Restaurant Review: Duke's Bangkok

[onethailand]

Wow, I'm amazed by the vitriol! OneThailand, if you don't like it, no-one is forcing you to go. I have to say that based on my own experience, and what the majority of others have relayed here of their experiences, you are almost a unique case. It makes me wonder if there isn't some other issue going on in behind your posts.

Agreed - but the vitriol is directed at the amazingly thoughtless response that was posted. And I am no unique case - if you had read the previous post you would've seen that someone else complained about the same thing, yet I'm being made out to be the only one unhappy with the cole slaw - get real.

I'm not the only one who has had a problem with the lasagna either. I'm like Garfield - I love lasagna and I will eat any reasonable lasagna. The one that I did have was well below par and I said so - but I don't doubt that this might differ from day to day or from cook to cook, for all I know they've fixed the lasagna but I haven't tried it since.

If I were the only/unique person having a problem there then fine - but if you go back and read this thread again you will see that I am far from the only one. And certainly I am one of those who is not afraid to speak up when something is below par - whilst many people I know just pay up and never go back. I'd rather they fix it but if they're not going to listen... oh well.

I don't know about the 1/4lb burger as I would never get it, (a big burger is what keeps bringing me back), but I have to say that when I compare Duke's burger to the other current options, there is really no choice. You can taste the quality in his burger, and you can only get that when it's hand-made.

There was no argument about the burger in the first place other than I am sure it was premade. It didn't taste that bad either - but if Greg insists that the 1/4 lb was made with the same beef as the 1/2 lb then I certainly beg to differ.

As to the onion rings, the batter wasn't stuck to the onion? Maybe because the batter is extra-crispy it broke away from the onion, but that is normal with crispy batter. I've only gotten the onion rings when I go there, because I love onion rings. As I said in my first post on this thread, if the onions were thick cut, they would be perfect, but they are still good onion rings. I also won't bother ordering coleslaw anywhere, because I'm too picky about it, (my mom still makes the best!), so I don't want to be disappointed. I keep wanting to try the fries, but I can't bear not ordering the onion rings, and I think I would be way too full if I tried to eat an order of both!

Actually, the onion rings would've been good if they held together, and I said as much. The batter was very nice.

[Ulysses G.]

I am a big Duke's fan here in Chiang Mai and it so happens that I don't like the cole slaw or lasagna either - but I like pretty much everything else. The truth is that I have asked numerous people what they thought of both products over the years and most people like both of them the way they are. Why should the Duke's change the recipe for just one guy?

It is easy to forget that different people have different tastes. If you don't like the coleslaw at one place, you should not demand that they have to make it the style that you prefer, just try something else.

[onethailand]

I am a big Duke's fan here in Chiang Mai and it so happens that I don't like the cole slaw or lasagna either - but I like pretty much everything else. The truth is that I have asked numerous people what they thought of both products over the years and most people like both of them the way they are. Why should the Duke's change the recipe for just one guy?

It is easy to forget that different people have different tastes. If you don't like the coleslaw at one place, you should not demand that they have to make it the style that you prefer, just try something else.

I agree - except that the cole slaw down here in Bangkok is NOT cole slaw! If it was even remotely close there would be no discussion, either I like it or I don't care for it and that's that - but in this case it's simply not cole slaw. I've had plenty of variations from KFC to The Pantry to the slaw sold in Villa, etc. but they can all be reasonably called cole slaw. Here, it is shredded cabbage with a savoury dressing. Big difference.

No restaurant should make changes based on one opinion. But all restaurants should understand that when they offer something or make a claim, they should be able to meet those claims.

[padfoot]

I had dinner at Duke's tonight. It was my second time there. I thought it was very good, both time. The first time I had pizza. I'm not a fan of thin crust pizzas, but I really liked theirs. The crust had a great taste and the toppings where also very good. Many pizzas I've had in this town skimp on the toppings and the cheese. That is not the case at Duke's. Tonight I had the 1/4 pound cheeseburger and fries plus a cup of chili. The chili I really liked. I is a plain ordinary chili, but the flavor was excellent. I will be back for one of burgers. The ketchup was the real deal. I will return to Duke's; I look forward to trying some of the other items on their menu.

