Review: What to expect from the Shake Shack x Potong collab

Time Out

15-05-2025

Since landing at Central World in 2023, Shake Shack has been winning over Bangkokians at lightning speed! With its sleek vibe and premium menu, this iconic American burger chain has already expanded to three more locations across the city. While it's on the pricier side, Shake Shack feels less like a burger pit stop and more like a cosy escape from Bangkok's bustling streets. While the signature ShackBurger is a solid option, it doesn't quite steal the spotlight from the competition.
But Shake Shack seems determined to up its game. The brand has joined forces with Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij – recently crowned the World's Best Female Chef 2025 and the talent behind Michelin-starred Potong – to create a limited-edition menu infused with bold Thai flavours. Naturally, we couldn't resist giving it a try.
Available at all Shake Shack locations across Bangkok through July 6, the collaboration features two special burgers, a snack, and a dessert that showcase Chef Pam's culinary creativity. First on the list is the Jaew BBQ Pork Burger (B235), created as a thoughtful alternative for locals who don't eat beef. This burger debuts Shake Shack's all-natural applewood-smoked pork patty, which is topped with Chef Pam's tangy jaew BBQ sauce, melted cheese, fresh shallots, culantro and crispy pork crackling – all sandwiched in a toasted potato bun.
The standout element of this burger is undoubtedly the pork crackling (kaeb moo), a popular Thai snack made from deep-fried pork skin, often found at noodle shops. While not something you'd expect in a burger, it pairs surprisingly well with the jaew BBQ sauce, which is sweet, slightly spicy, and packed with flavours of fish sauce, chili and tamarind. It's like a bite of Thai street food in burger form. That said, if you're sensitive to spice, tread carefully – this one brings a bit of heat.
The real star of the menu, however, is the Black Pepper Burger (B265 for a single, B375 for a double). Featuring a juicy 100% Angus beef patty smothered in Chef Pam's rich black pepper sauce, double cheese, fresh onions and crispy shallots. Shake Shack describes it as a tribute to classic Thai-Chinese black pepper dishes found in old-school Bangkok shophouses, and I couldn't agree more. Though I haven't yet had the pleasure of dining at Potong, the combination of freshly cracked black pepper, scallions, soy sauce and oyster sauce delivers a wok-fried, caramelised depth that's both nostalgic and utterly satisfying.
For a snack, the limited menu offers seafood mayo fries (B130). These crinkle-cut fries are topped with Chef Pam's tangy seafood mayo, crispy pork crackling and fresh cilantro. The sauce, inspired by Thai street food dipping sauces, is a clever nod to local flavours, as Thais often pair fried foods with zesty dips. However, this dish didn't quite hit the mark for me – the sauce made the fries soggy quickly and the mix of flavours left a lingering sweet-and-sour aftertaste that felt somewhat unbalanced.
To end the meal, there's the mango sticky rice shake (B210), a blend of vanilla frozen custard, fresh mango, glutinous sticky rice and salted coconut cream, topped with whipped cream, crispy mung beans and mango powder. Mango sticky rice is obviously a crowd favourite and this shake pulls it off well. The sticky rice texture really comes through and the coconut cream adds that rich, familiar taste. That said, it was a bit too sweet for me to finish on my own. I'd definitely suggest sharing it with a friend.
Overall, I'd say the Shake Shack x Chef Pam collaboration is worth a try especially if you're curious about Chef Pam's cooking but don't want to wait for a table at Potong. It's a fun and accessible way to experience her flavour-packed style and honestly, it's worth the splurge.