Firehouse-Bangkok

Restaurant Favorites Throughout Thailand
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Trongpai
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Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Trongpai »

Onion rings almost as good as those at the old Corner Bar. I passed this place up several times thinking it's just another gimmick glitzy knock off shop on a soi that is getting ever so high-so but I tried it last night and was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the swiss mushroom burger and onion rings. I did not know it came with delicious hand cut French fries. It was almost too much. I'll try some of the other items on the menu soon.

When I walked by at 7pm the place was packed full with customers but when I returned around 830pm there were tables available without waiting.

It's on Sukhumvit 11. From BTS Nana, exit number 3 to soi 11. Here you can walk or take a motorbike. It's down to the "T" intersection and take a left, and it's just on your left.

The menu on the web page does not reflect their daily specials. They had 4 on my visit, a chili, mac and cheese and two other options I can't recall.

They add VAT and a 10% service charge and the check is printed all in Thai. Presumably so you don't notice it and double tip. The menu is all in English.

http://www.firehousethailand.com/en/home/
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Gaybutton »

This looks like an excellent find. Next time I'm in Bangkok I'm going to give it a try.
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by richsilver »

It has been highly reviewed on a number of sites. I had a burger there a number of months ago and it was among the best I've had anywhere. We did have to wait for a table.
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Trongpai »

I just discovered the likely reason that this place was at capacity at 7 and when I returned at 8:30 there were only a few customers.

I missed this on the menu under promotions:
" Everyday Happy Hour (4:30 – 8:30 p.m.) – draft beers and cocktails - buy one, get one free!"
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Trongpai »

I recently went back and tried the Chili. I really should come with a menu comment that's it's very spicy. I like spicy and asked for tabasco but after one taste never used it. It's Texas chili without beans. Small chunks of meat rather than ground beef. Also, when they say a "bowl" they mean a BIG bowl.

A lot of the customers were eating one of the specials, some shrimp casserole with potatoes. It smelled good.

There's another new place on soi 11, just past the Federal Hotel. It's a 50's car-hop style US deli. I have not tried it. I don't see many customers compared to Firehouse around the corner if that's any indication. I wish someone would try it and let me know.
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by richsilver »

Trongpai wrote:There's another new place on soi 11, just past the Federal Hotel. It's a 50's car-hop style US deli. I have not tried it. I don't see many customers compared to Firehouse around the corner if that's any indication. I wish someone would try it and let me know.
You are talking about the Angel City Diner. It looked very promising before they opened and I was anxious to try it, but the reviews were very mixed. Some of the reviews in fact were quite negative.
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Trongpai
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Trongpai »

Yes, that's the name of the place, Angel City Diner. I don't notice many customers and that sometimes is a good indication of the lack of quality. The Firehouse has customers and the delivery man keeps coming and going with take-out orders.

There's another deli chain in Bangkok, New York City Deli. It's horrible.
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Trongpai »

Update: Is nothing consistent in Thailand? Last Sunday I went again to the Firehouse and the French fries were not the same, they were not hand cut and I assume came from a bag of average frozen ff. The rest of the food was the same but no one could give an explanation why the ff had changed.

They also seem to be a victim of their own popularity. The place was packed with loud farangs and the delivery boy leaves with huge orders every 15min.
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Gaybutton »

This weekend I was in Bangkok and tried the Firehouse with Trongpai. I agree with Richsilver - it really was one of the two best hamburgers I have ever had anywhere. The other was Thomas's when he was at Corner Bar, but unfortunately - very unfortunately in my opinion, that is now history.

The restaurant itself is very small - only a few tables and they're packed. We were lucky to get a table on the outside terrace and it was the last one. Between the food, excellent service, and reasonable prices, no wonder it's a "you can't get in" kind of restaurant. While you're waiting, they put a big container of peanuts on the table. Don't eat too many - the hamburger is huge. Ask for their pickles too.

If you're in Bangkok and have a hamburger craving, Firehouse is definitely the place to go. They have many other items on the menu too, not just hamburgers, but next time I'm there, it's going to be the hamburger.
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Re: Firehouse-Bangkok

Post by Trongpai »

I hate to report that now the Firehouse restaurant is no longer high on my list of American restaurants in Bangkok and the place to go for burgers. I guess there was a recent change of ownership and new management made some changes, none of which I like. First, the free jar of pickles on the tables was removed. The extra condiments on the table now consists of only cheap Rosa ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Tabasco, HP and some others have been eliminated.

I've been twice since the change of ownership or management just to be sure that it was just not an off night. The food went from excellent to now just run of the mill. They have the identical menu but the food is not the same as before. They put fried red onions on the burgers and it's a good idea but both time it was under cooked and over powered the burger. Both times I ordered medium for the burger and it was over cooked. Then both time the onion rings were very greasy, the batter was not adhered to the onion which was under cooked. It was a raw onion with some batter that was quick fried.

I did not order a cocktail but the guy in the table next to me complained that if there was any alcohol in his drink they must have used a eye dropper.

It seems to me the new owner or manager was looking to cut expenses as well as changing some of the cooking to suit his or her's own personal taste. The method and product was fine just the way it was. It's an all too common story here in Thailand and almost expected. So, where's the pickles, I asked? "new boss don't like"

They are still busy with mostly tourists from the nearby hotels and might continue fine without the local expat community support that was perhaps only a fraction of their overall customer base. Time will tell.

Move on to Dean & Deluca's. They have a burger and other American food with a Euro twist but it's pricey. http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/re ... ean-deluca
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