Good news, Chinese-fine dining fans, Rosewood Bangkok’s youthful Chinese restaurant Nan Bei has officially made its comeback.  

 

The restaurant—along with other venues in the Rosewood Bangkok—also underwent temporary closure when Rosewood Bangkok decided to close its doors eight months ago. Mattew Geng, Nan Bei’s executive chef, returned to China to hone his skills and rediscover the unique flavors of his hometown. Fascinated with Hunan cuisine during his trip to the south, Geng has brought some of those tastes to the restaurant’s reopening. 

 

Geng’s Taste of Hunan sees six dishes packed with incendiary delicacies and strong stir-fry wok work. We started off with the sea bream (B680), a crunchy fried fish laden with a mixture of chopped chillies and peppers that provide a kick without overpowering the natural flavors. The kurobuta pork rib (B670) is not to be missed, with its fall-off-the-bone meat fresh with crispy pickles and strong Sichuan peppers—all adding mild spicy notes and a pleasant, sour tang that tickles the tongue. The wagyu beef tenderloin (B1,680) is, however, our favorite. The heaping portion of slowly-braised beef melts in the mouth and is full of flavor.

 

If special a occasion arrives, be sure to order Nan Bei’s signature Peking duck (B1,900), which the chef carves tableside and serves three ways: crispy skin with granulated sugar for dipping and wrapped in soft pancakes, an aromatic caraway stir fry, and soup made from the leftovers. The Taste of Hunan will be available until Sep 30.