[camerata]

80 baht for a coke is way too high, the limit should by 40 baht, 50 if you are greedy. 80 is a slap in the face with a steel glove.

It was either 45 or 60 baht when I was there on Saturday. 80 baht for a beer. Definitely not 80 baht at this time.

[camerata]

I tried the lasagna yesterday. I gave up lasagna 2 years ago, along with cheese, so it was my first in a long time. It was a bit too overpowered by the tangy tomato flavour for my taste, but interesting nevertheless. My favourite used to be the rather mushy lasagna at Landmark coffee shop and the Huntsman.

The gf had a special request to take home the ribs and onion rings for her brother, so they are popular with her family.

[getgoin]

Good thing is we have some new workers and the place is picking up.

[ColinChapman]

I dropped in here yesterday after reading about it on Stickman. It currently gets my vote for the best burger in Bangkok (warning - I am British, so what do I know). I had the Jo's Famous Burger which has blue cheese and bacon and really enjoyed it. Don't be put off by the photographs of the food - the actual food looks much better! I wouldn't have wanted it to be any bigger and there was lots of lovely, crispy bacon.

If you've never been there, it's a bit tricky to find, keep walking right to the back past Swensen's and Mos Burger. It's a couple of shops down from Sunrise Tacos. The "Duke's" on the sign is a bit small (I'm old and shortsighted), but the owner (Greg of Sunrise Tacos fame) was there and when I commented on this, he said he is getting a bigger sign.

Service was excellent, they even asked if I wanted another plate to expand on to (I managed with just the one). Price was very reasonable, especially considering the location which I assume is quite expensive. All prices are ++, the burger was 245 baht and a Tiger or a San Miguel was 80 baht, Heineken was 90 baht. Greg said they had reduced the prices by 20% to increase volume, but as this was my first visit, it didn't really affect me.

Greg also said if your companions want to eat Mexican or Thai, you can order it in from the adjacent restaurants and eat together - good if a few of you fancy different things.

[padfoot]

I was in there the other and it was full. I fellow showed up for dinner and they seated him at Sunrise Tacos and he was able to order from Duke's while there. It was good to see Duke's so busy.

[Ossies]

Bear in mind Sunrise/Dukes advertise on the Stickman site and he is well known to promote a business for his own purposes:)

That is not a reflection on the food at Dukes and I have already written a positive piece in this thread.

I just can't stand Stickman and his 'infomercials' as it is obviously biased comment.

[Ulysses G.]

If you enjoy the food at the Duke's, why is it impossible that Stickman likes it too?

[gotlost]

He must of had an article turned down by the stick.

[camerata]

It was full at lunchtime last Saturday. The gf ordered onion rings instead of fries with her burger but then complained they were much thicker than the ones she had had with ribs. So they brought out a different type that were thinner and tasted different, but the gf still said they weren't like the thin ones that come with ribs. Anyway, we ate them. So it seems there are three different types of onion rings...

[Ossies]

Ulysses - all I am saying is that I would not use a review from someone who is widely known to say anything you want for a bit of cash, when promoting my business.

If anything I am of the view it is a PR own goal.

[Ulysses G.]

IMHO Stickman is not known for any such thing, but you are doing your best to make it appear that way. Why the personal animosity?

[Ossies]

U - I will give you one guess what the new weekly prize is in the Stickman weekly column. Say no more:)

[BugJackBaron]

I was there on Saturday and this is my take.

In a sentence, it was OK and cheap but the best? Come on! The service was reasonable and friendly and

the premises clean.

One big problem I had was the cheddar cheese(I had the bacon cheddar burger)

It was clearly processed. But with cheese prices perhaps that is to be expected.

The bacon was quite tasty though.

Don't forget they add tax and service to the bill.

The other prioblem is that to get a quality burger you should be able to ask

for it to be rare, medium or well done(etc). No choice was offered so it was just well done.

