Hong Bao Bangkok

What are the chances you'll stumble upon a good (if not fantastic) dim sum place in the heart of Bangkok? Ask me this question a few months back and my answer to you would be "probably never". Hong Bao, a Chinese restaurant helmed by acclaimed chefs from Hong Kong, will change your mind about Chinese food in Bangkok. They currently have 4 restaurants that boast long queues during the weekends, and they get extremely packed during dinner time, even on a weekday.

For a start, we tried a few dim sum dishes. Like the usuals, the Superior Steamed Shrimp Dumplings had good bite, with semi-translucent skin wrapped around. The Steamed Rice Rolls with Cryspies Shrimp is a good rendition to the traditional rice rolls we usually get with fresh prawns or barbecued pork - the inner boasting a good crunch with shrimp, something that you can relate to a tempura. All eyes however, were on the Hong Bao Steamed Supreme Pork Dumpling with Abalone - a generously filled pork dumpling topped with a braised mini abalone. Extravagant you would think, but it comes with a reasonable price tag.

Also to try would be their Barbecued Meat which comes in three different assortments. We enjoyed the caramelised char siew with the right notes of sweetness on the outside which was tender and juicy. The roasted pork however, stole the limelight with biscuit like skin that crackles on your first bite. You should also try your luck asking for some truffle mayonnaise on the side (which actually comes with the Fried Crispy Spring Rolls), because it was simply divine when we dipped the roast pork into it.

A few other dishes we tried include the Sand Goby steamed with Soya Sauce, as well as the Stir-Fried Spicy Chilli Hong Kong Style Shrimps. The seafood for both dishes were extremely fresh, and if you can take a bit of spiciness, we suggest going for the shrimps. They also serve crab in that same style (Stir-Fried Spicy Chilli Hong Kong Style), in case you were wondering.

The prices at Hong Bao are generally very reasonable if you compare it to reputable Chinese-Cantonese restaurants in Singapore. The quality of course, is also comparable, with the dim sum dishes highly raved about by the locals there. Will we be back the next time we visit Bangkok? Most definitely!



Hong Bao
Central Embassy, 5th Floor
1031 Ploenchit Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
+662 160 5679
www.hongbaorestaurant.com


This was an invited media tasting.