LIFE BEGINS at sundown at Ciao Terrazza, a much-loved restaurant that’s part of the five-star hotel Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Offering a breathtaking view out over the Chao Phraya River, the classic Italian restaurant is today focusing on the cuisine of Naples, with a range of gourmet dishes prepared by its Chef de Cuisine, Marcello Scognamiglio, a native of Italy’s southern metropolis that lies at the very foot of Vesuvius.

Scognamiglio recalls waking up as a boy to the mouth-watering aroma of Neapolitan street food, like pizza fritta made with buffalo mozzarella, fresh Vesuvian basil and ripe cherry tomatoes and it is these memories that he shares with hungry diners.

Sunset ambience at the alfresco Ciao Terrazza

“I’d like to bring to my guests my favourite Italian food traditions as well as my love for the produce,” says Scognamiglio, who earned his stripes working alongside a number of Michelin stars chefs.

He describes his cooking style as “elegant, traditional and attentive to detail.”

“It looks easy to make but when you start eating, you are immediately amazed at the explosion of flavours. People love the tastes because of the great produce and beautiful recipes, which are full of different influences from around Europe,” he adds.

Chef Marcello Scognamiglio prepares famous Neapolitan dishes in the open kitchen. 

The oven is at the very heart of the restaurant and is used to create artisanal pizzas as well as home-made pastas and risottos, all of which will delight even the most discerning of palates.

Menu highlights includes the surprise appetiser “Crunchy Egg” served with Pecorino foam, spinach and truffle pesto (Bt613). Cut into the poached egg, and savour the perfect softness of the yolk and the crunch that follows. The flavour is well-balanced – a little salty from the cheese but offset by the sweet aroma of the truffle. It’s elegantly presented too with gold leaf providing the decoration.

Crunchy egg, Pecorino foam, spinach and truffle pesto

Truffles also take a star turn in Italian Ravioli stuffed with truffle and burrata cheese (Bt824). Rich but not too heavy, the crispy black olive cracker on top of the ravioli gives it an unusual twist.

Steamed seabass fillet in mushroom and asparagus broth, Taggiasca olive, fennel and orange salad

We sample as our main dish Steamed Seabass Fillet in mushroom and asparagus broth served with Taggiasca olive, thin slices of fennel, and orange salad (Bt1,001). This dish is truly delightful thanks to the clear broth, which makes it seem light and balanced, particularly after the two rich and creamy dishes that have gone before. The fish is freshly imported from Italy and the tangy taste of salad pairs well with the anise flavours of the fennel.

 Slow-cooked pork belly, red wine sauce, steamed swiss chard and apple puree

Another highlight is Slow-cooked Pork Belly, red wine sauce, steamed swiss chard, and apple puree (Bt1,154) and the portion is just small enough to ensure you can finish the entire plate. The pork belly has a slightly sweet taste but is so tender that it melts in the mouth. There is, as you’d expect, a little fat but diners concerned about their figures can always trim it off.

Ravioli stuffed with truffle and burrata cheese

Other popular dishes at Ciao include Tuna Tartar with zucchini, bell pepper and eggplant Caponata; Spaghetti Gragnano with Piennolo cherry tomatoes from Mount Vesuvius and fresh basil leaves; Rosemary Crusted Rack of Lamb with eggplant custard, crispy polenta and green asparagus tips; and Aged Acquerello Rice Risotto with seasonal white asparagus.

Lemon sorbet

Our five-course Napoli-style meal ends with the traditional sweet-and-sour “Sgroppino”, lemon sorbet with latte gelato, grappa limoncello, and prosecco (Bt495).

Dinner over, guests are urged to enjoy the rest of the night at the hotel’s famous Bamboo Bar, recently ranked No 9 by Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2018 and the only bar in the kingdom to have reached the top ten.

Jamie Rhind, operations manager at The Bamboo Bar

The latest iteration of the signature cocktail menu created by Jamie Rhind, bar operations manager, attests to the Bamboo Bar team’s tireless efforts and innovative use of Thai ingredients.

Some of the creative new signature cocktails draw their inspiration from the five regions of Thailand. Listed under the title “Compass”, the menu celebrates the unique attributes of these regions, each of which has its own distinctive tastes in food, drink and lifestyle.

