An elegant vintage home located at the end of Sukhumvit Soi 13 today turns into a beautiful pet-friendly bar and restaurant.
The bar and restaurant aim to present diners with a homely yet unique ambiance with a wide-open yard and a giant, century-old Monkey Pod tree hovering over the area. It is also the origin of the restaurant’s name.
The bar and restaurant concept presents the customers with a refreshing change from the concrete jungle we all live in today. I’d say it’s succeeded.
The front entrance felt more like the back gate, with barely a glimpse of the yard and part of the house visible through the trees. There’s a small parking lot on the side that leads to an open kitchen before guiding all guests into the spacious yard behind the house.
The restaurant manager & sommelier, Khun Tong (Jirakit Oonjit), explained that the restaurant is a spin-off concept under the Blue Elephant franchise’s operation while taking us on a tour of the premise.
The house boasts a beautiful and lived-in atmosphere with several vintages and hand-me-down interior decor pieces from other Blue Elephant branches from abroad, which is absolutely brilliant.
However, the house areas are not complete due to the COVID-19 situation, but it is slated to open later this year. For the time being, guests can enjoy the outdoor area shaded by the giant Monkey Pod and other large trees.
The kitchen department is also very impressive. Chef Dou creates a modern twist of Lao-Thai-western dishes that are both homey and exciting to try.
The mixture of food, whether it is the presentation, flavors, and textures, is phenomenal.
First up was the Lao Dog (179THB) – made from ‘Sai Krua’ (a mixture between the homemade Sai Our and pork sausages) served with Chef Dou’s tomato jeaw on housemade fried mun-tow (bao) bun.
Sai Krua is not as heavily spiced as normal Sai Oua; however, they are very aromatic and flavorful. What a great starter for the meal.
Next was Klong Phai Chili Chicken (389THB) – chili-marinated free-range chicken (half) served with sides of pickled onions and Thai chimichurri.
The chicken meat was exceptionally juicy, and my personal win was the sides of pickled onions and chimichurri, which adds even more dimension to the dish (yummy).
Followed by Moo Pla Ra (479THB) – Pla Ra glazed Sloane’s organic pork chop on a French cut bone. Now, I’m usually fearful of Pla Ra, but this was something else. The meat was juicy, and the flavor was out of this world delicious. I definitely recommend it!
A must-try signature is the Moo Pla Ra Khao Phad Jeaw Bong (169THB). Chef Dou marinated the pork collar overnight in brine before grilling the meat, then served with fried rice in Lao-style XO sauce and topped with fish sauce cured egg yolk.
Finally, we’ve arrived at the dessert alley. Chef Dou served When Asian Meets Phuket (and a dairy merchant along the way – Chef Dou said it, not me) (119THB). The roasted Phuket pineapple served with toasted rice ice cream, and deep-fried milk is a beautiful and refreshing finish to the meal.
Monkey Pod
House No. 27 (at the end of Sukhumvit Soi 13, connected to Soi 11), is currently open for services daily from 11am-8pm. For more information, please contact 02 115 9830 or visit https://www.facebook.com/Monkeypodbkk
