Sabah Tea Resort is located on the rolling hills near Kampung Nalapak, approximately 20 kilometers from Ranau. This attraction is open to the public. Admission is free.

Spanning over 2,500 hectares of temperate farmland, Sabah Tea Garden is the largest tea plantation in Sabah. It has a gift shop where visitors can purchase its tea products.

Sabah Tea Restaurant is an open-air restaurant next to the tea plantation. While dining, customers enjoy a scenic view of the majestic Mount Kinabalu. The mountain looks imposing despite being 30 kilometers away!

Sabah Tea Scone Set (RM23.50) is served on a tier stand and comes with a pot of tea for two persons. Tea is brewed separately and then poured into the teapot. I was expecting tea leaves to be steeped inside.

The four scones are flavored with green tea. Jam and cream are provided as spreads. Unfortunately, the taste of green tea is very mild; it mainly serves as coloring. In addition, I feel that the scones are too dry for comfort.

Sabah Tea Waffles (RM15.50) are also infused with green tea. Besides aesthetic appeal, the waffles are indistinguishable from regular waffles. Honey is provided, but I think some butter would be great.

Sabah Tea Pancakes (RM12.00) are soft, chewy and slightly moist. They appear more similar to apam balik than to Western pancakes. The pancakes are served with honey.

Overall, the food taste is acceptable but there is definitely room for improvement. Scones, waffles and pancakes could have been much better if green tea were given a more prominent role.

Sabah Tea Restaurant also serves a variety of local and Western dishes. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to order more food today.

Address: KM17, Jalan Ranau-Sandakan, Kampung Nalapak, 89309 Ranau, Sabah
Contact: 08-887-6611
Business hours: 7:00am-8:00pm
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At the west wing of the colonial-era mansion is Living Room. This refined restaurant serves breakfast, light meals, pastries, coffee and tea. The homely ambience here makes the place feels like one’s own living room.

Besides proper dining tables and chairs, Living Room also furnished with snuggly couches for a more laid-back setting. Meanwhile, a large wooden table occupies most of the back section. An entire wall of shelves, extending all way to the ceiling, is decorated with various ornaments.

The Afternoon Tea Set (RM113.00) is served from 2:00pm to 6:00pm daily. Presented on a large wooden platter are assorted pastries like müller nougats, opera cakes, asam boi macarons, caramel cupcakes and homemade raisin scones. Meanwhile, savory items include shepherd’s pies, smoked duck & arugula salads, crab meat & salted egg potato croquettes, croissants with smoked salmon & herb butter and jars of cream of cauliflower.

The Afternoon Tea Set comes with any 2 drinks. Besides coffee, Living Room also serves exquisite teas from TWG Tea. Today’s brew of Silver Moon Tea is prepared from a blend of green teas with a hint of tangy sweetness of berries.

Overall, the pastries and savories in the Afternoon Tea Set are scrumptious to the last morsel. The price may appear costly, but this is understandable as Macalister Mansion is an upscale establishment. Indeed, the excellent ambience at Living Room makes it an ideal place to hang out especially on a slumber Sunday afternoon.

Address: 228, Jalan Macalister, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-228-3888
Business hours: 8:00am-11:00pm
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Update: This business has ceased its operations.

The new wing of Penang Times Square, M Mall O2O, has been seeing several restaurant openings lately. One of these restaurants is Royal Winter Warmers, an upscale version of Winter Warmers.

Royal Winter Warmers serves premium food including Western cuisine that is often associated to upscale steakhouses. At the spacious dining section, cozy chairs with fine English-style upholstery make this place ideal for passing time on a slow Sunday afternoon.

Winter Warmers is renowned for its fine selection of herbal and fruit teas. Royal Winter Warmers ups the ante by including special tea blends that are exclusive to this restaurant.

One example is Verbena & Orange Lemon Tea (RM18.00), which is a fusion of herbal and fruity elements. Brewed in a transparent teapot, the lemonade-like tea is infused with dried verbena. The result is a therapeutic drink with appetizing sourness.

