Lusso's Afternoon Tea Is a Fab Way to Make Merienda an Occasion

(SPOT.ph) Lusso is one of those if-you-know-you-know places. As in if you know where the sosyals do merienda, you know it’s here. There’s the Manila Pen lobby, of course, but if your social battery is low and don’t want to keep throwing air kisses in between sips of your Americano, there’s also this cozy, jewel box-sized chic retreat a stone’s throw away. On our last Lusso visit, who else would we spot but the Queen herself, Gretchen Barretto, seated at the corner table, having merienda with a demure set of friends. Needless to say, she knows.

We were at Lusso because its chef and owner Margarita Forés launched the restaurant’s afternoon tea service, a sort of tribute to another queen—Margarita’s own mother, Baby Araneta-Forés, who passed away in March last year. Unparalleled when it comes to personal style—pulled back hair, big glasses and black, black, black—Mrs. Forés knew how to live the good life and passed this onto her children as early as when they were kids.

“I've always wanted to serve a proper afternoon tea at Lusso,” says Margarita. “Afternoon tea conjures memories of my mother and I sitting in the lobby of The Peninsula in Hong Kong, leisurely sipping tea and eating perfectly sliced sandwiches and bite-sized cakes and pastries while enjoying the sights and sounds of the bustling lobby.”

Also read: Everything We Know About Chef Margarita Forés' Signature Restaurant

The Pen in Hong Kong was a favorite vacation place for the Foréses for Christmas and Easter, but the chef also remembers teatime with her mom at the Ritz in London the first time Mrs. Forés took the family there in 1971. “How much more iconic can you get?” she quips.

This new offering at Lusso is really, for Margarita, a way to honor her experiences traveling with the Forés matriarch, those “elegant hotel lobby experiences”, enjoying high tea specifically. The Lusso tea service (priced at PhP1,550+ for one guest and PhP 2,950+ for two) begins with freshly brewed tea “from classic to exotic herbal blends.” This is, of course, followed by an assortment of treats on a tea tray, with each of its three tiers containing first, classic scones; next, savory delights; and then at the very top, sweet confections.

We especially loved the scones, freshly baked and served with clotted cream and strawberry jam, as well as unsalted French butter. They’re soft inside and with just the perfect solidity outside, a harmonious blend of sweet and savory. Hearing our words of praise, Margarita chimes in to explain why indeed they’re special. It’s not only because they are baked at her home but also because there’s kind of a secret to them: instead of the egg wash just glazing the treat on top, the egg whites are incorporated in the dough mixture. “That’s why there’s a savory finish to it,” says the chef.

We love just looking at Lusso’s chandelier (whose original home happens to be the Manila Peninsula!) as much as we love their tuna sandwich, and we’re glad we can enjoy both this afternoon. Apart from the tuna with homemade mayo and potato crisps in the finger sandwiches tier, there’s a pancetta, lettuce, and tomato sandwich; goat cheese and cucumber, and deviled egg and watercress. For the topmost tier, Margarita has made miniature versions of Lusso’s beloved desserts: among them the pecorino cheesecake with strawberries, mocha sans rival, and the Strawberry Prosecco tiramisu.

Should you be in the mood for it, why not avail of the Champagne service, which is also available albeit at an additional charge? After all, afternoon tea at Lusso is an opportunity to make merienda a special occasion, or make an occasion of your merienda. “I created Lusso as a jewel box fashioned by my childhood memories,” says Margarita. “Whether it’s a mother-son, mother-daughter, father-son, or father-daughter date, a gathering for family and friends, ladies who lunch, or merienda, these are perfect occasions for our afternoon tea.”

Afternoon tea can now be enjoyed in Lusso’s two outlets: Greenbelt 5, Makati and the Balmori Suites in Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Center from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. For reservations, call Lusso Greenbelt at 63.917.700.5893 or Lusso Balmori Suites at 63.917.180.5893.