“This is like taking guests on a journey around Thailand while they enjoy the country’s finest live jazz,” Rhind says.

 The southern region inspired the Cashew Down South cocktail

Well-worth trying is “Get the Mortar”, a homage to som tum, Thailand’s ubiquitous papaya salad. Inspired by Thailand’s northeast, it blends Barrelhouse 53 Vodka, clarified tomato juice, papaya compote, lime juice, sugar and chilli. The mortar is typically used to mash the ingredients together and children throughout Isaan are always delighted to hear the words: ‘Get the mortar!’

The Hawker cocktail

“Hawker” is inspired by tom kha gai, Central Thailand much-loved coconut cream dish made with kaffir lime and lemongrass. The cocktail gets much the same treatment with coconut juice mixed with tequila, lemongrass, kaffir lime and ginger for a sharp refreshing kick.

Specially created alcohol-free drinks are also available and patrons can while away the hours by listening to guest jazz diva Nikki Kidd.

SMART AND SAVVY

Ciao adheres to a smart dress code and proper footwear for all guests, including children.

The restaurant welcomes smokers at the bar counter the whole night.

It’s open nightly from 5pm with last orders accepted at 10.30.

Book a table at (02) 659 9000.

The Bamboo Bar is open Sunday to Thursday from 5 to 1am and until 2am on Friday and Saturday. The live music starts at 9.

Ramirez is an award-winning mixologist and F&B professional whose experience spans the Asian continent, from the exclusive clubs of Dubai to the luxury hotels of Southeast Asia. He developed the bar concept for Shangri-La’s luxury resort in the Maldives and has worked with such Michelin-starred chefs as Gary Rhodes of Rhodes Twenty Four in London.

He has also wowed guests at some of Asia’s top rooftop venues, including The Dome at Lebua, the iconic sky bar in Bangkok. Last year, he launched his own private consultancy company, Glass of Art and Science.

Perched on the 27th floor of the new hotel, 110 metres above the ground, Vana Nava Sky Bar was designed by Ashley Sutton – the mastermind behind some of Asia’s most famous bars, including Maggie Choo’s and Iron Fairies in Bangkok and Ophelia in Hong Kong. With its stylish interior design, glass-floored outdoor observation deck and dramatic 360-degree views, the bar is becoming one of the most desirable destinations on Thailand’s Gulf coast.

In this spectacular setting, guests can sample cool and creative cocktails devised by Joseph Boroski, former global head of mixology for W Hotels. These include creations that take advantage of Thailand’s tropical ingredients, such as the Fresh Pina Colada, Mai Tai Done the Right Way and his very own My Favorite Mojito.

Vana Nava Sky Bar’s Sky Kitchen also features a diverse menu of light snacks, sharing platters and main meals, while a private function space for up to 100 people creates a unique option for events and parties.

“I have worked in many of the world’s leading bars and venues, but Vana Nava Sky Bar is certainly one of the most impressive,” Ramirez says “With its perfect position, this is a destination that will attract guests from far and wide.”

Vana Nava Sky Bar forms part of the brand new Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin, which became Asia’s first Holiday Inn water park resort when it opened earlier this year. Right next door, opposite the gulf, is the Vana Nava Water Jungle Park, filled with adventure rides and huge slides that guests can enjoy for free as many times as they like. Non-guests pay for admission, but everyone staying at the resort has unlimited access.

Find out more at http://www.Holidayinn.com.

For each order from any restaurant through GrabFood from Friday (June 15) to June 30, Grab will donate Bt10 to provide lunch to the tens of thousands of underprivileged children from three foundations. The foundations are the Camillian Home for Children Living with Disabilities, Baan Nokkamin Foundation, and The Foundation for Slum Child Care.

In addition to donating to children foundations through GrabFood orders, customers will receive a colourful “GrabFood for Good” placemat with every order. By simply taking a photo of themselves with the placemat or inviting friends and publicly posting on social media (Facebook & Instagram) using the hashtag #EveryDishMakesaDifference #GrabFoodTH, Grab will automatically donate an additional Bt10 to the three foundations.

“Grab is committed to improving the livelihoods of people, including these underprivileged children. This is the reason we have launched the ‘GrabFood for Good’ initiative to fund nourishing meals for children from these three foundations,” says Tarin Thaniyavarn, Country Head of Grab Thailand.

