It was a relaxing Sunday afternoon so intimate and homelike that my four dining companions and I jokingly asked for a way to the bedroom.
We were among other lunching guests at Penthouse Bar+Grill, a triplex establishment designed to portray the jet set feel of Upper East Side New York apartment -- supposedly a rich friend's penthouse.
The venue, featuring six F&B outlets including cocktail bar, whiskey room, grill room and chef's table chamber across the top three floors of the Park Hyatt Bangkok hotel, had since its opening a year ago been a favourite night spot by urbane bar-hoppers and highbrow diners alike. But it was just recently that it started operating at lunchtime.
"My Penthouse Sunday" is one of the newly-launched dining concepts. It's a casual weekend buffet feast that allows guests not just all-you-can-eat gourmet delicacies but also a full use of the whole complex over a four-hour gastronomic affair.
Set to depict a lavish yet neighbourly house party, and not a humongous spread of hotel buffet, most of the food and refreshments are grabbed from back room counters and stations set along a lengthy pantry manned by chefs, a mixologist and service staff.
Feel free to ask from them the day's specials (you cannot miss the lobster bisque and wagyu tartare should they be available); from the frying station the likes of beer-battered fish and seasoned French fries; from the egg station eggs Benedict, spinach frittata or classic French omelette; and from the pancake corner cheddar cheese pancakes or waffles.
Coffee drinkers can feel free to use the espresso machine, while the young ones are promised good fun with their soft serve creativity.
At the end of hallway guests will arrive at an exquisite, almost-secret room. The octagonal chamber showcases supposedly the host's private collection of coral, shells and gemstone quartz. It is where French oysters are freshly shucked and offered with condiments. Other light-bite delicacies, such as verrines of crab cocktail, tuna tartare and devilled eggs; smoked salmon; Caesar and Caprese salad.
A prime selection of imported meat and seafood -- a focal point of the affair -- is on offer fresh of the flame from a glass-façade show kitchen set in the middle of a masculine-accented dining room.
Red meat buffs won't regret having charcoal-grilled Australian wagyu rib-eye steak and lamb racks as well as carved beef prime-rib. They are prepared by the Penthouse's Canadian head chef Andrew Dickie and served with your choice of sauce including Béarnaise, red wine reduction, green peppercorn, Argentinian chimichurri and Thai-styled spicy jaew. Organic vegetables and side dishes such as macaroni and cheese and potato gratin proved to complement the meat perfectly.
Other protein options are rotisserie chicken, barbecue pork spare ribs, Sloan's smoked bacon and grilled pork sausage. Grilled Hokkaido scallop Rockefeller is a truly worth having seafood choice.
A mouthwatering span of desserts awaits at the high-ceilinged cocktail bar upstairs where various specially-concocted drinks are prepared.
There, you'll find more than 20 items of western confectionery such as profiteroles, cheesecakes, macarons, soft-baked cookies, doughnuts, mousses (salted caramel chocolate mousse was divine), tarts and candied apples.
Boys and the young-at-heart are welcome to a glass-wrapped playroom blessed with a bird's eye city view. A collection of video games, table football, darts and board games were quite mediocre so don't over expect.
The four-hour-long brunch is priced at 1990 baht per person for food and soft drink. Specially curated adult beverage package, including cocktail, wine, craft beer, alcoholic slushy and gin costs an additional 1,000 baht per person.
