Must-tries: Little Donkey has a cure for all your comfort food cravings

Name a dish that’s more palate-pleasing and satisfying than toast, fried chicken, instant noodles, or a burger.

This is exactly all that Little Donkey BKK serves. Here’s a hub for multi-cuisine comfort food that’s familiar yet reimagined thanks to a fearless mission of commingling cuisines altogether with an everything-house-made philosophy.

Created by James Beard Award-winning chefs Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer, Boston-originated restaurant Little Donkey has recently touched down at 72 Courtyard Bangkok to serve up global dishes all whipped up from locally-sourced and sustainable ingredients.

And although fusion food is arguably overrated, Head Chef Steve Doucakis of Little Donkey totally breathes new life into it with his creativity and resourcefulness.

Almost everything is house-made, including the ranch dressing and ricotta. Naming itself a global izakaya restaurant, the food here is presented in small plates to encourage shared dining. With Steve overlooking the venue, we guarantee his knack for combined Asian and Western fare will not disappoint your palate.

Recently, we got a chance to check out Little Donkey BKK and tried some of the best new dishes the venue has to offer. Here’s a list of must-tries you need to order.

Mama “Donut” (THB 280)

Dump your typical MSG-filled tom yum instant noodle, because this Mama “Donut” is no ordinary. Cooked in a house-made tom yum broth, the noodle packs up some serious sweet-sour flavour before getting fried until crispy. It is then topped off with tom yum mayo-coated shrimp and a beautifully runny yolk for that erupting lava effect. Delicious.

Stuffed Chicken Wings (THB 150)

Sticky rice and fried chicken, why get two things when you just have them all in one? The wing here is stuffed with a mixture of sticky rice and Chinese sausage before getting showered in a pool of hot oil. The coating of sticky tamarind glaze glistens with deliciousness and gives out that sweet, spicy sensations every wing needs. The ranch dressing on the side is also made in-house so make sure you dip and dunk the wing in there for extra creaminess.

Parma Ham & Ricotta Toast (THB 320)

There are many tartine hits this year – including now-humdrum avocado toast – yet this one at Little Donkey BKK sets out to be uniquely delicious. Featuring Thai-meets-Western elements, the toast is smeared generously with house-made ricotta and Thai-style XO sauce made with dried shrimp, before being bejewelled with lavish ribbons of parma ham and garlic chips. It’s umami-packed and boasts great textures in every bite.

Mala Squid (THB 180)

For squid eaters, this one is your go-to. Caught in Koh Srichang by local fishermen, the squid gets delivered to Little Donkey BKK in seawater to keep the full flavour profile – briny, ocean-y and naturally salty. Once tossed in a spicy mala mixture, the squid exudes this drool-inducing taste with a little kick to keep you salivating for more.

Little Donkey Burger (THB 350)

Looks ordinary, but the key to this excellent burger lies in the onion paste cooked with foie gras, and the juicy patty made from a blend of Thai beef shoulder and dry-aged short rib. The burger also comes stacked with a layer of BBQ Chips that add some teeth-satisfying crunch and an extra dose of deliciousness.

Kimchi Yakisoba (THB 380)

Here’s a Korean-Japanese dish to wow your taste buds. The saucy yakisoba comes with braised beef tongue and dollops of Thai-made goat cheese, which yield a tangy brightness that cuts through the carb-y richness for some well-balanced flavours.

Oatmeal Cookie Cake (THB 180)

A family-tested recipe from Chef Steve’s grandma, you know this Oatmeal Cookie Cake won’t disappoint. The cookie cake base boasts a taste and texture similar to a blondie. The chef serves it laced in kombucha-spiked butterscotch cream and a sprinkling of crispy bacon bits. Not exaggerating, but here’s heaven served on a plate for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Little Donkey, 72 Courtyard, Soi Sukhumvit 55, Bangkok, +662 392 7790; Open: Mon-Sun, 5 pm-2 am.