Taking over what used to be modern Thai restaurant Baa Ga Din, Le Cochon Blanc brings an element of French refinement to live-fire, Southern American-inspired barbecue.

A bright, purple neon sign lights the way to the theatrical grill pit where chef Chandler Schultz (formerly of Baa Ga Din) does his work. Inside is a moody mix of black paint, flamingo wallpaper, chandeliers and stylish collectibles chosen by French restaurateur Fred Meyer (Issaya, Pizza Massilia and Kom-Ba-Wa).

The menu makes clear that produce is king, going to pains to describe its high-welfare pork from Sloane’s, French butter and cheese from Jean-Yves Bordier, and hand-cut fresh sausage from Emmanuel Chavassieux, a French sausage-maker based just outside of Lyon. At B490 a plate, it’s some expensive sausage, though you can certainly taste the difference in its ample, meaty chunks of Auvergne pork. Our only disappointment is that it lacks much smokiness—which you’d expect, given the barbecue vibes.

The same thing can’t be said of Le Cochon Blanc’s barbecue short rib (B1,250), made with 250-day grain-fed black Angus beef that undergoes 3-5 hours of smoking on top of two days in the sous-vide machine. The result maintains all the juiciness of the beef while delivering real texture and flavor. It’s a safer choice than the Memphis-style pork ribs with pineapple barbecue sauce (half B580/full B890), which on our last visit were dry and over-seasoned. The side of duck jambalaya (B220) was also oily—a shame, since on other occasions we’ve found the dish exceptional.

Whatever you do, don’t miss the double-cooked, Belgian-style fries (B180) prepared in beef oil, whose sweet taste and perfect crispness make them some of the best in town. This kitchen can also deliver an amazing salad (B320), in which the smoked lettuce gets flavored by a dressing packed with anchovy and garlic, in addition to thick, house-made bacon.

The wonderful desserts, created by Issaya La Patisserie’s chef Arisara “Paper” Chongphanitkul, are one of the best things about the place. Her strawberry shortcake (B390) and bitter chocolate petit pot (B360) are unbeatable guilty pleasures.

Le Cochon Blanc may not deliver straight-up comfort U.S. barbecue, but creativity and beautiful setting make it worthy of any special occasion. Corkage charge B800 for wine, B1,000 for spirits and champagne 

This review took place in September 2017 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.