Creative tastes at Liu

A brand new chef and new signature dishes keep things fresh at the Conrad Bangkok’s elegant Chinese restaurant

“IF you become a chef, you’ll never go hungry. Plus you can see the world for free!” – this was the advice dished out to a 16-year-old Raymond Wong by his father, who then handed him a wok, took him to the family kitchen, and introduced him to the joys of cooking. For Raymond, preparing and tasting his own food for the first time, it was love at first bite.

Now, a little over 20 years later, Raymond stands in the kitchens of Liu, the Conrad Bangkok’s neo-classical gourmet Chinese restaurant, where he’s charged with bringing the restaurant’s menus bang 

up to date by introducing a range of innovative Chinese dishes that you won’t find elsewhere in Bangkok. It’s a long way from the humble kitchen of his childhood home in Kuala Lumpur, and Chef Raymond is proud to bring with him a wealth of experience gained from working in high-class restaurants in Mauritius, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore, his native Malaysia, and, prior to joining Liu, Cambodia, where he worked at the Intercontinental Phnom Penh Hotel.

“My father’s advice was spot on,” says the chef with a laugh. “I have been so lucky to travel to all these places and meet so many talented chefs who have influenced me and my style of cooking. I now look forward putting my experiences to good use by shaping the culinary experience at Liu.”

On our visit to the restaurant, Chef Raymond has only been working at the hotel for a few days but his deft touch is already apparent in a new range of contemporary Shanghainese, Sichuan and Cantonese dishes which are presented with oodles of creative flair.

First out of the kitchen is the Fried prawns with mixed fruits in wasabi cream (B500), which features three king prawns within a lattice of shredded pastry, topped with tiny cubes of strawberry and mango, and finished with a wasabi infused mayonnaise. Soft, crispy, and meaty, the dish is a treat. The ‘shredded’ theme continues with Stir fried shredded pork served with Peking bun (one set serves three), which turns the traditional breakfast favourite inside out by serving the meat and bun separately for some enjoyable dipping action.

“I like to be creative with presentation,

and shredding the ingredients makes for a visually appealing dish and offers a good feel on the palate,” explains Chef Raymond.

Other new dishes he’s introduced to the menu include Duo of sticky rice with taro dumpling; White rice stuffed with salted egg yolk and minced chicken, topped with taro dumpling; and signature dim sum selections such as XO Sauce Sui Mai; Steamed dry scallops har gao; Crystal spinach with crab meat dumpling; and Pork floss with black pepper puffs.

The a la carte menu is rounded out with a selection of fresh seafood, chicken, duck and beef specialties. And while it’s not one of Chef Raymond’s unique creations, you must try the restaurant’s famous “Dong Po Pork” (B320) – stewed pork belly with dark soy sauce served with Chinese buns (‘Manto’). Simply delicious. Liu is open for lunch and dinner and welcomes guests in smart casual attire.


Conrad Bangkok, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road Tel: 02 690 9999 www.conradbangkok.com