Awaken Your Five Senses at Barracuda Rooftop Bar
See the view, hear the music, taste the drinks, smell the food, and feel the breeze on the rooftop deck of Akara Bangkok.
If you were lucky, you might have been able to feel the (very) slight chill that hit Bangkok a few days ago. As the cold season arrives, a lot of people seem to be planning a picnic at the park and packing with them some delicious food and drinks. A stroll in the cool, sunny late afternoon and a little sightseeing also sounds positively tempting.
Either way, a cold spell in Bangkok rarely lasts, so it’s a moment best savored ASAP. So stretch these moments a little bit longer with your friends, family, and special someone by spending the evening enjoying great food, drinks, music, and ambiance.
Rooftop bars are one of the most popular choices when it comes to such experiences. They offer you a chance to sit back, feel the breeze, and catch a bird’s eye view of Bangkok with all the bright city lights.
On this note, we’ve just dropped by at Barracuda Rooftop Bar in Phaya Thai. Located on the 18th floor of Akara Bangkok, Barracuda’s got it all, plus some extra privacy. Here, you can celebrate the night and party worry-free.
To get to the rooftop bar, take the elevator up to the 16th floor, walk through Akara Bangkok’s Fables restaurant and the pool area, then climb the stairs up to the top.
Barracuda is dressed in a minimalist Scandinavian style. It has a sleek and classy appearance thanks to white and gray tones from marbles and granite. Streaks of green and orange from accent pieces brighten up the place and also give it a modern touch.
The two seating areas are separated by a marble bar area in the center, where you can watch the bartenders concoct each drink. Around the counter is a secluded seating area. As the outermost tables are set against the wall, there’s a sense of privacy even though you’re sharing an outdoor space with many other patrons.
Barracuda’s most impressive feature is perhaps its panoramic view of the dense, urban neighborhood that is Phaya Thai-Ratchathewi. You can gaze out at the surrounding skyscrapers and transportation hubs like highways and ARL Ratchaprarop station. While you’re there, be sure to take in the gorgeous sights as the evening turns to night.
Barracuda Rooftop Bar serves various Mediterranean and international treats, mostly starters and main courses.
The first recommendation is Tuna Tataki – pan-seared tuna fillet cut into bite-sized pieces. The fish is served on a bed of chopped onions and topped with garlic crisps. The zesty ponzu sauce it comes with provides a bright flavor.
Next on the list is Calamares A La Andaluza - squid marinated in milk, cut into rings, then deep-fried. It’s served with chili mayo (mayonnaise with chili sauce and seasonings). You can have bites after bites of this appetizer and never have enough!
Gambas Al Aglio is Spanish-style garlic shrimp – Whiteleg shrimp sautéed and seasoned with chili, garlic, and parsley. It’s served alongside Focaccia, a type of Italian flatbread that has a fluffy yet chewy texture, which is topped with black olives and chilies. It’s flavorsome, but not at all too spicy or salty.
Next, Pizza Di Pietro is an Italian-style seafood pizza that’s sliced and served as squares. The chef cut the squid and shrimp into small pieces, put it on basil pesto along with the cheese, and bake it into a pizza. It’s the perfect dish to share with your friends, as it’s not too filling.
Last but not least on the food menu is Arancini Al Nero Di Seppia. It’s rice cooked in wine, stock, cheese, butter, onions, diced squid, and squid ink. The chef then rolls the squid ink risotto into bite-sized balls, covers them in crumbs, and deep-fries them, like croquettes. It’s served with mayonnaise-based sauce.
After all these food recommendations, let’s see what kinds of drinks you can pair them with. Barracuda Rooftop Bar offers mainly cocktails and wines, but also has beers, spirits, juice, and other soft drinks on the menu.
The highlight among these drinks is Barracuda’s signature cocktails. There are nine varieties to choose from, all created by Barracuda’s mixologists to precisely reflect the character of the rooftop bar.
From those top nine options, we’ve tried four. First is Passion Sour – a bright yellow concoction with rum, fresh passion fruits, lime juice, simple syrup, bitter, and egg whites. The drink is topped with one half of a passion fruit. Easy to enjoy and refreshing with a sweet and sour taste.
C Fizz - gin, crushed Japanese cucumbers, simple syrup, lime juice, and seltzer for extra pep. It has a crisp and refreshing taste, thanks to the veggie’s subtle fragrance.
The pink & black drink in the tall glass is Akara Long Island. It’s a new spin on the classic Long Island cocktail – pomegranate mingling with orange liqueur, rum, gin, vodka, and tequila. The drink is completed with lime juice, simple syrup, and cola, plus fresh pomegranate seeds as garnish.
To finish off this list, we’ve got Old Spiced Fashion. Fresh cayenne pepper is smoked in the lowball glass, while the drink consists of simple syrup, vermouth, bourbon, and bitter. The charred pepper is used as garnish along with the traditional orange rind.
Other than the view, food, and drinks, music by talented DJs can also add much to the ambiance. At Barracuda Rooftop Bar, expect house, soulful house, and disco beats every day starting from 19.00.
For TGIF parties, Barracuda turns it up for the office worker crowd with classics from the ‘90s plus old-school R&B that everyone knows and loves.
Barracuda Rooftop Bar is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a chill hangout. The venue's got it all – minimalist Scandinavian décor, private seatings, and an unbeatable view of the city that never sleeps. Plus, you get to enjoy uncommon Mediterranean menus and creative concoctions while grooving to house beats.
And really, what’s not to love about that?