The buzz: Chef Steve Doucakis (previously of Bunker and “Top Chef Thailand”) has teamed up with James Beard Award-Winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette to bring their Bostonian “international izakaya” to Bangkok.
The vibe: Located on the second floor of Thonglor’s buzzing community mall, 72 Courtyard, Little Donkey shares a giant, plant-filled terrace space with neighboring Touche Hombre. Take a seat at the outdoor bar, or head inside to grab a chair overlooking the open kitchen, where a hot-pink donkey mural gives a relaxed edge to the industrial décor.
The food: Chef Steve’s eclectic menu is all about fun and experimentation using local ingredients. Following no rules, he creates mix-and-match dishes that are made for sharing, from chicken liver mousse (B190) with crispy chilies, pomelo jam and sourdough bread, to the fun kimchi yakisoba (B380) with braised beef tongue and soft cheese. The unique stuffed chicken wings (B150) come with a tamarind glaze, khao kua (toasted rice powder) and ranch dip. If there’s one dish that you need to try, it’s the Mama Donut (280): Mama noodles cooked in a house-made broth, shaped as a doughnut, breaded and deep-fried, topped off with a runny egg yolk and tom yam mayo shrimp—it may sound mad but, trust us, it works (just don’t attempt to eat it alone). For dessert, the comforting oatmeal cookie cake (B150) is truly a taste of heaven. On weekends (11am-3pm), head there for their comforting brunch, which covers everything from crispy hash brown- and creamy avocado-stuffed breakfast burritos (B280) to cereal-crusted French toast (B240).
The drinks: Just as fun as the food, the house cocktails are fruity and refreshing—try the Jarhead Smash (vodka, pineapple, lychee and basil; B280) or The Asian Connection (London dry gin, lemongrass and yuzu tonic; B320). Beer drinkers can opt for a 2L Asahi tower for B900.
Why we’d go back: The menu at Little Donkey is full of interesting bites that leave us wanting to come back and try more. The terrace is a great getaway from the fast-paced city and with plans to host live DJs and special events, this is set to become a go-to party spot.
