High tea doesn’t get any more boujee than this—Isabel Bar is the latest addition to the Maxwell Reserve Hotel, with a uber luxurious and extravagant pink-themed interior, serving an exquisite high tea, premium Beluga caviars and tipples.
Isabel Bar’s interior is dripping in extravagance, elegance and glamour, with an ornate pink and Victorian and vintage-inspired decor. The walls are gilded in gold accents and the plush furniture is adorned in richly coloured and patterned fabrics depicting various exotic florals, animals and landscapes. Isabel simply oozes sensual femininity, with tables that are a glossy and vibrant chilli red, truly making the space pop.
The bar’s decor is so grand that it feels more like an art gallery or museum that you’ll find in Europe, especially with the huge Louis Vuitton trunk placed in the centre of the room as one of the focal points of the bar. Another key feature of the bar is the colossal bartop that’s constructed out of solid Pink Onyx as a statement piece for all your OOTDs.
Overall, the ambience at Isabel bar is immaculate, creating a romantic and intimate vibe that’s perfect for dates or nights out with the girls. In the late afternoon the bar is more quiet and you can have most of the space to yourself as you indulge in Isabel’s high tea offerings; but at night the atmosphere becomes more sensual and moody as the space grows dim, only illuminated by the pinkish-orange glow of the lamps.
Besides the gorgeous and opulent decor, Isabel Bar has an interesting concept: telling the story of a muse, “Isabel” (whose sculpture you’ll find resting elegantly on the giant statement pink bartop) on her travels—hence the massive Louis Vuitton trunk planted in the middle of the space.
Isabel Bar offers hand-picked wines, champagnes, cocktails; as well as a selection of premium Beluga caviars and high tea. Since we went in the late afternoon, we had Isabel’s Afternoon Tea ($89/pax), with a selection of sweets and savouries, scones and Isabel’s crafted tea. At $89, this is definitely not the most affordable high tea set out there, so naturally we had high hopes and expected every item in the set to be exceptional. Unfortunately, the high tea set fell a little short of our expectations and nothing in the set really stood out as especially unique or outstanding.
Roasted Butternut with Orange Oil, Rocket & Basil Pesto Sandwich
Assorted Lime-infused Cheesecakes
Pistachio Macaron
The savoury items fared much better than the sweets, like the Smoked Salmon, Chives & Cream Cheese sandwich and the Pickled Cucumber sandwich. Sadly, the sweets were quite average: the Lime-infused Cheesecakes were a tad too sour and the assorted eclairs were quite flat and lacked filling.
Assorted Mini Eclairs
Assorted Tarts
We found the scones to be slightly wanting as well, but this could be due to our personal preference as they were more on the dense, floury side instead of being fluffy and buttery. If you prefer your scones more solid, you might enjoy the ones served here!
Another aspect that was regrettable were the portion sizes. With such a high price point, we hoped for items that were a little more than literally “bite-sized”; but if you’re a small eater, the set would probably be sufficient to fill you up. Do take note that all the items featured in the high tea set are subject to availability and might change depending on what’s available on that day.
Although the high tea wasn’t quite up to par, the ambience was absolutely stunning, so you’re most likely paying for the experience and the vibes. If you’re feeling more boujee, you can splurge on their caviar and champagne. Otherwise, come for Isabel’s cocktails and drinks while luxuriating in the moody vibes for an intimate night out with friends or loved ones!
Isabel Bar
Ambience: 5/5
Food/Drinks: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Price: $$$
Worth a visit: Come for the gorgeous moody vibes!
Address: The Maxwell Reserve Hotel, 2 Cook Street, Singapore 078857
Opening Hours: 3pm-12am daily
