Tucked away on the ground floor of luxury boutique hotel Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok is recently opened Ms. Jigger, which comprises an imaginative cocktail bar and Italian restaurant. The venue has a sleek, cosmopolitan décor with wooden panels, marble tables, leather chairs and monochrome hues, the space enlivened by a lush garden view. Naturally lit during the day, it transforms into a sophisticated setting at sundown. The ambience, however, is relaxed and along with the culinary treats on offer it has quickly helped to establish Ms. Jigger as the latest Langsuan hot spot.
If you are wondering about the name, ‘jigger’ refers to a small glass or measure of spirits and indeed bespoke, single-batch and rare spirits collected from around the world line the bar’s back shelves, which double as the Spirits Library. Prominent too is a floor-to-ceiling wine cooler chilling organic, biodynamic and Italian wines curated by a resident sommelier. Elegant spirit and cocktail tableside trolleys glide across hardwood floors to deliver the quintessential bar experience to guests, while larger carafes and punch bowls serve groups cocooned within the private terrace.
A relaxing corner at the latest Langsuan hot spot
Head chef Danilo Aiassa and his team specialise in tantalising cicchetti, which make for delicious accompaniments to Ms. Jigger’s artful drink selection. Cicchetti are savoury snacks and sides designed for sharing (think Italian tapas). Beautifully plated classics featuring seasonal ingredients and influences from Piedmont in northwest Italy, where Aiassa was born and raised.
Begin with the restaurant’s signature Ms. Jigger Salad. A refreshing and flavoursome introduction to the meal, the dish includes a fresh bed of locally sourced greens, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and black olives tossed in a savoury balsamic dressing. It is finished off with fresh burrata from Italy. Also excellent are the dainty bruschetta con fegatini di pollo bites, which comprise crisp bruschetta slices generously loaded with rich and velvety homemade chicken liver pâté. Each piece is delicately garnished with shallots, cilantro, olive oil and edible blooms.
Ms. Jigger salad is a refreshing and flavoursome starter
Head chef Danilo Aiassa and his team specialise in tantalising cicchetti, which make for delicious accompaniments to Ms. Jigger’s artful drink selection. Cicchetti are savoury snacks and sides designed for sharing (think Italian tapas). Beautifully plated classics featuring seasonal ingredients and influences from Piedmont in northwest Italy, where Aiassa was born and raised.
Begin with the restaurant’s signature Ms. Jigger Salad. A refreshing and flavoursome introduction to the meal, the dish includes a fresh bed of locally sourced greens, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and black olives tossed in a savoury balsamic dressing. It is finished off with fresh burrata from Italy. Also excellent are the dainty bruschetta con fegatini di pollo bites, which comprise crisp bruschetta slices generously loaded with rich and velvety homemade chicken liver pâté. Each piece is delicately garnished with shallots, cilantro, olive oil and edible blooms.
Pizza tartufata is made from dough proofed for 48 hours with fresh yeast 
Bruschetta con fegatini di pollo is loaded with chicken pate
If you are looking for something to share with company, pick from the small but scrumptious list of gourmet pizzas—all made from dough that is proofed for 48 hours with fresh yeast. As black truffles are currently in season, we are recommended the patron-favourite tartufata. On a gorgeously chewy base that is hand-tossed on order, the pizza arrives with a light and decadent combination of porcini mushrooms, mascarpone cream, mozzarella, truffle oil and of course, freshly shaved truffles.
A true Italian repast isn’t complete without a serving of pasta and at Ms. Jigger the pastas are completely handmade by Aiassa’s team using Sirin Farm organic eggs. While you can surprise yourself with the pasta of the day, we suggest you try one of the raviolis on the main menu. Cooked al dente, thin pasta parcels stuffed with a delicious filling of spinach and ricotta and complemented by herbaceous pesto and spicy tomato sauces is particularly good. Smoky, roasted pine nuts are thrown in for added texture and crunch.
The tiramisu is a rich, full-bodied version
Neither, it seems, is an Italian meal in Bangkok complete without a happy ending of that much-loved dessert staple—tiramisu. Ms. Jigger’s iteration features creamy, indulgent layers of lady fingers, coffee, mascarpone cream, hazelnut cocoa spread, chocolate shavings and a boozy hint of Baileys Irish Cream, what the chef says is a full-bodied version.
Whether you are visiting the restaurant for lunch or dinner, craving stylish Italian fare or a few inventive cocktails at the bar with friends, this new venue makes a casual cool destination for all kinds of gatherings. Chef Aiassa perfectly sums it up when he says, “The intimate setting of the restaurant flows all the way down to the great food and story-driven cocktails. The vision for Ms. Jigger is that of adventure, intrigue and prandial pleasure.”
Ms. Jigger
Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, 78 Soi Tonson
Open: Weds-Mon 10:30am-1:30pm, 5:30-9:30pm
0-2056-9999
More Tatler reviews: Côte Raises A Toast To The Coast
