Luk Yu Tea House @ Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong - 陸羽茶室 @ 中環士丹利街香港

Cuisine: Chinese / Cantonese (Dim Sum)

Map: Luk Yu Tea House @ Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong - 陸羽茶室 @ 中環士丹利街香港

Price: HKD100 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 12 July 2014

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 5/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Thinking of trying high end dim sum with elegant and classic ambient, Luk Yu Tea House may just be the answer for you. Luk Yu is located on Stanley Street in Central district of Hong Kong and is pretty close to Yat Lok, the superb roasted goose. Luk Yu can be rather busy daily through out the whole morning. Make sure of reservation if you are thinking to go. When we were there, it was not so busy and we were seated on the first floor. The thing about Luk Yu, as we have heard, is that the higher floor you go up, the less class it is: i.e. ground floor is the most elegant and classic in style and with more polite staff (if I understand correctly).

What I like about Luk Yu is the way they have kept the traditional style of serving: staffs come with a tray of various dim sum choices to be chosen. This is a place where traditional style is served with much less noise that other places. However, this elegant and classic thing does come at a price. Expect to pay up to HKD200 a head for a proper dim sum breakfast. The thing I noticed is there was not many tourists here and many who visit this place are seemed to be those wealthy end of the class.

Luk Yu Tea House @ Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong

rather elegant looking entrance

old fashion dim sum serving method

Staffs here do not speak very good English. However, do not worry much about your ordering. Ask for English menu, from then you can compare with what they have in the tray. One to be noticed is served tea. It is not just the typical jasmine tea or oolong tea. Tea served here is Pu Erh Tea which is a famous dark tea mainly from Yunnan province of China. This has its distinct aroma and flavour as well as is well known for its good for health (suppress cholesterol if I was correct).

Pu Erh Tea (HKD32 per person)

menu in Chinese

menu in English

Here is the range of what we had for the light breakfast: 1) tofu sheet dumpling, 2) steamed garoupa roll, 3) Chinese mushroom and chicken meat in glutinous rice, 4) fresh shrimp dumpling, and 5) steamed barbecued pork bun. All were at average kind of taste. Nothing is so delicious in particular. The one that I may suggest is Chinese mushroom and chicken meat in glutinous rice. I did enjoy this dish at some level. It is not the wow kind of delicious, I repeat. However, I felt that the flavour of stuffing was balance and the chewy texture of the glutinous rice dough was delightful.

The bill came around HKD100 per head for this light breakfast which was expensive for what we got from my view. Nevertheless, I did enjoy experiencing the ambient here. For the last point, I would just like to briefly mention about the service. When we were there, staffs were quite nice and polite. However, we have heard some rumours about the impoliteness of staffs at Luk Yu. Perhaps we were there on a good mood day of their staffs (^.^).

tofu sheet dumpling????

steamed garoupa roll, if I was correct (HKD50)

stuffing of the roll

Chinese mushroom and chicken meat in glutinous rice (HKD98)

fresh shrimp dumpling (HKD42)

steamed barbecued pork bun (HKD42)

stuffing of the bun

Luk Yu Tea House @ Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong - 陸羽茶室 @ 中環士丹利街香港
24-26 Stanley Street
Central
Hong Kong

Open Hours: daily 07:00am - 09:00pm

Tel: +852 2523 5463-5

Yuan Chinese Restaurant @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok - ภัตราคารอาหารจีน หยวน @ โรงแรมมิลเลนเนียม ฮิลตัน กรุงเทพ

Cuisine: Chinese (dim sum)

Map: Yuan @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok - หยวน @ โรงแรมมิลเลนเนียม ฮิลตัน กรุงเทพ

Price: THB1,000 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 23 March 2014

Food: 5/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 3/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [ 1=poor ----- 5=average/standard ----- 10=outstanding/exceptional ]

It was a fine Sunday that I had an unexpected chance to visit Yuan @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok. Never heard of its popularity before. The first impression was a surprise that the place was indeed full. There would be not seat for us without reservation surely. The second thought came into mind that this must be a good meal.

On the side of atmosphere, I do like the fact about large windows that offer clients good view of Chao Phraya River and the sunlight of course. The place is spacious with each table at good distance apart. However, the decoration and furniture range give somewhat confusion in terms of mood and tone to my sense.

Yuan Chinese Restaurant @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok

spacious restaurant with good view of Chao Phraya River

As in other Chinese restaurants nowadays, Yuan offers the "all you can eat dim sum" too which comes at the price of THB850++ per head. Personally, the buffet thing can always be expensive if you are not a big eater. But you can the chance to try a little of many things. Anyway, I did give it a go even buffet has never been my kind of thing.

I did not try many dishes during the occasion as there were only 2 of us. Yet, it should give you enough range to get the impression of dim sum at Yuan. None of the dishes I ordered were great. They all were just standard dim sum that you don't even need to come to high end restaurant for it. The one disappointment was mango pudding. It was kind of soft, meaning no bouncy texture. I do not like it though.

Perhaps, my initial thought about this place to be fabulous was wrong. It was ok to eat. But surely not buffet thing as it won't boost appetite that much. By the way, there is no BTS or MRT near Millennium Hilton Bangkok so driving only. Well, I personally won't give this place a return if there are still many better places for dim sum in town. But if you were to come here, make sure you do ask for window seats to at least enjoy the view of Chao Phraya River. Below is the list of what I experienced.

deep-fried taro puffs with roasted pork - เผือกทอดหมูแดง (6/10)
steamed prawn dumplings (har kaw) - ฮะเก๋า (6/10)
steamed white prawns with crystal fish flakes - กุ้งเต้น (5/10)
snow fish stuffed with shrimp - ปลาหิมะสอดไส้กุ้งนึ่งไข่ขาว (5/10)
steamed crab legs with minced shrimps in curry sauce - กรรเชึยงปูนึ่งผงกะหรี่ (6/10)

roasted duck and roasted pork - เป็ดย่างหมูแดง (5/10)

marinated cucumber with jelly fish - ยำแตงกวาแมงกะพรุน (5/10)

mango pudding - พุดดิ้งมะม่วง (3/10)

deep-fried taro puffs with roasted pork - เผือกทอดหมูแดง

stuffed taro and roasted pork

steamed prawn dumplings (har kaw) - ฮะเก๋า

steamed white prawns with crystal fish flakes - กุ้งเต้น

snow fish stuffed with shrimp - ปลาหิมะสอดไส้กุ้งนึ่งไข่ขาว

steamed crab legs with minced shrimps in curry sauce - กรรเชึยงปูนึ่งผงกะหรี่

roasted duck and roasted pork - เป็ดย่างหมูแดง

marinated cucumber with jelly fish - ยำแตงกวาแมงกะพรุน

mango pudding - พุดดิ้งมะม่วง

Yuan @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok - หยวน @ โรงแรมมิลเลนเนียม ฮิลตัน กรุงเทพ
123 Charoen Nakhon Road
Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San
Bangkok 10600

Thailand

Open Hours: 11:30am - 10:30pm daily

Tel: +66 (0) 2442 2000
Web: http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/thailand/millennium-hilton-bangkok-BKKHITW/dining/index.html
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Hiltonbangkok

Dim Sum @ Mei Jiang, The Peninsula Bangkok - ติ๋มซำ @ ห้องอาหารเมเจียง โรงแรมเพนนินซูล่า กรุงเทพ

Cuisine: Chinese

Map: Dim Sum @ Mei Jiang, The Peninsula Bangkok - ติ๋มซำ @ ห้องอาหารเมเจียง โรงแรมเพนนินซูล่า กรุงเทพ

Price: THB700 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 22 December 2013

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Value for money: 8/10

Services: 8/10
Scale: [ 1=poor ----- 5=average/standard ----- 10=outstanding/exceptional ]

Just across the river to the other side of Bangkok, almost opposite of Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, The Peninsula Bangkok stands elegantly. Mei Jiang is the Chinese restaurant of the hotel and is located on the ground floor. It was our first time for dim sum at Mei Jiang and we were already in love with this place. The dim sum menu is just 1 page long but it is a delicious 1 page. Apart from nice dim sum, Mei Jiang also offers variety of Chinese tea. The service is as well above standard with the restaurant manager of good knowledge and humble.

Mei Jiang at The Peninsula Bangkok

already feel good from the entrance

just the menu

I personally really like the atmosphere of Mei Jiang. It is unlike other Chinese places that are usually decorated in Chinese style. This restaurant, however, is in a more contemporary style with the ambient and feeling of Chinese still preserved. The long latticed windows give the cosy and relax through eyes. You can view the Chaopraya River through the window. Flatware and cutlery are also elegant. The restaurant is really spacey and also large private dining rooms can be arranged upon request.

classic colonial decor with charming wooden and silk furniture

comfy and spacious

Chinese tea range

flatware setting

The first two that I would like to pay attention on were barbecued pork puff - พายหมูแดง  (9/10) and Shanghainese pork dumplings with Shaoxing wine - ขนมจีบเซี่ยงไฮ้ (9/10). These were typical Cantonese dim sum dishes that can be found in every dim sum joint. But I promise that they are really nice. The bbq pork puff was fluffy and light and flavourful filling: such a joy it was. The Shanghai Xiao Long Bao was, on the other hand, soft, juicy, and classic. The traditional vinegar sauce well balanced the palate touch.

amuse bouche (forget what it was T.T)

barbecued pork puff - พายหมูแดง (THB95)

the filling of pork puff

Shanghainese pork dumplings with Shaoxing wine - ขนมจีบเซี่ยงไฮ้ (THB115)

dumpling dipping into vinegar sauce

For the range of traditional dumplings, they were enjoyable but not in particular interesting. I would like to put it more in this way that they were made of fine ingredients but just lack of charm. Har Gaw or crystal prawn dumplings may be a step tastier than siu mai in this place. Anyway, people usually do not get bored with good classic range.

traditional siu mai - ขนมจีบ (7/10)
crystal prawn dumplings - ฮะเก๋า (8/10)
steamed shrimp dumplings and gung choi - เกี๊ยวกุ้งผักกุงชอย (8/10)

traditional siu mai - ขนมจีบ (THB125)

crystal prawn dumplings - ฮะเก๋า (THB125)

steamed shrimp dumplings and gung choi - เกี๊ยวกุ้งผักกุงชอย (THB115)

Steamed spare ribs with roasted black bean sauce - ซี่โครงหมูนึ่งซอสเต้าซี่ (6/10) might be the least famous dish of the meal. The pork was tender and fine but the overall taste was too light for the dish from our perspective. Crispy Japanese turnip rolls wrapped in rice noodles - ก๋วยเตี๋ยวหลอดไส้เปาะเปี๊ยะ (7/10) was, on the other hand, a more interesting choice. I am one of those who usually like fried dough wrapped in rice noodles. Here at Mei Jiang, the fried dough was also filled with prawn which offered another dimension. Nevertheless, the filling was not crisp enough to my liking. As the flavour was already great, if it could be crispier, this would be one of my favourite dish here. Next was steamed custard cream buns - เมเจียงคัสตาร์ดซาลาเปา (8/10). I would say that this is on par with the famous Chef Man at Eastin. In fact, it could even be tastier. The filling was more or less as delicious but the bun was softer and less chewy texture (I prefer this kind of texture). I would come here again and again for this custard cream bun.

steamed spare ribs with roasted black bean sauce - ซี่โครงหมูนึ่งซอสเต้าซี่ (THB95)

crispy Japanese turnip rolls wrapped in rice noodles - ก๋วยเตี๋ยวหลอดไส้เปาะเปี๊ยะ (THB260)

steamed custard cream buns - เมเจียงคัสตาร์ดซาลาเปา (THB100)

the yummy runny filling

For non-dim sum dishes, they were as well sweet. Cold marinated Japanese cucumber and jellyfish salad - สลัดแมงกระพรุนและแตงกวาญี่ปุ่น (8/10) was such an enjoyable dish. We kept eating and realised again when the dish finished. I like the chewy texture of jellyfish with the light flavour of marinating dressing. The cucumber also helped balancing the flavour. I would say that this is really the dish to go for but if you are not into jellyfish, just don't try. The traditional roasted duck and barbecued pork - เป็ดย่างและหมูแดง (8/10) was a competitive one. They were simply tender, juicy, sweet, sour, and delicious. No need to say much, just order it. Preserved egg with spinach in clay pot - ผักโขมตุ๋นไข่เยี่ยวม้า (8/10) was what the restaurant manager suggested. It was not in the menu though. Preserved egg was of fine quality. The dish was rich in flavour whilst maintaining lightness of texture. It was such a good dish to end the meal. This is a dish to can replace the usual soup dish at the end of a Chinese meal. We were not disappoint with the recommendation at all.

Well, Mei Jiang is indeed in the range of my top list of Chinese restaurant in Bangkok. I would confidently say that this is the one to go for. I shall be returning more often surely.

cold marinated Japanese cucumber and jellyfish salad - สลัดแมงกระพรุนและแตงกวาญี่ปุ่น (THB460)

roasted duck and barbecued pork - เป็ดย่างและหมูแดง (THB460)

preserved egg with spinach in clay pot - ผักโขมตุ๋นไข่เยี่ยวม้า (THB480)

lovely yummy preserved egg and spinach

Dim Sum @ Mei Jiang, The Peninsula Bangkok - ติ๋มซำ @ ห้องอาหารเมเจียง โรงแรมเพนนินซูล่า กรุงเทพ

