53 Cafe & Bar Western Open daily 7am-midnight / 2F, MeStyle Garage Hotel Bangkok, 53 Pracha Rat Bamphen 7 / 02-275-8855, www.fb.com/mestylegaragehotel
The Setting
On the busy streets of Pracha Rat Bamphen, if you head into soi 7 amid all the commotion you'll notice the MeStyle Garage Hotel nestled within, its blue building standing out among others. This boutique hotel is all about the cars -- auto parts make up for most of the decor along with vintage vehicles placed here and there. On the second floor is 53 Bar & Cafe, which serves as the food and drink hub for residents. However, you don't have to be staying at the hotel to dine here.
Just like the hotel itself, the bar/cafe is car-themed -- from used car rims acting as makeshift chandeliers, a bar that resembles the rear of a car to posters, vintage car photos and license plates placed around the walls (items that come from the owner's personal collection of vehicle paraphernalia).
Simply named after the building number, 53 Bar & Cafe is split into three areas -- two identical rooms on opposite sides where one is the bar and the other serves as a quiet space. In the middle is the outdoor area where you can marvel the urban scenery or relax in one of the hammocks on a sunny evening. Owing to the creativity of the hotel and its garage-themed look, the cafe is outfitted with furniture of varying sizes, each piece different from the rest. The different interior accessories remind you of car parts -- no parts are ever thrown away and the cafe makes use of the space by filling it with all sorts of things. You could sit on wooden stools and benches or leather seats around either a large wooden dining table or one made of glass. There's even a pair of seats made from a replica of a disassembled car. There is undeniable charm to it all, but gimmicks aside, let's get down to the food.
The Menu
53 Cafe & Bar's menu is a Western affair so expect burgers, pasta, Buffalo wings and fries. The hotel opted for an American-inspired menu as they found the food to be easy to eat, which goes along with the eatery's relaxed and casual style. Consider it comfort food for a day when you've got time to chill.
I dove into their tiny Buffalo wings (B120). These wings, which are lathered in a special homemade sauce, come in several bite-sized pieces on a platter, ideal for sharing (or for hogging them all to yourself). Each wing has its bone jutted out with foil wrapped around it so you can use your hands to pick up and eat them mess-free. Less wings more chicken lollipops, though.
A recommended item and customer favourite is the Larb burger (B290). Covered in the spicy meat salad, the pork patty proved to be quite zesty. Ordering this mean burger will come with a side of paprika fries with ketchup and jaew mayo sauces, which could serve as a very picante combo. If you prefer something less spicy, try the Portobello mushroom burger (B250), although it comes with a side order of normal fries with ketchup and standard mayo. Both burgers are filling, however I found the buns a bit on the dry side, and the larb burger is the clear winner of the two with its tasty pairing of Thai and Western ingredients.
53 Bar and Cafe also serves pastas where diners can choose a choice of three pastas between spaghetti, ink spaghetti and linguine. The Truffle bacon and mushroom alfredo pasta (B280), was incredibly delish. Creamy and full of bacon bits and Parmesan sprinkled on top, the pasta wasn't too oily and the balanced use of truffle alfredo sauce help give the dish a mildly rich flavour. Did I already mention that the pasta is sprinkled with bacon bits?
The cafe's love for cheese and bacon don't stop there. I'd definitely recommend their Hasselback potato (B350), which is covered in a hot layer of cheese and sprinkled with -- you guessed it -- more bacon bits. Once served, I cut the gigantic spud into thin slices, making sure each slice oozed with cheese and bacon. The soft and smooth combination you get is a savoury meal that I won't be forgetting long after I've digested it. But that's probably I'm just a sucker for anything cheesy and bacony.
But enough about my raving on the cheese and bacon being put on every dish I've tasted. Oddly enough, 53 Bar and Cafe serves no desserts, which is something they are planning to include in the near future. For now, you can enjoy their selection of drinks, served in mason jars such as Iced Thai Tea (B100) with whipped cream or their three signature milkshakes -- chocolate, vanilla malt, strawberry banana (B140) -- that are definitely IG-worthy before gulping them down.
Insider's Tip
The best way to get to the car-centric MeStyle Garage Hotel is through MRT Huai Khwang, which is walking distance. If you happen to be staying at the hotel, head down to the cafe-bar in the morning for a breakfast set menu from 7-10am, which includes an American breakfast set with congee and eggs benedict.
Or come evening and/or night-time, you may as well choose their varied collection of craft beers (B220-300), the menu being categorised by the level of alcohol -- from alcohol-light Brothers ciders to advanced level of strong pale ales such as the Stone Delicious Double IPA or the 8 Oatmeal Stout, which could smash your face red by the time you are done with just one bottle.
As previously mentioned, the outdoor area includes hammocks! So you can probably take a quick nap after digesting all the hearty meals you were eating. A day well spent.
Value & Verdict
Frankly, I would recommend coming to 53 Bar and Cafe only if you decide to book and stay at the boutique hotel or you want to take your friends somewhere out of the ordinary as a hangout spot just to check out the hotel and cafe's visually striking architecture design. Overall, all food items look visually appetising when served and it tastes great, its prices certainly fair. The menu could use a bit more variety but as to how it is now, they deliver.