For more information about GrabFood and its exclusive promotions, check out the GrabFoodTH Facebook page.

 Executive chef Adam Tanner presents six enticing menus, inspired by dishes served at the hotel’s Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Ya Ge and Michelin-recommended Italian restaurant Bencotto.

“Mandarin Oriental, Taipei’s reputation for providing high levels of service is reflected in the growing number of international accolades it receives, including a Michelin Star for Ya Ge and mention for Bencotto in the Michelin Guide Taipei 2018,” says Frances Tsai, hotel manager at Mandarin Oriental, Taipei.

“Through our passion for sharing good food with others, the hotel’s experienced and talented chefs have created an exclusive in-flight dining experience for Thai Airways passengers, to give them a taste of the hotel’s enchanting, versatile and refined culinary scene.”

Using the freshest ingredients, Tanner creates contemporary dishes inspired by French, Italian, Southeast Asian and progressive American fare, his knowledge of international cuisine accumulated over years of working in luxury five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants around the world.

The fifth annual Hotelier Awards, hosted by Singapore, recognises outstanding professional excellence across Asia’s hospitality sector. Attended by more than 350 hoteliers and industry professionals, the event celebrated award winners who shone amongst stiff competition, decided by a panel of expert industry judges in a two-round process, based on applications, interviews and testimonials.

The award showcases the region’s most talented and hardworking hoteliers who create the most meaningful guest experiences, deliver the best financial results and make a positive impact on team members. Hospitality professionals were shortlisted from 70 international hotel brands.

Malaysian-born chef Aziz has a stellar reputation for skilful creativity and culinary art. Hailed as the best young chef in Malaysia, he played a vital role in Anantara Lawana Koh Samui’s recent awards, including Thailand Tatler Best Restaurant 2017, the TripAdvisor Winner of the 2017 Top 10 Fine Dining Restaurants Thailand, The 2017 World Luxury Restaurant Awards – Luxury Unique Experience: Continent Winner, The 2017 World Luxury Restaurant Awards – Fine Dining Cuisine: Country Winner, and the Award of Excellence 2017 by Wine Spectator.

In the past year, chef Aziz has exceeded expectations by developing his HACCP skills, volunteering to train kitchen staff at a new sister resort on Koh Samui, and participating in an animal rescue charity initiative. Renowned for his great working relationship with other hotel departments, he keenly shared his best practices and concepts with Housekeeping, Spa and Front Office to raise service and operation standards across the hotel.

In 2017 he organised highly successful wine dinner events in collaboration with other top Koh Samui chefs and also volunteered for a task force team at the first Anantara in Europe, Anantara Vilamoura Resort in Portugal, where he was congratulated for his outstanding work in sharing his knowledge and experience with more than 70 team members at six high quality outlets.

Diners can discover his cuisine by calling (077) 960 333, or visiting http://www.Anantara.com/en/lawana-koh-samui

KEN CHAN has come a long way since he started out wheeling a trolley in a dim sum restaurant, becoming the first chef in his adopted home of Taiwan to win three Michelin stars.

Hong Kong-born Chan, 53, worked through tough apprenticeships back home before rising through the ranks on Taiwan’s culinary scene over the past three decades to become executive chef at luxury five-star hotel restaurant Le Palais in Taipei.

Serving mainly Cantonese cuisine as well as Sichuan, Fuzhou and Taiwanese dishes, Le Palais became the first and only restaurant in Taiwan to receive three stars when Michelin launched its Taipei guide earlier this year, describing the food as “truly outstanding”.

Ken Chan, the executive chef at the fivestar hotel restaurant Le Palais in Taipei, demonstrates his cooking. /AFP

Chan’s menu is relatively affordable compared with three-star restaurants in the rest of the world, with dishes ranging from steamed prawn dumplings and baked barbecue pork buns, priced from Tw$250 (Bt270) to an eight-course set including lobster salad, bird’s nest soup, braised abalone with goose foot and steamed tiger grouper at Tw$6,980.

Taiwan’s most-recognised chef, Andre Chiang, famously gave up the two Michelin stars attached to his eponymous Restaurant Andre in Singapore, closing it in February to focus on other projects, including his Taipei restaurant RAW.

But Chan says he believes receiving the stars will boost the island’s burgeoning foodie credentials.

