ASIATIQUE ANCIENT TEAHOUSE - Century Old Maison Premium Yum Cha Experience

Dining in Bangkok is always constantly surprising and an absolute joy to experience the creative and innovative options. The vibrant waterside destination of the Asiatique Ancient Tea House is another one to add to your Bangkok culinary wish list. mylifestylenews writes.

Situated along the picturesque banks of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River and easy access by road and river, including shuttle boat services from the Saphan Taksin pier adjacent to the BTS skytrain, this painstakingly restored 111-year-old heritage wooden traditional tea house was first built in 1912 as part of the East Asiatic Company’s warehouse which was Thailand’s first trading pier while maintaining the colonial characteristics and aesthetic of the original historic building that have been well preserved and accentuated.

 

The refurbished design concept that showcases a “Celestial Hint from Heaven” with contemporary classic Chinese style elements, enhances the overall mood and notion to invite you to step into a world of colonial grandeur and classical grace.

The historic aesthetic interior features plenty of black-framing and floral patterned wallpaper in the centre lounge and dining area, adorned with some vivid colour cushions neatly placed on those sleek elegant rattan lounge chairs.

The interior also has a design concept that showcases a modern classic Chinoiserie style scheme, which is embodied in various distinct spaces: a glasshouse surrounded by greenery; 1890’s Blend Gallery, a chic and stylish cocktail lounge, an exhibit of fine tea selections; and The Blooming on the second floor, symbolizing the flourishing era of tea culture. All of these spaces are embellished with wall prints, art installations, the Horseshoe Arch and an extended balcony.

The menu is distinctively curated by Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park award-winning Chinese Culinary team since December 2023 with the concept based on the story of Emperor Shen Nong, who first discovered tea 4,000 years ago along with silk and spice, tea became one of the most popular products traded between Siam and China. And now, this living dining “museum” wants you to explore this relatively new dining option for the Cantonese inspired cuisine especially their delicate and flavoursome Dim Sum in a glamorously elegant and inviting ambience.

From 12 noon to midnight, get ready to step into a world unique blend of East-Meets-West Cantonese gastronomic galore featuring all-day premium Chinese Dim Sum menus. The vast range of the global and premium tea collection on offer is one of their key aspects, including Dark Silk Tea and Thida Green Tea from organic farms in Chiang Dao, Thailand, Bai Mu Dan White Tea from China, Sencha Green Tea from Japan, Darjeeling First Flush Tea from India and Rooibos Tisane from South Africa, to name but a few standouts.

Their innovative cultural cocktails are inspired by the world of tea especially for tea enthusiasts through the art and history of tea, overlooking scenic River of the Kings over lunch, dinner and even a sophisticated after dinner social lounge to chill. We opted for a 15 year old Pu Er tea from China which we thought would pair perfectly with the rich Dim Sum menu and we were in for some tasty bites.

<Alaskan King Crab and Shrimp with Spinach Dumplings>

Large chunks of Alaskan king crab meat are combined with the sweet, rich flavour of shrimp and spinach,topped with salmon roe wrapped with a thin layer of pink rice dough paste that was quite enticing. A good mouth-full size to enjoy the taste from the sea of its seafood combination that offers a great consistency of flavour.

<Stir-Fried Crispy Tiger Prawns and Salted Egg Yolk Sauce>

Specially selected tiger prawns are cut into bite-sized pieces and deep-fried until crispy on the outside, while retaining the juiciness of the shrimp inside. They are then tossed in a rich salted egg sauce, which adds a intense and perfect balance of sweet, creamy and salty flavours. This is a real standout dish, with that delightful combination of crispiness, rich aroma and the seasoned ingredients with the salted egg sauce that is a must order!

<Prawn Har Gao and Asparagus>

Moulded and shaped in golden fish-patterned dumplings to delight your eyes that was certainly too delicate to destroy and enjoy in your mouth. The dumplings were filled with large shrimp, chunky and meaty and diced asparagus. Despite the paste was a little thick on palate, otherwise quite tasty.

<Shrimp Wonton in Spicy Szechuan Oil, Peanuts and Spring Onions>

Yummy as it looks and three large dumplings are filled with whole shrimp, topped with Sichuan oil for that peppery kick that offers a spicy, fragrant flavour, along with a salty taste from fermented soybeans served on a brown stoneware. Simply delicious!

