Le Colonial
Categories: French, Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North Side937 N Rush Street
(between Oak St & Walton St)
Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 255-0088
- Nearest Transit:
Chicago (Red)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
67 reviews
Neighborhood: Near North Side
"Decor: Minimal Chic Staff: Attentive. Warm, but not sickly sweet. Professional. Drinks: Divine! Did I say, deliciously divine?!…" read more »
108 Reviews for Le Colonial
Fabulous meal. Took the madre here for her birthday and the family was not disappointed! Our server was genious. He knew it all and it seemed like he already knew what we were going to order. Total maestro. I had the Coconut Curry Shrimp and man was it tasty. I wouldnt call the interior "authentic" but pretty damn close. Really didnt feel like I was just off Rush St. I really enjoyed the specialty drinks! Next time I want to sit upstairs on the terrace, or have a drink at the beautiful bar!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Ya know what... I like this place, and I'm Vietnamese even. It's a beautiful restaurant that picked the decor of the place after what I think was a beautiful moment aesthetically in Vietnamese history, besides the colonial rule and forced labor.. ya know the dark side of history.
Anyway, the food is more just vietnamese than fusion food that's been cleaned up and fancied up and it's done right and I liked it. I was giddy to see Banh uot on the menu.. it's a flat noodle with a meat filling inside, the asparagus and crab soup; my mom use to make that and I loved it as a child. I also had the mein xao and that was a pretty decent noodle dish. I would come here again, it's so beautiful in a simple kinda way in the summer time with fancied up vietnamese done pretty close to the original.
Forget P.F. Chang's.. come here instead.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (2)
Cool (6)
Very good food.
I took a client and we got there before it officially opened but they let us drink (heavily poured mojitos) at the bar while they continued to ready the restaurant. I appreciated that and we tipped accordingly.
We had the red snapper & the filet and they both were really good. And of course we polished off a bottle of pinot noir.
It's a little expensive, but look at the address.
Also, good Rush Street people watching. The only other place on Rush with better people-watching is the patio at Tavern.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
My feelings are mixed on Le Colonial. To provide some context, I'm not really nuts about Vietnamese food to begin with, and I was brought here when I had been thinking all day I'd be having deep-dish pizza for dinner. That aside, the atmosphere here is lovely and elegant, though it looked a little cramped inside downstairs. My party sat on the upstairs deck, which was small but shaded nicely with trees (blocking the Starbucks across the street), and the occasional horse-drawn carriage rode by. I had the Sup Ga--alleged to be, as I recall, chicken, corn, cilantro (these are a few of my favorite things)--and it was, but it wasn't much else, including little if any flavor in the broth. I also had the peanut, jicama, and something else rolls with plum-peanut sauce. They were fine, but not remarkable. I went cheap ($6 for the soup and I think $8 or $9 for the rolls), but still didn't feel I got my money's worth. My friends seemed content with their $21-$25 entrees, but no one was enthusiastic, which at that price, I think we deserved.
This place is wonderful..like everyone else states..the atmosphere is beautiful. Upstairs has a small, quaint bar to grab a drink if your waiting to be seated. The food is very good as well as the service. Nice for a first date if you want to impress, but on the pricey side..so make sure she is worth it ; ) (gee, I hope he thought I was worth it) wink wink
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
This place is AWESOME!
I work for a small company of 5 people and for everyone's birthday and work anniversary dates we go out for lunch. Well for my birthday this year we went to Le Colonial. My boss's wife had been recommending it for the past few work lunches, but we kept coming up with different places we wanted to go to....man, I wish I had listened to her sooner and jumped on the Le Colonial band wagon!
Every single thing we ordered was beyond amazing. And we ordered many things and we shared it all!