“It inspires everybody to aim higher and higher,” he comments.

The Michelin Guide has launched the inaugural Michelin Guide Taipei, giving the highest rating  three stars  to Le Palais for its Cantonese food, service and dining environment. / EPA-EFE

Chan attributes his accolade to “luck”, but it is also testament to perseverance.

After dropping out of school in Hong Kong aged 12, Chan began working in a restaurant in the city, pushing a dim sum trolley around the tables from which customers would choose dishes.

He already had a love of cooking passed down from his mother and remembers how she would give him two Hong Kong dollars to buy ingredients in the market to feed the family, as she was working full-time to make ends meet.

Having to carefully think how to spend the money to create the best meal has influenced his approach in the kitchen now, says Chan.

“I told my staff ‘You shouldn’t just aim to finish the job but should do it well, as if you were cooking for your parents,’” he explains.

Life in the Hong Kong restaurant business was far from glamorous.

Chan was tasked with washing the underwear of a chef he worked under and recalls being hit on the head with a spatula when his “master” was in a bad mood, even being thrown into a river for making mistakes.

“Back then if you wanted to learn something, you had to beg the master to teach you,” he says.

“I had to buy drinks and fruit to treat my masters so they would casually teach me one or two steps.”

Ken Chan /AFP

Chan believes young people now are too pampered and unable to handle pressure.

“I have to ask them to learn,” he laments.

With just HK$270 (Bt1,100) in his pocket, Chan began a new chapter in Taiwan 30 years ago at the age of 23, after his mother died and his girlfriend dumped him.

His first job was as a chef in a vegetarian restaurant and he recalls feeling isolated because he only spoke Cantonese, the dominant language in Hong Kong, not Mandarin which is spoken in Taiwan.

But he says a sense of pride made him stay and he began to build a reputation for his Cantonese cuisine.

Chan worked up to becoming head chef at another five-star hotel restaurant in Taipei, before taking the executive chef position at Le Palais in 2010.

At the time, the restaurant had only been open for a few months and Chan was despondent over the lack of customers on his first day.

“I didn’t go home that night and locked myself in the office to ponder over how to run the restaurant,” he remembers. He came up with a new menu of 27 dishes and replaced around a third of the staff as part of a major overhaul.

Chan worries that traditional skills in Cantonese and Taiwanese cooking will eventually be lost as the old masters age and young chefs struggle to create the same flavours.

But for now, he says his own goal is to keep reinventing himself.

“I don’t see myself as a veteran chef,” he says.

“My mentality is that I am like a child just learning to walk and I have to constantly learn new things.”

THE THAI-OWNED Dusit Thani Bangkok will shut its doors on January 5 next year as the downtown site on which it has proudly stood for 48 years will be developed for a mixed-use project. While patrons will be sad to see it go, they can at least revel in the opportunities being offered to spend the next few months enjoying both its legendary services and its farewell gifts.

Among these is a long and lazy “Beyond Boundaries” brunch, which allows diners to savour a diverse range of foods and desserts over five-and-a-half hours. A further two hours can be added to this Epicurean episode should they decide to avail themselves of an evening of unlimited canapes and a choice of drinks.

Dusit Thani Bangkok offers the longest hours of weekend brunch with an array of dishes cooked to order.

Diners can set themselves free from late morning to sunset every Saturday and Sunday. The brunch is served from 11.30am to 5pm at Thai restaurant Benjarong as well as at the laid-back waterfall garden at the Terrace.

It’s reasonably priced too, coming in at Bt2,900-plus per person including free-flow soft drinks and juices, or Bt3,600-plus with beer, wine and sparkling. Champagne lovers can enjoy free flow Taittinger at Bt4,900-plus.

The BBQ station at the waterfall garden is an ideal place for seafood lovers.

Seafood lovers will be in heaven as they attempt to choose from the wide selection of premium fare. Outside at the Terrace is the BBQ section brimming over with fresh lobster, river prawn, crab, scallop, squid, cod, salmon, razor clams and mussels that can be handed to the chefs to charcoal-grill.

A chilled seafood station is available indoors with Canadian lobster, Alaskan king crab, Thai mud crab and mussels with French, Australian and American oysters on an adjacent table just waiting to be shucked. Octopus, conch and sea urchin sit on ice next to salmon and tuna in both sashimi and sushi styles.

