Photos: Richard Marks
COCONUTS HOTSPOT – Another contender for Bangkok’s best burger has arrived, but this isn’t another themed shophouse joint. This burger producer takes cues from the Los Angeles food truck scene. Yes, Daniel Thaiger is Bangkok’s first burger joint on wheels.
Mark, an LA native, and his Thai wife Honey, park their truck at locations like Sukhumvit 38 and RCA nightly to bring what Mark says is the juiciest burger in Bangkok—and we agree. “I spent months sourcing meat. I’d obsess over it. Every other kind of beef has that gamey taste that doesn’t belong in burgers. You don’t get that here.”
There are two burger options, the standard Thaiger burger (THB139) is dressed up with accoutrements like lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions and comes with Thaiger sauce, which is Mark’s homemade Thousand Island secret.
The husband and wife duo have made an agreement with a local bakery to supply the truck with fresh burger buns daily. The heartier of the burgers is the Mr. Steve burger(THB170), which in addition to the toppings offered on the standard burger, includes some fatty bacon and gooey cheddar cheese.
Drool.
Daniel Thaiger is all about the burgers, but Mark has a few tricks up his sleeve. An American style grilled cheese is available for just THB49 as well as a grilled tuna melt at THB79. French fries don’t come as standard with the burger (THB49), so you’ll have to order them on the side.
While the novelty of eating on the street plays a more important role in the American food truck scene, the fact that Daniel Thaiger has minimal overhead cost allows him to source the best ingredients. The burgers are served wrapped in wax paper and diners are encouraged perform a maneuver known as “the lean” to successfully consume the burger while safeguarding garments against possible grease stains. To do this, you need to unwrap the wax paper and place it on the dining surface in front of you. Hold the burger with two hands above the wax paper and hover over the burger to take a bite. The combination of cheddar, bacon, and not particularly lean meat makes for a deliciously greasy burger. Luckily the wax paper does a good job of containing the mess.
There’s also a special burger that is most likely the only of its kind in Asia. It involves something spreadable; you’ll just have to ask Mark about it.
FIND IT:
Track the location of the food truck by visiting their Facebook page.
