The Lotus Position

I have just returned from one of the most hedonistic experiences of a lifetime. Every second I spent at the Lebua hotel in Bangkok was resplendent of their decadent brand of pampering.
Lebua is a Thai-French name. Le meaning ‘the’ and Bua, Thai for the Lotus. In Buddhist philosophy, the Lotus has extreme significance. Depictions at temples often show Lotus stems reaching out into the sky from murky pools where fish and turtles swim. The metaphor goes like this: we are all in this pit or dirt, of predators who can attack us and defeat us, but if we strive hard enough, we can rise above and beyond all this and allow our spirit to soar endlessly, where then it truly blossoms. Lebua then is quite an apt name for it is all about delivering to us the luxury that we all singularly strive for. Lebua’s CEO, Deepak Ohri, believes that luxury is not just  for the rich. “Luxury is different things to different people, depending on their level of expectations.”

Everyone has a different definition and level of aspiration and to ensure that nobody goes away unsatisfied basically means setting your standards high enough to please everybody.

But all this wasn’t told to me, it was shown to me. Sirocco, a restaurant at Lebua, has undergone some changes but the location and quality of food remain high as ever, pun intended. With a view on the iconic golden dome of the State Tower, as a jazz band croons away silky somethings into the black star-decked sky, this is quite an ethereal outing venue. Not surprising to hear that many a man has gone down on one knee here.

My personal favourite was Mezzaluna. I have never had twins serve me before, and here they were, the Sühring brothers, cuisiniers in arms, handling what is arguably the finest dining experience in Bangkok.

Finally, the star in this crown was a Frenchman, Sebastien Dental, who handles F&B operations here but more importantly, he can sing to you from the wine list, each phrase almost rhyming, each description so vivid that you can almost taste it. All through my stay he ensured that every wine line-up was a journey and an experience unto itself. We tasted our way through more countries and regions together than I have visited with my girlfriend! Somehow, Bangkok, Lebua included, still shies away from serving Thai wine on their lists. I wonder why? Sebastien, at the time of my meeting him, was planning a trip to the northern winemaking provinces where he planned to taste and experience them first-hand before incorporating them into his premium wine selection. The best part, even with an in-suite spa room, my living quarters were a fraction of what one would pay anywhere in India. In short, luxury is an aspiration, not an alibi to rob banks or break into fixed deposits.

Lebua is now all set to open in Delhi. A sneak sharing that I am indulging in is this: Sirocco 2 will be coming here, as also most of the skilled staff to put menus and service in place. The best will also be a fine-dining Indian restaurant to take Indian dining stratospherically high, be it cuisine, service, or setting (imagine 1,001 candles-lit rooms with reflection pools.) As Deepak shared, the restaurant is set to redefine Indian cuisine by several international Michelin chefs who will contribute one dish to the menu for each day and on those very days, the same dish would feature on their Michelin-rated menus elsewhere in the world.

“That is glocal, something that is not merely imported but is also worthy of being exported.” Now that will be serious down-on-one-knee stuff!