Rosebuds Tea (RM17.00) is still the bestselling tea at Winter Warmers, mainly due to its agreeable floral aroma which fills the nostrils with calming sweet scent. Rose buds are said to improve blood circulation and stimulate the nerves, resulting in improved vitality.

Meanwhile, my personal favorite tea is the Rose Milk Tea (RM16.50). The tea’s modest sweetness and smooth consistency never fail to impress me. It is a very pleasant drink from the beginning till the very last drop!

Do you enjoy English afternoon tea? If so, try the Winter Afternoon (RM75.00) between 12:00pm and 6:00pm every day. The set is meant for 2 persons and includes 2 pots of black tea or green tea. As per tradition, food pieces are presented on a 3-tier stand and are traditionally eaten from the bottom (savories) to the top (pastries).

The bottom tray comprises of chicken pie, quiche, egg croissant and sandwiches. Quiche is a savory pie filled with egg and vegetable fillings. Like the chicken pie, the pastry puff is crumbly and light on the mouth. In addition, the fluffy croissant has buttery texture but does not feel surfeiting at all.

Moving upwards, the middle tray consists of scones, strawberry mousse and a choice of cake. The rose-flavored scones should be eaten first because they are nicer when the interior is still warm. The slice of cake today is lavender cheesecake. Loaded with creamy cheese, this baked cheesecake is satisfying indeed.

At the top tray, there are fruit tartlets, cookies (rosemary, lavender and rose flavors), fruit puff, fruit cocktail, rose jam, butter and whipped cream. These sweet items are eaten last so that they do not overwhelm the palate early on.

Before becoming a full-fledged restaurant, Winter Warmers’ food menu started with waffles only. Although the waffles have evolved over the years, they remain popular as ever. For example, Grilled Chicken Waffle (RM22.00) combines the mild sweetness of waffle with succulent chicken cutlets topped with creamy sauce.

Squid Ink (RM26.90) is a unique dish at Royal Winter Warmers. Spaghetti is dyed black using squid ink. Known as “spaghetti al nero di seppia” in Italian, this pasta is often associated with Sicilian cuisine. Here, spaghetti is cooked with various seafood such as squid, shrimp and mussel. In addition, garlic and chopped onions help to improve aroma.

Lamb Shank (RM46.00) is served with a generous serving of mashed potato, broccoli and carrot. The lamb is nicely braised to the right doneness. The juicy flesh is highly gratifying. The brown sauce not only works well with lamb but also with mashed potato. I cannot recommend this dish highly enough.

As for the Lamb Rack (RM47.00), three pieces of lamb ribs are marinated thoroughly and grilled to succulent perfection. Blueberry sauce provides pleasant sweetness that work harmoniously with lamb, much to my surprise. There is also mint sauce in a separate saucer.

Included on the side are a variety of grilled vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, potato and cherry tomatoes. The Lamb Rack is presented on a rectangular plate in an artistic manner.

Royal Winter Warmers has a dedicated tea store in an adjoining room. Although every Winter Warmers outlet has a tea store, this is by far the largest one among all.

If you enjoy fruit and herbal teas in the restaurant, you should also purchase some for home consumption. Most teas are imported from Europe and are packaged in vacuum-sealed containers or tea bags. Moderate consumption of tea has medicinal benefits. For example, peppermint helps the digestive system while lavender has anti-depressant properties.

Royal Winter Warmer’s tea store has an extensive display of teapots, teacups and other fine wares. Premium teaware is often made from porcelain. Since antiquity, the finest porcelain comes from China. However, European manufacturers are also very reputable due to their superior workmanship.

Compared to porcelain, bone china is considered superior due to shinier surface that does not stain so easily. This material contains bone ash and is an English invention in attempt to replicate Chinese porcelain. Due to the labor-intensive crafting process, bone china is often depicted as a symbol of luxury.