Soup
Pho
Appetizers
Chao Tom
Ca Bam Xuc Banh Trang
Tom Cuon Ram
Ca Song
Entrees
Goi Atiso
Ga Xao XA Ot
Ca Nuong
Tom Xao Sate
There was one more entree, but I can't remember what it was....but pick anything on the menu and you will LOVE it. Everything had so much flavor and was fresh and just beautiful. My only complaint about the lunch would be that a good wine would have complimented the food very nicely, but it was a work lunch, so I can't complain. I'll just have to come back at some point on my own...which I will for sure!!
Oh and my co-worker isn't to into different types of food, but she is in love with this place also!! We are trying to figure out the next time we have a lunch with the office! So great!
As for the prices, I really have no idea how much the bill was since I wasn't paying....but at whatever price it is definitely worth it!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Hands-down, one of my favorite restaurants ever. I love the atmosphere, both upstairs and downstairs, as well as on the patio.
Amazing food, beautiful drink list, gorgeous people. I am never disappointed.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Went there for my first time eating dinner and absoletly loved it! I went on a blind date and let my date pick the appitizers which is a big deal since I'm a picky eater. Anyway, he picked some shrimp rolls and they were excellent. (first time having shrimp) I ordered some filet w/rice dish with vegatables and it was very good. We also finished a great bottle of Pinot Grigio which was recommended by the waitress. We ate outside upstairs, which is a bit small, but it was romantic w/the candles on the table...After dinner we went and sat by the upstairs bar and had a drink. Some drunk guy sitting at the bar touched me inappropriately and the bartenders saw it and comped our drinks because they felt so bad. The management even apologized and escorted the guy out. It really wasn't a big deal, but they were the nicest people ever! I would definately recommend it and I'd go back again! Great date place!!
I was there on my vacation and we had to find a place eat dear downtown. My friend said we go try this place and here is what I can say about this place from someone who has been in CA for a while.
Pro: environment (only if you stay inside)
Con: Very expensive, 3 of us 85 bucks for lunch and we weren't even full. I can get the same quality of food here in San Jose for less than 25.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I felt like I was in a Tommy Bahama boutique. I was really hoping to see someone in one of those 'famous'-yet atrocious short sleeve shirts; but no such luck. For the most part, I was not too impressed with this place. The entrees are the standard American version of Vietnamese food. The Ca Chien Saigon (aka: crisp seared red snapper) did not meet up to what I thought it would be. The fish was not "crisp" and the chef seasoned the sauce with too much fish sauce. The Mi Xao Do Bien (aka: seafood vegetable stir-fry in oyster sauce) is essentially your low man food on the menu. Just because you add cilantro, lemongrass, or lime wedges to entrees do not make it Vietnamese. And let's remember the French was not kind to Vietnam when they wanted to be there own country.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Dinner at Le Colonial was delicious. I had had French Vietnamese cuisine once before and loved it, and this was just as great.
We started with the crispy Spring rolls, which were fantastic. I had the Seafood Boulliabaise, which had about every type of shellfish imaginable in an amazing saffron broth. It came with rice noodles which you stir into the sauce to soak up even more broth.
My boyfriend ordered the filet and shrimp, which was also magnificent. The filet, rather than being a tall, single piece of meat, was cut in half anf barely cooked on both sides, with a deliciously rare, melt-in-your-mouth center. The shrimp were huge, and the tomato rice was interestingly, but not cloyingly, sweet.
The service was excellent without being overly formal or cold. The waiter guided me to a very nice glass of wine without making me feel like a wine-challenged idiot (which I am).
We sat on the patio, which gave us absolutely superb people-watching opportunities. Lots of 60-year-old men in Ferraris with their 25-year-old model girlfriends.
Great date place, or place to take friends who are in town visiting.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
After living a few blocks from Le Colonial for 3 years, my boyfriend and I decided to give it a try. We were not dissapointed.
The ambiance is definitely the best part, very romantic and pretty inside. I'd love to go back for drinks upstairs, definitely a younger crowd up there and a very cool atmosphere.
