Tokyo: Afternoon tea at TwentyEight – Conrad

Poul is usually Mr. Smart Casual himself, but one of the days in Tokyo, it was so hot that he just put on a pair of shorts and a plain white T-shirt without remembering that this was the day, we had a reservation for afternoon tea at posh and stylish Conrad.

It was Rieko who had made the reservation and after looking at Poul’s very casual, but not very smart, safari outfit, so as we reached the hotel, she decided to call the restaurant to check whether hairy legs were ok? Fortunately they told her that Poul didn’t have to cover up, it was ok, as long as he wasn’t wearing flip-flops, and we stepped inside.

Everything is cute in Japan and afternoon tea at Conrad is no exception. Scones, macarons, sandwiches and beef sliders were all lined up in a sushi-like way, ready to eat with our fingers. Every little piece was a true blessing for the taste buds! Poul and I have two different strategies: He always attacks the most tasty-looking morsel first, while I save the best for last. Maybe it’s because Poul is afraid that if he wouldn’t be able to finish, he would miss out on the best part. I know myself and my big appetite, and I always finish, so I prefer to round off the meal with the highlight:)

The afternoon tea was served in the bar/lounge TwentyEight, which, surprise surprise, is on the 28^th floor. TwentyEight has a magnificent view of Hama Rikyu Garden and the Tokyo Bay area from the floor-to-ceiling windows and there was a musician playing soft jazz tunes to further enhance the very elegant ambience. Most of the other guests were Japanese females in pastel-colored outfits, and the entire lounge felt a bit like a room in a dollhouse. Not exactly a place where you let out a big burb after finishing your macarons (which we didn’t, just in case you wonder).

The feel of TwentyEight is very similar to what you experience at New York Bar, Park Hyatt in Shinjuku, and Poul and I talked about how amazing this place must be in the evening, high above Tokyo’s busy streets. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time to go back for dinner and drinks, but next time Conrad, we’ll be there.

TwentyEight at Conrad, 1 Chome-9-1 Higashishinbashi, Minato City, Tokyo, Address in Japanese: １丁目-9-1 東新橋 港区 東京都 105-7337