The onion rings were thin but OK.

With a water it was about 300 baht.

For my money I would find a pub like the Huntsman where although expensive, they do use real cheese.

Or simply wait till I find a place that offers Texas or Alberta beef(yes the prices will skyrocket)

Overall a mixed bag, but it was better than Piri Piri(gone downhill from a few years ago)

Edited April 5, 2010 by BugJackBaron

[jfchandler]

Duke's Express

5th Floor Emporium Center Food Court

Open Daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Credit cards accepted. No delivery.

Website: www.dukesbangkok.com

I can't say that the hamburgers at the new Duke's Express in the Emporium Shopping Center are the "best" in Bangkok... But they're certainly good and perhaps among the best (the best for burgers in Bangkok being a somewhat lowered scale), based on my sampling today. Particularly from an American standpoint of hamburgers, where such offerings as chili, bacon and cheese, and even cajun flavorings are common, expected and indeed are part of Duke's burger menu offerings, there's a lot here to like for burger-lovers.

Tucked away in the very back of the Emporium's food hall, nestled between the "Little Hanoi" and "Thai Gourmet" shops, Duke's is just a small operation, with two four-seater tables and four tables for two.

The latest venture of the folks who brought you Sunrise Tacos and Subway Sandwiches in Bangkok, I'd say the best thing to like about Duke's is the taste and texture of their hamburger meat (reportedly Thai-French sirloin ground fresh daily), which certainly may be one of the best offered hereabouts. However they're doing it, the resulting flavor and texture of the burger/beef comes out nicely grilled and tasting just right--a rarity around these parts.

My lunch bill came to 400 baht, reflecting 245 baht for their Joe's Famous Burger (with bacon, grilled onions, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and horseradish-flavored mayonnaise, along with a helping of french fries), 70 baht for their "small" order (which was a decent sized plate) of onion rings as a side order, and 25 baht for a bottle of water and ice, plus the mandatory 17% added on for tax and tip. The burger is one of about eight on their menu, ranging from the simple quarter-pounder and quarter-pounder with cheese (149/159 baht), to the six specialty burgers ranging from 210 to 245 baht in price.

As mentioned, the best thing about the burger I sampled was the meat itself. The portion was generous and the taste was right. Other good points included a single thick fresh tomato slice that almost filled out the bun and a large dill pickle spear on the side. Another good point was the sizing of the burger relative to the bun, as in, the Joe's burger arrived as a flat, round patty at least a half-inch think cooked, and the patty perfectly filled out the bun. No pool ball burgers here, or tiny burgers that get lost inside the bun.

On the flip side, while the hamburger bun appeared custom-made and certainly was far from the bland, tasteless supermarket buns that show up so often, Duke's offering has a somewhat tough exterior surface and didn't quite come across with the right taste. My preference would have been for a softer and more toasted bun. But as mentioned, what they serve is better than average. The french fries on the side, for my taste, were nothing special, though they did arrive hot and seemed fresh.

The onion rings, reasonably thick cut slices, also arrived hot and more than a bit oily. Although I can't put my finger on it exactly, the rings came across with a flour-ry taste, perhaps something about the coating used. They weren't bad, but they could have been better, especially without so much residual oil left behind.

And that brings me to perhaps my biggest gripe about the place: the burgers here are sufficiently big that they do tend to fall apart in your hands, especially toward the end. And that gets a bit messy, especially if you've gone for one of the specialty burgers with toppings. Likewise with the onion rings, which leave plenty of oil behind. So by the time I was finished, I really needed and wanted one of those moistened towelette packages to clean my fingers/hands. But none was on offer or spotted, which is a bit strange for a place that also has BBQ ribs on its menu. So I did the best with what was available, pouring some of my bottled water onto one of the paper napkins on the table, and using that to come clean.

Duke's Express does have other things on their menu besides burgers, including a full menu pages of pizzas, some salads, a page of specialty items including their lasagna and fish & chips offerings, a variety of Thai-based bottled beers for 80-90 baht, and free refills on their iced tea and lemonade for 60 baht. But it will be their hamburgers that undoubtedly will keep me busy for some time to come.

For burger offerings in Bangkok, Duke's Express is a worthy competitor in the field alongside other better-than-average offerings from places such as the Hard Rock Cafe in Siam Square, BBQ Sandwich King in Nonthaburi, the Roadhouse Barbecue in Silom, Outback Steakhouse in Siam Discovery, and The Garage Burger and Grill on Wireless Road.

Edited April 5, 2010 by jfchandler

[Scott]

I haven't eaten there yet, but did eat the Indian restaurant across from it. Ended up watching the people eating at Dukes! I was a little jealous because it sure looked good and the people were obviously enjoying it. The Indian Restaurant was fine, but I sure could have eaten one of those burgers.

I get to Emporium with a friend about every two weeks (he wanted Indian food) and we both agreed next time we go to Dukes.

[bkkjames]

Yesterday I went to the Olive Restaurant just down from Dukes for lunch. Sorry to jump the Duke's thread but thought it was worth mentioning..

Overall food is good - service???

Case in point, I don't think the staff really know the menu that well. Asked for pita bread and tzatziki and pointed to the table next to me and said 'same same' - only to receive an order half the size of what i pointed at and a red sauce instead of tzatziki.

Overall, I think the menu is too complicated for the staff - especially when it comes to ordering Mezze.

Next, on the menu it says Heineken, Chang and Sing beer. I said I will have a Heineken. She said no have...only Chang and Sing.

5 minutes later I see the couple across from me get served two Heinekens which magically appeared from their little fridge.

I didn't bother to try to ask why they could get one I couldn't.

[midasthailand]

Yesterday I went to the Olive Restaurant just down from Dukes for lunch. Sorry to jump the Duke's thread but thought it was worth mentioning..

Overall food is good - service???

Case in point, I don't think the staff really know the menu that well. Asked for pita bread and tzatziki and pointed to the table next to me and said 'same same' - only to receive an order half the size of what i pointed at and a red sauce instead of tzatziki.

Overall, I think the menu is too complicated for the staff - especially when it comes to ordering Mezze.

Next, on the menu it says Heineken, Chang and Sing beer. I said I will have a Heineken. She said no have...only Chang and Sing.

5 minutes later I see the couple across from me get served two Heinekens which magically appeared from their little fridge.

I didn't bother to try to ask why they could get one I couldn't.

Come on James, everyone knows that Heineken doesn't go with Pita bread and red sauce!

[evanson]

Come to think of it; indeed the drinks were expensive... so I remember I opted not to order any. Instead bought a drink at Emporium supermarket after my meal.

Didn't try the ribs.

That's gotta be the cheapest comment I have read on Thai Visa!

Are you proud of that? I bet you you are the type of guy who sits on the steps of 7- eleven and drinks his beer instead of going into a bar.

Umm... actually, I shifted to soda-water a while back. Lot cheaper.

That makes you look even cheaper! Anyone can afford a soda water anywhere

[bkkjames]

Yesterday I went to the Olive Restaurant just down from Dukes for lunch. Sorry to jump the Duke's thread but thought it was worth mentioning..

Overall food is good - service???

Case in point, I don't think the staff really know the menu that well. Asked for pita bread and tzatziki and pointed to the table next to me and said 'same same' - only to receive an order half the size of what i pointed at and a red sauce instead of tzatziki.

Overall, I think the menu is too complicated for the staff - especially when it comes to ordering Mezze.

Next, on the menu it says Heineken, Chang and Sing beer. I said I will have a Heineken. She said no have...only Chang and Sing.

5 minutes later I see the couple across from me get served two Heinekens which magically appeared from their little fridge.

I didn't bother to try to ask why they could get one I couldn't.

Come on James, everyone knows that Heineken doesn't go with Pita bread and red sauce!

true I should have ordered the Red Spy instead.

