50 Eggs: A red-light district reimagined

In Restaurant Hospitality’s September 2013 writeup about John Kunkel and his multiconcept company 50 Eggs, we admitted that we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. We didn’t have to wait long. Kunkel has just opened a new place, PatPong Road, that’s situated above Khong River House, his popular Thai restaurant in Miami Beach. So does the new one have as much swagger as other 50 Eggs concepts like Yardbird Southern Table and Bar and Swine Southern Table and Bar? Nope, PatPong Road has even more.

Kunkel conceived his new place as a weekend-only operation that would bring the glitter, grit and sexiness of Bangkok’s most notorious red light district to South Florida. It’s an ambience few could pull off, but 50 Eggs is making it work.

“PatPong Road is a cultural and visual overload, where neon-lit go-go bars share sidewalk space with restaurants, music venues, clothing and food stalls. You see people drinking snake blood right in front of you,” says Kunkel. “It’s exhilarating, dark and sexy, and we’re excited to bring that energy to Miami.”

PatPong Road serves Thai street-food-style skewers.

The place is more bar than restaurant despite a nicely tailored menu of Thai snacks provided by the Khong River House kitchen crew downstairs. The menu reads like this:

• House Made Chiang Rai Sausage: Clemens Family Farm pork with garlic, chili paste, cilantro, galanga, lemongrass, coriander root and seed, Kaffir lime leaf and thin soy, served with Nahm Prik Num and Kap Muu.

• Thai Summer Rolls: Ground pork, carrots, onions, scallions, oyster sauce, Vietnamese coriander, wrapped in rice paper and served with a citrus dipping sauce.

• Thai Street Food: Everything on a stick—pork, chicken and shrimp.

• Mini Pad Thai: Tangy tamarind sauce with egg, crispy tofu, peanuts and chives.

• Drunken Rice Noodles: Long bean, bell pepper, bamboo, onions and eggs, tossed with chili and holy basil.

• Thai Donuts: With assorted dipping sauces.

Cocktails are curated by 50 Eggs beverage director Allegra Angelo and go for $10-$25 apiece. Some drinks are served in plastic “sippi” bags just as they are in Thailand. Options include:

• Pat That: Whiskey and lemongrass-ginger ale

• “Laid-ee” Drink: Good rum, fresh fruit juice and lime in a “sippi” bag

• Hive Seek: Gin, lemon, and white pepper-bird chili syrup

• A Real French 75: Gin, fresh lemon, Delamotte champagne (not prosecco) and a little sugar

• Stupid Filthy Dirty Martini: Stoli elit vodka and filthy olives.

PatPong Road is a walk-ins-only operation that’s open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends.