Renovated and relaunched just at the end of 2016, Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park presents its Thai restaurant alongside some Western baked goods at a prime spot in front of the property. Decorated with contemporary Thai touches, the space features an alfresco terrace and a wooden sala by prominent national artist Thawan Duchanee at the entrance.

Chef Anukul Poolpipat (previously of JW Marriott) leads the kitchen, serving mostly classic Thai cuisine with nostalgic flavors drawn, you guessed it, from his family’s recipes and emphasizing Thai produce. His grandma’s yum som chun (spicy salad, B180) combines the tanginess of pomelo, mango and som sa (Thai bitter orange) with the spicy kick of chili, sweet and salty flavor of braised pork belly and crispy texture of fried fish—complex and refreshing, though we actually expected crispness from green mango instead of the soft, ripe kind.

Most impressive are the fried chicken wings, which are spicily seasoned yet very rounded, perfectly fried with a tender interior and semi-deboned to make eating easier. However, we’re not fans of the grandma’s recipe tom kha kai (coconut milk soup, B215), which comes very thin and too much on the sweet and sour side. Neither does he make a good pad kaprao, owing to the dry and chewy braised beef (B245).

The restaurant’s Western-fusion desserts are worthy of more praise, thanks to the kanom pang sangkaya (toasted brioche with pandan custard and young coconut, B180), local fruit tart with Thai chili oil ice cream (B180), Thai tea panna cotta (B150) and a Thai version of banana split (B280) that combines housemade coconut, banana and Thai tea ice cream with mango jelly, chocolate cream, sugared nuts and banana—unexpectedly tasty. Do also try the fluffy pancakes with local ricotta cheese and coconut flower syrup.

Siam Tea Room makes a strong effort towards moving hotel Thai food away from tourist staples, but it’s actually the kitchen’s Western force that shone on our last visit. Note that the takeaway counter charges you for service, too. Corkage B1,000 

This review took place in May 2017 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.