The buzz: Ekkamai’s newest arrival may classify as an American smokehouse, but don’t arrive expecting to find barbeque ribs drenched in sweet tomato sauce. Here, the succulent, tender wood-smoked meats are left to speak for themselves—no sauce necessary.

The decor: A pitch-black facade fronted by trees and long, flowing wood tables sets the scene for the swaggy, 120-seat American smokehouse within, where bright red walls and a polished concrete floor add color. The covered outdoor seating area is cleverly poised for rainy season.

The food: Chef-owner Colin Stevens and co-owner Gary Stewart draw their smoking methods from across the US with one caveat: only wood is used (no gas or charcoal). This means the menu packs in succulent 16-hour smoked beef brisket (B880) and intensely tender beef short rib (B1,060) alongside slow-cooked Hawaiian kalua pork (B450). From the ketchup and mustard, to the pickled vegetables and breads—no meal is complete without a side of incredible spicy jalapeno cornbread (B150), served with bacon and onion marmalade—everything is homemade. More tastes of the deep south come in the cheesy corn grits (B230), so rich and creamy that you’ll forget that mac ‘n’ cheese ever existed. Go the whole hog with the Ash Kicker Combo (B1,360), which overflows with brisket, pork belly, kuala pork, smoked wings and hot link spicy sausage. Vegans are even taken care of with the Veggie Platter (B500).

The drinks: Bourbon is the bar’s main focus and their collection is possibly one of Bangkok’s most comprehensive. If you’re not hardcore enough to drink it neat, ease in with one of their mean cocktails (Bourbon Sour, B280). However, we recommend their smooth and mellow signature draft beer, Smoked Maibock (B260/285ml or B360/473ml), which is made using barley that’s smoked in-house.

Why we’d come back: Though Bangkok has a handful of worthy barbecue joints, Ash Kickers is exemplary in its smoking techniques and quality cuts. Once you’ve tasted the depth of flavor in their meats, there’s just no going back to substandard competitors. Kankanok Wichiantanon