The Bed Pattaya - The Hottest and Coolest Place in Town

After being seated in a fantasy white lounging booth by the vivacious Manager, A, we leant back and took in our exotic surroundings. The lighting is a high-tech automation of alluring rainbow colours which transform the mood and ambiance at a tranquil pace. The sunken bar/mixology area is uber-trendy and equipped with the latest DJ technology which springs into action at 9.00 pm every evening.

A venue such as The Bed obviously screams hip drinks and the cocktail culture is the core tipple of choice, the list is eclectic, exotic and modish. The names are witty, sexy and fashionable with cosmopolitan ingredients plus all the perennial favourites. A first rate wine list is also available with a considerable number available by the glass. The menu is described as pan Asian fusion and is certainly innovative and exciting. It firstly features their three-course gourmet set meal (B.695 ++) and a selection of finger food tapas to enjoy with drinks and concludes with a medley of Thai favourites.

The set menu menus changes every two weeks and on the night we visited we were offered a choice of five appetisers including seared tuna, fried soft shell crab, grilled prawn salad, salmon tartar and mushroom cream soup. I chose the salmon tartar which I loved (i.e. sushi grade salmon chopped and fused with cucumber, tomato, onion and lime juice). Delicious. Mick’s choice of grilled prawn salad was also a hit, a mound of dressed salad leaves came topped with chunky grilled prawns; a simple dish but well executed. Our friends pick of seared tuna arrived tender and fleshy having been seared and lightly shown the pan to retain its essence and texture.

Main courses offered a fish option of snow fish, with a meaty alternative of roast beef fillet with rosemary and shallots in a red wine sauce, panfried duck breast, lamb cutlets or roasted crisp pork belly with Thai chilli cream and salsa. I chose the snow fish, Mick the marinated lamb cutlets in basil sauce and our friends the unusual pork belly dish which they liked a lot especially the Thai fusion sauce and spicing. All dishes were beautifully cooked and stunningly presented. There certainly is a top notch chef in these kitchens, not only is the menu innovative and original the execution spot on and stylish. For dessert we all decided to be chocoholics and so with spoons in hand, tucked into the decadent chocolate fondue pudding. Molten chocolate oozed from the desserts centre delightfully running into its vanilla ice cream escort and causing more than a few ooohs and aahs from around the table.

If some drinking food is want you want, then tapas would fit the bill and here at The Bed they offer quite a selection all priced at B.160. Such items as nachos with three dipping sauces, chicken wings lolly pop style, chicken yakitori, grilled sate, calamari rings, sushi, tempura, and sashimi, certainly enough to please the most discerning tapas admirer.

It was now time to leave the cocooning of The Bed and venture forth into the Ice Bar! Having donned the requisite padded coats and gloves we pushed open the door into the sub zero bar and were propelled into an arctic igloo of ice. The constant temperature here is minus five degrees and it certainly invigorates the senses (and the toes!). The entrance fee to experience this phenomenon is B.500 for which you can indulge in as many designer vodkas as your heart desires. (However, the temperature might just deter a too lengthy session – even the seats are made of ice!) I loved the apple flavoured Vodka while Mick preferred the classic, pure variety. The vodkas are served, naturally, in shot glasses made of ice and the décor is icy too with the most creative ice sculptures.

The Bed provides a seriously hip and dazzling out of the box experience with its trendy interior design concepts and fine fusion cuisine while the Ice Bar is a fantastic, glacial experience which is way beyond uber-cool! This is the place to be and be seen – it’s sensational and pushes the envelope for a stylish, sexy venue. We are still talking about our great evening at The Bed and -5 Icebar Do visit soon, it’s the ultimate chill!

Free pick-up service available. Located in The Amari Nova Suites, Soi 12, Off Pattaya Klang Road, Pattaya. Open daily from 18.00 till late. Tel: (038) 489 488, (038) 052 338 or 089 246 1364. Email: info@minus5pattaya.com. Reservations: reservations@amari.com. Website: www.amari.com.