In the 'garden of prosperity'

CHAROEN Sirivadhanabhakdi and his TCC Group own the InterContinental Singapore and have now given Bangkok a branch of its celebrated restaurant Man Fu Yuan, choosing a wonderful setting amid 355 rai of parkland on the city’s outskirts. If nothing else, it saves folks who live in the area a trek downtown for authentic Cantonese fare.

However, there’s much more than convenience on offer at the new restaurant at the Rajpreuk Club on Vibhavadee-Rangsit Road. The menu and the interior decor match those of the Singapore original in their alluring opulence.

Beige, gold and cream hues accentuate the flora-and-fauna theme of the wallpaper and carpets, translating the restaurant’s name – “garden of prosperity”. The butterfly motif found everywhere symbolises long life and joy.

“We offer Cantonese cuisine, not ‘CanThainese’,” says Patrick Ng, TCC’s international business consultant. By that he means there is no compromise on authenticity. “The menu is just a guideline and the food is not overpriced – given a few hours’ advance notice, we can cook anything to meet your desires and your budget.”

Man Fu Yuan can accommodate 150 diners in the main area and six private rooms, each named for an auspicious flower, such as Lily, Jasmine and Orchid. The tables bear white linen and bone-china dinnerware and tea sets from Singapore. 

Meals start with a complimentary amuse-bouche, the choice changing daily. I had cold papaya salad with roast duck to prepare the palate, along with chilled 5 Elements tea. The fragrant tea’s “elements” are ginseng, rose petals, white and black tea leaves and osmanthus. There are seven other blends that match different types of items on the menu, such as Royal Red Robe for roasted meats, Wuyi Royal Daffodil for smoked, and Aged Puer for deep-fried. 

Man Fu Yuan is famed for its many varieties of dim sum, available at both lunch and dinner and in bamboo baskets for sharing or individual platters of three or four selections. I was offered a four-piece combination (Bt198) – steamed prawn dumpling, Chinese-chive dumpling stuffed with prawn and mushroom, deep-fried glutinous-rice-flour dumpling and deep-fried prawn with mango topped with wasabi sauce. For dipping there are XO sauce, soy sauce and Shanghai sauce.

Double-boiled Cordyceps with Chicken (Bt988) is made with meat that’s been slowly simmered for hours to render a clear and mild soup. The tender chicken is joined by goji berries and a species of cordyceps fungi that’s believed to improve brain function and work as an antioxidant. Ng says it’s one of the most expensive herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, costing about Bt30,000 per “tael” (37.5 grams).

Among the main dishes, I got to sample both Hong Kong-style Roasted Chicken (whole Bt1,288, half Bt688) and Crispy Roasted Pork (Bt188 for nine pieces) on the same plate. The chicken is tasty and tender under crispy skin, and the pork isn’t oily at all. 

There’s also Steamed Soon Hock Fillet with Bean Crumbs – sweet marble goby (price depending on the size of the fish at Bt170 per 100 grams). The yellow beans are crushed and cooked with dried shrimp and chilli oil and are crunchy and aromatic.

Goby, red garoupa and river prawn can be had steamed with black bean sauce or bean crumbs, steamed Hong Kong-style (with soy sauce), deep-fried, stir-fried or stewed in a casserole. 

Well worth trying are the Braised Ee-fu Noodles with River Prawn (Bt488), in a sauce made with crushed, dried sole in a light prawn stock. The egg noodles are shipped from Hong Kong and cooked al dente and have that lovely “wok-burnt” scent. The prawn is locally caught and broiled to savoury perfection.

As well as ordering a-la-carte, there are four set meals available (Bt1,088 to Bt2,688 per person) and, as Patrick Ng promised, the menu itself can be customised to match any preference and budget.

My meal ended with delectable Pao Lava (Bt148 for three pieces), a “custard lava bun” that can be had steamed or deep-fried. Melting salted-egg yolk custard oozes out when the bun is opened.

Until today, Man Fu Yuan is offering handmade mooncakes for the Chinese Mid-autumn Festival, with all ingredients imported from Hong Kong. The wonderfully chewy Snow Skin Matcha Mooncake with Jasmine Tea is outstanding. The traditional cake has white-lotus paste and a choice of single or double yolk and macadamia nuts, and it’s not overly sugared. Two pieces cost Bt698 to Bt738.

 

 

DIM SUM DELIGHTS

>>Man Fu Yuan is on the first floor of the Sports Clubhouse at the Rajpruek Club, which is part of |the North Park Project on Vibhavadee-Rangsit Road. 

>>It’s open daily from 11.30am to 3pm and from 5.30 to 10pm. 

>>Book a table at (02) 955 0403 or the “ManfuyuanBkk” page on Facebook.