I actually went to Le Coucou many years ago, around 2017. In my previous notes, I said, “Amazing place. The baked alaska and veal tongue were really good. It’s also not too expensive.” and nothing more. Now many years later, I went here again with my partner to properly celebrate. Coincidentally the day we ate here is nearly their 10-year anniversary. Because reservations for 2 at 6:00 PM were easily obtained the same day, it was very hassle free and no pressure.

Ambiance & Service

The interior of the restaurant hasn’t changed much since I went nearly a decade ago. Near the front has a bunch of round tables for guests. And in the adjacent room, there are tables close to the kitchen. We were seated in a 2-seater table, and it was very comfortable.

The music was not too loud, and the space had a lively vibe. The service was not overly pretentious, and it was very regimented in serving us food at the right times.

The service was nearly impeccable as he explained to us the menu and made sure we were well taken care of. The only time that service kind of slipped was when I had to ask for the check. I think our waiter was just a bit busy tending to other tables, so that was OK.

Food

They have a tasting menu option if you preferred, everyone would get the same courses. Instead we opted to order a’la carte, and we were glad with the results.

On the left was a picture of the wine bottle that I had a half-glass of. This was the Domaine Giraud, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, “Les Galimardes” ($39 for full glass) from the Rhone Valley, France 2014. This was a equal part white wine blend of grenache blanc, roussanne, bourboulenc, and clairette. It was very nice of them to offer half glasses (at 50% price), which I instantly took advantage of to try different things. It was round, balanced with lively texture, and notes of apple, grapefruit, peach, and some nutty tastes. This was one of my favorites for a white wine.

On the right was the Fumée Tropicale ($27), which came with mezcal, pineapple, passionfruit, lime, puebla spice blend, and black pepper mist.

The complimentary Bread was warm and had that nice crunchy texture on the edges.

The Caille Frite au Sarrasin ($22) was buckwheat fried quail with maitre d’hotel butter, and lemon jam. The fried quail crust was very crispy, and the meat was super juicy and succulent. The little salad at the bottom was doused with some sharp citrus tones which helped cut through the butter or any fatty presence of the quail.

The Domaine Lupin, Roussette de Savoie-Frangy, “Cuvee du Pepe” ($21 for full glass) was a roussette from Jura-Savoie, France 2021. This white wine was aromatic and floral and was paired with the foie gras appetizer. I think it nicely cut thru the fatty and iron flavors of the liver well.

The Foie Gras Grille, Souvenir de Bretagne ($49) was grilled foie gras, cider vinegar, sunchokes, and buckwheat. This grilled foie gras had a nice grill flavor on the edges, and the foie gras itself held its texture well. Some foie gras come out slimy as if it was really rare, but this one was definitely cooked perfectly and maintained its shape. The cider vinegar helps contrast the rich, mineral flavors of the liver.

The Morilles Farcies ($40) came with stuffed morel mushrooms and jamon. The morel mushrooms were very good, and did not have a strong flavor. The texture was bouncy, and the mushroom innards had what appeared to be some cheese. With the jamon on top, the mushroom was salty, savory, and full of flavors.

The Domaine de l’Harmas, Chateauneuf-du-Pape ($40 for full glass) was a grenache blend from the Rhone Valley, France 2023.

The Canette Aux Cerises ($68) came with duckling with cherries and foie gras. The Yelp pictures don’t do it justice. When I was browsing before ordering this dish, I thought it’d be 2 small pieces, but when it came, they give you 2 plates. The first plate nearby has different duck meats and foie gras. The sauce was sweet, slightly tart, but very decadent. Then in the main plate were 2 pristine and perfectly cooked slices of duck. The skin was crispy, and the fat was well rendered. You have a few pieces of cherry, and a nice dark, umami cherry sauce.

The Filet de Boeuf ($81) came with prime filet, marrow bone, pommes puree, and sauce chateaubriand. The filet was cooked perfectly medium rare, and the marrow was very delicious to layer the fat on top. Like my duck, this dish came with 2 plates, one being the filet, and the other being the potato puree. The potato puree was heavily butter and resonated “very French” to me. The filet was super tender and flavorful.

The Ile Flottante ($21) came with candied almonds and grand marnier. The size of this was very surprising as other restaurants (looking at you Pastis) gave a very small rendition. This one basically tasted like meringue, and the sauce around the meringue was very delicious. It was sweet, and it had a hint of grand marnier.

The complimentary final tastes were:

Nougat with Pistachio and Almonds. This one was a combination of a chewy, taffy texture along with the nutty vibrant aroma of pistachio mixed with almonds.
Dark Chocolate Whiskey. I liked this a lot since it was not too sweet.
Strawberry Jelly. This one had concentrated strawberry flavors, so it’s a definite palette cleanser.

The complimentary basket of Honey Madeleines were dusted with powder sugar. These small French sponge cakes weren’t anything special, but would’ve paired well with a cup of coffee had we ordered.

Overall Impression

I was quite impressed and pleased by everything we ordered tonight. We were not only full at the end, but the food was divine and delicious. For the price, it did not feel as expensive compared to what we received, especially with the half wine cups. For a celebration or a date night, this is a restaurant that warrants a return because the food was all delectable and cooked well.

Yelp & Google Jabs

I love foie gras but this was cooked to an extent that it felt rubbery, not my preference.

I think this is the proper way to cook it as oppose to it being slimy and wet. When you press on it, it will mush out into a spread, but when you cut into it, it should hold its own.

You would never expect that this place is sitting right by Chinatown and Soho because once you step inside you are transported to a world of fine dining.

Well it’s been there for nearly 10 years, so either this Elitist is new to the area or wasn’t really exploring.

The bread they serve: I know its sourdough, but does it have to be that sour?? It was hard swallowing it down because it was sour bread… For the price, was expecting delicious high end food. Sadly that was far from the case. I’ve had the pleasure of dining at really great places and this place cost the same but the execution, flavor and presentation was so subpar.

Sadly, this Yelper compared this to the River Cafe. They are different cuisines, and it’s possible this Yelper hasn’t yet evolved their taste palette. If the sourdough wasn’t “sour” enough, then people will complain it’s not sourdough. This complaint from this Yelper seems inconsistent. The Yelper ended up going into a tirade comparing quantity of food and their own palette into the mix. Their palette judging by their feedback makes it seem like they didn’t know what they were eating.

Revisions

Jun 15, 2026 - Initial revision.