38-40 James Street,
Marylebone,
London,
W1U 1EU
(020) 7486 1000
The ViewLondon Review
Seemingly using Hakkasan as inspiration, Cocochan serves up decent pan-Asian fare in a sleek and stylish venue on James Street.
The Venue
It really is reminiscent of Hakkasan, with dark purples and other heavy hues moodily lit to make everything feel seductively atmospheric, and the same kind of carved wooden partitions keeping things in line with the menu. Even the dark sheen of the restrooms makes you think of the famous venue down the road, but all this homage is plainly no bad thing; Hakkasan is a very stylish place after all. And if you can offer a more accessible incarnation, then that’s plainly no bad thing either. Its location just down from both Oxford Street and the strip of decent restaurants down James Street seems to affirm this, with plenty of passing trade casting interested eyes over the chic exterior, the smattering of al fresco tables and into the swanky interior.
The Atmosphere
Thankfully, Cocochan has a similar vibe to Hakkasan too, with things feeling effortlessly stylish, from the casual expertise behind the bar in the downstairs cocktail bar to the perfectly pitched deep house and the superlative service in the dining room. A couple of bruisers on the door are probably there to suggest exclusivity more than anything else, but the rest of the staff are sweet, affable and exceptionally well-versed in the menu. As for fellow diners, it’s handily far enough away from Oxford Street to avoid being somewhere shoppers will lug their bags to, and the tables filled with trendy types and sharp suits suggest that it’s already creating something of a buzz.
The Food
A varied and intriguing selection of pan-Asian dishes offers plenty of choice, with sashimi, Szechuan soups, dim sum and green Thai curries all vying for space on the immaculate looking menu. They’re all pretty well done despite being a little salty, if the post-dining thirst is anything to go by.
The dim sum - heartily recommended by the staff - are every bit as good as eulogised. The prawn and chive dumplings (£4.25) are superb, well-balanced and steamed to perfection, but not quite as good as the Chilean sea bass with chilli bean dumplings (£5.50), an impressive combination with a generous chunk of soft, flaking fish.
The soft-shell crab (£8.75) is huge, tempurad lightly with just a hint of crunch and served with an okay jalapeno mayo that could probably do with a bit more of a kick. It’s still a pretty good dish though. Vietnamese seared beef (£7.50) is perfectly cooked, with some gentle spice permeating meat that works well with a bold nuoc cham dipping sauce.
The larger dishes aren’t quite as impressive, with wok tossed chicken and Szechuan spices (£13.50) showing little of the delicate touch seen in the dim sum or starters – it’s just a tad too salty. The char-grilled lamb (£15.50) is cooked very well indeed, it’s just a shame the cut doesn’t seem the best as it’s little too fatty. The accompanying kimchee is good though, as are the beautifully al dente wok-fried mixed vegetables with shaoxing and ginger (£5.50) and the aromatic jasmine rice (£3.50).
The Last Word
If you don’t want to pay through the nose for Hakkasan then this is the next best thing. The food might not be perfect but the stylish setting and deliciously relaxed atmosphere make it somewhere worth sampling.
Cocochan has been reviewed by 3 users