There's no better time to start this new column, Eating In, given that more than half my colleagues and friends in Bangkok are actively ordering food via takeaway delivery services.
I'm not talking about the likes of fast-food deliveries or subscriptions to routine meals, but the real gourmet victuals that, upon your application-based online request, are picked up from the restaurant and delivered to your doorstep by a third-party service provider.
Thanks to Foodpanda, Grab Food, Line Man and Get -- the city's current major players in takeaway delivery -- gourmet indulgence is just a few smartphone swipes away. Delivery time is expected to be between 30 and 75 minutes, depending on the distance.
Thus, whether it be for a quick lunch at the workplace, unplanned dinner party at home or late supper in bed, diners today don't have to give up their taste-buds preference for the sake of logistical practicality. Both gastronomic satisfaction and convenience can now be the name of the game.
Besides the abundant availability of delivery-service providers and diners' rising obsession with convenience, there are other reasons why eating in has been such a craze.
Among them is a multiplication of restaurants and food shops that operate mainly as a takeaway-based venture. Many dining establishments in Bangkok have lately geared toward, or already thrived, in this new marketing channel.
Once a month we will, therefore, review food from a restaurant known to be widely, or better, enjoyed as takeaway. These might include street-side classics, haute cuisine cooking, fanciful desserts, or up-to-the-minute drinks.
Bookie and Bobby's is the only full-scale smokehouse in Bangkok that targets mainly takeaway customers.
A joint venture between Khao Yai's smoked-meat master, Ribs Mannn, and a Bangkok-based restaurateur, the three-month-old shop in Dusit district basically offers a selection of smoked specialities as well as a variety of side dishes and entrées that are prepared on-site upon order.
Because food is to be enjoyed as takeaway, each item has been professionally prepared and tasted to ensure perfect quality even after being on the road. Orders arrive neatly in biodegradable food-grade containers together with generously-offered condiments.
For the smoked meat, the current menu features half-a-dozen options from Ribs Mannn's industrial smokers, using oak and apple wood, in Khao Yai.
Among the all-time best-sellers here are the barbecued pork ribs (299 baht). For the price, you'll get a rack of seven-to-eight ribs thoroughly coated with smokey American-style BBQ sauce.
The pork meat, a result of meticulous basting, smoking and flame-grilling, exhibited a slight charred crust, while the meat retained a juicy, tender chew, perfectly complemented by the delicious house-made sauce.
To those who'd like to enjoy pork ribs without the drippy sauce, I recommend smoked spare ribs (369 baht for four ribs), one of my favourites.
Of it, the ribs -- which are slightly larger and thicker than the BBQ-glazed counterpart -- were marinated and cooked in a smoker to showcase a nice, clean aromatic meat that's just as scrumptious and easily fell of the bones.
Should you look for a hefty piece of protein indulgence, then go for the smoked pork chop (399 baht).
The 280g chop, flame-broiled upon order, provided juicy rib-eating pleasure as well as a lean cut at one go.
But if you prefer a leaner alternative, then a smoked pork-loin ham (269 baht) is more recommended.
Super-popular and hardly found anywhere else, smoked pork neck (259 baht) is another signature treat you must try.
The 220g portion of well-marbled pork-meat slices promises a delightful succulence of khor moo yang (Thai-styled grilled pork neck) but with an extravagant Western-style gourmet touch from wood-smoke aroma.
Also not to be missed is smoked duck breast (299 baht).
The poultry meat came in thick slices with plump and fatty golden-brown skin intact.
When compared to a typical Chinatown ped rom khwan seasoned with Chinese spices and smoked with sugar cane, the smoked duck here boasts a slightly different, if not more gourmet, flavour-profile.
To offer an extra option to poultry fans, the Bangkok kitchen has recently come up with its signature rotisserie spring chicken with mushroom stuffing. The bird, roasted until the skin is brown and thin while the meat is still moist, came stuffed with a delicious mixture of chopped mushroom and mixed grains.
When it comes to sausages, what the shop has on offer is extraordinary. Also a product of Ribs Mannn, the sausage, priced at 459 baht for a seven-piece assortment of Italian, German, garlic-infused, cheese-infused and smoked ham sausage, are perfect for those looking for a super lean, tight and firm treat.
To go with the main dishes, there's a variety of side dishes (49 baht each) including Caesar salad, Japanese salad, honey-glazed pumpkin, fresh coleslaw, potato with cream cheese, truffle mashed potato, and garlic fried rice.
Each item was generously portioned considering the super-humble price tag.
The shop is gradually coming up with by-product items and special entrées to cater to the increasing demand of customers.
Priced at 160-200 baht per item, you can expect to find the likes of baked eggplant ratatouille with smoked ham; fried rice with smoked pork neck and holy basil; sour and spicy salad of kurobuta pork balls and peach; and baked spinach with pork balls. Check with the shop for availability.
Bookie and Bobby's is located at 207 Ratchawithi Road in Dusit district. To place order, call 064-586-9589 (9am-7.30pm) or contact via Line @bookieandbobbys or follow facebook.com/bookieandbobbys.
