What is it?: Refined dim sum and Chinese banquet classics in an elegant, bright and airy space at the Carlton Hotel in Sukhumvit.
Why we love it: Hotel dim sum is a staple tradition for weekend lunch in Bangkok, but few do it as well as Wah Lok, with ethereally light buns and meaty steamed dumplings (the har gow being especially exquisite). It makes sense – the original Wah Lok is at the Carlton in Singapore, home to some of the most demanding Chinese diners in the world. Beyond that, expect high-quality modern Cantonese cuisine from Chef Lam Kok Weng. A dish of fried tofu with spinach will show up even the grumpiest tofu sceptic, while fried prawn with wasabi dressing reinterprets Japanese ideas in a Cantonese context, and the crispy skin on the Peking duck is pure candy.
Time Out tip: If you don’t have the chance to go with a group, the weekday business lunch (starting at B900) really does feature much of the best of the menu, and given the amount of premium seafood involved, it might be one of Bangkok’s best deals.