Many pieces of porcelain and bone china have delicate artwork require painstaking craftsmanship by hand. Indeed, tea sets are great gift ideas for people who truly enjoy the art of tea. How about buying one as a gift during a house-warming party?

Regular customers should apply for Winter Warmer’s membership card if they have not already done so. Members enjoy up to 20% discount on food items and 10% discount on teaware. There are also special days where members enjoy additional discounts on specific menu items.

Name: Royal Winter Warmers
Address: 79-G-25, Penang Times Square, Jalan Dato Keramat, 10150 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-296-0668
Business hours: 9:30am-10:00pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Royal-Winter-Warmers-493547134151280
Coordinates: 5.41118 N, 100.32580 E
Directions: Tao is located at the Ground Floor of M Mall O2O, the new wing of Penang Times Square. Penang Times Square has plenty of parking spaces at the open plaza, basement and upper levels.

Winter Warmers Coffee & Tea House is a locally-owned chain of English-style tea house. There are currently 7 outlets in total, all located in shopping malls across Penang. The most recent branch is located at Straits Quay.

Like all other outlets, the posh cottage-style ambience sets the tone for a relaxing dining experience. Winter Warmers also provides al fresco dining to allow diners to take advantage of the cool evening breeze while enjoying hot tea. In the spirit of upcoming holiday season, the restaurant is also decorated with various yuletide ornaments.

Winter Warmers is founded in 2000 by a tea enthusiast, who has an obsession for tea set collections. Starting with the original store in Prangin Mall 15 years ago, the tea house has been pouring various types of teas including black, milk, fruit, herbal and green teas.

As an English-style tea house, Winter Warmers has a decent menu of pastry to go with teas. Diners who want a quick bite also have sandwiches, waffles and pasta to choose from. Over the years, Winter Warmers has also introduced proper meals such as poultry, meats, burgers and rice.

The people behind Winter Warmers must have an inexplicable fondness for English teas. In contrast to coffee, tea is typically prepared with warm water at around 70^oC, not boiling water. As tea is best enjoyed warm, the glass teapots are heated using a candle below. Accompanying the teapots are teacups and saucers of various designs, each exerting a unique character on its own right.

Mixed Fruit Cocktail (RM14.70) features sour-sweetness of cranberry, which is also responsible for the reddish hue of the tea. Also included are diced apples and bits of hibiscus flower. Meanwhile, Lemon Grass & Mint (RM14.70) combines the distinctive aroma of lemongrass with the cooling freshness of mint. No sugar is added, but honey is provided should guests prefer some degree of sweetness.

Rose Milk Tea (RM13.70) presents a unique drinking experience too. Unlike fruit or herbal teas, milk tea must be prepared with boiling water in order to extract the essence from tea leaves. Despite my reservation, its creaminess does not feel surfeiting. In fact, I enjoyed this tea very much. This is certainly my favorite cup of tea (pun intended).

As Winter Warmers is primarily a tea house, only a handful of pastries are prepared in-house; croissants being one of the few. The Egg Croissant (RM13.70) is stuffed with well-mixed scrambled eggs that do not rely on dressing entirely. The pastry itself is delightfully fluffy. I think the overall taste is satisfying indeed.

Winter Warmers offers afternoon tea sets from 12:00pm to 6:00pm every day. The Deluxcious Afternoon Tea (RM79.90) is meant for 3 or 4 persons. This set comprises of a 3-tier stand filled with various confectionery, bruschetta, canapé plus any 4 pots of black, green or lovely teas. Should a guest prefer something else, just top RM2.00 to enjoy any drink on the menu.

Afternoon tea is meant to be enjoyed starting from the bottom layer. This is because the items are arranged such that saltier ones are at the bottom, while the easily-surfeiting sweet ones are placed towards the top.

The Tuna Bruschetta is made from baguette spread with garlic butter on one side. While the crust of bread is crispy, its center remains pleasantly soft. Freshly-made tomato salsa and minced tuna are served in separate bowls. In particular, I find the tomato salsa to be rather appetizing.

