Burgers are a food of the gods. Ok not really, but they should be. Meat, bun, and topping: it’s a deliciously simple combination with endless variations.
After a few months in Bangkok I was worried. It seemed no matter where I went the burgers were always average (at best). But then I found Escapades. A place where you can snuggle in, roll up your sleeves and get downright dirty.
Escapades is a cozy restaurant situated along the Phra Athit road. The venue itself is quite narrow, with half of the space inside dedicated to an open bar and kitchen to which you can pull up a stool, however there are also tables in the garden which provide much more breathing space. The vibe is very chilled and the walls are covered in art and memorabilia.
It took visiting Escapades a few times before I actually got to sink my teeth into one of their creations. I had turned up twice before, however both times they had run out of something. Burgers, buns, common sense? I don’t know, but c’mon, running out of burgers in a burger bar? Really!
But instead of moaning (ok we both know I did), I took it as a sign of popularity, and swore that next time I would camp out get there early. Turns out I got there a little too early, as they don’t open until 4, but after a walk along the river my appetite, and Escapades, were ready.
For “research purposes” I dove into the menu. Trying, the “half a cow”
Which I wasn’t expecting the name of to be so literal. Triple patty, triple cheddar and truffle sauce. Deliciously naughty.
And the lamb, something that you don’t see too often in Bangkok. The bar staff then asked if I would like chocolate, I said yes because I wasn’t really listening and assumed he was talking about my milkshake (more on those later!). But it turns out he wasn’t, because when my burger arrived it looked like this.
Curious as to why they would serve a chocolate bun, I tore off a piece to try. It wasn’t so much chocolate, but more of a bitter taste, and by itself wasn’t to my liking. However when you took a bite of it all together, the bitter bun, sweet lamb and earthy truffle sang together like a perfectly orchestrated symphony of taste.
And a chicken burger, which was pretty great too! In my opinion it would have tasted much better if the chicken was breaded, however if you’re looking for something slightly healthier, you might be a fan of it being grilled.
But if you want something really naughty, then you need one of these.
Made to order in-house by their almost award winning (runner-up in the 2012 Bacardi contest) mixologist Karn Liangsrisuk. There are a variety of drink options (including cocktails!) but for me, the real winners are the milkshakes. Each is made with two scoops of ice cream and the Oreo and powdered ginger is unparalleled.
Escapades Burgers & Shakes can be found at 112 Phra Athit road.
Escapades Burgers & Shakes is now closed.
