The day has come when Sunday brunch hunters in Bangkok are so desensitised by the plethora of food most five-star establishments are offering that they cannot tell each of them apart cuisine-wise.
The live home-made pasta station.
They serve up almost identical varieties of victuals. Whether its top-of-the-line seafood, outstanding choices of red meat and poultry or exclusive repertoires of cheese and charcuteries. This is not to mention all-time favourite cuisines, namely Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Western-style barbecue and Italian pasta.
Some discerning epicures have known that if they want their weekend feast with promising highest-standard Japanese fare — the sushi and sashimi in particular — Up & Above at the Okura Prestige Bangkok is the place.
Blessed by the sky-high ambience and panoramic view of the city, Up & Above is an all-day dining restaurant decked out in contemporary style and on the hotel’s 24th floor.
The spacious venue was fully packed with local families and international expats on the Sunday I visited. Its neat line-up of Sunday repast showcased international selections of culinary luxuries and creations.
The chilled seafood corner served Maine lobster, giant Alaskan king crab legs, mud crabs, white prawns and Manila clams. The oyster station boasted selections from France, Australia and United States, to be shucked freshly upon order and served with condiments.
Maine lobster with frothy beurre blanc sauce.
While the Western appetiser station featured, for example, beef carpaccio with rocket leaves and Pecorino cheese; scallops with avocado; grapefruit and asparagus with orange mousseline; duck liver parfait; duck rillettes; wild boar terrine; Caesar and Arabic salads.
That was complemented by a line-up of charcuterie and cheese, where 18-month-aged San Daniele prosciutto, Milano salami, Parma ham and Apuglia burrata as well as an impressive selection of imported and house-made cheese were on offer.
There is a wide range of salads.
Representing the warm dish section were braised kurobuta pork belly with soy glaze, free-range chicken with mushroom fricassee and potato confit, snow fish with fresh herbs and steamed sea bass with a spicy sauce, to name a few. The carving station, on that day, featured wagyu beef Wellington and porchetta (Italian roast pork).
For lovers of Thai flavours, there was also a nice range of Thai dishes, including sour and spicy Thai beef salad, spicy seafood salad, deep-fried crab spring rolls, curry crab and roasted duck curry.
The pasta station was where guests were entertained by a live-demonstration of pasta making. The housemade fettuccine and ravioli are prepared to the guests’ preference with choices of sauce and toppings.
I’m sure you cannot find a better selection of sushi and sashimi, in terms of variety and quality, from other buffet feasts in town, than the common nigiri sushi, maki sushi (rolls) and uramaki (inside-out rolls), or arrays of innovative temaki (large cone-shape sushi) or aburi sushi (sushi with flash-seared topping).
While the sashimi choice is guaranteed to please connoisseurs with various choices of top-grade Japanese fish and seafood, including hamachi (yellow tail tuna), unagi (sea eel), maguro (tuna), saba (mackerel), salmon and squid. Guests can order from the à la cart menu, as well. Dishes are Western-style classics with a Japanese touch, to be cooked and served piping hot from the kitchen.
The options include poached eggs in butter on brioche with sautéed mushrooms and truffle oil; foie gras with carrot purée, lotus root and ginger jus; Maine lobster with yuzu beurre blanc and asparagus; and Dutch veal loin with potato mousseline, ratatouille and black olive jus.
The cheese corner features a wide range of classic and innovative cheeses.
Meanwhile, the dessert counter is extensive with an international choice of sweet delicacies.
Up & Above’s Sunday brunch, which includes a full buffet, à la carte selection and non-alcoholic drinks, is priced at 2,300 baht per person. Brunch with free flow selected wines, local beers and cocktails, is priced at 3,000 baht per person. Reservations are recommended.
Sunday Brunch at Up & Above
The Okura Prestige Bangkok, 24th floor, 57 Witthayu Road
Call 02-687-9000
Opens noon to 3pm on Sundays
Park at the hotel’s car park
Most credit cards accepted
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.