Easily accessible Red Rose restaurant is located in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown, where hungry people can enjoy traditional Chinese dishes and also some of the special Chinese spirits. In addition to that, I want to share with you the perfect dinner for an unforgettable night in Bangkok. Read our Red Rose restaurant review and see for yourself if it really fits among the best restaurants in Bangkok.
However, if by any chance you need some time to relax after a meal, Red Rose Jazz Lounge will lift your spirits in no time.
Ambiance of Red Rose Restaurant
Shortly, I can say that the Red Rose & Jazz Bar Bangkok is casually entertaining. The atmosphere is most lively at the entrance, especially when house musicians take the stage. Note that the start of the lounge is safely tucked away from the street, but still in range to see all kinds of vehicles in action. I tell you this is a great show and goes very well with a drink in your hand. Also, the musicians are eye-catching! One is playing more than five different instruments and is a great singer as well.
A few steps into the restaurant, the dark interior quietened the restaurant so much that we were effortlessly talking to each other. Besides conversation, I enjoyed the look over the fish pond with a footbridge leading to the entrance of the Shanghai Mansion Bangkok.
Red Rose Restaurant Menu: Food
Best restaurants in Bangkok’s Chinatown have to have something special on the menu. Something originally Chinese like dim sum or turnip cake, maybe also some fried rice or noodle dishes, right? Well, I’m happy to report that at the Red Rose restaurant, you can have it all and more. Some are more traditional, while others embrace the Chinese influence on modern techniques.
To me, the two options of the five-course dinner set were incredibly tempting. Especially the traditional soup with the legendary name “Monk Jump Over the Wall”! Besides the catchy name, I was happy to learn that shark fin got a sustainable replacement in the form of black chicken.
Classic Peking Duck
Red Rose recommended menu didn’t go unnoticed and as it turned out, it was the ultimate foundation for the awaiting evening. For us, the experience started with smoking hot duck (whole) next to our dining table.
First Course: Crispy Skin Without Any Fat
Yes, pure, crisp skin. In a few minutes, the chef separated the glazed skin from the duck. I was fascinated by his carving skills, and so was Ian. The only difference was that I had time to admire it while Ian tried to capture some action with the camera.
Additionally, the chef kindly showed us the right way of folding the light wheat crepes. First step: spread the sauce, then place the baked duck skin on top of it and before rolling it up, add the raw vegetables. Of course, the amounts follow by an individual’s taste rather than the recipe. Even so, each component was there for a reason
presented some seriousness to the roll. Combining all the components resulted in the bite that brought me to the point where I became aware that the skin is awesome.
Second Course: Stir-Fried Sliced Peking Duck meat with black pepper sauce
Already at the start, we decided for the black pepper sauce over the garlic one for our second round. We didn’t think twice since both of us are crazy about the peppery taste. In the end, we got what we were looking for; strong yet not overpowering seasonings for the tender “melt in your mouth” meat. Duck, as you know, has a rich taste, which maintained its best qualities even after the labor-intensive process that separated ordinary roasted duck from the Peking duck.
Side dish has to be rice because it has the texture for short chewing round before flavors mix and hit the pallet. We loved it all together with stir-fried asparagus and Shimeji mushrooms. Perfectly prepared asparagus with crunchy and slightly nutty mushrooms is a combination that benefits both ends; texture and flavor.
History of Classic Peking Duck
At Red Rose Restaurant, they serve the traditionally prepared classic Peking duck. That is why I want to explain what is special about it and why is skin so utterly delicious and crackling-crisp. It is not a coincidence that Peking duck is on the gourmand’s list “try before you die.”
The first thing to realize is how old this dish is; it dates back a few centuries! Already at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Chinese people ate this particular dish on feasts. Naturally, the recipe changed in that time, but not too drastically.
As always simplifying things is fun and to make roasting the whole duck easier someone came up with the idea to roast the duck while hanging in an oven. That someone was the restaurant owner from Beijing in the late 19th century. As he did so, the fat could escape and leave behind that desirable crackling skin.
But it is not that simple and skin needs more attention to become the trademark of Peking duck. The key is to separate the skin from the fat with air. Here comes another trick from modern times; air compressor.
After that, the whole duck gets a boiling bath, spiced with five Chinese spices. For tighter skin, the duck must dry before its skin gets another special treatment in the form of seasoned maltose syrup. Then the inside gets another boiling splash following the application of sweet spiced glaze for more flavor. Glazed duck from all sides gets a solid rest that can take for up to a few days, but usually, one day is enough, before roasting.
By tradition, the Peking duck is eaten in two courses; first the skin, then the meat. Actually, at Red Rose Restaurant everything followed the steps of old customs.
Desserts at the Red Rose Restaurant
Something refreshing or exotic? Maybe more nourishing and soothing? At Red Rose Restaurant & Jazz bar in the middle of Bangkok’s Chinatown, we found it all.
Homemade Avocado Creme in Fresh Young Coconut
Inside the young coconut husk, we got a mix of subtle flavors. Exquisite harmony of premium quality avocado and coconut got even more exciting due to the vanilla ice cream and tapioca bubbles. Scooping out a little bit of everything felt the only right thing to do.
Chilled Mango Pudding
Our second sweet treat was a light dessert with three different mango variations. Everything revolved around the chilled mango pudding, with a pleasing aftertaste. Deeper taste appeared when I added the roasted dark brown rice. Sour element brought out the sauce, which could be slightly aged mango lassi. Capturing pudding with fresh mango and pomelo in one bite was ideal.
Red Rose Restaurant Menu: Drinks
On the drinks menu, we found a wide range of cocktails and spirits such as Gin, Rum, and several Whiskies and Chinese spirits, including rice whiskey. The list doesn’t stop there and this part will be included in our review of the Red Rose Bangkok Jazz Bar. Here I’ll include only alcohol-free drinks which we recommend next to the Peking duck.
Bangkok Sunshine
This cocktail is presented in the fiery caramelization of the passion fruit. But also the strong orange color could relate to it with passion fruit juice and raspberry syrup adding most of the flavor. Also, ginger didn’t fell short when sparkling mineral water carried its aroma and warm mouthfeel.
Shanghai Morning
Pleasantly refreshing mocktail with mint syrup and lime juice become more sophisticated with an invigorating pomegranate and lychee juice. I especially liked the full pomegranate grains that can capture the playful element of the morning.
Final Thought
I sincerely enjoyed eating with hands and getting messy with the delicious food. That way, I was socially acceptable to lick my fingers politely, and I loved it. What also left the lasting memory of that dinner was the taste of the epic legacy. It explained to me how our passion helps us to achieve impossible. Red Rose Restaurant & Jazz Bar is a great avenue for good eats and unforgettable drinks. Actually, their drinks and great Jazz music convinced us to come back and get a few of their cocktails. Here you can read our article about their Cocktails.
Red Rose Restaurant and Jazz Bar Review Card
- ATMOSPHERE – 9.4/109.4/10
- SERVICE – 9.6/109.6/10
- PRESENTATION – 9.5/109.5/10
- FOOD – 9.5/109.5/10
- DRINKS – 9.2/109.2/10
- VALUE – 9.7/109.7/10
Price and Location
The same menu we had with two mocktails will cost you about 92 USD. This is a great price, especially if you consider live Jazz all the way. Here is a link to a location in case you would like to enjoy some delicious Peking Duck.
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