Once you turn in from the main Sukhumvit Road into Sukhumvit Soi 13, head to the end of the street. Monkey POD is right at the junction before you turn in to the connecting road to Soi 11.
Monkey POD is a hidden jewel. A storied vintage house on prime land downtown. The moment you walk in, a sanctuary awaits. Lots of greens and of course, the huge majestic tree which inspired the name of the restaurant. The monkey pod tree or Samanea Saman is a wide-canopied tree that looks like an umbrella.
Right under the majestic tree, is the garden bar. Focus on the draft beer – several labels available including German beer. We enjoyed the evergreen feels of their garden, a meaningful way to end the day. Of course, ordering their signature Lao Dog to complement the cold beer, is a must-do.
Diners can also sit inside the air-conditioned storied house to celebrate an innovative menu that showcases the bond between Isaan staples and cuisine from Laos.
Their basket of chicken wings (149 Baht) is glazed with a fish sauce caramel, a very unique take and one of the best chicken wings we tasted in a while! The wings came with green mango puree. Ohh, the sauces in many of the dishes here were so well executed, it uplifted the dish many folds.
Kudos to the free-range chicken dish. Once again, the accompanying pickles and sauce were top notch! This Klong Phai Chilli Chicken sits in the Grilled section of the menu, alongside a pork dish and black angus dry-aged onglet.
Overall, we loved the vibe and the culinary execution here at Monkey POD! Chef Dou helms the kitchen. Chef Dou is Lao/British, loves tennis and grew up in London. All his creations are beyond impressive – with noted emphasis on the Lao Dog. The Mun-Tou (Chinese steamed buns) is a homage to the Chinese restaurant in London where the Chef experienced significant growth. The Tomato Jeow that tops every Lao Dog is a nod to Laos and his mother. Tomato Jeow is a quintessential Lao relish that you can find in almost every home in Laos.
The restaurant manager and sommelier Khun Tong (Jirakit Oonjit) enlightened us on the draft beer available and also shared how Monkey POD is under Blue Elephant, the renowned Thai restaurant and cooking school.
Monkey POD currently opens daily from 11.30AM to 9.00 PM. Delivery available on LINE MAN @Monkey_pod | IG @monkeypodbkk