Vertigo be damned; some people just love the thrill of rising above. At ZENSE, you can do just that.
Rooftop restaurants are all the rage these days in Bangkok - a city that leaves little room for quiet leisure at the street level. But on the roof of many a modern high-rise that punctures the capital's skyline, a whole new world may await.
When it comes to upscale comfort and fine dining at an elevated level, both literally and figuratively, the ZENSE Gourmet Deck & Lounge Panorama restaurant occupies a pride of place with the cognoscenti - and rightly so.
A spacious alfresco eatery on the 17th floor of ZEN World at the sprawling CentralWorld mega-shopping complex, ZENSE affords diners a panoramic and uninterrupted 180-degree bird's-eye view of one of Bangkok's prime entertainment venues and gathering places, right in the city's heart.
As you watch - or ignore, if you prefer - the spirited bustle of shoppers and picture-takers down below, you can allow yourself to lapse effortlessly into the artfully lit ambience of your cozy open-air perch up above.
But no atmosphere that is tailor-made for diners' comfort matters much without an equally inviting menu of fine dishes. In this respect, too, ZENSE acquits itself wonderfully. The restaurant boasts five different kitchens under a single roof, each a fine brand in its own right and each specializing in a different cuisine. Each of the five kitchens is a popular gourmet's favorite, catering to sophisticated palates with its own line of signature dishes.
White Cafe services traditional Thai-style favorites. Kikusui provides its excellent Japanese fare. When it comes to a taste for contemporary Indian cuisine, Red is on hand. Gianni Ristorante, the city's all-time favorite Italian restaurant, looks after orders of authentic dishes a la la dolce vita. Meanwhile, To Die For is in charge of experimental taste-bud teasers of Contemporary European style dishes. Desserts are courtesy of ZENSE Patisserie.
"The idea is to make ZENSE an ideal meeting place for people with different tastes," says Mark Kingpayom, ZENSE's marketing manager.
The rooftop restaurant, Kingpayom adds, "is perfect for larger groups and gatherings."
ZENSE boasts 2,800 square meters of floor space for over 400 seated guests. It also offers three exclusive areas: the ZENSE VIP Suite, The Wine Chiller bar zone, and a private party zone.
Also in the works, being constructed in adjoining floors above for opening early next year, is Shintori, a Japanese culinary art cuisine extravaganza of a restaurant. Horizons, a brand-new culinary perch with a 360-degree panoramic view of the city and Heaven on Zen, an overhead private escape for discerning foodies.
ZENSE's interior design is the work of celebrated Thai architect Amata Luphaiboon. It's a uniquely stylish atmosphere of home away from home - one you can instantly relate to, if you are from the upper crust of society or simply just appreciate fine interior design and observe it with a discerning eye.
Industrial steel lines, angled in dynamic conceptual planes on walls and ceilings, are tempered and complemented by a color scheme that seems straight out of modern luxury homes. Bathing the elegant ambience of inclusive privacy is mood lighting with shades of fuchsia, purple and blue. Slantwise staircases lend the interiors an added element of romantic mise-en-scene.
Appropriately, ZENSE opens just before sunset, at 5pm, and remains open until 1am. That allows guests to indulge in a fine evening, in pleasant company, of palate-tingling delicacies against a stunning backdrop of Bangkok's light-studded commercial heart.
ZENSE is perfect for celebrating Christmas Eve and the New Year's Eve Countdown, both of which events are featured prominently down below at CentralWorld Plaza, a hip venue for Year-End celebrations with its lavish Christmas decorations and seasonal beer gardens.
ZENSE is offering special New Year's Eve packages for the New Year's Eve bash. The Party Package (from 10pm to 3am, with standing room only at a designated area) costs 2,999 baht. It includes canape{aac}, plus two drink coupons. During Countdown guests can go outdoors from 11.30pm onwards to celebrate and get ready for the fireworks display.
A Sit-Down Dinner Package (from 5pm to 3am, outdoors) costs 6,999 baht and includes a seven-course set menu, plus canape{aac} and a free flow of wine and champagne (until 10pm).
A DJ and a live band will provide the music and entertainment ahead of the Grand Fireworks Display shooting with a backdrop of CentralWorld and the Royal Bangkok Sports Club on the stroke of midnight.
So here's your chance to rise above.
