Since opening in mid-2016, Cocotte found its niche catering to Sukhumvit’s young-and-wealthy crowd. Porsches and BMWs line its parking lot, and you’ll spot fancy watches and designer handbags in the dining room. It’s no surprise that, despite the place recently upping its prices, securing a table can be hard.

Inside, farmhouse knickknacks, large wooden tables made of tree trunks, Philippe Starck stools and Chesterfield couches make for an eclectic setting. There’s a large open kitchen at the back, where you can spot head chef Jeriko Van Der Wolf fixing up heaping portions of meat, like the 1.4kg Australian wagyu tomahawk (B3,860) or Barbarie duck (B3,290). There’s also a market-esque deli counter to order custom cheese and charcuterie platters (B490-1,090) made from quality European produce.

If you don’t book, you might end up waiting at the bar, which can be less-than comfortable thanks to the orange luminous lights protruding from the bar wall. But it’s a good moment to try one of the restaurant’s signature cocktails (from B340), like the slightly bitter and fruity Chalong Bay sour (B360), or down a few of the sweet and satisfying crispy fried duck patties (B280)—both good choices.

Chef Van Der Wolf’s signature dishes showcase his more creative side. The tartare “au couteau” (B690) has a flavorsome balance of tender Angus beef, salty capers and pickled onions, but comes in a portion that won’t have you holding your stomach after. Same with the Crispy Pig 2.0 (B680), which is sweet and juicy, but unfortunately isn’t actually very crispy and comes swimming in way too much potato foam for our liking.

Cocotte’s menu gives the occasional nod to ingredients from local suppliers like Sloane’s Butcher Shop and the Royal Projects in Chiang Mai. But we wish they were put to better use in the beetroot salad (B360), which is drenched in too much walnut dressing and has overbearing stabs of pickled sourness.

The desserts make up for it, though. Don’t leave without trying the sticky toffee cookie (B320), which is soft, creamy and delicious thanks to a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream and salted butter caramel, or the lovely sweet-and-sour apple and yuzu tart (B340).

We can’t say that Cocotte has much soul to it, but its casual vibe, comforting food and attentive service make for good gatherings with friends right after payday. Corkage B500