Shang Palace

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Shang Palace 香宮
@ Sharila-la Hotel Bangkok

One of top 3 hotels’ Chinese restaurants in Bangkok is China House (the Oriental Hotel) serving nouvelle Chinese cuisine in a 1930 old Shanghai-tang ambience with a bright red and darken interior after its renovation two years ago, the monkey look lead my hesitation to support this once famed restaurant anymore, besides I hate Chinese food being fusion. Then come to Mei Jiang (the Peninsula Hotel), good food good tea but snobbish service and I am always lazy to cross the river. So for years, Shang Palace (the Shangri-la Hotel) earns my praise for its Chinese cuisine with the Cantonese accent. Although compare to top eateries in Hong Kong, Shang Palace shall have a long way to catch up with; but in Bangkok where exquisite Chinese restaurants with a real twist is so hard to find, Shang Palace passes the mark.

My favorite starter is the Peking Duck (B1,100++), well marinated whole duck barbequed to perfection, then peeled (in front of us) the duck skin as thin as a sheet of paper without the trace of fat, eaten with warm small rice flour wrapper and condiments, bravo! Second choice maybe Roasted Goose (B600++) which is a popular dish in prominent restaurants in Hong Kong but not in Bangkok, Shang Palace includes this signature Cantonese roasted dish in the special menu.For soup it shall be the Shark’s Fin in the Egg-white Wrapper in Supreme Soup (B1,000++), creative and delicious. The soup with preserved vegetable with the (leftover) duck meat is another ideal choice to clear our palate; it is included in the Peking Duck order when we ordered one.

Shang Palace has an array of fruit dishes, such as Stir-fried Duck Meat with Mango (B500++), Stir-fried Beef Fillet with Rose Apple (B500++), Fried Prawn with Lemon Sauce (B650++), and Stir-fried Fresh Lily Bulb and Celery (B350++). They are very welcomed dishes in a tropical country likes Thailand.



From the sea, fishes, choices are always limited in Bangkok. Steamed Red Grouper (a coral trout) in Hot Oil and Soy Sauce (around B1,700++) and Deep Fried Sand Goby (bamboo fish) in Warm Soy Sauce (around B800++) are better choices in Shang Palace. E-fu (small flat noodles) with Crab Meat (B280++) and Deep-Fried Rice Flour Bun are good substitute for steamed rice.

To wrap up the dinner, I always go for a cup of Mango Pudding (B90++), with Chocolate Ice Cream (B300++) from the Next2 Café. If you are looking for something special, Double-boiled Hasima in Red Date Soup (B200++) will set you a height in the gourmet search; this is snow frog ovaries found in western desert of China. Exotic isn’t it? To pamper your skin try the Braised Bird-nest with Coconut Milk in Whole Grilled Coconut (B800++), best bird-nest dessert in Bangkok.Being a Shangri-la’s Prestige membership holder, I receive my portion of meal free of charge while dining with friend(s). So this is one more good reason to dine at Shang Palace on top of the chef’s above average culinary skills.

Our Ratings (1 to 5 the higher the better): Shang Palace has [4]
(Ratings are based on Food, Service and Ambience, with Price taken into account in relation to Quality) Food =4, Service=4, Ambiance=4, Money Worth=4

Price range for two without drinks (incl. local water) in Thai Baht = BBBBB
(B=below 200, BB=201-500, BBB=501-1,000, BBBB=1,001-2,000, BBBBB=over 2,000)

Details: open daily Lunch 11:30am -2:30pm; Dinner 6:30 - 10:30pm
Shang Palace Chinese Restaurant, Shangri-la Hotel, 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Thailand; Tel.: 02-206 8677
http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/bangkok/shangrila/dining

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