Our food was solid- the duck and a shrimp dish (that was REALLY spicy and I don't think it mentioned spice on the menu). The tuna tartare appetizer was also really good. We also got dessert- a macaroon thing with icecream. The macaroon was formed into a cookie shape and was rock hard on the outside. I thought I was going to break the plate by trying to get a bite with my spoon, however I still managed since I love dessert.
The only downside was that the waitstaff was overattentive. There is nothing worse than a guy that comes to your table to fill your water glass after each sip. That was a little annoying, but our server was great.
While unfortunately Dee w.'s review is 2 1/2 years old - we took our chances as our newly acquired addiction to Vietnamese cusine and decided that we should try the top shelf/cream of the crop restaurant - and it did not disappoint...
The French/Vietnamese fusion should not be surprising to anyone familiar with the history of Vietnam - and in any case - the food here is mostly of Vietnamese persuasion... And it is very good and well presented too,
It's just that I couldn't stop thinking of all the delicious Vietnamese meals I've had around Argyle Street that cost like a fraction of the cost here (not that the ambience and presentations aren't worth the price - they are - especially for a special occasion.) But for everyday Vietnamese goodies - head over to Argyle and BYOB...
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
I haven't been to Le Colonial in years but had the chance to stop by here and grab dinner with a friend the other night. I wonder what kept me away for so long?
Located in a vintage rowhouse, Le Colonial immediately transports you back to 1920's southeast Asia. With its uniquely tiled floors, louvered shutters, ceiling fans, rattan furniture and lush potted plants and banana trees- this place removes you from the day to day and transports you to a bit of fantasy. There are even photos on the walls of 1920 Saigon (I asked!) to add to the fantasy of actually being in a different time.
If you can- try to sit upstairs- the large mahogany bar, oriental rugs and overstuffed sofas in the lounge add to the intimacy of the place.
But the real winner here is the food. While French Vietnamese fare sounds odd to me (I love French food yet real Vietnamese food leaves me a bit cold) the food is very good. Do what we did and order a variety of things to share.
We started with the crab meat soup with herbs and asparagus (delicious) marinated tuna with tomato, cilantro and cucumber (my favorite) and the grilled shrimp wrapped around sugar cane. Very good.
Next for the entrees- we had the sea bass with cellophane noodles and vegetables, the rack of lamb, and as a side the fried rice with shrimp and vegetables. Way too much food but all of it was delicious.
The service was attentive without being pushy and there was never a pause to answer our every question. As for cocktails- I stuck with my tried and true dirty martini but my friend had a "saketini" (in fact he had several!) and he declared his the overall winner- I am still undecided about that but both were good!
Go for the atmosphere, stay for the food. If you are looking for a fantasy evening without ever leaving the city- then Le Colonial is for you. And if you want to work off some of that food? Le Passage is right next door!
People thought this was:
Useful (10)
Funny (5)
Cool (9)
I don't get out much. I mean, not to swanky places like Le Colonial, at least. But tonight? I was in Chicago for work, without the 3 yr. old in tow that usually keeps me from going to places like Le Colonial unless I've hired a babysitter, and I decided, what the hell. I'll splurge on calories and $. I'd been here before, but it was years ago (in the late 90s to be exact), while I was actually living in Chicago. My FAVORITE French/Vietnamese place was Pasteur (RIP), but Le Colonial was a close second.
The restaurant itself is lovely. A very romantic, transporting setting. The service was very good (although, not great). And for a Wednesday night, this place was packed.
So on to the food:
I was with two co-workers, and we started with the Bahn Cuon (steamed ravioli of chicken and crimini mushrooms, in flat rice noodles with lime garlic sauce), Tom Cuon Ram (shrimp/chicken beignets), and Banh Uot (grilled sesame beef rolls in flat rice noodles with cucumber, luettuce, basil and lime garlic sauce). Yum, yum, and freakin' yum. Everything smelled, looked and tasted phenomenal. And the rest of the appetizers on the menu sounded just as good as these three, so I don't think we just got lucky...
