The Xing Fu Chinese restaurant in the Novotel Lotus Hotel on Sukhumvit 33 in Bangkok, Thailand has always maintained a different outlook on Chinese food than its many contemporaries in this city. Instead of the predictable menus that most other Chinese restaurants have in this mecca of Cantonese cuisine, Xing Fu has marched to the beat of a different drummer, mixing traditional Cantonese dishes with a few Indian/Chinese combinations and the odd Szechwan-inspired dish as well.
Over the years I have visited the restaurant on a number of occasions and have had refreshing experiences by being able to order dishes that were not available anyplace else in Bangkok. My most recent visit (January, 2009) confirmed that this is still possible and the Szechwan dishes proved to still be my favorites. The hot and sour soup is still the best I’ve had in Bangkok and the spicy bean curd in a Szechwan-style sauce is also unique.
I also sampled some very good dim sum dishes – the restaurant has about 30 varieties – with the crab claws and radish cakes among the best of the bunch as far as my tastes are concerned. Another great dish, which I have had elsewhere on occasion but which is very well done here, is the deep-fried prawns with a creamy sauce that almost is like a mayonnaise in texture and taste. This is definitely worth ordering any time you are here.
A sizzling prawn dish with black pepper sauce is another favorite and there are many others as well. As far as traditional dishes there are both Hong Kong and Beijing versions of roasted duck and also a Hong Kong barbecued duck as well as beef and bean curd hot pot dishes, fried pork spare ribs "Hong Kong" style, sweet and sour pork and a sizzling fillet of beef with black pepper sauce. The menu is not enormous like many Chinese restaurants in the city, the chef instead concentrating on offering a representation of a variety of styles with only a few dishes of each.
The end result is certainly a confirmation of his philosophy as each dish is well thought out and presented and many different styles and flavors are covered. I even did something that I hardly ever do: at the urging of Food & Beverage Director Mr. Chatree I ordered a mango pudding for dessert. It was a wise decision as it was a simple yet excellent and delicious way to end a fine meal.
In this comfortable room with its finely brocaded furniture, mauve décor and Chinese artifacts you will discover both traditional Chinese cuisine and also some food that is a bit out of the ordinary, with the combination of the two making for an enjoyable dining experience, one that you will probably not be able to duplicate anywhere else in Bangkok.
See http://bangkokdining.ning.com/profiles/blog/list for info on Bangkok restaurants.
Tags: Thailand | Style | opinion | bangkok | Cuisine | chinese restaurant bangkok | chinese food bangkok | novotel lotus hotel bangkok
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