If it’s good enough for Coco Chanel, it’s good enough for us. I’m talking about Angelina, the historic Rue de Rivoli tea room which Mademoiselle Chanel was known to frequent in Paris.
The traditional café is immensely popular in the French capital, and since last year, it has made its way to Singapore at Capitol Piazza. Angelina Singapore retains elements of the elegant interior décor of the original Angelina in Paris – marble-topped tables, hanging chandeliers and lots of mirrors. Word has it that Coco Chanel loved mirrors; her regular table at Angelina was positioned next to one so she could coyly watch the world through the mirror.
Angelina is known for its glorious selection of patisserie. If it’s your first time to the tea room, try the signature Mont-Blanc (S$13.50), which is made up of cream of chestnut, fromage blanc (a type of cream cheese) and meringue. The exact recipe for this rich dessert reportedly remains fiercely guarded at Angelina.
The Mont-Blanc is a signature dessert at Angelina.
The one that won my heart at Angelina is the Mille Feuille (S$13). I have tasted my fair share of this traditional French pastry at many places, but Angelina’s rendition is easily one of the best I have tasted. I have to admit – it doesn’t look as appetising as it really is, but it was pure utter delight the moment I had a mouthful of the caramelised puff pastry with the light Bourbon vanilla cream. The layers of puff pastry were crispy thin and sweet. I couldn’t get enough of the vanilla cream and literally scraped the plate clean.
Angelina’s rendition of the Mille Feuille hits all the right notes.
The pastry chef for Angelina Singapore has just created six new pastries for their 2016 collection. Among the six, the most eye-catching of all is the Babylone (S$13); you can’t possibly miss it with its vibrant red colour. A cut through the cake revealed a divine medley of almond meringue biscuit, light vanilla mousse, raspberry confit and strawberry. Some pastries look better than they taste. But in the case of the Babylone, it tasted just as beautiful as it looked, vying for the top spot in my books with the Mille Feuille.
Babylone is one of the new creations introduced in March this year.
Another noteworthy new addition is the Mont-Blanc Passion-coco (S$14). It is essentially an extension of the signature Mont-Blanc, but reimagined into a version that comes with coconut whipped cream and passion fruit heart.
Now, a trip to Angelina is not complete without a taste of its star attraction – Chocolat L’Africain (S$13). This signature hot chocolate beverage of Angelina counted Audrey Hepburn, Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel as some of its famous fans. Served with a bowl of whipped cream on the side, the hot chocolate looks deceivingly sweet, but in reality, hardly. A blend of three different African cocoa beans from Niger, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, this luxurious beverage is intensely rich; a sip is akin to drinking melted velvety chocolate. I’m pretty sure chocolate lovers would find this pure, unadulterated bliss. For the rest of us, it felt like sinful decadence, but in a good way.
Angelina is famous for its Chocolat L’Africain.
Sipping my petite cup of hot chocolate and glancing at the mirrors as the world goes by, I could only try to imagine how it feels to be Coco. Next to booking myself an air ticket to Paris, this Angelina in Singapore would be the next best thing for now.
Angelina Singapore
15 Stamford Road,
#01-82, Capitol Galleria,
Singapore 178906
Tel: +65 6348 0841
Opening hours: Daily: 11am to 10pm (weekdays); 10am to 10pm (weekends and public holidays)