 Seafood is char-grilled to order.

The long culinary journey is best commenced at Benjarong restaurant, which has a fresh salad corner, a cheese and bread trolley, and a carvery station offering pork leg cooked with salted dough, and salt crusted Norwegian salmon – all to be enjoyed with seed mustard, apple sauce, lemon butter, mushroom sauce, black pepper or ketchup.

Amuse bouche of salmon on hot stone

In addition to the all-you-can-eat food stations, each guest is treated to an amuse bouche. Served at the table, this involves salted salmon being slid onto a hot stone with a little water poured over it then covered and gently steamed. Diners get to choose how well cooked they would like this tasty morsel.

 An assortment of dim sum

A selection of dim sum from the hotel’s famous Cantonese restaurant Mayflower can also deliver to the brunch on request. They include steamed scallop dumpling, shrimp wrapped with seaweed, deep-fried crabmeat with minced pork and salt egg, as well as steamed minced pork dumpling.

Seven dishes from the main courses at Benjarong, Hamilton’s Steak House and the Pavilion are cooked to order and can be endlessly replenished.

Lobster Thermidor

“We understand that during the weekend break, people want to spend quality time with family and friends so our brunch breaks free from the usual limitations on time and format, combining a buffet with a fine-dining experience. Guests can relax and enjoy a whole day of leisurely eating and drinking over seven-and-a-half hours,” says the hotel’s food and beverage manager Sakdipat Nilango.

Oysters sit next to sushi and sashimi counter.

“We carefully select only prime quality and large sized Canadian lobster, Alaskan king crab, Scottish scallop, New Zealand mussels, French oysters and river prawns from Ayutthaya. The main dishes are selected from the signature items of our dining outlets. The all-you-can-eat Lobster Thermidor alone is value for money.”

Rack of lamb with mustard and mashed potato

The main dishes include Pan-fried Duck Liver with fig chutney and raisin sauce, Pan-fried New Zealand Rack of Lamb with mustard and mashed potato, Grilled US Rib Eye with red wine sauce, Deep-fried River Prawn with pepper and garlic sauce and Oven-baked Lobster Thermidor, plus two Thai dishes of Duck in red curry and Slow-cooked Beef Short Ribs in green curry.

Beef short ribs in green curry

Dessert lovers are spoilt too with an array of sweet offerings that dominate an entire room. Cleanse the palate with white wine jelly and mixed berry before piling a plate with Black Forest dome cake, pistachio mousse cake, Japanese cheesecake with blueberry compote, matcha tiramisu, creme brulee, strawberry tart and the classic Thai favourite mango and sticky rice.

A room of desserts

Other Thai-style desserts, shaved ice assortments and an array of fresh fruits are also available.

The brunch is complemented by a live band performing from noon to 4pm.

Though the brunch ends at 5pm, the merriment continues at the Terrace and the Lobby with free-flow canapes and a choice of drinks and DJ spins. The canapes include three Western-style bites of smoked salmon, parma ham and melon, and vegetarian caviar cream cheese while the Thai nibbles boast spicy salmon salad, spicy fruit salad and prawn satay.

Canapes, cucumber cocktail and peach mocktail

For drinks, customers can choose between a glass of red or white wine and the cocktail and mocktail of the month. This month, the cocktail is Cool as Cucumber and is a mixture of gin, lime juice, finely sliced cucumber, mint leaves, elderflower syrup and soda, while the mocktail Summer Peach blends apple and lime juices, elderflower syrup, soda and fresh peach slices.

JUST BRING YOUR APPETITE

Beyond Boundaries brunch at Dusit Thani Bangkok is available every Saturday and Sunday, from 11.30am to 5pm, and can be extended to 7pm with free-flow canapes and a choice of drinks. It continues throughout this year.

From now until July 31, diners can enjoy a come three, pay two promotion dubbed the Triple Double.

Book your table at (02) 200 9000 extension 2345 or visit http://www.Dusit.com/dtbk.

It is located on the fourth floor of Lazona Kawasaki Plaza, a major shopping and lifestyle complex in the heart of the city. Kawasaki lies between Tokyo and Yokohama in the world’s busiest metropolitan area, with a population of more than one million people in its own right. The new casual restaurant will specialise in traditional dishes from Isaan like som tam gai yang (spicy papaya salad with grilled chicken) for the ultimate combo meal.

