• Courtesy Of Bkk In The Alley
• From left: Jenny Sangkhanond, Bobby Chompupong, and Aras and Aria Noori of BKK in the Alley

After a brief closure to paint and freshen the space, Bangkok Bistro in the Alley relaunched on November 3 as BKK in the Alley. Bobby Chompupong and his wife, Jenny Sangkhanond, partnered with brothers Aras and Aria Noori to purchase the Thai restaurant from Chompupong's parents, Champ Chompupong and Pearl Pounyraharn, who opened it in 2017 at 36 Thorsen Way in Burlington.

The new moniker is a nod to the International Air Transport Association code for the largest of Bangkok's two international airports. It is the third iteration of the Chompupong family's Bangkok Bistro; the original restaurant closed in 2012 after operating for a decade at the Church Street location currently occupied by Gaku Ramen.

Bobby, 33, and Sangkhanond, 36, worked closely with his parents to take over the Burlington restaurant. "I want them to be able to relax," Bobby said.

Bobby, who traditionally worked behind the bar, has now replaced his father as chef; Sangkhanond will be the "head mixologist," he said. The Noori brothers are friends of the younger couple; Aria is a local business owner, and Aras is a DJ.

The kitchen will continue to turn out Bangkok Bistro favorites, such as house pad Thai, panang curry and crispy duck sam rod, along with new additions such as a "stoplight" flight of three small bowls of red, yellow and green curries, Bobby said.

The team will also add more small plates of traditional street food. Cocktails will range from an old-fashioned made with housemade pandan syrup to house-infused lychee or blackberry sake. "We want people to graze and sip, talk and chill and hang out," Bobby said.

The restaurant will undergo a more extensive three-week renovation in January. "We're going to really rejuvenate it," Bobby said.