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By Martin Dean
If deep fried prawns san tong style or stir fried crab in hot chilli
sauce fire your imagination then a visit to The Chinese Restaurant
in the Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok, is a must. Here you can dine
in one of eight private rooms or relax in the elegant black stone
and glass d?cor, enjoying the renowned dim sum lunches or simply
falling in love with Chef Lau's signature dishes.
The sound of the traffic outside as my friend, Sharda and I made
our way into the cool atmosphere of the Grand Hyatt Erawan could
only be faintly heard as the sound proof door opened and closed
behind us. After a few steps it ceased completely and we were in
another environment entirely. We made our way past Spasso Restaurant
where I had recently eaten, to the appropriately named "The
Chinese Restaurant". I expected great things from and of course
expected it to live up to its reputation as the place for the Who's
Who crowd of Bangkok.
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The first thing that caught my eye was the cracked glass of the
restaurant, this almost frosted design (separating segments of the
restaurant from floor to ceiling) was "a signature design of
The Chinese Restaurant" and proved very popular with my partner
and I. As we made our way to the table which would have comfortably
fitted four but accommodated only two on this occasion, I was enticed
by the low lighting and the subtle ambiance of the d?cor. Soft classical
music ushered us in, adding to our seduction.
The Chinese Restaurant has undergone major changes in the last three
months. For twelve years the same chef had been in residence but
now a new gentleman is on the block so to speak. "Chef Lau
has been here for three months" Khun Pam informed me - the
PR lady for the Grand Hyatt and he has "implemented a new style
and tradition." I glanced through the menu and before ordering,
anticipated with eagerness if his new signature dishes would elevate
our dining pleasure to innovative heights and pleasures.
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On this menu you will find dishes such as; Birds nest soup with
crab roe, Emperors shark fin, Buddha jumps over the wall, Braised
Abalone with fish maw, Drunken prawns, Wok fried eel with X.O sauce,
Braised Abalone with chicken, BBQ suckling pig with jellyfish, Double
steamed imperial birds nest soup and Sweet corn soup with crab meat.
With a menu as diverse as this it is almost a shame not to order
many dishes just to try the eclectic delights in front of me. I
could see that Chef Lau had indeed done his homework.
My partner and I already had some delicious fruit shakes on our
table when our soups arrived. I had chosen the aforementioned sweet
corn with crab meat whilst my partner was teased by the seafood
with bean curd. Both proved delicious and our conversation flowed
easily between the delights of the cuisine in front of us, the food
practically melting in our respective mouths.
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As we waited for the main course, Khun Pam informed me that "the
eight private rooms were designed in the restaurant to allow the
Who's Who crowd who frequent the bistro to maintain their anonymity
and this is was a very important factor in the design" I mentioned
that it was very easy to communicate as a whisper seemed to travel
across the confines of the table with ease, allowing one not to
have to raise one's voice. The important factor was that the noise
did not travel from table to table - in keeping with the anonymity
factor. As I glanced around I could see that the majority of the
crowd were Asian although there was the occasional Westerner in
my line of vision.
Chef Lau presented us with our main courses; I had opted for the
dish he earlier recommend, Deep-fried prawns san tong style, while
Sharda had decided upon jellyfish with sesame seeds. He bade us
a healthy appetite and was kind enough to converse with me for a
few moments, "I look upon it as a great challenge to reinvent
the restaurant and to have created new signature dishes that are
much more difficult to describe that to experience." I agreed
that they were indeed distinctive, I would loved to have spent more
time talking with him but he was called away to prepare some more
much anticipated dishes. Next time, I thought to myself.
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I really enjoyed my dish; I can only urge you to try this signature
dish for yourself to experience the joys of it. I have eaten in
many top class restaurants but this delight was my favourite of
all time; it was very much complimented by the mixed sea food rice
that Sharda had ordered for us. I have to admit I was not too keen
on trying my companion's dish. Having been a scuba diver for many
years and having seen jellyfish up close, knowing that they can
sting quite badly, had sort of put me off, but I was coaxed into
it. I must admit that the sesame seeds really do add a kick to the
flavour. It was a dish that both surprised me and pleased me and
I was happy to have sampled it but still pleased that I had gone
with the Chef's recommendation.
Any aficionado will be well pleased by the numerous wines available
to compliment their meal, just ask one of the waiters and they will
be more than happy to give a recommendation, or make the choice
yourself; whichever makes you happy. Other signature dishes available
are, in no particular order; Braised crab meat with marrow, Braised
eggplant with pork and dried bonito flakes, Baked crab with minced
pork in hot pot, Wok-baked river prawns with lemon grass and black
pepper and Almond flavoured shrimp ball with green cabbage.
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After enjoying our dishes immensely, Sharda and I settled down
for dessert - one of my favourite courses in any restaurant. I once
again went with the recommended, Mango tart with vanilla ice-cream
whilst my companion opted for Deep fried taro dumplings filled with
strawberry and banana. We also had some Chinese tea to settle ourselves
whilst we waited. Both dishes were extraordinary but I must say
having tried the deep fried taro dumplings they were tremendous
and a suitable way to finish off any meal; not to say that mine
was not good but Sharda's was the cream of the crop.
With darkness having descended outside and the moon hanging in the
sky, we bade a farewell to the Chinese restaurant, both our appetites
satisfied. Discovering a restaurant that has just undergone a revitalising
change, I felt privileged to have been there and to have sampled
such a delightful selection. I knew that it was with a glad heart
that Chef Lau has created these dishes and that it has been a labour
of love for him. I look forward to the day when I shall return.
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