With such an abundance of fresh produce available, Isaan has developed a rich culinary culture and is now considered a culinary heart of Thailand. As part of its efforts to showcase Isaan cuisine, Mango Tree Japan is now launching a book on Isaan cooking in Japanese, supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

“Som tam is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand, enjoyed by everyone – young and old, rich and poor. We are delighted to bring this spicy treat to Japanese diners with the opening of our new cafe, as we continued to expand our contemporary culinary concept across the country,” says Trevor MacKenzie, Mango Tree’s global managing director. “We fully expect this restaurant and its authentic Isaan menu to strike a chord with local diners, and I look forward to introducing Mango Tree Cafes to even more parts of Japan in future.”

In addition to som tam, the menu will feature a range of other traditional Isaan dishes, including larb (spicy minced pork with Thai herbs), Isaan-style sausage and the Lazona Special Plate – an assortment of Isaan favourites including sweet basil, green curry, vegetable salad, a fried egg, noodle soup and a fried egg.

Diners can also enjoy a selection of light bites and classic Thai dishes, such as pad thai (stir-fried noodles) and gaeng kiew waan (green curry), while lunch-time specials include pad gapao (spicy stir-fried minced chicken or pork on rice, topped with a fried egg) and tom yum goong (spicy and sour prawn soup).

Bright, stylish and modern, with a full bar service, the eatery can seat up to 60 diners. It is expected to be frequented by a wide range of diners, including young people, families and couples, and office workers during lunch-time.

At present there are 20 Mango Tree restaurants in Japan, 11 of which are Mango Tree Cafes.

Find out more at http://www.ExquisineThai.com.

From July 1 to September 30 guests can indulge in such sweet temptations as lavender macaron, lavender and bee pollen chocolate, lavender and black current cream roll, lavender wild blueberry cake, seasonal cream daifuku, lavender and blueberry tartlet, potted lavender creme and blackcurrant scones accompanied by artisan clotted cream, jams and marmalade.

The tea is serves with a choice of Illy coffee or freshly brewed premium Saro and Mariage Freres teas. The afternoon tea set also offers a selection of savoury bites and sandwiches including crab, avocado and nori tartlet, white asparagus with sauce Hollandaise and capers, and a miniature club sandwich of smoked trout layered with cucumber and horseradish on rye.

The Lavender Garden Afternoon Tea is priced at Bt1,190-plus inclusive of premium coffee or tea for two.

Find out more by calling at (02) 687 9000 or email upandabove@okurabangkok.com.

A FAVOURITE with fans of Cantonese food since it opened 35 years ago, Dynasty restaurant at Centara Grand, Central Plaza Ladprao has now spread its wings, opening a sister branch in downtown Bangkok to cater to urbanites on the go.

Located on the 24th floor of Centara Grand at CentralWorld, Dynasty occupies the 800 square-metre dining area that used to house the Asian-inspired restaurant Ginger. The 200-seat, glass-wrapped restaurant boasts a contemporary Asian design incorporating the contrasting elements of fire and water through fluid curves and a cool aquarium, to transparent displays and five glass-enclosed private rooms.

The sister branch of the famed Dynasty Chinese restaurant opens in downtown Bangkok at Centara Grand at CentralWorld.

The open dim sum station with its piping hot bamboo steamer baskets teases the taste buds while the adjacent live cooking station allows diners to watch the chef as he makes hand-pulled noodles.

“Though the menu is based on the flagship eatery, some new dishes have been created to add contemporary flair,” says chef Kongsun Sae-Liang. “You can try a steamed prawn dumpling crafted to look like a golden fish, or steamed zucchini with prawn dumping prepared in the shape of a carrot. A steamed shrimp dumping is also wrapped to look like a scallop and served in a martini glass.”

Steamed golden fish-shaped dumpling

Kongsun has lived in Bangkok for more than 30 years and had worked at the original Dynasty and the Noble House at the former Nai Lert Park Hotel as well as in the kitchens of the Aurora Hotel in Malaysia.

“Cantonese cuisine is all about subtlety and uncomplicated flavours. Our food portions are offered in three sizes – small, medium and large –and with choices of set menus for big family banquets. We offer good food at reasonable prices, hoping people will return and become regular patrons,” he adds.

