Review

Summer Palace, at the Intercontinental Hotel Bangkok, recently re-opened after renovation. This signature Cantonese restaurant received a soft retouch, lending it a fresh and vibrant ambience tucked away from the busy entrance lobby. Coming with the revamp a culinary master has arrived. Chef Yau has a stellar background and brings to Summer Palace, signature dishes with a contemporary presentation and composition. Begin with Chef Yau's specialty of Iberico pork char siu, chunks of delicious, premium pork coated with a tasty barbecue sauce. Follow with a genius soup of fish maw with shredded chicken, delicate and comforting. Main courses are equally well executed with Phuket lobster, the flesh pearlescent and surrounded with crab roe, egg white and green asparagus. Sounding simple yet anything but, the flavour profile complex and moreish. Follow with tea-smoked chicken or a magical beef short rib. Reaching the finale, a generous bowl of Summer Palace fried rice arrives to confirm that the cooking here has indeed reached a new level; predominantly filled with an array of seafood; rice perfection. There is an extensive dim sum all you can eat menu available at lunch, plus the a la carte menu. Summer Palace is certainly a worthy competitor to any of the Cantonese offerings in town.