COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Right now, in the parking lot of a Tops Market on Thonglor, two worlds are colliding: the petrol-fueled world of motorcycles and greasy realm of cheeseburgers. And it’s beautiful.
It’s called Scrambler, and it’s a Ducati PR stunt that sits well with me. You can be a hamburger connoisseur or a motorcycle junkie and still enjoy the space.
The pop-up food joint, named after the famous Ducati dirt-bike of the 1970s, comes at an opportune time, with the winter weather pairing perfectly with the vibes. There’s always the argument that sitting in a parking lot is the epitome of lame, but when there are motorcycles involved, it’s perfectly acceptable. It makes it less manufactured and a little more authentic. While this is largely about Ducati marketing, they’re adding value by bringing inventive burgers and space to hang out that’s neither overpriced nor full of contrived branding.
The food comes from Thonglor hot spot 50/50 and is focused on Italian fusion fare, but they’ve managed to put together a creative assortment of burgers for this pop up. The namesake Scrambler tears a page out of the breakfast book and puts bacon and eggs on a burger along with honey mustard. The Redline burger adheres to tradition with the standard bacon and cheese treatment, but the real value is in the Azzuri burger, a possible reference to that Italian national soccer team. At THB220 it’s only THB40 more than the standard burgers, but you get twice the patties. That’s a deal worth getting your L-twin fired up for. Each one of the burgers mimics the different trims and colors that the new Scrambler is available in.
Burgers are the main draw, but there are also baos by “Veribao” inspired by Korean, Japanese and American cuisine. The K-chic bao is stuffed with chicken and topped with kimchi and mozzarella cheese; the fish bao is modeled after sushi, with fish and onion; and while the American variant is un-American in its small portion size, the pulled pork is spot on.
The weekend sees gangs of Ducatistis descend on the space atop their L-twin machines to hangout and talk about bikes. Scrambler has a very unusual policy for Bangkok; they won’t serve alcohol to patrons who have ridden their motorcycles to the venue, a step in the right direction. After all, post-meal fatalities certainly aren’t good for the old brand image.
FIND IT:
Thonglor, Soi Sukhumvit 55
Tops Market Thonglor parking lot
