Why You need to go UPSTAIRS
Central Festival is a great place to go. Its extensive amenities make it a must-visit for both tourists and locals alike. Located in the heart of Pattaya, this premier shopping destination can be reached from Pattaya’s 2nd Road or by its Beach Road entrance. It has over 370 retail outlets, including international fashion and beauty brands, electrical goods and entertainment venues. There is also plenty of available free parking to use while you cruise around the seven floors of air conditioned shopping heaven. Need a break from all the retail therapy? Then head to the beach side of the 2nd floor and the air conditioned sanctuary of Upstairs Lounge Bar & Grill..
You can also reach this
beautiful, new restaurant directly from Pattaya Beach Road by use of an external escalator which literally takes you “Upstairs” directly to their al fresco terrace. Here you can watch the world go by along the palm tree lined street and enjoy panoramic views of Pattaya Bay.
We went to Discover what was on offer in this stunning new venue and were amazed by the variety offered in its comprehensive menu. Let’s start with the food, and for long term residents of Pattaya who know the extremely popular Akvavit Grill & Bar in Jomtien, you will recognise chef Pelle’s influence in this. With a tremendous variety of Mediterranean dishes, there were some Scandinavian favourites amongst them. I had to have the Toast Skagen as this delightful starter consists of succulent prawns in dill mayonnaise with lumpfish roe on toast. My colleague went for the Italian Beef Carpaccio and declared the delicately sliced beef tenderloin seasoned with Capers, black pepper, olive oil and sherry vinegar a delight. The additional garnish of walnuts was also very tasty.
Toby the manager had told us we had to try the signature Cold Cut and Cheese Platter so we decided to be obedient and give it a go. As you will see from the photo there is a sumptuous selection of cheeses, including a delicious Parmesan with a selection of Copa, Salami, Mortadella and Parma ham amongst the cold cut meats. Accompanied by crackers, fresh bread, olives, sundried tomatoes, nuts and fruits all imported from Italy, this dish was practically a meal in itself. However, we had to sample the entrees for the sake of our review you understand.
First of all, the fish with “Pasta Arrabiata” packed a good punch with shrimp, squid & mussels in a chilli, basil and tomato sauce. Another option we would definitely recommend is the Norwegian, salmon fillet pan fried in butter and served with coz lettuce, potatoes and a deliciously creamy lobster sauce.
We were told that no visit would be complete without trying some meat from the grill. So we shared a succulent grain fed Angus Ribeye with grilled asparagus and peppers and wonderful gratin potatoes.
Unsurprisingly this restaurant is already gaining a tremendous and well deserved reputation for its steaks with many diners returning again and again to sample from the vast range available. Choices include Ribeye, Tenderloin, Short loin, Striploin Wagyu and there is even a marble grade for those amongst us who are real steak aficionados.You really should rush to the current Buy 1 Get 1 Free promotion on a Thursday whilst it is still on!
In fact, take note of everything on offer at Upstairs Bar & Grill as it will soon become your favourite Pattaya Hang Out. For a full meal snack one of the best Irish Coffees I’ve ever had or a refreshing Aperol cocktail to be enjoyed as the sun goes down – cheers!
