It’s not so often that a Mexican restaurant opens in Bangkok, so it was a bit surprising when Piñata popped up around the turn of the year, run by the same team behind a Japanese restaurant, the much-hyped High Hat Sushi Bar. The place shouts “Hola!” just as you would expect with its vibrant orange and green walls (and cute piñatas), though the brief menu (no tamales or ceviche!) throws a slight curveball with creative protein options, such as crab, foie gras and pork tongue.
Fear not, Chef Frank Sitipredanant, who studied culinary arts at Kendall College in Chicago and worked in a few restaurants there, mostly sticks to Tex-Mex classics, only adjusted slightly to suit the Thai palate. This means the homemade condiments can be a little hit and miss, from the slightly bland sour cream or the mild guacamole dip (B210) to the scorching salsa, which has a satisfying zesty flavor profile not unlike laab.
The produce used here is evidently of a good standard, as in the blue crab taco salad’s (B380) organic greens, fresh chunks of crabmeat and crunchy homemade flour tortilla chips. It’s unfortunate that the dish is let down by an unexciting sour cream dressing and the frankly unnecessary flavorless slices of jicama. The burritos and quesadillas come in delightful soft flour tortillas, though on our last visit the steak burrito (B280) could have done with some more seasoning. (Our tip: go heavy on the salsa verde.)
More flavorful are the fried options (squid, chicken wings or zucchini) from the “Dynamite” menu, which come layered on top of Piñata’s house-made hot sauce, which is actually quite sweet and with the granulated texture of a romesco sauce. A proper bar snack. Beware, though, the nicely seasoned squid (B190) does get soggy quick. The highlight of the place, though, has to be the flan (B120): dense, decadent, delicious and a real reason to return.
Piñata’s flavors may not be the boldest or most authentic of Bangkok’s mestizo spots (may we suggest Tacos & Salsa on Sukhumvit Soi 18), but with good produce and prices that don’t scream Thonglor, there’s a sound meal to be had here—something a few margaritas (B180) can only enhance.