Entrees: Tom Xao Sate (sauteed shrimp/asparagus), Bun Thit Nuong (bbq pork over angel-hair noodles) and Vit Quay (ginger marinated roast duck). Again, aside from the duck being a tad on the dry side, everything was bursting with flavor and absolutely gorgeous to behold. The portions were ample w/out being obnoxious.
And believe it or not, we ordered desert:
A lemon tart with shortbread crust and a banana tapioca pudding. The tart was excellent--perfect texture and (no pun intended) tartness. The tapioca was okay, but was not a good consistency (too runny) and was less flavorful than the rest of the meal had been.
I had a lemongrass martini that was also heavenly.
Yes, it's pricey. But I'm willing to splurge on such wonderfully prepared and presented food.
The reason Le Colonial doesn't get 5 stars? The dining room is too crowded. The waitstaff and busboys were practically having to do Cirque de Soliel moves to keep from tripping over one another as they tended to customers and delivered food. The closeness of the tables is an unfortunate distraction to the otherwise beautiful atmosphere. I mean, if they removed even two of the smaller tables and rearranged things, it would be better.
Also, our waiter was a bit absent at times. But perhaps he was in the back, practicing his contortionism/ninja skills so that he could get through the crowded dining room without bumping into anyone or anything.
------
Update: Oops! I TOTALLY forgot to write about the sides. Holy crap, I should be spanked for that omission. The three of us each ordered a side, however, we could've gotten away with ordering only 2 dishes, as they were ample servings. What we ordered: Ca Tim Nuong (grilled eggplant in a spicy basil lime sauce), Rau Xao (Stir-fried pea shoots in a light sauce w/garlic) and Mien Xao (celophane noodles w/crabmeat, tree ear mushrooms & cilantro). They were all fantastic, but the standouts were the noodles and the pea shoots. Seriously, don't skip out on these sides when you order.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
I had a great time at Le Colonial. Several people had recommended it to me, so I finally decided to make a reservation for two on Saturday night. We got there a little early, so we first got a few drinks at the bar. The hostess was really nice and had no problem accommodating our request for a table upstairs, even though our reservation was for downstairs. Btw, I'd recommend sitting upstairs, which is quite a bit more intimate than downstairs (although we ended up sitting on the terrace, which may not have been the best choice).
I really like the decor inside the restaurant: they clearly spent a bunch of money to get the place the way it is: colonial style, with a lot of dark wood, lots of plants, and cool romantic lighting: this place is great for a date.
Our waitress was very helpful in recommending what to order. We shared:
- the seared monk-fish with sesame crackers (appetizer): this was very good, and I really enjoyed the crackers. I wish the portion had been a little larger.
- the grilled sesame beef rolls in rice noodles (appetizer): just delicious (and that's coming from someone who does not normally eat beef).
- the sauteed jumbo shrimp with asparagus: very good, but could have been a little more original.
- the bbq duck: prepared Peking style. It was very good also, if a little dry.
We also were going to get a side dish of pea shoots, but they forgot to bring it to us... which was probably a good thing because we had plenty of food without it. Not to forget: we also had the creme brulee for dessert: large portion and delicious.
The place has a full bar: we tried several of their specialty cocktails, including the saketini, the lychee martini, and the berry berry martini. All very good... I especially enjoyed the berry berry.
Nice restaurant: good food and great atmosphere. It's not very cheap, but still reasonable for what you get. I'd definitely go again. 4-1/2 stars.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (2)
Cool (5)
Don't be alarmed by the slutty girls you may see outside of this restaurant...they are headed next door to Le Passage. While located next to Le Passage and in the midst of the viagra triangle, Le Colonial happens to be an oh so classy restaurant.
