The Westin Melbourne has gone all cheesy with its latest high tea offering, High Cheese.
The luxury hotel has paired up with cheesemongers Maker & Monger to serve a specially themed High Cheese menu, with cheese presented as the hero ingredient in each and every morsel – both savoury and sweet.
The menu, which launched earlier this month will run throughout winter, consecutively with The Westin’s traditional high tea menu, leaving high tea goers spoilt for choice.
As with the traditional offering, High Cheese is served in The Westin’s Lobby Lounge, a beautiful space with a mixture of soft and natural lighting, leather and felt backed chairs, plush lounges and glass topped tables.
Westin Executive Chef Michael Greenlaw has worked closely with Maker & Monger owner Anthony Femia to source the best in show of cheeses from across the world to be part of the High Cheese line-up.
As with any high tea, High Cheese is served on The Westin’s trademark three-tier stands, with savoury Giorgio Cravero Reggiano scones on top, followed by savouries in the middle and desserts on the bottom.
But its what’s served on a separate plate that is perhaps the stand-out dish in the entire menu.
A whole wheel of Normandy Camembert, which has been baked with slivers of garlic and thyme, is pure heaven. The melting, gooey cheese is perfectly paired with the mini baguettes and lavosh crackers provided for dipping. In short, it’s a very more-ish start to the meal, and just the thing for a cold winter’s day.
Moving onto the stand, the buttery taste of the pastry and creaminess in the leek tart filling made it another memorable savoury.
Although I’m not normally a savoury scone fan, I found that adding pieces of the gorgonzola dolce stuffed fresh figs on top gave it just the right mix of savoury and sweet for my tastebuds.
For the dessert, you couldn’t go past the delicious tiramisu served in a glass, with a chocolate sliver on top bearing #westinmelbourne. Clearly, this is a High Cheese created for the Instagram generation and, as is standard for The Westin Melbourne, the High Cheese menu looks as delectable as it tastes.
I would have loved to see a cheesecake-style dessert on the menu however, this is the only fly in the ointment.
The menu is served with free-flowing Vittoria coffee blends, Jing Tea herbal infusions and hot chocolate. Matched wines and ports are available by the glass for an added cost.
High Cheese is a smart and delicious gamble taken by The Westin Melbourne, and could easily become an annual seasonal favourite. Try it while you can!
High Cheese at The Westin Melbourne Menu:
The Scone
- Giorgio Cravero Reggiano scones served with whipped butter
Savoury Temptations:
- Basil crème fraiche layered brie
- Marcel Petite Comté gourgeres
- Roquefort & Cognac served with Pain d’Épices
- Beaufort d’Alpage & leek tart
- Baked Normandy Camembert with garlic and thyme, served with mini baguettes and lavosh crackers
Sweet Delights:
- Tiramisu with Kahlua coffee syrup soaked chocolate cake
- Cannoli with whipped vanilla bean ricotta and honey
- Holy goat organic skyla strawberry and thyme Mille-Feuille
- Gorgonzola dolce stuffed fresh figs with fresh peninsula honeycomb
Free-flowing Vittoria Coffee blends, Jing tea herbal infusions and hot chocolate.
Wine pairings are also available with prices by the glass.
High Tea Melbourne – find more experiences
in our High Tea Venue Directory
Reviews for this venue:
- 16 February 2024: Summer High Tea at The Westin Melbourne
- 2 August 2023: NativiTea at The Westin Melbourne
- 29 September 2022: High SocieTea at The Westin Melbourne
- 14 July 2021: High Cheese at The Westin Melbourne
- 7 July 2020: High Cheese at the Westin Melbourne
- 2 July 2019: High Cheese at the Westin Melbourne
- 21 February 2019: High Seas at The Westin Melbourne
- 25 June 2016: Winter High Tea at the Westin Melbourne
- 1 May 2014: High Tea at the Westin Melbourne
- 29 June 2013: High Tea at the Westin Melbourne
- 26 November 2012: High Tea at The Westin Melbourne
