We sometimes find it ridiculous that, despite the fact that one-third (or even half) of the Bangkok population is Thai-Chinese, there are very few new Chinese restaurant openings, especially when compared to Western ones. There are even less for those grand, fine-dining types. Which is why were pretty stoked about Yao, the new Chinese restaurant and bar that crowns the newly opened Marriott Hotel on Surawong Road.
Set on the 32nd floor of the hotel tower, the restaurant provides commanding views of downtown Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River. Modern Shanghai-inspired decor in dark, seductive hues, along with elaborate Chinese ornaments and brass sculptures reflect the dining room’s name, which means “glory” in Mandarin. There are five rooms for private gatherings, with the biggest one able to fit up to 20 people.
Yao prides itself on being one of the few diners in Bangkok to offer Shanghainese cuisine along with Cantonese delicacies—all of which are churned out by a kitchen team led by Chinese chefs. Lunch offers a selection of tasty and sizeable dim sum bites such as har gow and siu mai, as well as xiao long bao, which is offered in both the traditional steamed way and in the fried version—the latter of which is a rare Shanghainese dish you may not find elsewhere. These bites go particularly well with Yao’s housemade chili sauce,
The dinner menu gets fancier. Start off with a platter of nine Chinese snacks (B488) before moving on to savory favorites like fried green beans with dried tofu (B328), a simple dish that tastes darn good, and lobster in XO fried river prawn with oolong tea sauce (B1,588). Order some hand-pulled noodles if you want to inject a bit of fun to your meal. Upon order, the Chinese chef will rush to your table to show off his noodle-pulling magic. The noodles then go back to the kitchen and return spicy gravy (B458). Don’t forget to pair you dishes with fine tea (to helps cut through the grease), and end your meal with your choice of Chinese desserts.
Yao may not wow you with eye-popping, elaborately presented dishes, but it does offer everything you would want for a decent Chinese meal. If you have more time to hang around, go up to Yao Rooftop, the restaurant’s bar, for Shanghaiinspired drinks paired with gorgeous views.
