Whatever the occasion, a decadent dessert often creates the most lasting impression of a meal, so here’s our indulgent guide for the sweet-toothed traveller:
Grand Hyatt Taipei
The Honey Bee
As a tribute to its locale, the aptly named honey bee cake at the Grand Hyatt Taipei is made with high-quality Taiwanese longan honey. All the sweetness comes from the honey itself, with the cake composed of a blend of honey mousse, chocolate cream, honey cake and speculoos biscuit base. As if there isn’t enough of the golden nectar already, the whole cake is covered with a honey glaze.
Chedi Club Tanah Gajah, Ubud Bali
Coconut Sorbet
Made from scratch with the freshest local coconuts, the coconut sorbet at Chedi Club brings refreshing tropical flavours, especially when paired with the star anise-infused pineapple compote. This is definitely one to savour while overlooking Bali’s lush rice paddies.
Palace Hotel Tokyo
Piano Chocolat Cake
This chocolate piano was first presented to Jazz legend Miles Davis when he came to dine at the famed, Michelin-starred La Pyramide while in France for the Jazz à Vienne festival. It is still served there today and has, since Palace Hotel Tokyo’s collaboration with La Pyramide debuted in 2003, also become a celebrated dessert of the hotel’s signature French restaurant Crown. Smooth milk chocolate and gianduja with hazelnut paste form the piano’s two delicate layers of chocolate mousse to deliver a musical mix of subtly sweet flavours.
The Nam Hai
Vietnamese Coffee Tiramisu
The Nam Hai’s twist on a classic Tiramisu incorporates the unique flavours of Vietnamese coffee. The rich local coffee is allowed to brew slowly through a simple drip. The result is a sweet, rich, incredibly dark coffee with hints of vanilla and chocolate. Perfect when paired with dreamily creamy mascarpone and coffee soaked sponge cake.
La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa
Sweet Eggnest
The hotel’s signature dessert appeals as much to the eye as the palate. Inspired by the bird-rearing culture of Central Vietnam, La Residence Hue created the Sweet Eggnest of Le Parfum with chocolate and caramel, around coconut mousse as “egg white” and passion fruit as the “yolk”. The delicate egg comes nestled in a crispy apple nest. This is a dessert we can’t wait to crack into.
Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit
Lady Macaron
For a unique twist on a French confectionary classic, head straight for Sofitel Bangkok and its Le Macaron sidewalk cafe. There you will find its signature pastry — an over-sized macaron filled with fresh raspberries, lychees and a custard-like pastry cream in between two rose-flavored macaron shells. Don’t be afraid to order more than one!
The Sanchaya Bintan
Crème Brulee
No dessert menu would be complete without crème brulee. For the most part, The Sanchaya Bintan’s take on this dessert staple remains true to the delicious French last course except for the accompanying assortment of seasonal Asian fruit ranging from mangosteen and rambutan to papaya and dragon fruit. Egg yolk and sugar are whisked together and, with the addition of cream, boiled, whipped and poured into a 10 centimeter-wide ceramic bowl. The concoction is cooked in the oven and then a la bain marie before the flame of a kitchen torch caramelizes the castor sugar top.
