big beefy american

the garage bar and grill

ah, the elusive american beef burger in bangkok. can't all restaurants just make a decent, all-beef, easy-on-the-mayo, grilled burger?
from its burger aptitude, we definitely knew the garage was a restaurant owned by someone american, or at least someone very proficient in american culture. i mean, we were asked how well we wanted it cooked. the garage has a wide smattering of good-sized beef, veggie, and other meat burgers that come with steak fries and coleslaw (~180+B). my "down under aussie burger" came with a fried egg and beets - i'm such a sucker for eggs and beets. in addition, they've got other american fare (pastas, pizzas, corndogs, etc.) and lunch specials for 99B.

the decor of the garage must be mentioned. old car seats line the wall, hand-painted denim jackets with celebrity profiles, english mags and books piled on coffee tables, and a shady balcony patio.
poo boonthanakit, the brains behind the restaurant, moved to ny as a kid, struggled as an artist there (he paints the denim jackets himself - he'll gladly show you his portfolio, too), moved back to bangkok after 21 years, and started the garage.

other fyi:
happy hour 3-7p. buy any 2 drinks and get 1 free. free popcorn and chips&salsa (no refills)
live music playing american covers. the garage bar and grill. 7th floor of central world plaza (original location at All Seasons Place Retail Center, 2nd fl. - near US embassy)
open daily 11a-10p; sat 12p-10p

webby: www.thegaragebkk.com