Royal China Recipe

Although Bangkok has numerous Chinese restaurants, most of them are a bit of a bore. They invariably serve standard international renditions of Cantonese food, which is fine, but there is much more to Chinese food than this. Also, the food often has a bad case of the ‘blahs’; it arrives at the table mushy and lukewarm without the crisp freshness that characterizes much of the food of China.

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And finally, there is the decor. Although there are some notable exceptions, ‘garish’ is the most appropriate word for describing Bangkok’s Chinese restaurants.

The Royal China Recipe is a refreshing exception to all of these generalizations.

To start with, in addition to Cantonese dishes, the restaurant has selections from the Sichuan, Shandong and Jiangsu cuisines. The menu includes high quality photographs of most of the dishes served so you always have an idea of what you will be eating. Here is a summary of some of what we enjoyed during a recent visit.

Braised beef with potatoes isn’t something one normally associates with Chinese food, but this preparation with its potatoes and five spice powder, ginger and star anise spicing is a scrumptious and filling dish. If you are only used to Chinese food that has been stir-fried or steamed, this dish will introduce a whole new world to you.

Sautéed diced beef with black pepper was probably our favorite dish. The beef possesses bite from the black pepper, but this is offset by the sweetness of the diced ‘bell peppers included with it.

Red roast pork is available in most Chinese restaurants, but the Roasted crispy roast pork loin at Royal China Recipe is a delicious alternative. Juicy and without a hint of dryness, the crispy skin takes roast pork to new heights. If you can’t finish it, take some home with you. It makes fantastic sandwiches!

Other dishes we enjoyed were the Signature roast duck and Fried eggplant and taro. The only dish we tried that didn’t excite our taste buds was the Fried chicken with almonds. We found the chicken a bit spongy and the almonds that covered the entire piece of chicken a bit overwhelming.

These descriptions are just the tip of the iceberg. The restaurant has a large menu and we plan to return several times to give more of the unique sounding items a try.

Mr. Lee the proprietor of Royal China Recipe immigrated to Thailand 23 years ago. He was originally in the furniture business and used his skills in designing and furnishing the restaurant. “Everything you see here, I designed or purchased myself,” he proudly told us.

The results of Mr. Lee’s efforts are unmistakably Chinese, but with a warm and friendly feel that is intensified by numerous antique furnishings and furniture designed by Mr. Lee. The servers also contribute to the restaurant’s homey warmth. Many of them have been at Royal China Recipe for several years and they are all obviously proud of the restaurant in which they work. In addition to the main dining area, there is a separate room for private gatherings.

There are a wide variety of drinks available, including beer, wine and a good selection of shochu, Chinese whiskey and other spirits.

The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 am - 11:00 pm.

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