Also served on a separate plate are Tuna Crunchy Crackers. These crackers are topped with tuna and cheese spread à la canapé style.

At the bottom tray are pies and sandwiches. Mushroom & Chicken Pies are the main highlight here. I must say that the pastry for pie is nicely prepared. This gives pleasurable mouthfeel especially when eaten with the chicken and mushroom fillings inside. Indeed, I look forward to seeing meal-size meat pies on the future menu!

Tarts, cookies and cake await at the intermediate layer. There are two types of tarts: savory and sweet versions. Savory tarts contain crab sticks with mayonnaise dressing, while sweet tarts are topped with mango and kiwi fruits. As for cookies, the flavors are rosemary, rose, mint-chocolate and lavender. As for the cake, one can choose a slice from any available ones at the chiller. Today, the choice is Lavender Cheese Cake. Made in-house, the creamy nature of the cheese cake is gratifying indeed.

Taking residence at the top tray are scones and mousse desserts. The scones contain rose petal for a subtle sense of fragrance, plus intermittent pieces of raisins. In companionship are butter, whipped cream and a fun-size jar of rose jam. Meanwhile, each cup of mousse contains a layer of strawberry jelly on top. The top layer is too sweet for me, so it is better to scoop through the custard layer so that the overall sweetness is more agreeable.

The afternoon tea set is quite worthwhile because each pot of tea costs around RM14.00 anyway. For smaller parties, there are also smaller tea sets for single diners and couples. Not many restaurants extend their offers to weekends, so Winter Warmers is really an uncommon exception.

Winter Warmers serve breakfast in the morning till 11:00am. Priced from RM9.90, there are a handful of choices such as sandwiches, croissant and bagels. The meal includes free flow of coffee or tea. Once again, breakfast meals are also available on weekends, making Winter Warmers a great place to enjoy a lazy weekend morning.

Although all outlets have merchandise on sale, the Straits Quay branch has the most elaborate one. Nearly all types of tea on the menu are also available for purchase. Although several types of black tea are packaged in tea bags, most tea come in loose form. To maintain quality and hygiene, fruit and black teas are typically sourced from Germany and Taiwan respectively.

In addition, there are various tea pots and teacups on sale too, each boasting a unique, intricate design. Apart from personal use, these tea sets make good collectibles and gift ideas too. Of particular mention is bone china, where crushed animal bones are mixed with china to form much smoother surface. As a result, bone china does not become stained as easily as regular china.

Frequent patrons to Winter Warmers should seriously consider its membership program. For a lifetime membership fee of RM60.00, the member is immediately reimbursed with a RM30.00 cash voucher. Members enjoy 20% and 10% discount on all food items including set meals, on weekdays and weekends respectively. Nearly once every week, members also enjoy steep discounts (up to 50%) on a specific food item.

In celebration of Winter Warmers’ 15 year anniversary, the restaurant is offering a commemorative mug for any spending of RM80.00 in a single bill. While stocks last, of course. Also for a limited time, all merchandise at the store is also marked 20% off. So grab this opportunity to supplement your tea supply and tea set collection!

Name: Winter Warmers Coffee & Tea House
Address: 3A-G-17, Straits Quay, Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang, 10470 Tanjung Tokong, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-899-3848
Business hours: 8:30am-11:30pm (Sunday-Thursday), 8:30am-12:30am (Friday-Saturday)
Website: https://www.winterwarmers.net
Coordinates: 5.45757 N, 100.31339 E
Directions: Winter Warmers is located at the Ground Floor of Straits Quay, between Starbucks Coffee and Blue Reef Fish & Chips. The mall has two multi-level parking garages.

I visited Victoria Sweet Pastry several months ago, so today marks my second visit to this pastry-and-tea café at Vantage Desiran Tanjung.

