This elegant and modern restaurant meticulously cooks traditional French dishes. At its helm is Michelin-star chef Herve Frerard, the former personal chef of the the late French president Francois Mitterand. As such, Frerard has cooked for a long list of dignitaries, but also boasts stints in some of his home country’s top Michelin-star kitchens. As one of the five outlets inside the Glasshouse complex on Wireless Road, Cafe Parisien is the perfect spot for a reasonably-priced business lunch (sets start from B690), but its refined setting also makes it ideal for a fine-dining tete-a-tete in the evenings.

As the name Glasshouse suggests, the brasserie’s dining room sees plenty of natural light stream in during the day. Combined with the decor’s light tones (mint green, white), Cafe Parisien feels both open and spacious. Those looking for some privacy can head to the more intimate mezzanine where a chef’s table offers opportunities for truly unique meals to wow a big client or celebrate a special occasion.

Having cooked for the Thai royal family and Queen Elizabeth, not to mention extensive experience in Michelin-star restaurants in France, Frerard cooks some of the best regional specialties a la Francaise, such as 72-hour slow-cooked coq au vin (B650), baked crispy duck leg confit (B990) and bouillabaisse marseillaise (B890). Despite Frerard’s impressive resume and the long list of ingredients sourced directly from France, the results are fuss-free provincial dishes in keeping with Cafe Parisien’s relaxed atmosphere. To ensure ideal pairings, the restaurant also has a very Gallic wine list focusing on Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Alsace and the Rhone Valley. But new world wines are also on offer and house wines starts at a mere B250 by the glass.

Frerard has chosen signature dishes that stand out as great, historical classics of French cuisine. For instance, the Baked Endive with Savoy Ham and Béchamel Sauce (B550) is a favorite in Northern France and Belgium for the contrast between the slightly bitter endive, the creamy bechamel and the salty ham. This dish is so good, it has been on the tables of Northern Europe’s nobility for over a thousand years. The Traditional Stew Beef Bourguignon and Celeriac Puree (B750) is another iconic recipe, where beef is simmered with red wine until it becomes tender enough to cut through it with a fork.

If you’re still grieving the closure of Le Beaulieu, this spot does similarly traditional French delicacies at prices that won’t break the bank. You can even order desserts and pizza from the sister restaurants, Eiffel and Milano, which serve delicious French pastries like millefeuille topped with vanilla ice cream and some of the tastiest pizzas in town. But if it’s the full Cafe Parisien you’re after, do book the chef’s table for an exclusive experience with the culinary master himself (starting from B3,500, minimum 6 people).

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This classic French restaurant is one of five outlets inside Sindhorn Tower’s new Glasshouse. A distinct building from the office complex, the elegant and light-filled space overlooking leafy Wireless Road retains all the charm of a standalone.

The menu has been put together in consultation with Bangkok’s favorite Gallic chef, Herve Frerard (formerly of Le Beaulieu, #12 in Top Tables 2015), who hasn’t lost his touch.Frerard may have more innovative compatriots in town, but no one nails tradition quite like him, be it a steak and fries (B1,250) or a humble plate of Morteau sausage with lentils (B650).

Before the raves, let’s get a couple niggles out of the way. The pastry is sub-par, meaning ho-hum desserts and bad bread. Nor does the service, while good, quite compare to Le Normandie or Water Library Chamchuri. Then again, neither do the prices.

Lunch is only B690 for three courses, with dishes such as a flavorful mushroom soup (B280 a la carte) whose texture keeps a bit of grit to underscore the shitake that went into making it. Also in that set, the perfectly cooked lamb shoulder comes with a charred crust, tender meat, a bed of fresh peas (not the mushy stuff) and a lovely jus.

Isn’t sauce the very essence of French cuisine? The port wine reduction coating a beef cheek on a bed of celeriac puree (B850) is just amazing, thanks to an almost intoxicating density of meaty flavors. You’ll have to get the B1,900 menu to get a taste of that, still a really appealing price point for a four-course dinner that comes complete with an amuse bouche and two appetizers. On our last visit, we had a perfectly cooked scallop with an excellent Nantua (crayfish) sauce (B650) followed by the onion soup (B390)—a thick, dark magma of onions and Comte cheese with a slice of gratinated bread on the side.

And just to be clear, while the service doesn’t quite treat you like Monsieur le President, Cafe Parisien still ticks all the right boxes: warm plates, breadcrumbs swiped off after your mains, fancy cutlery, thick tablecloths, attentive but unobtrusive wait staff. Admittedly, the a la carte prices remain steep, but stick to the sets and Cafe Parisien is a wonderful package. Do note that, as of October 2016, Frerard’s contract ended a month ago (not that it has hurt standards) and a new French chef is slated to take over. Our tip for him: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Corkage B1,000

This review took place in October 2016 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.

See also: Bangkok’s most underrated restaurants