Translating to south and north in Mandarin, Nan Bei fuses the ingredients, cooking styles and flavours of southern and northern Chinese food. The restaurant is on the 19th floor of the Rosewood Bangkok, and is one of three inside the hotel. Being located so high up and so centrally located means that during your dinner you’ll also have a pretty epic view of the city.
The menu features classics from both the north and south of China, including dumplings, noodles, and seafood dishes. To start with we shared the crispy duck spring rolls and a big bowl of the prawn steamed dumplings. This was followed by the crispy chicken, an alternative to their signature crispy duck dish that was super tender, and the spinach leaves which were coated in a sesame sauce originating from Beijing. The sauce really packed a punch, similar to wasabi or horseradish, so prepare for a spicy surprise with this one.
Like us, you’ll want to save room for the sesame balls for dessert. Originating from Chang’an, the sweet, sticky donut balls are filled with hazelnut and chocolate cream and come with a warm caramel-style dipping sauce.
One of our favourite things about Thailand is its affordability, especially when it comes to dining. The Rosewood’s Nan Bei restaurant is great value for money and although you’re eating in a five star hotel, a meal here won’t break the bank.
After dinner we headed further up to the top floor for some cocktails at Lennon’s. The speakeasy bar is well hidden behind a whisky library and has floor to ceiling windows, giving you another birds-eye view of the city. Not only does the bar have a mega selection of cocktails, it also has the largest vinyl selection in Asia with over 6,000 records that you can play to your heart’s content. There’s also a cigar mezzanine above the bar, accessed by a spiral staircase on the corner.
In order to prevent ruining the ambience with proper lighting, you get given personal mini torches to read the drinks menu with. The cocktails follow the musical theme of the bar – our personal fave was the Dream of Samurai (inspired by the Red Hot Chili Peppers) made with whisky, yuzu sake and a dash of lychee. Open until midnight, Lennon’s is the ideal spot for a post-dinner night cap.
1041/38 Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
rosewoodhotels.com