Like before, this eatery is ever popular among youngsters. It is easy to see why: upscale atmosphere, cozy feeling, and familiar food choices. On the other hand, the price tag is a bit hefty here. This begs the question whether youngsters nowadays are well-to-do compared to the previous generation.

There are four mouths to feed this time, so we opted for the Classic English Afternoon Tea (RM49.90) which comes in a set of three-tiered trays plus a choice of tea or coffee.

Although the portion is acceptable for 4 persons, this is true only if you are thinking about a light afternoon snack, not as a proper meal.

The topmost tray consists of three pieces of butter cookies and three pieces of dark chocolate truffles. The cookies are fragrant but only when held close to the nose. As for chocolate, the sensation is reasonably satisfying. Exercise care when eating the truffles because the cocoa powder can be choking.

The middle tray features more items. A butter cake takes the center stage, with a piece of mango and strawberry on top. This is accompanied by a couple of cream puffs, plus a couple of blueberry and peach mini tarts. At the far side, there is a cup of strawberry custard which is something really special.

On the lowest tray, we are treated with two pieces of mini sandwiches, each layered with ham, cheese, scrambled eggs, cucumber and tomato slices. In addition, there is a pair of open face baguette, a pair of scones and a pair of mini canapé. We particularly like the scones’ buttery flavor. Some jam, cream and butter are served to go with the scones.

Our choice of beverage is a pot of English Earl Grey tea. The tea is very refined, boasting its soothing citrus flavor and fragrant fruity aroma. There are only enough tea leaves for 2 or 3 pots, after which the resultant tea becomes too dilute to be enjoyed properly.

Although it is obvious that the food items here is rather refined and well-prepared, I feel that there are other cafés which can deliver similar quality for less than Victoria Sweet Pastry. Perhaps the price tag is not all about food; the comfortable environment and professional staff are factors to be taken into consideration too.

Address: B-G-9, Jalan Tanjung Tokong, 10470 Tanjung Tokong, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-890-8369
Business hours: 12:00pm-11:00pm, closed on Tuesdays

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Victoria Sweet Pastry is a café in Vantage Desiran Tanjung in Tanjung Tokong. This café specializes in cakes and other types of confectionery.

The atmosphere of this place is quite relaxing and refined. Cozy couches provide ideal spots for a lazy afternoon tea. Nevertheless, the flow of customers is non-stop throughout the entire day.

For our tea break, we requested for the Afternoon Tea Set which is sufficient for two persons. As common with English tea, the food is served in tiered trays.

It is customary to start from the top layer. This upper tray consists of the cake of the day (Cheese Cake), Butter Cake, Dark Chocolate Cake, Mini Tart, Cream Puff, Parfait, Cookies and Strawberries.

The Cheese Cake is a nice dessert. The rich, creamy texture is heavenly to every bite.

We are also pleasantly surprised that the Cookies are aromatic and delightful to our liking.

The Butter Cake and Dark Chocolate Cake are nice too. These cakes are not as creamy as others, but they serve the opportunity to demonstrate bolder flavors of butter and cocoa respectively.

The Parfait is served in a small glass cup. The bottom is filled with cookie crumble, followed by strawberries and blueberries, and finally whipped cream.

Moving to the lower tier, this layer contains the more “bread” items, such as Mini Sandwich, Open-faced Baguette, Scone and Mini Canapé.

There are two types of Mini Sandwich: tuna or ham. It is difficult to pick a favorite because we really like both.

The Scone is meant to be eaten with the butter and blueberry jam provided. I love how well the flavors blend together.

The Mini Canapé are basically baked cookies topped with lettuce leaves and salad dressing.

As for drinks, we opted for the Rosehip Tea which is served in a petite glass teapot. The tea has nice floral aroma and delightful fruity taste. Although the tea is mildly sour especially during the first pour, we enjoyed it very much.

Although the pricing at Victoria Sweet Pastry is higher than an Average Joe pastry café, I find the food quality here to be higher at a different level. The overall experience here is unblemished except for the occasional noise of blender which kills the relaxing ambience. I will probably be back, but not that soon.

