TO EXPERIENCE an authentic English tea-time, one no longer has to hop onto a plane and travel across continents. This is because we already have one shop specialising in this – Victoria Rossa English Tea Room, in Hartamas Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
According to Orange n Lime International Sdn Bhd brand director Gheeyong Ong, who has the licence to run Victoria Rossa in Malaysia, many a well-travelled customer has told him of their preference for the cafe’s offerings.
Ong: ‘We are known for our scones as well as out butter cakes’“Some English expatriates who patronise the cafe are very pleased to find things like the ‘Toad in a Hole’ here, something that is common back in the United Kingdom as it is an old recipe many still make at home,” he said.
Though the name may turn off some people, “Toad in a Hole” is actually made of common ingredients such as flour, milk and sausages, making for a delightful pastry with a bit of a savoury taste.
Another family who travels a lot have told him that they have been to many places locally and overseas to try the scones and still found Victoria Rossa’s to be the best.
“We are quite known for our scones as well as our butter cakes. One of the reasons why the items that come from our oven fresh daily is so good is because we source for high quality ingredients,” Ong said.
For example, Ong said they used green lemon instead of yellow in their meringue as it is claimed to be more nutritious.
“It is very hard to buy any green lemons here. I have friends who grow them on farms in Johor but all of it are exported to Singapore,” he said.
When they do not have it, Ong substitutes it with oranges and takes care in preparing it to make sure only the good bits are used.
“We will peel the fruit and even remove the white bits, leaving only the orange bits. These we will cook over a slow fire for about half hour until it reaches a gel-like consistency before we use it in the meringue or cake,” he said.
Tea-time will not be complete without tea of course and Victoria Rossa has a wide variety of it ranging from the usual to the unusual.
“Our tea all comes from our farm located at the Uva district in Sri Lanka. The farm is located about about 1,500 metres above sea level and is run by a master tea blender,” Ong said.
The exclusive tea blends found on the menu was made by the master himself and some have even won awards.
“The tea leaves we use are certified organic and all the blends use natural ingredients. There is also a selection of the usual teas such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey and such for those who want them,” Ong said.
Many of the items found in the cafe can also be bought such as the teapots, cups and scrapbooking material found in a corner, a recent addition to the premises.
Wide range: Take home your favourite tea from Victoria Rossa that is sold in canisters.The cafe itself has a relaxing atmosphere and dotted with comfy chairs and sofas surrounded by charming decor to complete the English tea-time experience.
Victoria Rossa English Tea Room, K20, Level 1, Hartamas Shopping Centre, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. (03-6201 4703).
Business hours: 10.30am to 8.30pm daily. Pork free.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