Haven't been to Le Colonial in years, but while looking for a restaurant that out of towners would enjoy and that is also in close proximity to the Four Seasons Hotel I figured this was a good option. We had a party of 13 and with such a large party I sometimes expect the service to be a little iffy, but this was not the case at Le Colonial this weekend. Our waiters were absolutely fabulous and the food was just as good! We ordered a bunch of different appetizers (ta ta wedding diet)...my favorite being the banh cuon (steamed ravioli filled with chicken and mushrooms).
As for our entrees my fiance and I split the ca hap (aka seabass) and the Mi Xao Do Bien (aka stir fried shrimps, scallops, calamari, and veggies). Both were outstanding and so was the VERY spicy Tom Xao Sate my mom ordered. Everyone else at the table seemed happy as well- my step dad was raving about the duck he ordered!
They also have quite the martini list. Careful though cause after a few of their martinis you may feel compelled to join the gals in line at Le Passage... afterwords...
People thought this was:
Useful (15)
Funny (23)
Cool (16)
This place has the atmosphere and great service. But the food I would consider an americanized version of "french vietnamese fusion". The dishes was of good quality, but nothing special but since its a typical rush street restaurant...it is basically a place just to be seen. ( or if you are actually thinking you are getting authentic french vietnamese food) Lots of better places out there if you are really after the food.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I have walked past Le Colonial hundreds of times yet have never looked at a menu let alone eaten there. Sunday I decided to change that and made lunch reservations for Audrey and I.
It was a beautiful afternoon and we sat outside on their uber cute patio. We order their business prixe fix lunch which included an appetizer, entre, and coffee for $21.00 in addition to a few other items to round out our meal. For the appetizer we order the Pho which was absolutely delicious. Making it even better was that the kitchen without even asking split the soup into two bowls for us because the waiter knew that we were sharing. Pho ain't easy to share otherwise! We also order the Goi Ngo Sen which was a lotus root salad with fried tofu. The salad was a huge hit and the portion was ginormous. Our entre was the Bun Thit, which was a bed of rice noodles topped with barbecue pork. Once again Le Colonial delivered with a yummy well seasoned dish. In addition to the above we also added a side order of Mien Xao which was glass noodles with crab meat and mushrooms. I wasn't a fan, but Audrey seemed to like it. To finish off the lunch we had the Coconut & Mango Sorbets. Yummy, but $7.00 for two scoops of Ciao Bella I thought was a bit steep.
The interior is great! Plenty of plants and tasteful color palette hammer home the French meets Vietnamese inspired motif. The service was attentive and knowledgeable. That's all that I ask. I can't believe it took me almost 14 years to finally eat here. My next visit will most definitely be much sooner.
1 Business Prixe Fix
1 Lotus Salad
1 Glass Noodle with Crab & Mushrooms
1 Sorbet
1 Mango Margarita
-------------------------------------------------- -----
$70.00
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
Once you step into the restaurant, you will wonder if you were in Chicago. The decor was arranged so beautifully, I felt like I was in southeast Asia. Bamboo wood, Palm Trees, the whole nine. The atmosphere is best described as mellow... low lighting and giving you an almost romantic feel.
The food itself isn't true Vietnamese, but more of a French fusion. I ordered the Goi Cuon *shrimp spring rolls*. Perfectly made.. The rice wrap is soft with the vermicelli made fresh. The dipping sauce was excellent. Not too much peanut, but complimented the shrimp inside the spring roll. The Goi Bo *beef salad* was elegantly made. The beef was so tender. I could taste the lemon grass and the vinaigrette that they added soaking inside the beef. For my meal I had the Ca Nuaong * salmon*.. A bit plain.. no taste to it, but the lime garlic sauce that was spread on the vermicelli made up for it.
This place is a must go if you are in the gold coast area for lunch. Don't be fooled by the name... it's not french, but a fusion of asian cuisine. And also get the Vietnamese Coffee... it's too good to pass up.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (3)
My bf found this place... and it was fantastic. I high-fived him, which I don't do often. :D Food and service was great. I'd go back again in a heartbeat. I really enjoyed the peashoot side dish and the shrimp over spicy garlic vegs.