333 Charoen Nakhon Road
Khlong San
Bangkok 10600
Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 11:30am - 02:30pm for lunch and from 06:00pm - 10:30pm for dinner

Tel: +66 (0) 2861 2888 ext 6914
Web: http://www.peninsula.com/Bangkok/en/Dining/Mei_Jiang/default.aspx
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ThePeninsulaBangkok

Liu Chinese Restaurant @ Conrad Bangkok

Cuisine: Chinese (dim sum)

Map: Liu Chinese Restaurant @ Conrad Bangkok

Price: THB650 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 6 October 2013

Food: 4/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 3/10

Services: 5/10

As far as I remember, my latest visit to Liu Chinese Restaurant @ Conrad Bangkok was more than 5 years back. I kind of faintly recall my experience back then. For this time, we gave Liu a visit during Nine Emperor Gods Festival - เทศกาลกินเจ and some of our parties only consumed vegetable during the festival. Liu, without fail, also served vegetable menu during such season.

I have to say that my overall impression with Liu this time was not so great. Service was average but below 5 stars Hotel standard. Food was so-so. Value for money, of course, was not excellent for sure. Anyway, I would presume that this Chinese restaurant is one good place for a family meal. The restaurant is large and comes with various size of tables. There are also many private rooms which can be great for large group with indeed large noise or business talk. The decor is in traditional Chinese theme with wooden furniture as main parts.

Liu Chinese Restaurant @ Conrad Bangkok

Typically, dim sum dishes are parted into fried dishes and steamed dishes. For fried dishes at Liu, they were not impressive. Many dishes were not well fried leaving excess oil holding within the food. The followings are what we had:

deep fried bean curd roll with cheese - ฟองเต้าหู้ม้วนชีสทอด
deep fried prawn dumpling and salad dressing - เกี้ยวกุ้งทอดมายองเนส
deep fried egg custard buns - ซาลาเปาครีมทอด
taro dumpling - เผือกทอดซอสนมสด

The overall impression for fried dim sum at Liu would be around 3/10. I would put it as below expected standard. There have been many occasions that I come across better fried dim sum. For example deep fried egg custard buns were somewhat chewy when it was expected to be crisp outside and soft inside, and the filling was too sweet. Well, we perhaps visited Liu on a wrong day for dim sum.

deep fried bean curd roll with cheese (THB110)

deep fried prawn dumpling and salad dressing (THB110)

deep fried egg custard buns (THB90) / taro dumpling (THB110)

inside of deep fried custard buns

For steamed dim sum, they were better and more enjoyable from my perspective: 5/10 for steamed dim sum. Steamed dumpling range was on average in term of taste. For steamed rice flour rolls, we had the one filled with deep fried dough in which it is usually a nice dish on its own. However, I found that the dough was not crisp to give such joy. Anyway, here are what we had:

steamed rice flour rolls filled with crab stick - ก๋วยเตี๋ยวหลอดปาท่องโก๋
steamed minced pork buns - เซี่ยวหลงเปา
steamed minced shrimp and scallop with wasabi - ขนมจีบกุ้งหอยเชลล์วาซาบิ
X.O. sauce siu mai - ขนมจีบซอสเอ็กซ์โอ

steamed rice flour rolls filled with crab stick (THB130)

here is the square cut of steamed rice flour rolls

steamed minced pork buns (THB110)

steamed minced shrimp and scallop with wasabi (THB90)

X.O. sauce siu mai (THB110)

Dessert may be what we enjoyed the most at Liu, though they are not the best. Coconut ice-cream in young coconut (5/10), for example, creamy and not overly sweet. While chilled sago and pomelo in mango cream (5/10) was as well pleasant. Refreshing with balance between sour from pomelo and sweetness from mango. Perhaps this is the dish I, personally, like the most here at Liu.

With all of these dishes, I could say that if this was not just a wrong day for Liu, I would definitely not be returning to this Chinese place in the 5 stars hotel unless there is a big improvement.

coconut ice-cream in young coconut (THB150)

creamy and smooth coconut ice-cream

chilled sago and pomelo in mango cream (THB120)

closer look to chilled sago and pomelo in mango cream

Liu Chinese Restaurant @ Conrad Bangkok

87 Witthayu Road

Pathumwan

Bangkok 10330

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 11:30am - 02:30pm for lunch and from 06:00pm - 10:30pm for dinner

Tel: +66 (0) 2690 9999
Web: http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/thailand/conrad-bangkok-BKKCICI/index.html
FB: https://www.facebook.com/conradbangkokhotel