Amazing Thailand
Halfway through an international tour through Asia, American Pop Diva Britney Spears finds culinary refuge at an upscale tea lounge in Central Bangkok. Was that really the same spot that I – by total coincidence – decided to stop for tea? Oh baby, baby … how was I supposed to know?
There were the high-profile publicity shots of Britney noshing on street food in Bangkok, doing cartwheels on the beach, and taking a dip in the ocean with her sons.
A video montage of Britney dancing to strains of Toni Braxtn’s “You’re Makin’ Me High” was posted on Instagram. She was captured by paparazzi exiting from black limos. Was that Britney jumping off the cliff at a water park?
“Having such an incredible time in Thailand!!!!” Britney tells People magazine.
“Excited to perform in Bangkok this weekend!”
Britney Spears was on a one-month international tour of Asia with stops in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and Israel.
When tickets went on sale for her concert in Bangkok, Thailand, scheduled for 22 June 2017, they sold out in just one hour.
Owing to the overwhelming demand, a second show was scheduled for the following night. The only reason a third show wasn’t added is there’s wasn’t a sufficient gap in her schedule.
Before heading to Bangkok’s Impact Arena, Britney engaged in some retail therapy.
One of her stops was the Gaysorn Village shopping mall in Central Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong distirct, which is chock-a-block with designer boutiques such as: Bally, Leica, Louis Vuitton, MaxMara, Montblanc – the list goes on.
While the American super star explored the upscale mall with two security guards, she spotted the 1823 Tea Lounge by Ronnefeldt.
The entourage went inside and was seated. The lounge serves cakes and pastries, savoury and sweet afternoon tea sets, and several a la carte dishes.
Beverages run from premium loose leaf teas to herbal and fruit infused teas, signature tea mocktails, and tea floats to wines, Prosecco, and tea cocktails.
Two exclusive blends are available exclusively at the tea lounge at Gaysorn Village: The Gaysorn Blend and The Bangkok Blend:
- A fine and elegant tea with subtle flowery flavours and smooth tannins, the Gaysorn Blend has ripe mango and hints of citric notes, which combine beautifully with light flowery Pai Mu Tan White Tea from Fujian, China.
- The Bangkok Blend is a blend of fine Oolong Tea with natural pineapple and papaya flavours. Flowery, Chinese Oolong Tea has been blended especially with tropical flavours of papaya and pineapple resulting in a sensational combination of flavours.
After perusing the menu, Britney settled on the Roasted Chicken and Rice Tea Set.
Roasted Chicken and Rice Tea Set (pictured above) comprises roasted chicken Ballotine with da hong po, Ceylon and lemon tea rice, sauteed veggies, and da hong pao gravy (390 THB).
The songstress liked the food and the atmosphere so much that she returned two more times during her brief stay in the Big Mango.
In addition to the tea set, Britney had breakfast and afternoon tea during her other visits to the lunge.
Teehaus Ronnefeldt 101
Launched by Johann Tobias Ronnefeldt in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1823, the brand’s teas are produced exclusively according to the “two leaves and one bud” production method, which guarantees “the highest level of loose-lead tea”.
Varieties include both green and black. They are sourced from China, India, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan.
According to 1823 Tea Lounge General Manager Sothea Sambath, the outlet at Gaysorn Village is not only the first specialized tea lounge in Bangkok.
It is also Ronnefeldt’s first and only food and beverage outlet worldwide. It opened in June 2015.
Available in more than 70 countries, the exclusive brand’s teas had formerly only been served at luxurious hotels and fine-dining restaurants. There is one retail outlet in Frankfurt.
So why was Bangkok chosen as the location of the brand’s first tea lounge?
“There was an encounter between the Gaysorn Group and the owners of Ronnefeldt,” Sothea explains.
“The Gaysorn Group was looking for an exceptionally upscale tea lounge for Bangkok. They shared a common vision. The two brands complemented each other.”
The tea lounge has received a warm welcome from consumers, with tourists accounting for roughly one-half of customers, locals the other half.
“It’s becoming the place to sip a cup of tea in the Ratchaprasong area,” Sothea says.
The Verdict
I stumbled across the 1823 Tea Lounge by Ronnefeldt following a massage at the Panpuri Organic Spa on the lower level of the same mall.
I was attracted by the welcoming ambiance, the cool tones, and the natural lighting. By pure coincidence, I ordered the same thing that Britney had ordered. But I didn’t know that at the time. On a subsequent visit, I tried an afternoon tea set. Did she try that, too?
I loved the cool surroundings, the yummy food, and the choice of both sweet and savoury afternoon tea sets. Not surprisingly, the teas were the star of the show!
This lovely Bangkok cafe is located in one of the best Bangkok shopping malls in the Big Mango’s fashionable Ratchaprasong district.
Little did I know when I stepped inside the 1823 Tea Lounge by Ronnefeldt that I was following in the footsteps of one of my favourite singers. She had visited just two weeks before I did. And little did I know that I was going to order the same dish that she had.
Oh, baby, baby! How was I supposed to know? Tell me baby, ’cause I need to know. I must confess, ’cause it’s killing me … Give me a sign! Hit me, baby, one more time!
Where
1823 Tea Lounge by Ronnefeldt – Gaysorn Village, 1st Floor, 999 Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand. Telephone: +66 2 656 1086.