One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Great people-watching from the terrace upstairs. The tropical decor manages to be serene, exotic and hip at the same time. The food does not disappoint. I love their duck, their macaroon and the fantastic Vietnamese coffee. Call ahead for reservations on weekends.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
After living in Chi-town for 9 years I finally gave it a try and was glad I did. It was good although pricey and some night and day distinctions to be aware of. The place is crowded and has a broad following. You are equally likely to be sandwiched between a group of drunk 20's somethings and a group of aged out of towners. The downstairs is a little brighter and a little more formal looking. The upstairs has much more of a dark lounge type atmosphere, there is actually a couch area. Be sure to request one or the other.
On the food order things that you are not going to see traditionally see. Like the number 30, pieces of fillet, long beans and sweat potato in a great sauce. My wife had 29 I believe, which was a more classic dish shrimp and scallops over noodles. It was lame and cost 3x what it should have. Look forward to going back but not until I let my wallet recharge and work up a solid craving for Vietnamese food.
Viagra triangle is right! That is the best description of a neighborhood like this I've heard in a long time. YEAH!!!! Le Colonial was totally tasty and the service was excellent. I felt like I was in a Tommy Bahama ad.
The reason I give it 4 stars is because Vietnamese food shouldn't be that expensive but this is a nice place and its understood why. Go here for a nice dinner and great service you'll be happy you went.
Don't let the name fool you, Le Colonial doesn't seem to show a lot of French influence in their cuisine. But don't let that deter you. The restaurant itself is very romantic with a soft, patio feel to it. And the service is excellent with servers constantly removing plates and refilling glasses.
We had a tuna tartare appetizer - quite delicious. I then had a Chilean Sea Bass dish. The fish was excellent, very tender and soft; but I felt the sauce was a bit overpowering. Dessert was...meh. And the Vietnamese Coffee was a bit of a letdown.
The reason I cannot give this restaurant anything higher than three stars is because I know I won't be coming back. Why? Because there are so many more excellent restaurants in Chicago. I just don't see myself as a regular here, and I don't think I'll be taking guests to sample the cuisine. Yes, the food is delicious, but considering the price, there are many other comparable establishments that provide better cuisine. It's worth a taste, but not much to return to.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Get the Vietnamese Coffee. It comes with a cute contraption that you remove once the coffee's done filtering. The coffee drips onto a layer (1 cm thick) of condensed milk... it's a pretty fun experience (yeah, I'm pretty lame)- setting aside the contraption, stirring the thick solution. It almost felt like I was in chem lab. Well, kinda. =)
I ordered the ginger marinated roast duck.. and that's pretty much all that was on my plate (well, that and sauce). It's a tasty dish, but make sure you're sitting next to someone you can mooch off of.
Be on the safe side and make reservations.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I was really looking forward to experiencing this restaurant. With an early reservation, we sat at a comfortable table in the window and enjoyed watching the foot traffic on Rush. The service was pleasant and let us linger. We tried two appetizers: a veggie roll and a tuna dish. I could have just dined on the tuna appetizer, served with crispy fried chips. The sauce for the rice paper roll was flavorful, but the roll was bland. I had a shrimp dish served with asparagus and scallion. It was just ok, really no better than any decent asian restaurant. My mango bellini was yummy and the creme brulee nicely crisped on top to give it that smoky marshmallow flavor. Maybe this place is more about the atmosphere than truly outstanding food. If I am going to spend $120 for two at an asian restaurant, I want to be wowed by the food.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This place really does live up to the hype and it isn't even pretentiously pricey as I partly expected. The decor is so so full of life with all the palms and the setting is really intimate and romantic. I definitely want to come back here on a date. The waitress was really nice, and had an interesting accent, which threw me off because she was obviously Indian but the accent was obscure. She made some excellent recommendations and I went with them. We started with Banh Cuon, i.e. chicken and crimini mushroom Vietnamese ravioli which was ohhh sooo yummy, I couldn't wait for my main course! I ordered the stir-fried seafood and veggies with egg noodles ad my friend ordered the seafood bouillabaisse (something he orders every time I believe). The portions are pretty large, and it was all so good, I chowed it down like no other, and still couldn't finish it. Everything was just so fresh and perfectly cooked, it melted in my mouth! I was very impressed by Le Colonial and will surely be back!
