Located just off Srinakarin Road, near Paradise Park, Eat Drink Love is a charming space with an affordable drinks list, and that’s about it. It’s hidden in a service apartment complex, where the generous use of marble and black booths give the place a luxurious yet still relaxed vibe.

The feminine feel is somewhat balanced out with industrial touches like black steel, plenty of wood and navy chairs (think Cafe Claire meets 99 Rest Backyard Cafe). Outside caters to all seasons with a sizeable terrace opening onto a large, verdant garden of big trees and small ponds.

However, this girly, romantic vibe hints at the kind of menu we truly fear—run-of-the-mill fusion and Western dishes. Even the recommended beef totally fails us. On our last visit, the rib eye steak (B430) was not cooked the way we requested and was almost impossible to chew.

Pasta plays a very big part in the menu, with dishes like the spaghetti with loads of cream sauce (B180). It manages to be disappointing even if you know what you’re getting into—the sauce is too thick, the pasta overcooked and, worst of all, it doesn’t taste remotely homemade. Of course, there’s fusion pizza, too, but options like spicy pizza with nham (fermented sausage) and sai oua (herbal pork sausage, B190) do little to get the pulse racing.

The khao pad namprik tai pla (stir-fried rice with fish paste, B190) is a safer bet, but even this is a bit too soggy and lacking in garlic, chili paste and everything that would make it tasty.

What you should really come for are the desserts, which are much better, probably because they come from trusted suppliers like Amatissimo Caffe (croissants and chocolate lava) and online bakery Yanin (@yaninshomemade, do try the blackcurrant macaron).

It’s a shame the fusion fare is such a let-down as the service is very nice. We could still see ourselves visiting on the weekend (when they sometimes have live pop bands), just for the very chill vibe, along with a bit of dessert or a glass of beer (they usually have some sort of promotion, as well as bottles of prosecco starting from just B500).