[futureexpat]

I finally tried out Duke's on Sunday and I will definitely be back. Best burger in Bangkok? I'm not sure if there is such a thing, as everyone has different tastes and restaurants have good and bad days. However, it was the best burger I've had in a while and despite the location, seemed to be at a lower price than comparable burgers around town.

I forget the name but I had the burger that comes with blue cheese, onions and bacon. It was excellent. I had salad and a bottle of water and it came out to just over 300 baht. If you don't love blue cheese, the taste may be a bit overpowering but it was way better than what I expected and I will definitely be having another one soon.

To my right, there was a guy eating something with pasta, I forget what. He liked it enough he was asking about what went into the pasta. To my left there was a family of five. The kids were devouring their food. The pizza looked very tasty.

I tend to have just one or two favorite dishes that I eat each time I go to a restaurant, so I'm afraid I won't get around to trying many of the things on that menu; next time I plan to have that exact same burger.

Side note: when I was there, the service was excellent. The big boss was there at the time and that may have something to do with it.

Oh, my hands were a mess after eating that burger, so I just went to the nearby bathroom and washed them before I went back to pay my bill.

[jfchandler]

Duke's Express (Part II)

5th Floor Emporium Center Food Court

Open Daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Credit cards accepted. No delivery.

Website: www.dukesbangkok.com

After a very good first burger experience at the new Duke's Express in Bangkok, I wanted to make sure this place really was for real -- before extolling its burger virtues any further. So that necessitated a prompt return trip to sample more of their burgers -- in fact, two in the same sitting. And indeed, Duke's is for real when it comes to delicious, beefy hamburgers and good fixin's at a reasonable price.

With the taste of my first visit and their elaborate Joe's Famous Burger (as described in Part I) still on my lips, I ventured back for round II and ended up wanting to sample a simpler burger, so I could judge their fare on the essence of a burger -- the meat, bun and essential sides -- without a lot of fancy add-ons.

That meant I opted for their Route 66 Burger, which is kind of a classic hamburger model, being two quarter-pound patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and some Thousand Island dressing (where have you heard that before???), along with the included french fries, for 210 baht++. Added on a refillable iced tea for 60 baht++.

And I must say, the Route 66 was every bit as good as the prior Joe's Famous Burger -- good tasting grilled meat, substantial portions, beautiful large fresh tomato slice, a tasty long pickle spear, a good order of french fries on the side, and a bit fresher bun than on my original visit.

I woofed the double burger down in down in short order, and sat back in serene satisfaction: Bangkok now had the two things essential for Mr. BKK Dining Deals to lead a happy life in Bangkok -- really good hamburgers (at least at Duke's Express for now) and really good burritos (at the recently opened La Monita Tacqueria near the Ploenchit BTS Station). Everything else in life pales in comparison...

And yet, as I contemplated burger heaven, I decided I wanted more... After all, nearly three years in Thailand without a good hamburger (leaving out occasional trips back to the States) is a long time to be deprived. Yet I'm not a glutton, and I already was pretty full. So what could I do, but choose their even simpler burger, the quarter-pound burger (no cheese) and fries for 149 baht++. And once again, no disappointment, and I quickly finished the whole thing, now really full and satisfied.

There's not much to say or describe burger-wise that I haven't already said above, so I'll just let the photos speak for themselves.

The sampling above leads me to conclude that, at least right now, pretty much any burger on the Duke's Express menu is likely to be a good one, indeed, probably among the best in Bangkok. Right now, I can't name another eatery that serves up better hamburgers at any price, much less, at the pretty reasonable prices at Duke's. If anyone can suggest better, I'd love to hear it...

And just to provide some balance and perspective, in the past two weeks, I also visited The Garage Bar and Grill for their burger, which was pretty mediocre and disappointing, and today hit the Hard Rock Cafe, for a pretty good (and far more expensive) near-half-pound burger. I'll review the HRC burger separately outside this thread.

But suffice to say, I had the 7 oz. HRC bacon cheeseburger and fries for 380 baht++. Standing on its own, it's a quite good burger in many respects and, for my taste, has a better bun, being the softer egg-bread style that I prefer. But compared to similar Duke's burgers that go for 245 baht ++ and with Duke's meat that to me tastes a bit better, Duke's becomes a pretty compelling choice.

