Set up as a quaint English tearoom, V feels like an eccentric European drawing room right out of a movie set. We eventually found our way to a table, distracted by heavy-bound books and teacups strewn around the place. The furniture is Victorian-inspired, featuring intricately woven side chairs and dark wood tables. You can guess by the name that this cafe serves an extensive array of tea, akin to a tea library—though it also offers heartier fare. The tea list ranges from fruity Turkish apple tea, to unique nutty macadamia bourbon Rooitea, which is derived from a red rooi bush harvested in the mountains of South Africa and infused with macadamia, vanilla extract and orange blossom. Be prepared to be assaulted by a fine selection of cakes, gloriously displayed in glass cake-stands placed next to intricately painted Victorian teapots. Without emphasizing any particular cuisine, the menu is injected with fail-safe quiches and omelet loaves. One dish that stood out from the standard selection was the mushroom steak; a large apricot Bao mushroom, grilled to succulent perfection, doused in white mushroom sauce, and served with asparagus. The texture of the mushroom was just right, not too rubbery, and the accompanying white sauce set it off perfectly. The omelet loaf with smoked Norwegian salmon also piqued our interest. It stood out as a very tasty egg wrap topped with delicious slithers of Norwegian salmon. Save space for dessert. If a whiskey mud cake sprinkled with liquor sounds devilishly good, brace your taste buds for a full-on confrontation. Supremely rich and sinful, a few bites were all we needed to get a buzzing chocolate overload. In comparison, the chocolate and banana panfletter was a tad bland, and it reminded us of banana prata. Overall, the experience was leisurely and refined. Although the concept of a tearoom may be relatively alien to the average Singaporean—judging by how empty it was—The V Tea Room is the perfect place for a cozy little tea party where service is personal and the atmosphere is warm.