People thought this was:
Useful (6)
Cool (6)
We came here for the lunchtime prix fixe menu. I had the grilled pork, pho and spring rolls. The pork was too salty and the pho was good, but nothing compared to what you will find on Argyle. The fried pork and shrimp spring rolls are very authentic and the best I have ever had. I really dig the interior - lots of dark wood and high pressed ceilings. You can also get a good view of Rush street on the patio in the summer.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
For starters, Le Colonial is visually beautiful.... the exotic decor immediately transports you out of Chicago and away to somewhere fabulous. Huge palm trees, bamboo wood, orchids... it feels like a vacation directly to the French-Vietnamese land they're trying to channel - take a look at the pics online and you'll see what I mean. The upstairs bar is dark, elegant and perfect for romantic cocktails pre or post dinner.
They are open for lunch and dinner - both being equally delicious!! You can't go wrong with any of the dishes... but my personal favs are: the Goi Cuon (shrimp and vermicelli rolls w/ plum peanut sauce), the Banh Cuon (chicken and mushroom ravioli w/ lime garlic sauce), the Goi Bo (spicy beef salad) and Ga Xao Cari
(sauteed diced chicken with eggplant, mango, string beans and cashew nuts in a yellow curry sauce). YUM and YUM!!! But really, everything on the menu is this delectable.
Le Colonial is one of my fav spots in Chicago and clearly for good reason... it also doesn't hurt for us night owls that it's jointly owned with Le Passage right next door...
People thought this was:
Useful (6)
Funny (3)
Cool (4)
What a great romantic spot. I've never had a bad experience at Le Colonial. The downstairs is more formal and the upstairs is relaxed and fun. The restaurant thrives in the summer when the open up the windows and the second floor balcony is open to the street below.
The Chilean Sea Bass dish is amazing, but I stopped ordering it due to overfishing. I really wish restaurants would figure it out and start serving Mediterranean Bass or another substitute. I would love to start eating Patagonian Tooth fish again but so long as its on the watch list, I can't with good conscious!
I had dinner here on Friday evening. I thought if was an ok place. The decor is supposed to have that 1920's feel of colonial Vietnam. The service was excellent. The lighting inside is on the dark side. I had to use the candle to see the menu. I first ordered a mojito which was excellent. I had the pho soup which was very good. Appetizers were spring rolls which were also very good. My entree # 29 turned out to be very similar to a combination chow mein. It wasn't seasoned very well because I needed salt to add to it. My desert was creme brulee. It was excellent because I could tell they used a torch to carmelize the sugar instead of the broiler.
Overall I thought I could get better Vietnamese food for a better price in the Argyle and Broadway area. Kinda pricey but it is on Rush street.
I 'm glad I don't need to feel I have to frequent places like this because I have been around the world. In fact, I am going to Viet Nam next year.
Finally, a nice restaurant that vegans can appreciate.
While my dining companions can eat whatever meat and seafood dish they're in the mood for, I can happily eat a salad, appetizer dinner and side. Yay! Way too often I find myself eating starch/veggie sides with boring salad at higher-end restaurants since vegetarian options aren't available. Le Colonial is always so accomodating, it's amazing.
I usually get:
The veggie bo bia spring rolls (yeah! theyre yummmyyyy!)
goi ngo sen salad. it has tofu, cucumber, tomatoes and a delicious dressing
mi xao don chay - stir fried veggies with tofu. usually comes with an oyster sauce, but they can serve it vegetarian.
