One of KL's most alluring new F&B attractions, Hammam Tea Room is a hidden oasis in Publika that's intricately crafted to evoke old-fashioned Casablancan charm, complete with temptations personally prepared by Moroccan chefs.
This tea room opened this month, nestled beside the Hammam Spa on the upper reaches of Publika. For now, it feels like the perfect place to evade the crowds while soaking in a serene setting festooned with lamps, paintings & lovely wall & window art.
Hammam Tea Room's soft-launch selection comprises set meals, with an a la carte menu expected to be launched after Ramadan. Customers can have a two-course meal for RM45 or three courses for RM68; start with this Moroccan salad medley, featuring three types of enjoyably delicate-tasting salads.
Grilled chicken wings, satisfyingly juicy, made flavoursome with lime & the North African 'ras el hanout' spice mix.
Another possible starter: Seafood pastilla, a doughy pie with bits of fish, shrimp, calamari, black mushrooms & rice vermicelli with lemon-based tomato sauce.
The main courses are the knock-out; very hearty & meaty. Two could share the lamb, admirably succulent, with couscous & seven vegetables. The food at Hammam Tea Room is beautifully spiced for plenty of nuances.
Tired of regular baked eggs at KL's cafes? Head to Hammam Tea Room, where you can have your runny yolk shakshuka-style instead, expertly executed in a 'tajine' earthenware pot with tangy beef kofta, plus flatbread to mop up the creaminess. A terrific alternative for folks seeking a different sort of brunch.
This one's brilliant for lamb-lovers: A heap of shank meat, slow-cooked with lemon & lots of saffron, lending the unmistakable flavour & fragrance that ravishingly permeates every bit of the flesh & sauce.
Wrap up with baklava, not as sugary as some other versions, but a fine sweet finish to a savoury meal.
What about the tea? Hammam Tea Room boasts distinctive varieties; the most traditional is the classic Moroccan mint tea, a blend of gunpowder tea, mint, thyme & sage, paired with excellent natural-tasting honey. RM12.
Hand of Fatima 'protection tea,' a healing brew with ginger, lemon & echinacea. A taste of rejuvenation.
For breaking of the fast: Mini-smoothie of creamy avocado & crushed dried dates, a real pleasure.
Banania, the French chocolate beverage with banana flour for a fruity boost. RM12.50, served hot or cold.
Hammam Tea Room currently operates all day long, everyday, with last orders by 9 p.m. Service is sparkling here, ranking among the best at Solaris Dutamas; we visited incognito as walk-in customers on a weekday afternoon & were efficiently & warmly treated from start to finish.
Hammam Spa & Tea Room
Level G4, Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur. Take the escalator up from the centre. Hammam is two floors above MPH, one floor above Swich Cafe.
Tel: 03-6201-0882
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