Art, food and fashion assemble into afternoon tea at The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon

The royal British tea ritual is already a form of art as it is, but The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon brings it up a notch. The new, artsy and one of the hottest spots in Japan is currently offering a collaboration of art, food and fashion in an avant-garde Afternoon Tea.

EDITION chose Belgian luxury brand La Maison Delvaux - the oldest leather goods house in the world - and their new collection inspired by Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte, to dominate Instagram this spring. Magritte’s masterpieces “Bowler Hat”, “Masked Apples”, “This is Not a Pipe” are acclaimed and easily recognizable. But to “taste" his oeuvres is an atypical experience.

The top tier of the cake stand is adorned with sweets replicating motifs of Delvaux's Magritte Collection. “Le Pomme Masquees, a melt-in-the-mouth shortbread pastry filled with a silk lemon curd,” is my favorite, as it harmoniously unites with a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut which is ever so generously poured in a wine glass-sized flute.

Iconic canapés are finger bite size, yet immensely tasteful. Green savories galvanized by Magritte’s “Green Apple”: Cucumber Mint Gazpacho; Smoked Salmon, Spinach, Meringue, Caviar; Chicken Canapé, Green Asparagus, Coriander — they all satisfy the palette with saltiness, sourness and sweetness, just like the flavors of a green apple but richer.

“Clouds and Blue Sky, delicately spiced Belgian speculoos biscuit laced with premium white Belgian chocolate” will catch your eye and you’ll not be able to resist holding the bird-shaped cookie up to the window to see in synch against the backdrop of a skyscraper on a beautiful sunny spring day.

“Ceci n’est pas une pipe” is a mini apple crumble pie pastry topped with a pipe-shaped chocolate. Of course, “This is Not a Pipe” but is an ironic and delicious meta message work of art.

Raisin scones are an afternoon tea standard at EDITION, but this exclusive course adds apple to it. Apple raisin and plain scones set on the second tier come with clotted cream and strawberry jam on the side.

The course includes a free flow of 2021 Spring Tea and Classic Tea selection, including Rosé Royal, Merci Mille Fois, and Pear Tree Green, as well as coffee or latte, hot and cold.

The comfortable chairs surrounded by vastly planted botanical greens (steadily growing!) function as a natural wall, hiding you away from the rest of the guests on the lobby floor, almost like a semi-private room with no extra seating charge. The 31st-floor skyscraper view is a breathtaking panorama with nearby Tokyo Tower adding colors to the blue sky canvas. You can also overlook the progression of the mammoth Toranomon-Azabudai project under construction below.

La Maison Delvaux handbags are not displayed at the hotel, but the afternoon tea may pique your interest to visit their boutiques to check out the Magritte line. But then again, how do you infuse surrealism into the English royal culture? See for yourself at EDITION and I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.

Lobby Bar 31st Floor, The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon

Serving hours: noon to 5 p.m. (L.O. 4:30 p.m.) until May 16

Delvaux Afternoon Tea: ¥6,958 per person paired with fine tea selections or ¥9,867 with a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs (inclusive of service charge and tax)

Address: 4-1-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel : 03-5422-1600

Email: diningreservations.tokyo@editionhotels.com

• External Link
• http://www.editionhotels.com/

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