There is a proposal. The answer is ‘yes’. The happy couple kisses and the restaurant erupts in applause.
According to what I have been told, this happens weekly in this spectacular place.
I’m dining at one of the highest open-air restaurants in the world: Sirocco in Bangkok.
Located at a height of 214 m (702 ft), this open-air expanse of white tablecloths, artistic décor and soft lighting crowns the State Tower skyscraper in the Thai metropolis.
Any challenges posed by Sirocco’s high-rise location are easily addressed: when bad weather makes outdoor dining unfeasible, dinner service is moved inside the skyscraper’s gold-domed rooftop. Diners who fear heights can be escorted up the restaurant’s glass-edged staircase to their seats. Particularly anxious customers can avoid the outdoor stairs and access the dining room by elevator.
Ailbhe MacMahon tries a five-course tasting menu at Sirocco in Bangkok, one of the highest open-air restaurants in the world (pictured)
Located at a height of 214 m (702 ft), Sirocco crowns the city’s State Tower skyscraper, as seen here
The restaurant (above) is under the umbrella of Lebua, a hotel brand that runs two sister hotels within the building: ‘Lebua at State Tower’ and ‘Tower Club at Lebua’.
Ailbhe enjoying the dizzying heights of the sirocco
State Tower was built in 2001 and the Sirocco ribbon was cut two years later. The restaurant is under the umbrella of Lebua, a hotel brand that operates two sister hotels within the building: ‘Lebua at State Tower’ and ‘Tower Club at Lebua’. I stay at the latter, an elegant all-suite hotel occupying floors 51 to 59.
Some come to Sirocco for the skyline views, others for its Hollywood prestige: It starred in the 2011 box office hit The Hangover Part II. His ladder appears in the opening scene, in which Bradley Cooper’s character Phil utters the following line: “We really screwed up this time.” Later in the film, a police helicopter flies over the edge of the restaurant.
For fans of the film, the Sky Bar in Sirocco, a very touristy cocktail venue with an LED-lit bar that changes color every 90 seconds, offers ‘Hangovertinis’. Priced at THB1,500 (£33/$41), this sweet blend of vermouth, Scotch whiskey and green apple was originally prepared for the production team.
Dedicated movie buffs can even spend a night at the ‘Hangover Suite Part II’ on the 53rd floor, which housed the cast of the film.
My two-bedroom Tower Club suite is just steps down the hall. It is huge, with neoclassical balconies that frame a mesmerizing panorama of Bangkok. You could spend hours watching the BTS Skytrain glide through the city and the cruise ships chug along the Chao Phraya River.
Sirocco appears in the 2011 box office hit The Hangover Part II. Their ladder, Ailbhe notes, is shown in the opening scene (above) in which Bradley Cooper’s character Phil says, “We really screwed ourselves this time.”
Ailbhe writes: “Any challenges posed by Sirocco’s sky-high location are easily addressed: when bad weather makes outdoor dining unfeasible, dinner service is moved inside the skyscraper’s gold-domed rooftop.”
Above is the ‘Hangovertini’, which sells for a hefty 1,500 THB (£33/$41).
Other floors house a large outdoor pool, a gym and more Lebua-owned restaurants, two of which have two Michelin stars.
The hype around Sirocco begins once you enter the skyscraper’s copper-toned elevator, another Hangover Part II filming location. “My ears popped,” says the man next to me during the climb.
Hostesses in gold dresses serenely escort diners through the restaurant’s entrance on the 64th floor. Outdoors, the wind whips your hair into a frenzy.
I’m sitting at a corner table, where I’m at eye level with a flock of birds who have nothing but the empty sky below them. As the sun sets, a live band fills the air with jazz.
I wonder if Sirocco’s Mediterranean food can match the magic of the surroundings.
But I don’t need to worry. Every dish on Chef Brian Rodriguez’s five-course tasting menu is a culinary success.
It starts with a soft loaf of milk bread with pieces of chili-infused butter. Next comes the star act: a piece of kingfish drizzled with oyster emulsion and paired with an earthy apple-tarragon sorbet.
Hostesses in gold dresses serenely escort diners through the restaurant’s entrance on the 64th floor, says Ailbhe
In the photo on the left you see the Lobster Sirocco on a bed of grilled zucchini risotto. Pictured on the right: rhubarb and almond mousse pudding.
Ailbhe stays in a ‘huge’ two-bedroom suite at the Tower Club at Lebua hotel (pictured)
Ailbhe comments on how she is glued to the “mesmerizing panorama” of Bangkok that can be seen from her room (above)
Describing the experience of staying in her lofty room, with its neoclassical balconies, Ailbhe writes: “You could spend hours watching the BTS Skytrain glide through the city and the cruise ships chug along the Chao Phraya River.”
The photo above shows the pool shared by guests of Lebua hotels.
“Dedicated film buffs can spend a night in the ‘Hangover Part II’ suite on the 53rd floor (above), which housed the film’s cast,” Ailbhe writes.
“Next we’re going to do Italy,” says restaurant director Timo Muchenberger, as he guides me through Mediterranean wine pairings, ranging from a crisp Chardonnay from Sicily’s Planeta vineyard to a silky Albarino from the winery. Torres family from Spain.
They pair wonderfully with smoked scallops with quinoa and truffle cream; turbot with fennel puree and rich beurre blanc sauce; lobster on a bed of grilled zucchini risotto. Dessert, a delicate rhubarb and almond pudding, keeps the momentum going.
It is not surprising that Michelin Guide rates the rate as “outstanding.”
One more drink is had at the Sky Bar, where another customer tells me: “You haven’t been to Bangkok until you’ve been to Lebua.” I’m starting to see what they mean.
As my meal comes to an end, nighttime Bangkok lights up like a glowing switchboard. Sirocco has come up with a winning recipe: imaginative food mixed with endless views and a dash of Hollywood tradition. A reservation here will enhance your experience in Bangkok.
TRAVEL DATA
Ailbhe was hosted by Lebua Hotels and Resorts. Tower Club at Lebua suites start at THB9,100 (£139/$181) per night.
Ailbhe was hosted by Lebua Hotels and Resorts. Tower Club at Lebua suites are priced at THB9,100 (£139/$181) per night.
A tasting menu at Sirocco is priced at THB6,100 (£139/$181) and a wine pairing is THB5,200 (£114/$141). Visit lebua.com/hotels/tower-club-at-lebua/ and lebua.com/restaurants/sirocco/.
ADVANTAGES: The food is smart and artfully presented, the service is excellent and the views are mesmerizing. It is a unique experience to have in Bangkok.
CONS: It’s expensive, but you pay as much for the views as you do for the excellent food and wine. A greater emphasis on locally sourced products would be welcome.
CLASSIFICATION: *****
GET THERE
Sirocco is located in the Bang Rak neighborhood of Bangkok, near the Chao Phraya River. The nearest Bangkok Skytrain stop is Saphan Taksin, a seven-minute walk away. Don Mueang International Airport is a 40-minute drive away.
Do you want to arrive at the restaurant in style? Then book a Blacklane chauffeur
Blacklane drivers are extremely courteous, drive carefully, and will transport you in a luxury car. The drivers, all trained at the Blacklane Chauffeur Academy, will always provide bottled water, Wi-Fi and a multi-charging cable.
The ‘First Class’ service allows customers to travel in ‘true luxury’, with a fleet of vehicles that includes the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 7 Series, the Audi A8 or electric vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS.
Drivers will wait up to one hour to avoid delays and customers can cancel their trip up to one hour before the reservation time. Visit www.blacklane.com/en/chauffeur-service-bangkok.