Wow! Never ceases to amaze me how this place continues to grow and change.  Yesterday I was once again exploring and had an opportunity to take a tour of the new Amari bar/restaurant called the "Mantra" on Beach Road here in Pattaya.  To put the place in a single word would be difficult at best but 'amazing' gets close, 'extraordinary' gets near as well but even those words don't describe it.

After all these years, it seems Pattaya is finally moving into the big leagues.  Combined with other clubs that have expanded out of Bangkok, the place has definitely moved upscale.

Mantra makes you feel small.  The entrance doors make you feel as if you are entering some oriental palace with the walls reaching many meters over your head.  You could drive a M-1 tank through the doors with no problem.  This is class and entrance to it is selective. Proper dress required as well.  

The entrance hosts the main bar and is a blend of both the far and near east.  You might think you have entered a turkish fortress but in making a turn your eyes find a glass enclosed and constantly chilled wine cellar.  There are many spacious rooms with intimate tables enclosed on its walls or overlooking what I would describe as a great room of a palace where there are individual areas for various cuisines, ranging from Chinese to Pizza, but these open areas are huge!  Even the pizza oven takes your breath away!

Tables have individual names such as 'The Sultan' and 'Opera'.  There is even a private banquet room as well as a large outdoor seating area on the 2nd floor overlooking Beach Road and the Gulf of Thailand.

You might wonder who visits such a place? I asked the same question and was promptly told, 'Russians'.  Some British.  Americans weren't on the list nor were Thais.  Given the prices I can understand why as Sunday Brunch is 2,000 Baht (over 20 Euro) and a couple of drinks were near $10 USD.  Now that is expensive by any standards here in Thailand!  But I guess class has a price doesn't it?