Page 12 - Masala Lite Issue 156 December 2023

12 MUNCHING

Pink Giraffe is serving up scrumptious
Cali-Japanese cuisine and stylish
cocktails at TopGolf Megacity.

BY AYUSH MADAN

ne of the most virally-shared locations
on your Instagram stories feed, TopGolf
Megacity now has its very own rooftop
bar! Pink Giraffe is an open-air rooftop bar on the
4th floor of the TopGolf complex, and despite the
distance from where I lived, I was especially eager
to sample their unique offerings as well as check out
their unique, all-in-one “play, food, fun” concept.
Part of my excitement stemmed from meeting
Chef Daniel Bucher, the Executive Chef & Food
Sustainability Manager of TopGolf Megacity, whose
culinary offerings are renowned in Bangkok, and
especially in the Thai-Indian community. “There
are 80 different TopGolf locations in the US, but
since this was the first franchise in Asia, I knew the
food would have to stand out,” he tells me, and I
couldn’t wait for him to be proven right.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS MASALA RECOMMENDS

The Tower of power (THB 1,400). I can’t think of
Walking out onto the deck, my first impression of the venue was that I had woken up in a a better Friday night than enjoying some golf at
BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)-inspired acid trip – in the best way. The walls were covered the bay with some friends, then coming up to sip
in big splotches of bright colourful swirls, boxes, flowers, and giraffe prints. There were some cocktails and treating ourselves to a tower
giant, wiry, electric pink giraffe heads poking out of the walls, with their glowing neon of 16 oysters. The tower has Classic oysters, Tomato
feet standing on the opposite side of the bar as though they had just walked through miso oysters, and my favourite flavour, which is the
a portal. The view of the course was clear, and you could see golf balls whizzing across Yuzu ponzu oyster. The yuzu oysters featured a tart
the field below you. Meanwhile, the lighting was pink and minimal, with the circular bar and bright citrus sauce that contrasted the natural
being the centrepiece where you could share a moment of intimacy. salinity of the oyster in one perfectly balanced bite.
The oysters themselves tasted fresh and were quite
FOOD AND DRINK well priced, starting at only THB 90 per piece.

The first menu item we got to try was the Big sashimi platter (THB 990) with salmon filet,
tuna, scallops, kampachi, akagai, and ikura. The seafood was fresh, and contained many
different little bites that awakened my palette for the feast to come. Next, the Unagi Chef Daniel Bucher, the Executive Chef & Food
avocado roll (THB 460) featured the signature umami flavours of roasted eel, evened Sustainability Manager of TopGolf Megacity, gives us
out by the buttery and fresh avocado and sweet tamago. For those who prefer cooked more of the inside scoop behind the restaurant:
fish, they have Kampachi mentaiko (THB 490), baked amberjack in a cod roe beurre blanc “I spent months in the US visiting some of the TopGolf
sauce that is savoury, creamy, and delectable. franchises across the country. For this branch, the first

Additionally, the restaurant also serves Giraffo-dons which are a medley of different one in Asia, I wanted to step away from the burgers and
cubed sashimi, tamago, and cucumber laid on a bed of Japanese rice. We also tucked into fries and lean more heavily into Cali-Japanese cuisine,
the Chirashi don (THB 470), which featured a mix of salmon and tuna. For fans of finger with a décor and ambience resembling a Florida beach
food, there are Temari golf balls (THB 90), which are golf ball-shaped nigiri with options bar. This is how we ended up with one of our signature
for amberjack, scallop, and wagyu. Make sure to order their signature Gyu bulgogi roll, dishes, the Gyu bulgogi roll, which features Wagyu beef
prepared tableside; a scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth roll that is simultaneously cold wrapped in kimbap and roasted tableside, and paired
and hot, and altogether titillating. with kimchi and katsuo. I also worked closely with
the mixologist to scout the best sake that would pair perfectly with this non-
Of course, we couldn’t visit a rooftop bar without sampling their signature cocktails. Their traditional and unique interpretation of Japanese cuisine.”
namesake cocktail, The pink giraffe (THB 320) is, aptly, comprised of pink gin, Aperol, lime
juice, rose syrup, coriander bitters, and tonic. It was topped with foam and a beautiful
edible drink topper of a giraffe, with a background of jelly beans. The drink was sweet VIEW VIDEO
and packed with a lot of botanical flavours, as well as some brightness from the lime PINK GIRAFFE
juice. The pink panther (THB 340) is another signature drink with a gin and plum sake base 4th Floor, TopGolf Megacity
topped with grenadine and malai. For fans of sweet umeshu flavours, this is definitely 971 Moo 8 Bang Kaeo Bangpli 10540
a cocktail that will satiate you.
Open Sundays to Thursdays from 9am to 11pm,
All in all, Pink Giraffe is a hip, stylish, vibrantly decorated, and relaxed rooftop bar that and Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to midnight
would be an amazingly fun finish to any TopGolf visit. I can see myself headed back here TEL: 02 114 1289
with a group of friends any day now to enjoy more of the future disco beats, signature FACEBOOK: Top Golf Thailand
tipples, and curated bites. https://topgolfthailand.com/th/pink-giraffe/

MASAL A LITE ISSUE 156 - DECEMBER 202 3