Singapore: Arteastiq-the café of dreams

A Café-cum-art studio in the heart of fashionable Mandarin Gallery- there's something to be said about the elegant décor, the savoury food, and the tea choices of dreams. Brought to you by Marxx, the furniture and home décor expert, this stylish tea lounge offers an incredible view of the famous Orchard Road shopping street while you snack on some very unique treats. 

I enjoyed freshly infused rose tea on a floral induced china set, while relaxing in a velvet-backed comfortable pink chair. This rose tea was something fresh- there was a very mild taste and a hint of rose, which was delightful for refreshing one's palette after the sweet and savoury afternoon tea treats. 

To start, we ordered sweet potatoe fries to share

And the afternoon tea set (for two)

I will admit I wasn't expecting much from the afternoon tea set- I expected a lot of fancy named dishes as euphemisms for the general afternoon tea courses- a lot of sweet cakes and some sandwiches. I was, needless to say, pleasantly surprised- everything on this set was delicious and unique. The "sandwiches" were wrapped with local favourite prata, a doughy skin that was rolled with smoked duck. Any seafood or meats used were fresh and well seasoned, and complemented the sweet very well.

I will also admit that I was pleasantly surprised with the sweet treats- although I am a massive fan of afternoon teas, I am not particularly great with sweet things, and generally leave most of the cakes (and macaroons) for others to devour. This was very different- the macaroons were not too sweet to handle, and because there were only 2 of them, I wasn't completely overwhelmed by the sugar. Additionally, the apple cake came with a berry sauce, which balanced each other out well. 

I'm very glad I got the chance to enjoy this afternoon tea with one of my closest friends, and although I trust her food recommendations every single time, I will also admit this is probably her best choice so far. 

Arteastiq is a charming lounge that also offers a-la-carte options during afternoon time. I think I'll be going back again to try as much as they have to offer. Maybe I'll attempt to bring my friends there and attempt to embark on an artistic adventure while enjoying some food. Long shot, but with 2016 you never know... ;)

PS: Happy New Year! May your new years also be filled with delectable food choices