The main partner behind Papa’s Kitchen, Jim Moroney, says he left his last Bangkok burger partnership due to compromises in quality. Going it alone with this small dining room on the outskirts of town, he’s followed the winning recipe for a cozy and contemporary neighborhood restaurant, and the room buzzes with English-speaking locals and expats.
The menu of burgers, classic comfort food and a few more inventive signatures is, for the most part, not particularly inspired, but well executed and satisfying. The Guv’nor burger (B395) comes in an over-stuffed bun impaled with a stick and served on a cutting board (we’ve certainly seen that before). Everything is well-seasoned and the molten cheese flavorful, but the meat is rarer than we’d like and a bit soggy—overall, a satisfying burger.
Their fish and chips (B260) are about on par with Fat Gut’z, with crisp beer batter and cod that’s flakey and moist. The special of the day, seared tuna with avocado (B450), is fairly standard bistro fare but a well-balanced combination. The fiery, spiced tuna tastes not quite at its prime but marries well with the much fresher avocado purée and peppery rocket leaves. The baby back ribs (B395) are also really nicely done.
The meat falls off the bone while heat from the spice rub permeates through the tangy barbecue sauce. But other dishes don’t stand up so well. The seafood soup (B195) tastes like a weakly diluted shrimp-head stock, and isn’t saved by the kick of liquor. Washed down with a vanilla shake (B100) that tastes a lot like the one at Swensen’s, a meal a t Papa’ s is far from a disappointment and hits the spot