<Traditional Sichuan Hot and Sour Seafood Soup>

This is a spicy and tangy flavoured soup that contained a wide selection of seafood that included squid, scallop and shrimp simmered with vegetables and chili spices to create a rich, well-balanced boullion for its rich unctuous flavour and consistency that we very much enjoyed. A pleasant surprise order!

<Siu Mai>

Suppose a classic pork and shrimp Siu Mai dumpling with shitake mushroom and while it came steaming hot, it was rather disappointing on the palate for its bland taste and the meat combination and was rubbery and starchy. Passed!

<Char Siu Sou>

This honey-glazed barbeque pork baked pastry puffs is one of our all-time favourite dim-sum dishes, but we did find the glazing to be too sticky and it was in luke warm temperature when it was brought to the table, resulting in a soggy bottom and only a little flaky on the top. The pastry was a tad too thick and the filling too savoury, lacking that hint of sweetness combined.

 

<Pan-Fried Beancurd with Shrimp>

Another classic that is composed of pan-fried beancurd sheets filled with shrimp and once again the beancurd sheet was a little soggy and not flaky or crispy enough for our liking as well as the starchy filling also destroyed the entire palate.

<Deep-Fried Purple Sweet Potato Shrimp and Pork Puffs>

These fluffy delicacies came with  a mix of shrimp and pork that offered a well-balanced and harmonious flavour to pair perfectly with the potato and were deep-fried to a perfect crispy, puffy texture. It is a very ‘sweet’ presentation with the imagery of swans and creates the perfect dish for photos! A very happy dish!

<Steamed Crispy Prawns Rice Roll>

The rice noodle sheets are infused with beetroot juice, giving them a vibrant pink colour. Inside you have the crispy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside fried dough wrapped with shrimp, offering a full, delicious flavour. The homemade accompaniment soy sauce complements the dish and enhancing its overall harmony. This was one of our favourite dishes for its yin-yang balance of soft and crunchy. Yummy!

<Steamed Hong Kong Kale with Oyster Sauce>

The naturally crisp and sweet Hong Kong kale is steamed to a perfect tenderness, then topped with a fragrant and rich oyster sauce. This was perfectly executed with the vegetable al dente, giving you that crunch in the bite. A simple dish that excels!

 

 <Braised E-Fu Noodles with Alaskan King Crab meat in X.O. Sauce>

This classic braised noodles has a chewy yet tender texture in a rich and aromatic  homemade X.O. sauce as well as a perfect blend of seasonings. This is then elevated with the addition of the sweet, Alsakan crab meat, adding that extra layer of sweet and savoury depth. So delectable!

 

<Sweetened Pumpkin Cream and Ginko Nuts>

This creamy dessert has a sweet and delicate flavour derived from the creamy pumpkin filling expertly cooked to a smooth, velvety texture. The addition of soft, subtle ginko nuts provided a delightful crunch in juxtaposition to the creamy texture, making the ‘soup’ both satisfying and unique, served delightfully warm and utterly delicious.

 

<Grilled Sweet Sago Soup with Melon and Coconut Sorbet>

This is a cold dessert that is not overly sweet and so refreshing that cleanses the palate somewhat with it’s icy sweet base that provides a fitting finale to our food experience overall!

 

We had already sampled such a large amount of dishes, so as much as we wanted more, we erred on the side of caution and went for less and the overall food experience was quiet enjoyable with some standout dishes that they executed to perfection.

The service, however, was not up to expectations, with the food coming much too quickly, resulting in some hot dishes not being enjoyed at the optimal temperatures despite a message was clearly delivered to remind them on the food delivery as requested and in accordance upon ordering. Staff communication somehow gets lost in translation, so not everything was as smooth as it could have been. Nevertheless, we would rather focus and immerse ourselves in this classy ‘Indochine” décor, sipping the thick, rich, even consistency of the Pu Er tea and those standout dishes. A happy and contented late afternoon well spent!

Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Experience: 4.5/5

Asiatique Ancient Teahouse
Charoenkrung Soi 72-76,
Charoenkrung Road,
Wat Phrayakrai, Bangkor Laem,
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 059 5999

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.