COCONUTS HOTSPOT – When designer brands dabble in restaurant ventures there’s a good chance that the experiment will fail. The crossover may seem easy, as both worlds obsess over details and are all about style and flair, but just because someone knows a thing or two about looking good doesn’t mean they know how to cook. BoYY café in Thong Lor turns that logic on its head.
Behind the BoYY label is Jesse Dorsey and Wannasiri Kongman, both of whom design luxury purses and accessories sold in London, New York, and Singapore boutiques. I can’t offer much insight on the fashion side of the operation, but I can confirm that the newly opened gourmet venture is worth a visit.
From the outside, the polished concrete façade might lead you to believe that BoYY follows the pervasive neo-industrial trend that’s taken over the Thonglor scene. Once you step over the threshold, however, you’ll discover that BoYY draws design influences from New York, Rome, and even Havana. A long wood table out back occupies the outdoor patio and is perfect for a round of cocktails when a larger group is looking to have some space instead of cramming into a corner.
The BoYY clientele is made up of the brand’s hi-so aficionados and Thonglorites who on first glance might appear to be starving artists. On closer inspection you’ll realize they’re all wearing designer brands. During my visit there was a gaggle of fair skinned, well-heeled Thai women, a group of chaps dressed like The Beatles, and a couple with near identical tattoo sleeves. If your date is dead fish, people watching at BoYY is must. There are some characters here.
Almost as interesting as your fellow diners is the menu. Snacks like seaweed and cream cheese (10THB) or asparagus with anchovies (120THB) are adventurous, while salads like the mangosteen and pine nut (280THB) allow you to get the greens while being unconventional. The chicken curry (220THB), which is served in a hollowed out papaya is also rather unusual.
The sandwiches are reminiscent of something you might find in a NYC café. The Chicken Diablo (200THB) appears to be an attempt at fusing the flavors of Italy and Mexico with ingredients like chicken breast, roasted peppers, arugula, chipotle mayo and parmesan. There’s also the hip bahn mi Vietnamese sausage sandwich, which rings in at a reasonable 160THB.
Mains at BoYY come in the form of pasta. The selection is clean and simple; options range from basics like Puttanesca with fresh tomato and basil to fusion contenders like Italian bacon and Thai dried chili (250THB). In addition to the pastas there are plates available to be shared amongst diners, like artisan frankfurters and sauerkraut (220THB) and chicken liver pate at 250THB.
Cocktails ring in at 280THB and are chic takes on classic recipes, like the basil caipirinha, which uses crushed Thai basil, or chompoo botanical, a mix of Thai herbs with Kettel One and Bombay.
Find It:
BoYY café
Grass @ Thonglor
Thong Lor 12
