A Sweet Feast: Sampling All the Desserts and Afternoon Teas at Mandarin Oriental Taipei

Text & Photos / Yu Tian

Taipei has seen the opening of numerous afternoon tea restaurants, both large and small, each with uniquely creative themes and designs. From the plating to the in-store decor, they’re all so Instagrammable that guests can’t stop snapping photos. I think many of our afternoon tea ideas often come from scrolling through our phones and jotting down what we see. All this effort put into the décor by the shops isn’t just for show—it’s to give everyone a perfect dining experience. And while you’re taking photos to share, you’re also giving them free, authentic word-of-mouth advertising.

Today, we’re heading to the classic European-style Mandarin Oriental to sample desserts“Cafe Un Deux Trois”from“Mandarin Pastry”.

First, let’s visit the French restaurant on the fifth floor. Its exterior layout is quite unique, with an artsy space that goes up and down, plus a fragrance corner where you can sample scents. The perfume bottle caps used for sampling are adorable, resembling lab flasks—perfect for perking up your senses before dining.

The “Sweet Boutique,” located around the main dining area, offers French light meals such as macarons, croissants, delicate artistic cakes, éclairs, and giant lollipops—all classic French desserts.

Pages

The “PAGES” corner just outside Cafe Un Deux Trois is a highly artistic and literary space, created by Chef Yee with a fresh blend of reading and fashion. It displays a variety of curated, tasteful books—I could spend ages flipping through them and forget all about having afternoon tea.

As soon as you exit the elevator, you’ll see the reception desk.

The corridor leading to the main dining area feels like visiting a friend’s home for a cozy drink and catch-up session. The arrangement of sofas, bookshelves, and artworks gives off a warm, homely vibe.

Salon

The main dining area, “Salon,” is spacious and bright, with modern visual lines. Subtle luxurious touches are evident in the details, and the comfortable seating is my top priority when choosing an afternoon tea spot. (After all, I’m here to relax and enjoy some leisure time—I might be sitting here for a while!)

You can also enjoy a bit more privacy in the semi-private booths, which are better for conversation than the open seating area. The chairs are quite upright, making them perfect for enjoying the restaurant’s popular beef noodle soup at lunch.

Sofa-style round tables have always been my favorite—sitting shoulder to shoulder with friends makes the bonding even better.

Both English and French-style afternoon teas should be stacked up in such an exciting, layered presentation.

The natural lighting in Salon is great for photos.

With three-tiered afternoon tea, you’re supposed to start eating from the bottom layer up. The base layer of a traditional European afternoon tea tower consists of savory items, which fits our habit of eating savory before sweet.

▲ Top right: French éclair, middle: blackcurrant macaron, top left: mini hazelnut cupcake.

▲ English scones: Currently, it’s not hard to find authentic British scones, but the real challenge lies in achieving the rich, smooth, and velvety texture of freshly whipped cream. Few restaurants offer fresh British-style scone cream, but I think the one here is excellent.

▲ Left: duck pâté sandwich, right: Niçoise salad sandwich, top center: salmon sandwich.

▲ What’s a French afternoon tea without French crêpes? The orange-flavored ones paired with vanilla ice cream are refreshingly tangy and sweet, with a delicate flavor that lets you taste the original eggy aroma of the crêpes.

And now, the highlight: the “chocolate cart”! This is very popular in Europe—they wheel it over to your table so you can customize your own selections. Some places even have martini-style carts where you can mix spices and add gummies. The most fun cart I’ve seen was shaped like a little calf, complete with bells that jingled as it approached, and it even “mooed” when it reached your table, making everyone laugh. It turned out to be a cheese-mixing cart. After the staff’s professional introduction, picking your favorite combination made for a truly entertaining dining experience.

There are also exquisitely handmade chocolates and gummies—you can choose three. For those with indecisive taste buds, it’s not an easy decision, as they all look delicious and mysterious, and you’ll want to try every single one.

“Mandarin Pastry” Meets a World-Class Chocolate Master
Frank Haasnoot, a world-renowned chocolate master from the Netherlands, has an impressive résumé—he’s won the Dutch Chocolate Master & Pastry Award Champion and came in fourth in the World Chocolate Masters. He’s now based at the pastry shop on the first floor of Mandarin Oriental Taipei. If you’re coming to Mandarin Oriental Taipei for sweets, you absolutely must stop by here—especially for the chocolate.

Frank Haasnoot, the world-renowned pastry chef from the Netherlands.

The walnut tart is my top recommendation for a tea-time dessert. Normally, I’m not a fan of nut-based pastries, but this one is unbelievably layered in flavor. Though it’s on the sweeter side, it’s so good you just can’t stop at one bite.

The dessert designs are rich and varied, with each one executed beautifully. The creativity also incorporates local elements. The packaging is exquisitely designed and high-quality, making it perfect for gifting.

The dessert counter is inspired by a jewelry display case—every piece is a dreamy must-have that girls can’t help but adore.

The festive takeout cakes on sale are like little works of art, beautiful without being tacky.

Pastry chef Frank has specially created an Earl Grey hazelnut cake featuring a jade rabbit design for our upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival. It has a rich texture and a strong tea aroma, making it perfect for pairing with tea while moon-gazing. If you find traditional mooncakes too sweet and heavy, give this one a try too!

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