The vibe: LB Terrasse is more than just some outdoor seating for adjoining restaurant Le Beaulieu (itself attached to the Plaza Athenee Tower). Le Beaulieu’s highly admired French chef, Herve Frerard, has set up a proper bar space with a DJ booth, a solid drinks list and its own tapas menu. Flanked by trees on one side, and designed by architect Sumeth Sukapanpotharam, the result is a handsome, high-end venue that will compete with the likes of Aqua as the night spot of choice for Bangkok’s hi-sos.

The décor: Day beds and gazebos provide an atmosphere that evokes the beach club of a luxury resort. Warm orange lighting glows upwards onto the beige, minimal surfaces of the bar, and reflects off a massive glass case showcasing champagnes and wines.  Overall, it’s a welcome return to modern elegance, without the usual nods to the past.

The food: Unlike the restaurant’s classic French fare, LB Terrasse serves small bites. The tapas menu is still under construction but you can expect the same gourmet flavors as Le Beaulieu.

The drinks: There’s a creative list of cocktails, categorized as long and short drinks. The cucumber martini, for example, mixes Broker’s gin, Vermouth dry, Japanese cucumber and crushed black pepper (B345). But if you like your booze neat, there’s also an incredibly well-stocked bar, with six rums, five tequilas, plenty of liquors, Cognac, Armagnac, a dozen whiskies, etc. Of course, you also get the restaurant’s wine list with nine wines by the glass (B245-520) and a vast selection of bottles.

The crowd: Proper expats and the very VIP movers and shakers who run this town.

Why you’ll come back: You’ve had it with “prohibition chic” and would like some proper five-star service and gourmet bites under the stars. Gregoire Glachant