The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival seems to have arrived early this year as countless restaurants and bakery shops in Bangkok are now actively marketing their mooncakes.
An utmost culinary essential for the season, the round pastry, which symbolises the Harvest Moon and features traditional choices of fillings including lotus seed paste, jujube paste, durian paste, mixed nuts and egg yolk, is available for only a short period of time.
In 2022, the mooncakes are on offer until Sept 10, the day the Moon is believed to be at its brightest and fullest size, which marks the auspicious harvest time.
Following are some of the city's best spots for khanom wai phra chan delicacies.
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Call 02-659-9000
Highlights: New flavour of organic mulberry honey on offer along side best-selling flavours such as custard; classic salted lotus seed paste; and durian.
Prices: A classic box of eight mooncakes costs 888 baht net. A set of eight mooncakes with a choice of Mandarin Oriental organic honey or a tin of TWG tea special blend costs 2,888 baht net.
Chef Man, Eastin Grand Sathorn
Call 02-210-8100
Highlights: Traditional flavours including assorted nuts; kan yao durian; white lotus seed paste; and red bean paste.
Prices: An individual mooncake costs 260 baht.
The Rolling Pinn Bakery
Call 062-606-6667
Highlights: Creatively concocted flavours including salted yolk custard; lotus seed with Biscoff spread; and Japanese sweet potato.
Prices: An individual mooncake costs 180 baht. An exclusive box of eight mooncakes is priced at 980 baht.
Banyan Tree Bangkok
Call 02-679-1200
Highlights: Flavour options including durian; cream custard; mocha caramel; and mamuang nam pla wan (mango and caramelised fish sauce).
Prices: An individual mooncake costs 228 baht. A box of four pieces is 1,088 baht. A set of eight in a luxury box costs 2,888 baht.
Capella Bangkok
Call 02-098-3814
Highlights: Two creative flavours of durian with camembert; jasmine tea with passion fruit; and a classic filling of lotus seed with egg yolk.
Prices: A set of six mooncakes with a tin of organic silver needle white tea in a vintage-styled box is priced at 1,688 baht net.
Wah Lok, Carlton Sukhumvit
Call 02-090-7888
Highlights: Signature flavours including white lotus paste and kan yao durian with egg yolk as well as baked mini mooncake with custard filling.
Prices: An individual mooncake costs 240 baht net. A set of four classic mooncakes in a luxury box is 1,388 baht net. A box of six mini mooncakes cost 580 baht net.
Liu, Conrad Bangkok
Call 02-690-9999
Highlights: Classic flavours including durian; golden custard; multigrain; and white lotus seeds offered in a specially-designed Jewel Edition red box.
Prices: A set of four mooncakes is priced 888-988 baht net while a set of eight costs 1,388-1,588 baht net.
Centara Grand at CentralWorld
Call 02-100-6255
Highlights: Classic fillings including monthong durian; lotus seed paste; jujube paste; mixed nuts and fruits; black bean with green tea; and purple sweet potatoes.
Prices: An individual mooncake costs 128 baht net. A set of four in luxurious box costs 1,188 baht net.
Royal Osha Thai Restaurant
Call 02-256-6555 or 085-489-0571
Highlights: Freshly-baked mooncake by Michelin-starred Thai chef Vichit Mukura featuring fillings such as custard; lotus seed paste; durian with yolk; and signature krayasart macadamia.
Prices: A box of right mooncakes costs 1,299 baht.
Kyo Roll En Dessert Cafe
Call 062-226-4555
Highlights: A special collaboration between the Japanese dessert cafe with two-Michelin-starred Southern Thai restaurant Sorn. Signature fillings are grilled durian custard; Mont Blanc walnut; yuzu lava; satsuma imo sweet potato; custard ginkgo nut; and classic durian salted egg.
Prices: A limited collection of eight mooncakes is priced at 1,599 baht per box. A classic set of four mooncakes costs 499 baht while a classic set of eight mooncakes costs 999 baht.
Pagoda, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park
Call 02-059-5999
Highlights: Four classic flavours and three signature fillings including macadamia nuts with white lotus seeds; pork bak-kwa with assorted nuts; white lotus and melon seeds; Chanthaburi durian with white lotus seeds; salted yolk vanilla custard; malted chocolate Rocher; and Earl Grey macadamia orange.
Prices: A set of four classic flavour mooncakes or six signature mooncakes costs 999 baht for a classic red box and 1,888 baht for an ivory-hued Marquis box.
Mocha & Muffins, Anantara Siam
Call 02-126-8866
Highlights: Flavour options include custard, lotus seed paste, jujube paste, durian and chocolate brownie offered with a choice of Blue Moon or Golden Moon boxes.
Prices: A set of four mooncakes in a design box is priced from 988-1,588 baht net.
The Silk Road, The Athenee Bangkok
Call 02-650-8800
Highlights: Classic fillings as well as signature flavour mooncakes such as red bean with red ginger in red mooncake; sea salted caramel; pork bak-kwa with assorted nuts and orange peel; and Mandarin yuzu with macadamia. Choices of auspicious peony design box by award-winning Thai fashion designer Naphon Kijrungroj or Bouquet per Vittoria by Italian artist Arianna Caroli.
Prices: An individual mooncake costs 238-288 baht. A set of four mooncakes in peony-motif box costs 988-1,188 baht while four mooncakes in Bouquet per Vittoria box cost 1,688 baht.
Shang Palace, Shangri-La Bangkok
Call 02-206-8605
Highlights: Classic fillings of mixed fruits and nuts; durian; lotus seed paste; and lotus seed with macadamia; as well al signature mini mooncake with cream custard; and snow-skin mooncake with custard and bird's nest.
Prices: Prices start from 408 baht net to 2,298 baht net per box.
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport
Call 02-131-1111
Highlights: Traditional fillings of white lotus seed paste; black sesame paste; fruit and nuts; and durian. New flavours including mango; green tea; royal milk tea; and tiramisu.
Prices: A single mooncake costs 288 baht while a set of four mooncakes costs 888 baht and a box of eight mini mooncakes costs 888 baht.
Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
Call 02-254-1234
Highlights: Best-selling fillings including durian, assorted nuts, white lotus seed paste and cream custard on offer alongside creative flavours such as coconut with pandan custard and orange yuzu with macadamia.
Prices: A set of four mooncakes costs 988 baht net while a set of eight mooncakes costs 1,888 baht net.
Fei Ya, Renaissance Ratchaprasong
Call 02-125-5000
Highlights: Classic fillings such as egg yolk durian; cream custard; and orange yuzu macadamia.
Prices: A single mooncake costs 148 baht net.
W Hotel
Call 02-344-4000
Highlights: Four iconic fillings including banoffee; blackberry cheesecake; peanut caramel and yuzu jasmine offered in a choice of golden baked skin or pastel-hued snow skin.
Prices: An individual piece costs 179 baht net for snow-skin mooncake or 199 baht net for baked skin mooncake. A set of four mooncakes is priced between 899-999 baht net.
St. Regis Bangkok
Call 02-207-7777
Highlights: Four classic fillings including durian, mixed nuts, lotus seed, and yuzu and macadamia.
Prices: An individual mooncake is priced at 198 baht. A set of four mooncakes costs 1,588 baht net.
Baan Dusit Thani
Call 02-200-9009
Highlights: Classic flavours including durian, lotus seed paste, mixed nuts, jujube paste, black sesame paste, custard, macadamia caramel; and mango with coconut.
Prices: A single mooncake costs 185-222 baht.
