Cantonese delight

The first thought that struck my mind as I stepped into the crowded Wah Lok restaurant was: "How had I not known this place before?"

The vibe of the dining room, like the clientele, seemed casual but committed. Despite it being a Friday lunch, there was a mix of business executives and families -- obviously those in the know.

Wah Lok first opened its doors in Bangkok in March, just two weeks before a nationwide shutdown. The Cantonese restaurant is the signature eatery of the Carlton Hotel brand, which was established in Singapore in 1989.

Over the past three decades, Wah Lok has garnered numerous culinary awards and is treasured by Cantonese cuisine connoisseurs in the Lion City and across the region. As soon as the news about its arrival in Bangkok spread, fans have been quick to respond.

Located on the 2nd floor of Carlton Sukhumvit hotel, the 194-seater resumed its dine-in operation in mid-July. Since then, crowds have promptly poured in and business has never been slow.

One of the reasons for its fame may be the result of its long-running reputation of being an original establishment. However, there's also another key factor which has helped it draw customers and keep them coming back for more.

That is culinary perfection by executive Chinese chef Lam Kok Weng.

Originally from China's Guangdong province, chef Lam is not a new face in Bangkok's food scene. Over the past 15 years, he has managed the kitchen of various 5-star hotel restaurants and accumulated a number of awards including Iron Chef Thailand.

His dexterity in his native Cantonese cuisine plus the fact that he was -- 30 years ago -- part of Wah Lok Singapore's opening team makes him ideal to lead the new outlet.

The crispy prawn with wasabi dressing.

The restaurant's menu is a unification of the brand's signature dishes and chef Lam's creations.

Dishes are housed in various categories such as roasted meat and barbecued items, abalone and bird's nest, live seafood, meat and poultry, rice and noodle dishes, vegetarian and desserts.

For example, there are dozens of choices of dim sum -- available only at lunchtime -- from steamed to deep-fried delicacies, both classics and house-crafted.

My personal recommendation of the not-to-be-missed dim sum items includes steamed lobster and scallop dumplings (180 baht), steamed vegetarian dumpling with mushroom and bamboo pith in truffle oil (120 baht) and deep-fried taro with seafood filling (120 baht).

The dumplings came piping hot with soft translucent skin that encased the scrumptious centre. Among them, the lobster and scallop filling was plump and succulent while the mushroom filling proved aromatic, crunchy and addictive.

Other items worth having are the crystal-skin shrimp dumplings with beetroot (140 baht), steamed shrimp and pork dumplings with fish roe (140 baht) and golden-skin baked barbecued pork bun (120 baht).

From the a la carte menu, crispy fish skin with salted egg yolk showcases the restaurant's refined rendering of Singapore's favourite snack.

The savoury sweet glazing sauce, made with salted yolk, didn't taste too eggy but instead had a pleasant buttery touch that complemented the brittle fish skin perfectly.

The Peking duck comes with classic steamed pancake and paper-thin omelette sheets.

Also very popular are crispy prawns with wasabi dressing (580 baht). The restaurant serves deep-fried lightly battered prawns with a slightly crispy exterior and plump, springy and flavourful centre, thoroughly coated with delicious wasabi-flavoured mayonnaise.

If you're a fan of tofu, chef Lam's deep-fried homemade bean curd and spinach in XO chilli sauce (360 baht), one of the restaurant's highlights, will surely satisfy.

For beef buffs, I highly recommend sautéed Australian beef tenderloin cubes with garlic and black pepper sauce (780 baht). The dish has a taste profile that reminded me of a Hong Kong-style sweet and sour steak while the texture proved extraordinarily tender.

Peking duck (1,600 baht) here is one of the best in town. The thin and crispy duck skins come with two types of pancake wrap: the classic steamed flour pancakes and paper-thin omelette sheets imported from Singapore. I preferred the first.

To end the meal, durian aficionados cannot afford to miss crispy durian ice-cream (180 baht). The spectacular treat featured a hefty serving of house-made durian gelato in a fluffily crusty deep-fried golden shell. Lending a tangy balance to the super-rich and creamy delicacy was a passion fruit sauce.

Those looking for a light, clean and refreshing alternative, I recommend they settle for chilled lemongrass jelly with fresh fruit and aloe vera (150 baht).

The restaurant has four private rooms, each can accommodate up to 10 guests.

Whether it be on weekday or weekend, the restaurant is always packed. Reservations are therefore highly recommended.