Deep-fried shrimp dumpling

The all-you-can-eat dim sum available daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm is great value for money as until the end of this month, diners can enjoy a 25-percent discount from the normal price of Bt850-plus per person.

The buffet is hassle-free and you don’t even have to wait your turn to fill your plate. The dim sum dishes can be ordered from a menu that has more than 50 dishes on offer. You just order what you like and the dishes will be served hot at the table. They come with two or three pieces in one dish, allowing you to sample a wide variety of tastes and have fun sharing dishes with your party.

Deep-fried fish spring roll

Among the new dim sum dishes are Deep-fried Alaska Bean Curd featuring crispy fried bean curd wrappers filled with crabmeat and Japanese green bean, Deep-fried Shrimp Dumpling coated with crispy almond flake and served with lemon sauce, as well as Fish Spring Roll – snow fish wrapped in a fine-spun outer netting and deep-fried until it’s flaky and delicate.

Deep-fried shrimp with lemon sauce

In the steamed category, the new offerings are yellow-shaded Shrimp Dumpling with Japanese Pumpkin, Snow Fish with Black Bean Sauce, as well as Prawn Dumpling – all of them wrapped to look like scallops and steamed with teriyaki and sour sauce and topped with shredded ginger, chopped sweet pepper and coriander leaf.

Steamed shrimp dumpling with Beijing sauce

In addition to unlimited dim sum, you also have the option of two choices of appetisers ranging from drunken chicken, roasted duck and BBQ pork to jellyfish with sesame oil, crispy thin slices of pork leg and ear, and a bowl of soup. Here again, the choice is generous with black mushroom and bamboo pith, Sichuan-style hot and sour soup and conpoy and fish maw all on the list.

A platter of mixed appetisers

And it doesn’t end there. You can choose between rice or noodles from a menu that includes fried rice with duck/chicken and salted egg, fried egg noodle with chicken and noodles in gravy sauce topped with pork. For dessert, you’ll hesitate between seasonal fruits, hot rice dumplings in ginger soup, and chilled honeydew melon and sago.

If you simply can’t resist Dynasty’s signature Peking duck, it’s yours for an extra Bt400.

Black mushroom and bamboo pith and Sichuan soup

“We’re happy to serve up satisfying portions. People are more concerned these days about how they spend so we must provide both good food and the best value for money,” says the chef.

Kongsun and his team also take pride in showing how to make traditional Lamian noodles, which are prepared fresh by kneading, pulling, twisting and stretching the dough into strands. The length and thickness of the strands depends on the number of times the dough is folded. Literally “la” means to pull or stretch, while “mian” means noodle.

A chef shows how to make traditional hand-pulled noodles.

Available for both lunch and dinner, diners can order the fresh noodles cooked in different styles such as noodle soup with lobster in Shanghai sauce (Bt999) or with river prawn in Sichuan sauce (Bt399). For a more spicy kick, opt for tom yum noodle with sea bass (Bt265) or with mala sauce (Bt265) – a popular spicy and mouth-numbing Chinese sauce made from Sichuanese peppercorn, chilli pepper and various spices simmered with oil.

Lamian noodle with river prawn and Sichuan sauce

Although more than 100 a la carte dishes are already on the menu, Kongsun has created another four. Maine Lobster (Bt2,555) offers a whole lobster steamed either with black pepper sauce or garlic butter and a lamb chop grilled with coffee sauce (Bt1,355). Australian Abalone are braised with vegetables (Bt3,555) and Wagyu Rib Eye is wok-fried with black pepper sauce (Bt3,555).

Steamed Maine lobster with garlic butter

“For European cuisine, mint or kiwi sauces are traditionally used as a complement to roast lamb but we Chinese prefer to cook lamb with either black pepper sauce or red Chinese wine sauce. I decided on a new sauce that is made from a combination of coffee powder, oyster sauce and lamb stock,” says the chef.

Grilled lamb chop with coffee sauce

TAKE AN APPETITE ALONG

Dynasty on the 24th floor of Centara Grand at CentralWorld is open daily for lunch from 11.30am to 2.30pm, and dinner from 6 to 10.30pm.

Book your table by calling (02)100 6255 or email diningcgcw@chr.co.th.