ASH KICKERS BRISKETS & BOURBON American-style BBQ Ekamai 12Tue-Fri 5pm-11pm, Sat-Sun 11am-midnight www.fb.com/AshKickersBKK, 02-120-4088
THE SETTING
BBQs are nothing new to Bangkok and it's something we hear of everywhere and something we've tasted -- or have we? Numerous places around the city have played fast and loose with the term "BBQ" but not Ash Kickers. Found within Ekamai 12, the new resto has only been open a little over a month and is set to introduce Bangkokians to authentic, American-style smoked BBQ. The resto provides a great backdrop to the whole thing, with the two-floor indoor seating, as well as open-air seats though it may be advisable to perhaps sit inside with the smouldering heat, and we are not talking about the BBQ. Plus, they've got a beautiful bar, a perfect place for all your bourbon-drinking needs -- but we'll get to that later. Right now, it's time to jump into some smoky goodness.
Lilikoi passion.
THE MENU
Ash Kickers prides itself in its wood smoked BBQ with everything being smoked up to 16 hours. So yes, the chef and staff are literally cooking up something up constantly. Aside from their thoroughly smoked meats, everything is made in-house, including sauces and yes, even the ketchup. With that in mind, I was very excited to dig in.
I started off with the 3 Sisters salad (B260), a dish the originates from Native American tradition which the chef, who has Native American roots, has brought to Bangkok. It deceivingly tastes like potato at first but is really squashed pumpkin and provides good contrast to the crunchiness of the rest of the ingredients. Another great dish to start off is Kiss my cheesy grits (B230). For those of you who know what grits are, you know they're rare in Bangkok and I was ecstatic when I saw it on the menu. It didn't disappoint and was just the right amount of cheesy.
Let's finally get into the meat of things -- pun definitely intended. I was served the Ash Kickers combo (B1,360), and if you're like me and want to get a little bit of everything, then this is the way to go. The platter comes with a selection of meats: brisket, pork belly, Kalua pork, homemade sausage and smoked wings. Anything you choose to eat is smoked just right. The brisket is so soft that there's actually no need to cut it but just pull, and that pork belly is just something you enjoy chewing as the taste fills your mouth. There's also a variety of sauces you can dip into and all of them are excellent. There's something for everyone, though be warned: the mustard is pretty strong.
Of course, a BBQ wouldn't be complete without sides. Ash Kicker's sides (B120 each) cater to everyone's preference -- like the classic Creamy coleslaw. Or try the Tangy coleslaw, which almost looks and tastes like som tum. The Potato salad is pretty great too along with their Green beans and bacon. Bottom line is that it's up to you to choose what you like to pair with your meats.
To top it all off, two decadent desserts are on the menu: the Mud pie (B220), which is a must for chocolate lovers, and the Lilikoi passion (B200), which is on the fruity side of things.
Mud pie.
INSIDER'S TIP
A visit to Ash Kickers wouldn't be complete without trying the bourbon. They've got 25+ bottles so be sure to give one a try. If you're a noob like me, you can ask the bartenders to make a choice for you. If bourbon isn't your thing, try the in-house smoked homemade beer Smoked Maibeck (B260, B360).
There's a little secret thing about briskets called "burnt ends", which is basically the best, juiciest part of the beef. If you're going to make a reservation, try reserving the burnt ends, as well, because they're few in stock.
If you're driving there remember parking space is limited.
VERDICT
Ash Kickers brings authentic American-style BBQ with no holds barred and no games played. With their selection of meats and other dishes, as well as their numerous bottles of bourbon behind the bar, I can't help but feel like the resto is a true slice of 'Murica. Return visits? Definitely. One can't have too much brisket.