Odds and ends: Some above discussed the refillable iced tea at Duke's. By the time of my visit last week, my serving came entirely sans any sugar mixed in, but with a small cup of liquid sugar on the side. No complaints about that. To me, it tasted like brewed tea vs. the Lipton's jar variety, but I didn't go back into the kitchen to check.

As with my first visit, the Route 66 Burger left my hands a mess. And once again, no moist towelettes offered or found, though I did mention that on the restaurant's written comments card. But this time, I did ask the waitress for a small cup of water and extra napkin, which she delivered and seemed to understand why...

As I was finishing, the table next-door was eating an order of Duke's ribs... And as I glanced over, I saw what looked to be quite a tasty dish... The other table certainly seemed to be enjoying the ribs. So I may have to find some time to take a break from my hamburger fetish and try some of their pork on a stick...

Now, if Duke's can only avoid the thing that fells so many initially good restaurants around Bangkok -- the sloppiness and inattention to quality and detail that sets in once a place has been up and running for a while. Sunrise Tacos certainly has suffered from some growing pains in that regard, and lost some regular customers along the way. Let's hope Duke's has learned from that lesson.

[mark5335]

I visited Dukes Express today and enjoyed eating the Dukes burger. Was happy with the attentiveness of the staff, but not too keen on the batter used in the onion rings (I should have ordered the fries instead).

Edited April 12, 2010 by mark5335

[jfchandler]

Ya... I agree, Mark... Above... I called their onion ring batter "flour-ry" tasting... It was a bit off... not sure why... just didn't taste right. And my order left quite a considerable puddle of oil on my plate. On my subsequent visit, I went with the fries, passed on the ORs, and have yet to try the cole slaw. Seems like the slaw should be/would be the right choice to go with the ribs... next time.

[powderpuff]

JFC how woulod you rate the burger at Bourbon Street?

[jfchandler]

PP, as best as I recall, I've had the BS ( ) burger via delivery to home... Can't recall if I've had one of their burgers for eat-in...but perhaps I have. In either case, it didn't leave any particularly lasting impression...

[Gluestick]

I went to the Duke's at Emporium yesterday. We ordered the buffalo wings, the Duke's burger with coleslaw, the meat lover's pizza, french fries, ice tea, and a lemonade. The buffalo wings were alright. I think the wings at Bourbon Street are better. The wings at Duke's lacked spiciness and were a bit too sweet. I threw some Tabasco sauce on them and they tasted better. I also prefer the blue cheese offered at Bourbon Street instead of the ranch. The Duke's burger was big and tasty. I had trouble holding it so I just ate it with a fork and knife. The bread was awesome. The meat tasted good but was a little too well done for my liking. A little less cooked would have made the meat juicier. The pickle was great but the coleslaw was a miss for me. The pizza would have to be the closest thing to a pizza that I am used to from the US. Scoozi pizza is very good but it's not the same as home. The toppings were high quality and I really liked to pepperoni. One problem with the pizza was that it was cut into squares rather than the traditional slices. Another problem was that it was a bit too soggy. It does come out sitting on a raised grill so I think Duke's is aware that their pizza is a bit on the floppy side. The french fries were nice and fresh. I liked that the skin was still on the fries. One nice touch was that after downing my ice tea, they allowed me to change to a lemonade. After that drink, I asked for a mix of ice tea and lemonade, which the waitress seemed to be already familiar with. I later told her that the name of the drink was actually an Arnold Palmer. Maybe they'll add that to the drink list? Overall, the bill came to a bit under 1,000 baht. I was very happy with my meal and would come back again for sure. I'd probably try to tell them to cook the burger less and try to cook the pizza a little more maybe to reduce the sogginess.

Here are pictures of the food:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a111293...re-315.jpg.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a111292...re-005.jpg.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a111294...re-197.jpg.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a111295...re-316.jpg.html