COCONUTS HOT SPOT – The folks behind the popular Cosmic Café on RCA are bringing something new to Soi Ekkamai 21’s tired haunts in the form of a chic restaurant called Moose. The hipster vibe that one might expect given the joint’s heritage is surprisingly absent. Instead, the interior delivers an oddly masculine aesthetic, very similar to the inside of a CCOO store (for those unfamiliar, it’s a Hollister rip-off).
But it’s the small, strange touches that make this place entirely worth checking out. Odd decorations like headless manikins are peppered throughout the large dining space; stuffed deer heads share space next to tropical ferns and hanging aloe plants. And of course, there is a moose. Diners will find the restaurant’s namesake animal mounted in the back dining room along with a mural by local artist Wutikorn Kongka, which features a large being that seems to have the body of Michaelangelo’s David, the face of a deer and the antlers of a moose. And it is worth mentioning that Moose’s signs denoting male/female toilets are among the most creative we’ve ever come across.
The food doesn’t bring anything new to the table; it is composed mostly of Isaan appetizers and other standard Thai drinking fare. This lack of culinary creativity is actually all right, seeing as Moose delivers a fantastic environment in which to just enjoy drinks.
Moose’s selection of cocktails forms the highlights of the extensive drinks menu. That document comes replete with many winners, including the Cosmic Paradise, a tasty mix of Sangsom, roselle juice and squeezed lemon juice, as well as the Melon Cooler, a near-perfect blend of vodka, triple sec and watermelon nectar. Beer geeks will get off on the fact that Estrella damm Innedit is available, along with the regional favorite (yet hard to find) Beer Laos. The usual suspects like Singha, Heineken and Tiger are available, as is Hoegaarden.
So far, Moose has hosted a number of small gigs featuring local Thai indie bands and DJs, and with the restaurant’s Cosmic Café and Sonic Ekkamai connections you can expect some impressive concerts to be coming in the near future.
FIND IT:
Moose
Ekkamai 21, Bangkok
Open daily from dinner until late night
