Bed Supper Club
Sukhumvit Soi 11
Bangkok
Tel: 02 651 3537
Website

Anybody who has been down Sukhumvit Soi 11 has seen it. Seen the vast oval capsule that some think looks like an extraterrestrial visitation, others are just confused. To me it's a modern day ark, complete with a walkway up the side for the animals to enter two by two. Easy enough for said animals, too, as there are more than a dozen car jocks to park their wheels, plenty of doormen to direct them and a few bouncers to make certain they stay peaceful. And if further evidence were required that they are indeed going on a journey, their passport will be demanded before they can get on board. Of course I had forgotten mine but embarrassment was avoided. I just said the magic words: "Noah is expecting me!" And with that I was whisked into the heart of the beast.
The name of this visionary business is the Bed Supperclub; not exactly words I would expect to find grouped! Strange images are created — I can't say the idea of eating on a bed enthrals me either.
It was only after meeting Noah, who assured me they actually had places for grown-up humans, as well as animals, that I took the plunge and went in to the ark.
Inside is very white, and on either side of the dining room, at two levels, are vast beds. On the beds are small, low Perspex tables and those eating are invited to remove their shoes and climb on to a bed. Most people seemed to sit with their backs to the wall with their feet outstretched. Eating is a bit like being in an airline with the same open invitation for food to drop on the only clean shirt you have!
All I can say is everybody looked very happy. Hey, it's different!
In any event I was content to be on one of the few proper tables. If they had got me on one of the beds I'm not sure they would have ever got me off again. Unlike saving a beached whale they could hardly wait for the tide to come in.
Bed has a new centrepiece, called "The Fossil", an ageing petrol shack from near Hua Hin, which represents art in this ultra-modern setting. A video is screened on one wall, which the artist says helps viewers recall the importance of such places as communal centres, selling essentials and fuel. They are disappearing as Thailand modernises, he says — more Tesco bashing.
The menu I was given was the daily one, which is in fact a weekly menu, with a fixed priced three-course dinner for Bt1,250. I was told that at weekends it goes to four courses and Bt1,650.
There were three starter options, five mains and three puds. Needless to say in such a trendy spot veggies took up one of the options in both the early courses. Then for mains there were two fish, one beef and one chicken dish.
For starters I opted, at Noah's suggestion, for the wok-seared tuna sashimi on avocado with yellow tomato-mango vinaigrette. For the main I ordered the Australian beef sirloin with tomato, olive and caper sauce on soft polenta. As those descriptions suggest this is modern fusion-esque cuisine. Obviously each new menu is carefully thought through and dishes experimented with until they work. It is certainly not heavy fusion, it is sensible fusion in that they use what is good, available and fresh.
The food was first class: the combinations worked, the tastes were different and interesting, and the presentation right. Bear in mind, most people are lying on beds, so food that rolls or falls off your plate is not recommended.
I had two niggles, which I pointed out to Noah. The tuna may have been wok seared but that was done at the prep stage and thus the fish was cold from the fridge. This is a busy restaurant — it was full the night I was there " but there is still no real excuse for serving food at fridge temperature. The second niggle was minor, in that I discovered that there was also an a la carte menu. It is clearly hidden away and only those who know, and ask, get to see it. I would almost certainly have stayed with the set menu but I see no point in having another menu if it is hidden under Noah's bushel.
During dinner there was a strange performance involving torn up newspaper and a living statue. Something happens every night to amaze, amuse or just confuse. It is all part of being different, original and trendy, I assume.
Many think of Bed as a dance club and it does have some very serious DJs. Jointly with Q Bar, just around the corner, its is running the Bangkok DJ Festival from November 26 to December 4 2006. (For full details see the Clubbing section of the Bangkokgigguide.com.)
The largest area is the restaurant but the other end is very much a club and after 11pm when star DJs are on the whole area is treated as one musically. Otherwise there are two different musical offerings.
I had a drink with Noah in the club end where there are two bars, with the one upstairs offering a slight refuge from the main bar and dance floor. Entrance to the club is Bt600, which includes two drinks. But go early as queues are not unknown, and take your passport as it will be required, however old an animal you are.
Noah also assured me this is not a place that la belle de la nuit are welcome. So as they say BYO.
Make no mistakes, this is a slick operation where the staff are well trained and fairly fizz about. There is also a restaurant and bar manager who is on the case, and rather than simply chatting with or ignoring customers is constantly checking all is well. On a busy night this place has 800 people through the doors and I can imagine they would all get served and looked after properly.
Quite simply, I was impressed, as was On, who watched the whole spectacle fascinated. With the exception of the fossil it ain't like that in Nakon Nowhere! The food was interesting and good, and because the place was full the ambience was great. And, of course, this is a not bad place to be seen. So next time somebody slinks of and says conspiratorially "I am off to Bed", they probably are!