At this Hong Kong hotel, afternoon tea comes with a delicious surprise

Well, all tiny except that plump pork bun. So far, we've had steamed twin prawn dumplings with mustard, pork and a whole quail egg in another steamed dumpling, and a perfectly crispy tart topped with chicken, ham and baked Yoshihama abalone. Crispy taro dumplings with foie gras are delivered in a pretty bird cage. To go with the spread, I've chosen a sparkling yuzu genmaicha tea. After the heat of the Hong Kong streets, it's the perfect refresher.

While my instinct is to continue tearing into the bun, there are more morsels to come. A long box with an emerald glass lid is opened to reveal the sweet finale: a quartet of exquisite patisserie. Biting into a shiny "pear" reveals a creamy filling flavoured with the floral notes of osmanthus, sweet and tangy goji berry and, of course, pear. In a ceramic eggshell is a perfectly set creme brulee infused with chen pi, dried mandarin peel used in traditional medicine. "It helps with digestion," the host tells me. After this afternoon's feast, I may need another. themirahotel.com