There’s a new cocktail bar in town that launched last weekend and it’s funky. In a good way.
F*nkytown (with an asterisk where the letter ‘u’ should be), is a new cocktail bar concept courtesy of the sandwich folks at Sarnies, hidden at the top of the bakery and café’s Sukhumvit 37 branch. Just walk to the back of the cafe and up the stairs onto the fourth floor.
Now what is it that makes this place so funky? Upon walking through the velvet curtains, the bar’s retro ‘70s vintage modern stylings and decor are impressive, whisking the customer away to a fancy home from that era. The room is dimly lit, only brightened by the bar and open kitchen. A DJ booth is secluded in the corner, and the bar promises to have a curated playlist of funk, soul, R&B, and disco. At the time of review, Mary Jane Girls’ funky R&B classic All Night Long was playing and put us in a groove (all night long, we could say) as we awaited the food and drinks.
“What inspired us to do a bar like this is very food-driven. We wanted to marry elements of a bar with lots of food. It’s not something that overshadows one or the other. The food is not meant to be better than the drinks or vice versa. It’s meant to complement each other. We take a lot of inspiration,” Sarnies co-owner Eric Chan tells Coconuts. “We want to bring a cohesive space where people can come socialize and bring out the funk.”
The bar is handled by Sarnies beverage manager Pae Ketumarn. Next to the bar is an open kitchen where you can see the cooks go wild with their culinary creations led by none other than Sarnies head chef Luqman Hakim. The bar plans to stage a casual dining area on the roof, but, as of this article’s publication, only the bar is open.
The new Bangkok bar prides itself in a food and beverage menu that has unexpected, erm, funky ingredients that are “rooted in locality and seasonality.” What this means is that the bar champions sustainability and sources ingredients from across the region.
Each menu item is ranked on a scale — the higher it is on the scale means the more adventurous the item will be. There are also vegetarian and non-alcoholic options available upon request.
With all of the background out of the way, here is where things get really groovy.
The appetizers are absolutely unskippable. Their olive sourdough bread and smoked tomato butter (THB100) is, to put it simply, out of this world. It was merely two slices of bread with a nice helping of soft, creamy butter, but it signaled great things to come.
Another food that took us by surprise was the Sai Ou Corn Dog (THB120). The corn dog, drizzled in fermented chili mayo and sprinkled with kimchi powder, was sizable. We loved how its soft but crunchy batter stayed consistent throughout, and the sai ou sausage inside gave it a unique mild spicy kick.
Why not savor the succulent char-grilled octopus (THB650), adorned with a tantalizing blend of pepper sauce, curry aioli, and spicy chili oil? This delectable dish was a delightful experience as its tender meat effortlessly melted in our mouths.
The truffle mortadella (THB280) is also a good pick if you’re bringing a friend. There are plenty of slices and works great as a snack in-between each sip of your cocktail. Seeking a snack that’s both crunchier and sweeter? Opt for the Banana Blossom (THB230) for a delightful burst of flavor and satisfying crispiness.
To indulge in a hearty meal, consider selecting the Jasmine Wagyu (THB750). Sourced from northern Thailand, the beef is a succulent and savory delight, adding a touch of greatness to the dining experience.
Speaking of cocktails, the bar has plenty, and we mean PLENTY, of signature mixes — each with unusual ingredients.
One of the more bizarre but delightful cocktails is the Green Curry (THB420) – its unexpected combination of green curry spices, gin, cucumber and pineapple just works. It comes with a crispy rice cracker on top that is perfect after each sip or, if you’re feeling brave, a dip in the drink for a quick snack.
The Oyster (THB440) martini is also a refreshing palate cleanser, and we recommend you bite the oyster leaf that comes with it after each sip. F*nkytown staff say the drink is akin to the sauce to the leaf, basically.
We were genuinely impressed by the Pain au Matcha (THB420); the unique combination of original dark rum and matcha created a delightful and distinctive boozy matcha aftertaste.
Other highlights include the Dirty Mango (THB440) martini, mixed with lacto-fermented mango, vodka, and pandan tea. The pandan has a buttery texture that gives it a nice pickle-like taste. The plum wine and peaty whisky Umai! (THB440) makes you go “Umai!” with its smokiness and smoothness.
The Long Island Thai Tea (THB400) is an easily gulpable fizzy drink, much more so than your traditional long island, consisting of a secret-recipe yuzu cola with white spirits and Thai tea. The Sundae Old-Fashioned are for those looking for something smooth with a good punch to their drinks.
Of course, no food and drink course is complete without some desserts. We tried the F*nky Chocolate Sandwich (THB280), which comes in twos and sourced from Chiang Mai. They’re very sweet but the salted cacao nib caramel balanced it all out. The choco explosion paired with the salt was so overwhelming that we felt we lost our sense of taste. That makes it good, we suppose.
Their Lava Cheese Tart (THB320) features quite puffy cheese. We must say while it is a sufficient amount of sweet, we think it could be a lot more cheesy.
If you are amazed by the amount of food and drinks we tried, that’s because F*nkytown has too many options to choose from. And that’s what makes it fun for us, and justifies subsequent visits so we can try everything while also soaking in that retro, funky ambiance.
Consider something funky for your next bar hop.
