Review

As one of Chiang Mai’s most longstanding restaurants, Le Coq d’Or maintains its charm and authenticity despite an increasingly diverse Chiang Mai restaurant scene. Operating for over fifty years in the converted private residence of the first British Consul to Chiang Mai some hundred years ago, the setting offers a captivating delve into the elegance and sophistication of a time gone by. Serving the best in classic French cuisine, its timeless menu contains all you would expect in fine dining form. House specialities include pan-fried foie gras with peach sauce, Australian wagyu rib eye served with truffle sauce and an exceptional lobster thermidor daintily presented, shell side up. Other highlights inspired by the continent include escargot starters, tuna tartare and oozing apple tarte tatin. Adding to the theatre, select dishes are prepared tableside, with talented, white-gloved servers whipping up caesar salad dressings or igniting pans of sweet crepe suzettes to admiring guests, backed by live classical music most evenings. Le Coq d’Or’s wine list is long and diverse, with a strong focus on French and old-world wines that take you from Bordeaux’s Côte de Nuits to Italy’s Tuscany and the tempranillo orchards of Spain. And for that extra touch, their repurposed London taxicab can run you to and from the restaurant upon request.