frequented
Writers Bar like Ernest Hemingway.
Afternoon Tea
This is actually only my second time to enjoy an
afternoon tea. After
trying it once, I'm still in the process of getting acquainted with it. According to the Writers Bar menu, the idea of an Afternoon Tea originated from Anna Maria, the 7th Duchess of Bedford who invited friends over for tea after having a sinking feeling one afternoon. Another interesting fact I learned from the menu is that prior to the Afternoon Tea, the English only had two main meals: breakfast (consisting of ale, bread and beef) and dinner.
Glam Hatters Afternoon Tea
As our visit was on a Monday afternoon, we availed of the
Glam Hatters Afternoon Tea which is available every Mondays from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for only 1,150++ php. It's actually the same as the
Raffles Classic but with the perks of wearing a stylish hat and you also get a take home treat.
Raffles Classic
The
Raffles Classic is good for two so everything is served in pairs! It's one fulfilling endeavor I promise you! We took hours of chatting, drinking and munching to finish the whole course.
 |
| A Selection of Finger Sandwiches |
We began with a
A Selection of Finger Sandwiches. We were served the Beef Tenderloin and Dijoinaise Dressing,
Smoked Salmon,
Smoked Ham, Gherkins and Onions,
Classic Cucumber with Basil Pesto and
Egg Salad on Sundried Tomato Roll.
My top three favorites in the following order were...
 |
| ♥ Beef Tenderloin and Dijoinaise Dressing |
 |
| ♥ Smoked Salmon |
 |
| ♥ Egg Salad on Sundried Tomato Roll |
Duo of Scones
 |
| Duo of Scones with Clotted Cream and Locally Made Preserves |
As I'm not a fan of crunchy type of cookies (I like them chewy and moist), I'm also not fond of scones. But, to my surprise, I loved these scones:
Classic Plain and
Dried Currant! They were served warm, had a crunchy thin outer layer but moist and soft on the inside.
 |
| ♥ Dried Currants |
While I loved the
Classic Plain, I enjoyed the Dried Currants more. Look at the size of their scones! It's huge and filling but they were so good I just had to finish them both.
 |
| A Selection of French Pastries |
By the time this three-tier tray arrived, we were also full. But, who could resist these right? So, we took our time to indulge in every one of them.
 |
| ♥ Seasonal Tartlets |
The
Seasonal Tartlets had Lemon Meringe, Blueberries and Black Currant Tart and Raspberries and Berries Tart. I really can't choose among them because all of them were delightful.
 |
| Pâte à Choux |
Pâte à Choux is a light puff pastry. Choux actually means cabbage in French which is what the dough layers inside the pastry looks like. We had the Gianduja religiuse, Vanilla banana eclair and Orange choux.
 |
| Cakes and Signature Tea Macarons |
Last but definitely not the least are the
Cakes and Signature Tea Macarons. The ♥ Flourless Milk Chocolate Guanaja Cake with gold toppings is a chocolate lovers dream! To simply reminisce about it makes my mouth water. But, the ♥ Pistacho Orange Cake is also as indulgent. We also had the Peppermint and Ube (instead of Earl Grey) macarons.
 |
| ♥ Choice of Harney & Sons Tea |
For beverage, you can have unlimited brewed coffee or your choice of tea. Since the tea at
Writers Bar are specially blended by
Harney & Sons, we opted to try as much of it as we can. There have a variety of
Black Teas,
White Teas,
Green Teas,
Oolong-Blue Teas and
Herbal Teas. Our favorites are the
Genmaicha,
Roiboos Chai and
White Vanilla Grapefruit.
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Writers Bar offers a one of a kind experience especially in terms of
Afternoon Tea. Avail of the
Glam Hatter Afternoon Tea for a truly wonderful time. I've seen girl friends as well as daters avail of it. Its even great as a family activity. In fact, during our visit I saw a family having fun with their cute little daughter in a beautiful dress that matched her hat.
| Writers Bar |
| Business Address |
Lobby Level Raffles Makati, 1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue
Makati City, Metro Manila |
| Business Hours |
12am-12mn |
| Payment Options |
 Cash |
| Service Charge |
10% |
| Budget/Person |
600-1,800 |
| Free WiFi |
Yes |
| Unlocked Foursquare Perks |
None |
| Contact |
(02) 555-9888 |
| Other |
Email: dining.makati@fairmont.com Website | Facebook Fan Page |
Writers Bar Raffles Hotel Map Like This Post? Subscribe here
It is located along Romulo Drive near the Wright Park Horse Back Riding Stables in Baguio City. They offer a nice native but cozy ambiance so you can enjoy your meal in the cool climate of Baguio City.
What I really like about the concept is that its a very friendly community that allows you to order in any of the restaurants regardless where you dine and you will be billed separately. As part of the Baguio Food Tour 2014 #BFT2014 organized by my friends Ramil and Edgar of Pinasmuna.com, I was able to try Rancho Norte and Happy Tummy. I'll definitely come back for the rest. =)
