Must-tries at brassica, Bangkok’s new chicken-and-doughnut haunt

Due to its mix of residential buildings and old-fashioned restaurants, Nanglinchee boasts this cool, old-school charm that draws you in with its undisturbed urban beauty. However, the area is now slowly starting to boom with new bars and trendsetting restaurants, with one of them being the new vintage chicken-and-doughnut haunt, brassica.

“I want this place to be just the two of us,” said Cong Wen, a skilled Singaporean-native chef and co-owner of brassica. With that in mind and a shared dream of having a restaurant, Cong and his partner, May Techatanachuen, were set on a journey to build up a nest of their own with focal points being fried chicken (which he loves) and made-from-scratch doughnuts (which she adores) – and that’s how brassica started. It’s quite possibly the first Bangkok restaurant built around the fried bird and sweet doughnut concept – in case you’re aware of any others, do let us know!

The restaurant translates the two simple yet comforting dishes into fine dining-quality food served on their well-curated, one-page menu, which includes a few main dishes along with house-made sides and sauces to complement the mains. The vibe here is also accentuated by the restaurant’s focus on classic comfort food and the venue has a simple yet untouched charm to it, boasting an aesthetic of French beauty fused with an American diner vibe. And despite being the two-man show behind the kitchen counter, the couple always makes sure to make their diners feel taken care of with good food and attentive service.

So if you happen to be in the area or inevitably have this urge for fried food, make a pit stop here at brassica. Recently, we got a chance to check out the space and tried some of the best dishes Brassica has to offer. Here’s a list of must-tries you need to order.

1/2 Bird Combo (THB 500)

Fried chicken has always been a people-pleasing dish since it’s so fatty and delicious. But to cover it in spices right when it’s fresh out of the fryer? That brings an extra mile of glory to the chicken’s crisp skin. Cloaked in a mix of 17 spices, the crispy-edged, soft-centred fried chicken at Brassica delivers this finger-licking-good vibe that will literally make you lick your fingers to clean up all those yummy spices. The venue also offers an array of side dishes like chopped coleslaw, zucchini and rocket salad with bacon, mac and cheese and thick-cut fries along with all-from-scratch condiments like honey garlic butter, spicy herb sauce, aioli and hot sauce crafted from in-house fermented chillies.

Signature Chicken & Donut (THB 300)

Fried chicken with a sugar-specked doughnut? This may appear to be a mismatched dish to many but we kid you not, these two are in fact a match made in heaven. Swoon over the insanely crispy, spices-spiked fried chicken atop the fluffy doughnut and pick your favourite side and sauce, such as their toothsome house-made hot sauce and blue cheese Mac & Cheese to make a complete, substantial meal.

Fried Chicken Sandwich (THB 260)

Beautifully brown and speckled with sesame seeds, the hamburger bun here is a cross between the brioche bun and the doughnut dough. It’s real airy and light. Once the rich, mustardy aioli is spooned on top along with the crisp chopped coleslaw and zucchini pickles, the bun soaks up all the flavourful juices from the condiments like a sponge, making it the perfect vehicle for the golden-fried chicken sandwiched in the middle.

Pan-seared Sea Bass (THB 280)

Let’s admit it: the mashup of pan-fried fish and butter-enriched sauce is sometimes more worth it than a dish of marbled steak. Here at brassica, the Thailand-raised sea bass is cooked to perfection before it gets drizzled with lemon caper butter and served with a side of golden-brown roasted potatoes. Listed on the menu as the special, the restaurant also only serves this delightful dish in limited portions per day and that’s what makes it even more special.

Stuffed Doughnut (THB 75)

Offering a good selection of flavours like classic vanilla, chocolate, palm sugar, salted caramel and crème brûlée, the filled doughnuts here at brassica promises a comfort-filled sensation that other commercial doughnut stores can’t give. We particularly love the palm sugar-flavoured one since it boasts this well-rounded taste without that jaw-aching sweetness.

Brassica, 76/10 Nanglinchee Road, Bangkok, +6693 596 2465
Open: Wed-Mon, 11:30 am-2:30 pm for lunch and 6-11 pm for dinner.