It's always great to eat out with my seafood and meat eating friends and still enjoy myself. Thank you, Le Colonial, for making sure we're taken care of :-)
We went here for fun and early Valentines. It was amazing and beautiful inside! I'm a sucker for tin ceilings and their decor was a amazing.
I have never been to Vietnam but by it's popularity it seemed like something that people liked.
The upstairs has an amazing bar and more seating area. The bartender was very friendly and there is a huge wine list. We basically pointed at things that we haven't tried before.
The hostess was relatively friendly.
We got seating at 9pm as was our last minute reservation. We had an awesome table near the window where I could see my former employer from long ago - starbucks!
The appetizers were really good - the monkfish with sesame crackers was soooo good! 5 stars basically for that. It tasted so freshly made and so delicious.
Boyfriend had soup with asparagus and that was tasty too.
The main dishes I have to agree - double the price for something that you can get cheaper at an actual Vietnamese restaurant. Though the sea bass was good and yummy with glass noodles, my chicken dish was just ordinary. it had a kick to it with chilli but not too amazing.
For dessert we had delicious port a 10 and a 20 year olds.
Also I had the creme brule which was an amazing combo of creaminess and carmelized sugar on top.
Pudding is not my thing but boyfriend said it was good.
So overall it was a great experience. I think our waiter was just recommending the favorites that weren't too crazy. But if you go, don't play it safe, get the chicken with mango and stuff on it.
The atmosphere is amazing with wooden accents, "palm trees" and an actual rug in the bar area!
Their dinner menu had only one real vegetarian option (a pea-mushroom-tomato sauce clay pot). Sadly, they were out of this dish by the time we sat for dinner Friday at 10pm. But our wonderful waiter offered modified versions of other menu items, e.g. replacing oyster sauce with a veggie sauce, replacing pork with vegetables and tofu, etc. My veggie - fried tofu - noodle dish was flavorful with remarkably fresh veggies (e.g. the snap peas were crispy, not overcooked).
My husband said he liked his duck - it was lean and well-seasoned, and the tamarind dipping sauce was good.
The highlight, though, was our fried banana wonton with chocolate sauce and creme anglais with a side of vanilla ice cream. The hot and cold temps were terrific together, as were the crispy wonton with banana and slightly sweet sauces. Just amazing.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
Le Colonial was ok. I thought the food was pretty decent, but I had just eaten at Hai Yen in Lincoln Park a few weeks earlier. The food was very similar but half the price. Portions were small. I did like the decor. It has a sort of island chateau feel to it. I know its supposed to have like a Vietnamese feel, since I haven't been there all I can describe it as is Islandy. It reminds me of the Caribbean collection at Ethan Allen. lol
Dunno whats up with the 2 & 3 star ratings around this review...
Best food I've had since I've moved to Chicago from San Francisco and I've been to more 'upscale' or expensive places since getting here. On an aside, I heard someone mention Chicago was recently rated "best food city" in the US and I almost choded on my sandwich. I guess whatever magazine published that received Daley's bribe. But let's move on:
Le Colonial was one of my favorites in SF, and their excellent food, service, atmosphere continues at this location. To recap:
Food -
Appetizers: Spring rolls are a necessity....these actually had taste as everything was fresh; including the mint. Tuna tartare was also excellent.
Entrees: She got the duck....never been a huge fan of eatin the little guys; but this was tasty nonetheless. most duck I've experienced even at nicer establishments comes either fatty or overcooked...this was neither and had a great tamarind sauce to complement.
I ordered the filet dish with yams and string beans. it was the right amount of food and it was mmm, mmmmmm bitch!
dessert: get involved with the banana wonton.
service: great! um, yeah.
atmosphere: as everyone has already covered, its a beautiful place. if you have a smaller group try to sit upstairs. downstairs isn't bad but it doesnt have the same vibe than the 2nd floor. got it ? good.
the end.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
