From LA to Bangkok, Daniel Thaiger’s hamburgers have what it takes.
By Marianna Dietrich
They say anything worth having takes work, and while locating Daniel Thaiger— Bangkok’s first gourmet burger food truck—might require some effort, the reward to the palate is well worth it.
Daniel Thaiger, the brainchild of Los Angeles native Mark Falcioni and his Bangkok-born wife, Honey, is a fully operational mobile kitchen, à la the food truck scene that has taken off in California. Mark and Honey are self-described “foodies.” Honey grew up cooking for her Thai family, while Mark spent years in the food and beverage industry in the U.S. and abroad. Concerned by the dearth of good burgers in Bangkok, Mark and Honey saw an opening, and thus Daniel Thaiger— which they named after their four-year-old son—was born.
Open only since September of this year, the mobile restaurant already has a 2,000 strong following on Facebook, and it sells out 150-200 burgers nightly. But what makes DT so popular? “It all comes down to the ingredients,” Mark says. “We spent over four months sourcing and selecting them. We taste-tested combinations on our family and our international friends until we arrived at the perfect flavor profile.”
Their most popular burger, the “Mr. Steve,” (THB 169), is no “fast-food” burger. It is made of a high-quality, organic beef that is delivered and ground fresh, daily. The patty is grilled to your liking and features real California sharp cheddar and crunchy bacon. Its fluffy sesame seed bun is baked fresh daily by a local baker, then spread with Thaiger sauce, a homemade Thousand Island dressing. Grilled onions, lettuce and tomato complete the ensemble, ensuring that every last bite drips with flavor.
Daily specials, like the bacon jalapeño mac and cheese burger, and additional toppings, such as guacamole, chili con carne, and spicy spreadable Italian chorizo (available on the “secret menu”), are enough to sate the appetite of anyone craving a truly gourmet burger.
The food truck also serves up a pork burger, which can be ordered two ways: the “Thaiger” (THB 129), or the “Sumo Oat” (THB 149), which features a teriyaki glaze on the pork patty and a spicy mayo sauce. Sandwiches can also be ordered and include a grilled tuna melt for THB 79 and a grilled cheese for only THB 49.
All of Daniel Thaiger’s burgers are grilled in the open-style kitchen, and customers can sit at the fold-down table at the end of the truck and watch Mark and Honey at work or enjoy a chat with them. Indeed, a large part of Daniel Thaiger’s success lies in Mark and Honey’s outgoing and friendly manner, the perfect fusion of Thai smiles and the American customer service approach. They aim to please and try to get to know all of their customers by name. I suppose that’s easy, since their customers keep on coming back. I know I will.
Where: Thong Lo, Sukhumvit Soi 38; Royal City Avenue; or “anywhere you want them.”
When: Open from 5:30 p.m. until they sell out.
More info: www.facebook.com/DanielThaiger
