Shanghai-style soup dumpling with a thin, pleated wrapper encasing seasoned ground pork and a packet of aspic that becomes hot broth when steamed. The key is the ratio of filling to wrapper to broth. Reviewers consistently praise the delicate wrapper that doesn't tear and the balanced seasoning. Order fresh—the broth quality degrades after sitting.
Tips from diners
Use the spoon to gently pierce the wrapper, sip the broth first, then eat the rest. Biting directly releases hot broth that can burn your mouth.
Arrive at lunch (11:30am-2:30pm) for hot, freshly steamed dumplings. After 2:30pm they reheat older batches and quality drops noticeably.
Another Midnight Dim Sum innovation. Thin Peking duck skin (the prized part) is sliced and wrapped in a thin crepe with caviar for pop, cucumber for freshness, and hoisin for depth. It's elegant enough for cocktail hour but indulgent enough for a full meal component. The caviar provides a luxe note that regular dim sum doesn't offer.
Tips from diners
Pair with a floral cocktail or sake. The caviar's brininess and the duck's richness need something delicate to balance.
The benchmark dim sum—a pink shrimp is visible through the semi-transparent, wheat-starch wrapper. Inside is minced shrimp, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoot that provide textural contrast. The wrapper should be just chewy enough without being doughy. This is where a kitchen's technical skill shows. Yào's version stands up to any Hong Kong restaurant.
Tips from diners
Order this at the rooftop bar (5pm onwards) with a signature cocktail. The evening light on the Bangkok skyline pairs better with shrimp dumplings than heavy items.
A Midnight Dim Sum menu invention combining traditional bbq pork (char siu) with a fluffy steamed bao bun. The pork is caramelized until sticky-sweet with a charred edge. Inside the bao are cool cucumber slices and a schmear of hoisin. It's eaten as a hand-held slider—messy but intentional. Popular during the bar's late-night hours when cocktails need anchoring.
Tips from diners
This is the bar version of dim sum—designed to pair with cocktails or sake. Eat with napkins nearby. The hoisin drips.
The shu-mai's open-topped design shows off the filling—a mix of scallop, shrimp, and minced pork bound with wheat starch. The scallop provides sweetness and a creamy texture when cooked. The open design means the filling gets direct steam contact, ensuring even cooking. Served with a dot of roe on top for visual contrast.
Tips from diners
This is more expensive than pork-only shu-mai. Order it if you want something richer or if you've already had basic versions at other restaurants.
Yào opened as Bangkok's first Shanghainese-Cantonese rooftop venue on the 32nd floor of Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse. The restaurant offers traditional dim sum during lunch hours and reinvented 'Midnight Dim Sum' at the rooftop bar from 5pm onwards. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the old city on one side and modern high-rises on the other, making it equally compelling for sunset aperitifs and late-night bites.
Dim sum service: lunch (11:30am-2:30pm) is traditional dim sum trolley style. Bar dim sum: 5pm-close for Midnight Dim Sum cocktail pairings. Totally different menus and experiences.
Arrive at 5:30pm for golden hour views and first pick of freshly prepared bar items. Seats facing the window book fast, especially on weekends.
Dim sum at lunch is cart-based but you can order specific items. Tell staff what you want and they'll bring it. No need to point at passing carts unless you want the element of surprise.
Book through the hotel concierge if you're staying at Marriott properties. You sometimes get priority seating and occasional discounts on food.
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