As competition stiffens amongst Bangkok’s high-end culinary offerings, Waldorf Astoria Bangkok relishes in gastronomy experiences that strip apart Lexington Avenue’s constrained eating habits with that of Thailand’s easy-going, welcoming and try-it-all culinary style.
In a country where tropical rainforests are abundant, and cuisine has long been the foundation of its civilisations, immersing into Thailand’s culture starts by tasting it. Bangkok — the world’s most visited city — sees avenues flanked by contemporary shopping malls and enough Ayutthaya-era temples to appease even the most ardent traveller. Follow the aroma of Kaeng [curries], and one will discover the culinary treasures of Bangkok.
Thai cuisine has grown exponentially in the last decade thanks to years of food diplomacy, a government-led culinary diplomacy initiative, which enabled the expansion and cultivation of Thai restaurants in Thailand and worldwide. Right now, Thai food makes up a considerable 4% valuation of the global culinary tourism market, which also counts on its record-breaking tourist arrivals as part of its footways. Seeing that it has managed to establish itself as a culinary destination, a heave of new competition is on the rise among the most elite, high-end restaurants, who are having another look at what else the complex cuisine can offer.
Take Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, which offers serenity incarnate with its magnificent white-clad rooms and spell-bounding culinary experiences that crawl upward (quite literally) towards the skies. The hotel leads a variety of immersive food experiences within its 60-story magnolia petal-shaped skyscraper that also serves as one of Thailand’s tallest buildings. Aside from its André Fu designed spaces and rooms that win on all design-led forms, a little-known secret that has had guests returning lies in its immaculately refined culinary spaces.
Like its original estate, the Waldorf Astoria New York on Park Avenue, building a destination hotel meant it was necessary to conceive a retreat with a deep commitment to the one thing everyone agrees on while travelling — food. Its response? Emulate a sense of the Big Apple within its vertical Pathum Wan facade, and by adopting a little of its New York enclave’s name and reputation, procure concepts that strip apart Lexington Avenue’s constrained eating habits what that of Thailand’s laid-back, welcoming and try-it-all culinary style.
Herein lies a concept of four dining and bar spaces reimagined for its Bangkok offering: home-style Thai cuisine at the Front Room on the ground level, afternoon tea at the Peacock Alley mid-way up, grilled meats and seafood at Bull & Bear at a sky lounge, and cocktail sat The Loft on its highest 56th-floor peak.
At the Front Room, on the left of the hotel’s front entrance, the restaurant presents a grounded take on Ahan Thai [national cuisine] that veers completely towards local offerings but with the highest quality ingredients. Fusion is absent here; instead, the menu introduces the harmonious flavours of Thai cuisine — salty, sweet, spicy, sour, and creamy. Order the signature set menu as a group, which includes seared Hokkaido scallops served with pomelo and chilli paste for starters, salted beef cheek in a smooth coconut broth, Kurobuta pork neck, and a coconut cheesecake to end the meal, and the table will be ladened with the restaurant’s local specialities without worrying about missing anything.
Up next, take the elevator to the Upper Lobby, where the Peacock Alley resides across the hotel’s front desk counters. This is where that bit of New York starts to saturate the space. With white marble walls and floors reflecting light in all directions, the noisy streets outside the hotel disappear into a tranquil, art-deco abyss. Peacock Alley, which lends its name from the original venue for Manhattan’s high society, surprisingly has an unfussy atmosphere that gets everyone, despite its sheer affinity for the city’s wealthiest visitors. The highlight? Visit the place in the morning and treat yourself to eggs benedict, conceived originally at Waldorf Astoria New York, where the Bangkok enclave provides a chilli and truffle variant. Or come back during the late afternoon for tea, just as any New Yorker would on a Sunday.
Bull & Bear and The Loft reside above the rooms and office spaces which the hotel shares. The lift that brings you up is only accessible after 5pm may seem like a security feature, but it is actually meant to surprise visitors as that is when the sunset begins. As the sun sinks into the Bangkok skyline, both spaces blossom into an edgy, jaw-dropping backdrop for any Instagram aficionado. Both Bull & Bear and The Loft, designed separately by New York-based design firm AvroKO, removed any sense of Thailand in favour of a darker, American art deco style intended to awe — and it sure did.
Like any luxury hotel, a steakhouse is as a staple as a personal butler. On the 55th, Bull & Bear offers a live raw bar along a custom-made grill designed for smoking, slow roasting, baking and grilling. But it is two floors up where things start to impress. Over at The Loft, not only does the space thrill with its Soho vibe but so do their drinks. “The drinks we present you today at The Loft are inspired by the old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book, written by historian Albert Stevens Crockett,” is the message from bar manager Michele Montauti that greets at the front page of the menu. Here you will find artisanal spirits and forgotten cocktails crafted for the modern palate using a great collection of house-made ingredients, all while seemingly floating above one of the most awe-inspiring cities in the world.
Despite stiff competition from older legends that have made their mark, the arrival of the Hilton’s group’s only Southeast Asian property of its flagship brand gives discerning travellers a modern option, in contrast to the old-world opulence its hotels tend to offer. It can be seen through the beverage program of The Loft, which is truly one of the best out there, as it applies Thai characteristics to Waldorf Astoria’s signature cocktails. In the spirit of the artist flair that exudes from the space, Waldorf Astoria Bangkok has worked with local street artist Piyasak Khiaosaard on a series of drinks inspired directly by his artworks that is available till the end of May. For a refreshing end to a hot day, the quirky aesthetics of Water Lion blends the crisp notes of fresh watermelon juice and coconut water, the citrusy notes from a pinch of lemon juice and the fruity, aromatic sensations of Ferrari Perlé Brut Riserva for a harmonious, well-balanced cocktail — much like all of Thai cuisine.
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