Enjoy Cantonese specialities in a dining hall that exudes regal splendour at Summer Palace.

By Christy Lau

Chinese food is easily one of the most sought-after cuisines in the world, thanks to the versatile array of dishes, covering everything from stir-fry and steamed varieties to noodles, soups and porridges. Of course, dim sum is a popular choice, and thankfully for us, Summer Palace at the InterContinental Bangkok is well-known for its magnificent all-you-can-eat dim sum lunch buffet and Cantonese à la carte specialities.

Now if you desire to dine at a restaurant where the décor is just as jaw-dropping as the food, Summer Palace with its luxe table settings and painted ceilings is exactly what you’re seeking. Guests sit on plush red chairs surrounded by dark polished wooden pillars, underneath glittering chandeliers. If you’re looking for more of the royal treatment, 10 private rooms entice large groups to meet in opulent seclusion.

But when it comes to the food, the traditional setting belies its innovative cuisine. Although most of the dishes stay true to its roots, Chef Han Long Hua uses some Japanese and Thai influences, elevating the usual to become more exceptional.

Food and Drink

Focusing mainly on seafood delights, the dim sum lunch buffet is set at B800++ from Monday to Friday, and B1,150++ on weekends. Diners can fill their stomachs with quintessential dim sum picks, such as Steamed prawn dumplings, Steamed pork dumplings with shrimp roe and Steamed BBQ pork buns, each one worthy of praise for its authenticity and the freshness of the ingredients used. Meanwhile, Chef Han Long Hua shows his creativity with Steamed seafood Chinese parsley dumplings; juicy bites of shellfish inside an attractive neon-coloured dumpling. Then, there are the Wok-fried radish cakes with vegetables and XO sauce, a perfectly balanced dish with the subtle smoky flavour of the radish cakes complementing the sharpness of the bean sprouts and green onions.

Another dim sum staple is the Steamed rice flour rolls with shrimps and enoki mushrooms, a dish with a great mix of textures, from the silkiness of the rice rolls enveloping fresh chewy shrimps to the delicate mushrooms, all soaked in a sweet and flavourful sauce. Rounding things off is the Steamed creamy custard bun, a classic dessert done splendidly, as the soft, white bread gives way to a rich, creamy centre.

Off the à la carte menu, we highly recommend you order the Snowfish stuffed with mashed shrimp (B120++), a delectable dim sum delicacy that is juicy, tender and rich. Another crowd pleaser is the Deep-fried pork and taro dumplings wrapped in bean curd skin (B350++). One bite gets you an addictive mix of creamy taro and pork, along with the crispiness from the bean curd. The spicy-sour sauce is the proverbial cherry atop this cleverly-executed dish. Then there are the Deep-fried wasabi prawns with mango salsa (B790++). Prawn lovers will love this one, as the seafood is large, wonderfully fresh and fried to perfection, while the rich flavour of the shellfi sh is brought out by the tangy, sweet mango and wasabi-infused sauce. For a comforting soup, try the Xiao Long dumpling with dried scallops, bamboo pith and cabbage soup (B550++). A sip will remind you of hearty home-made meals, which nourish and rejuvenate.

For the main, we tried the Wok sautéed cube Wagyu beef with black peppercorns (B830++), a great example of a fusion dish done well. Tender cubes of Japanese Wagyu beef are stir-fried on high heat with peppercorns giving the meat a distinctive fiery kick. Served with mixed vegetables, it wasn’t long before the plate was wiped clean. Finally, we were treated to a delicious Chinese-style dessert which came in the form of Crispy Chinese pancake stuffed with durian (B300++). Similar to a puff pastry, this was crumbly but soft, with every bite bursting with unmistakable durian flavour.

The Summer Palace offers a wide variety of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, along with an impressive list of teas. The signature Summer Paradise (B320++) will get everyone in the mood for a tropical getaway, with its fruity flavours incorporating Vodka raspberry, orange Curacao, raspberry puree and pineapple. If you’ll rather stay sober, the Moneypenny (B210++) is a mocktail that also uses raspberry puree, but switches it up with passion fruit, orange and apple juice for a refreshing and revitalising accompaniment to a majestic meal.

SUMMER PALACE

Mezzanine Level, InterContinental Bangkok

973 Phloen Chit Road, 10330

Tel: 02 656 0444 ext. 6434

Open daily: 11.30am to 2pm for lunch; 6pm to 10.30pm for dinner

www.bangkok.intercontinental.com/dining-summer-palace