Crossroads Bar, High Tea with Local Flavour

If you’re fretting over where to have high tea (and that those popular ones like The Landing Point at Clifford Pier is always booked), try Crossroads Bar at Swissotel Merchant Court.

If you’re familiar with Merchant Court, situated by Singapore River off Clarke Quay, their popular Ellenborough Market serves up pretty decent Peranakan-themed buffets. Crossroads Bar offers a cross of sorts.

First, Crossroads Bar is a hotel bar, so they inevitably serves the typical fare for the hotel guests. The difference is, they also try to cater to Singaporeans looking for a get together, by offering high tea.

The menu comes in 2 options, an English one and a Peranakan one. As each option’s serving size is meant for 2 pax, it would be good to come in pairs, since you will be paying a fixed price whether you appear in pairs or odds.

Luckily for me, my primary school click gathering involved the 4 of us, so we ordered one from each option.

The English option was quite predictable, with the usual scones, cakes and sandwiches, good for those who looks for conservative food choices, or who really wants their high tea a la Western style.

Alternatively, go with the Asian (I’m not a Peranakan, so those items are just Southeast Asian food to me) option, which can’t go wrong, since Merchant Court is all about serving food with local flavours.

The basket came with many all-time favourites, like Fried Carrot Cake, Kong Ba Pau (Bun with Fatty Pork),  Otak Otak, Grilled Chicken Sandwich and of course, Kueh Pai Tee.

Some people may complain about eating local food you can buy cheaply from hawker centres. For one, the food is of good quality. Secondly, you will be paying for the ambience.

For us, the place was pretty quiet for a weekend afternoon. The four of us got to sit around in comfortable sofas and armchairs, in a corner with fan (despite the air-conditioning, the place still got rather warm, as the bar had an open-concept plan and situated beside the hotel’s main entrance).

If you ask me, high teas are more than food; you can also buy sandwiches and cakes cheaply off a pastry shop in any of Singapore’s shopping centre, right?

However, if you want to have a gathering of old classmates over good high tea and at a decent, quiet place, then Crossroads Bar at Swissotel Merchant Court should rank high on your priority list.

Last, but not least, check out my other review for an alternate Peranakan high tea buffet (highly recommended!) for more options!

Crossroads Bar

Swissotel Merchant Court
20 Merchant Road
Singapore 058281
+65 6337 2288
[email protected]

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