Being an upscale tearoom, Delicious only appears in upscale malls such as Straits Quay. The restaurant faces the sea, therefore it offers us a scenic view while we enjoy our afternoon tea.

The store decor is yuletide-themed as Christmas is approaching. The dining area is quite cozy and suitable for small pastime gatherings.

Our afternoon treat is the Traditional English Afternoon Tea For Two (RM59.90). Served on a triple-tiered stand, the assortment of pastries is very sufficient for two.

Traditionally with a tied stand, food is consumed starting from the top. As each plate is cleared, it is removed to make way for the next layer.

The top tier is a slice of cake of our choice. We selected the Red Velvet Cake because it looks special with the mini macarons on top. Coated with a layer of cream cheese frosting, the cake is three-layered and maroon in color. The texture is slightly soft and buttery, and tastes moderately sweet. The little macarons are quite a delightful treat too.

Placed in the middle layer of the tea set are two Cranberry & Raisin Scones, two Hand-Rolled Chocolate Truffles and two skewers of Fresh Strawberries.

The Cranberry & Raisin Scones are quite flaky and dry, but they go well with Raspberry Preserve & Cream.

We also enjoyed the Hand-Rolled Chocolate Truffles. The rich dark chocolate is coated with fine cocoa powder, giving it mildly bitter yet gratifying aftertaste.

The Fresh Strawberries are mildly sour, but the taste is nullified after coating them with mouth-watering Chocolate dip.

The lowest layer comprises of two pieces of Duck Confit Tartlets and assorted varieties of sandwiches.

The Duck Confit Tartlets are a unique delicacy. Confit is made of duck meat that has been seasoned with salt and herbs, cooked in its own fat, then cooled and preserved for several months. This result in a pungent meaty aroma and strong savory taste.

The sandwiches served are Cream Cheese Sandwiches, Egg Mayo Sandwiches, Salmon Sandwiches and Chicken Mayo Sandwiches. Each type of sandwich is served in pairs. In particular, the Salmon Sandwiches contain thin cuts of smoked salmon and taste exquisite.

For drinks, we had a cup of Long Black Coffee and English Tea. Interestingly, the English have a preference for tea, while Americans are inclined towards coffee.

The Long Black Coffee is not as strong as local black coffee. It also carries the type of bitterness that I do not enjoy as much as the latter’s.

For the English Tea, there is a choice of several flavors. We picked the Earl Grey, a type of black tea with nice flowery scent and freshness.

Overall, the meal is very gratifying indeed. For the price tag, we do not expect anything less. The waiting service is courteous, but a bit inattentive at times.

The Victorian-style interior design presents a homely atmosphere. Nearly everything from tea shelves to overhead lamps seem to be decorated deliberately. Of course, one can also make some quick guess on the affordability range here.

During weekdays, there is a set lunch menu with several choices. I selected the Smoked Chicken Waffle (RM17.90) which includes an appetizer, drinks and dessert.

The appetizer is a small plate of Fresh Green Salad. The lettuce leaves are flavored by Thousand Island dressing. Nothing particularly special in terms of taste, but at least the presentation is well done.

Unlike regular waffles sold at food stands, this waffle is filled with minced smoked chicken. The waffle is then garnished with some tomato sauce and diced cucumbers.

Not bad! I didn’t know that meat goes well with waffle. Nevertheless, I still prefer the traditional waffle with butter and honey.

For the choice of drinks, I selected the Darjeeling Tea à la posh English-style. The name of this tea refers to the district in India where it originates in. This black tea has a nice floral aroma and mild in terms of taste. Not a bad way to enjoy an afternoon tea break.

The dessert is a small serving of Mango Pudding topped whipped cream and chocolate syrup. The taste of pudding is reasonable but nothing to shout about.

I guess Winter Warmers is a fine place to visit if you truly enjoy English tea. However, I am not in this privileged position to really appreciate it.