Hungover... In The Sky

Have you ever sipped on a cocktail standing on a cloud, playing with the stars? We came close to it at the Sky Bar at Tower Club at Lebua, Bangkok. The hangover here, really, never wears off...

Walking down the sweeping, beautifully-lit, Spanish steps-like staircase that descends down to the deck leading to Sirocco—the world’s highest al fresco restaurant, in the shadows of the majestic golden dome, makes you feel like a star on the red carpet. And as you get done with this short but mesmerising walk, your heart misses a beat when you see the Sky Bar in the far corner, almost jutting out into the glittering sky.

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The world’s highest and the most stunning open-air bar, Sky Bar, on the 63rd floor of Tower Club at Lebua, the finest 5 star executive all-suite and all-club hotel in Bangkok, quickly transforms the minutes you spend here into the most memorable moments of your life. After all, you are suspended on a precipice over the city—820 feet in the air.

Rather close to the sky. But, it’s not just the height. Although, the height does amp up the high. The post-modern multi-hued island bar, whose colour changes every 90 seconds from emerald to ocean blue and fuchsia to tangerine, offers arguably the best 360-degree view of the city. So much so that if you are in Bangkok, you can’t be anywhere else when the sun is setting over the Chao Phraya river. Add to this, a super creative collection of pre- and post-dinner cocktails with even more innovative names, served up by some internationally-renowned mixologists. Sample the Hangovertini, for example. The blend of green tea liquor, apple juice, Martini Rosso and rosemary honey, created for the crazy Hangover 2 boys while they were shooting for the film at Lebua, will surely hammer in a new feeling of hangover in your head. A good feeling.

The hangover story

Sky Bar was always up there. It will remain the most spectacular roof-top bar you will ever experience. At least until the day we manage to make restaurants in the sky! But after the crazy boys of Hangover 2 turned up here, the bar has garnered some serious Hollywood-ish attention. The bartenders at the Sky Bar created a special drink, as a tribute to this film, which was being shot here. The thought was to create a cocktail that has the ability to pick you up after a night out in Bangkok. And thus, Hangovertini was born. Now, of course, it has become the signature drink of Thailand.

A healthy addiction

Vitamins + Minerals + Antioxidants + a bit of Alcohol = Pain releaser + Energy Provider. That’s Hangovertini for you.

Honey is a source of carbohydrates, natural sugar, water, minerals, vitamins, pollen and protein. Green tea, since ancient times, has been used to treat everything from headaches to depression. Rosemary contains antioxidants and is an abundant source of vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and copper. Green apples contain sodium and lend their vibrant green colour to anything they are tossed into. And when you blend them all together, with a few liberal dashes of alcohol, what you get is an energy drink with the high of an intoxicating cocktail.

Sky Bar is really one of those places you will never feel like stepping away from. This is especially why having Sirocco right there works wonderfully. Just step down from the Sky Bar and get led to a table at this, the world’s highest al fresco restaurant, for some extraordinary bites pre- and post-cocktails. On its own, too, Sirocco makes for an unforgettable evening under the stars. Live jazz music is a constant feature here, taken a notch higher by many vocalists of international repute who perform here on all days except Mondays. Do try their signature China 20:20 menu and don’t forget to dig into their to-die-for exquisite dessert called Oak that has been named as one of the world’s most expensive desserts, by www.telegraph.co.uk.

Hangovertini: cocktail recipe for your terrace

• Scotch whiskey
• 1 ounce Zen green tea liquor
• 1 ounce green apple juice
• 0.3 ounce sweet vermouth
• 0.3 ounce Martini Rosso
• 0.2 ounce rosemary infused honey
• A rosemary sprig for decoration

Shake all the ingredients together and strain into a Martini glass. Decorate with rosemary and serve.

When you’ve had enough of the buzz, the sky and the world below, dive into the innovative aged cocktails at Distil, on the 64th floor, for a relaxed, romantic evening. Distil offers premium drinks and international luxury fusion cuisine, with a focus on authentic sushi, sashimi and maki. This elegant setting, with a view of Bangkok and the River of Kings, allows you to wine and dine in a fairytale-like ambience. What with its rather fancy menu! Relish this: For the Oyster Bar here, fresh Eagle Rock, Pickering Passage, Hama Hama, and Fines de Claire oysters are flown in twice a week from the US and from France. Also, fresh sushi and sashimi are flown in from Japan along with Iranian Caviar.

This is one place in the world that helps you zen out with the most luxe, innovative drinks and cigars in your hands. Yes, cigars. Enjoy hand-rolled authentic Cuban Cigars in the adjoining open-air Cigar Terrace overlooking the Chao Phraya River and the city skyline. And amongst the drinks, our recommendation undoubtedly is the love potion, Amortentia. Enjoy it along with a platter of sushi and maki and, of course, Oysters with caviar.

At Distil, this drink is served rather dramatically too, with a metal straw and the spoon left inside the bottle. The cork of the slender corked-glass bottle is twisted right at your table and you are encouraged to smell the rose essence smoke. What you are left sipping into, rather in a state of mesmerisation, is a concoction with floral, sharp and medium tart notes. Just the love potion we would not mind celebrating any starry evening with!

Amortentia: cocktail recipe for your cosy balcony

• 1.5 ounce red wine macerated with dehydrated used fruits from GandT (apple, papaya, ginger, rambotan and jackfruit)
• 1 tea bag of rose petals and dry ice
• 0.5 ounce lychee liqueur
• 0.5 ounce rose syrup
• 1.5 ounces aged old-fashioned Bourbon

Pour in all the ingredients in a glass bottle, stir them and cork it. Garnish amply with rose petals and dry fruits.

Here’s how you can age Bourbon in an old fashioned way

• Homemade jasmine bitters
• Bourbon
• Sugar cane sticks
• Rose syrup
• Dry oranges
• Californian prunes

Keep all the ingredients in cold infusion for 3 days. Then age them in a French oak barrel for 50 days.

From the January 2014 issue of L’Officiel India.