Le Colonial
“For my entree I had the BO LUC LAC (seared filet mignon cubes over watercress, tomato and red onion vinaigrette – #61).”
“The place seems more Vietnamese than French, so the "fusion" part isn't too apparent in the menu or the taste of the food.”
“It's a mango and coconut sorbet and it is AWESOME.”
Le Colonial
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Coat Check: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Asian – Vietnamese restaurant..quality food and great wine offering (a bit expensive but ok).
We went there for diner and food was good.
Service very nice and with a smile!
Don't hesitate to order different plates and share it; we did because couldn't decide what to order and we did well!!
Great overall experience
Having been to Le Colonial twice now, I'm pretty confident in giving it a fair rating.
The restaurant certainly has its merits. It's a unique find in the area of Midtown East, an above-casual venue that offers its take on French-Vietnamese. The interior is two-storied, and tables are elegantly set and spaced while the use of multiple bamboo plants and mirrors gives off an air of elegance.
My first visit was for a dinner with friends a while back. I recall getting their Classic Pho as an appetizer; it's elegantly presented in a small soup bowl, with the necessary wedge of lime and a side of sriracha. The broth is very fragrant and light, with the necessary oxtail broth base filled out with rice noodles, sliced beef tenderloin, and bean sprouts. Simple and tasty, yes, but I couldn't quite justify the $10 price tag given the plethora of better pho options just a subway ride away. I also tried a basic Com Chien, or fried rice, with vegetables, eggs, and Chinese sausage – nothing particularly noteworthy nor memorable either.
The same theme was present during my second visit, where I opted to visit for the two-course prix-fixe lunch. The Cha Gio, or Spring Rolls, were served three to an order, with a filling of ground pork and shrimp (which was very sparse) and a side of lettuce and Nuoc Cham sauce. They were well-seasoned and crisply fried, but the skin was too thin and almost broke apart first bite. The Rau Mi Xao Dun, a dish with a base of crispy egg noodles topped with Stir Fried Vegetables, was even more forgettable. The vegetables were under-seasoned and lacked any true flavor, which actually made the egg noodles the better part of the dish for me; some parts of the noodles which were under the vegetables had softened, which gave it some variety in texture and crunch.
My final takeaways from Le Colonial encompass the fact that the venue and ambiance are wonderful, ideal for a business lunch or dinner or a nicer date option but the food isn't particularly noteworthy, nor does it live up to the claim of being "French-Vietnamese". For those in the area or with a business expense account to utilize, it'll certainly fit the bill… but there are better options to be found just a walk away.
I love Le Colonial, I've visited the restaurant many times over the past ten years and I've never been disappointed. The food is always good, always fresh and flavor-full. I don't think the menu has ever changed but you come here for comforting dishes you want to get back to. The pho is delicious, the spring and summer rolls a classic to share.
I went here on a rainy work day to meet my friend and her mom who was visiting from Malaysia for lunch. There were plenty of seafood options for her, seeing that she only eats halal food. The host and servers were pleasant and attentive. It's a fancier place then I'm used to but decor and ambiance was comfortable and they did get a "colonial" feel in the warm wooden furnishings and art. I've been wanting to come since I saw an ad about their foie gras pho (yes, guilty as charged PETA – sorry!), which is actually an appetizer but was big enough for an entree for me. They try to be authentic as possible and this can also be seen in the way they serve their Vietnamese coffee.
As a regular to the Le Colonial in Chicago for years, I felt the need to finally check the one in Manhattan out to see not only how good it is but how it compares.
The interior and decor is exactly what I expected. It's a nice, intimate space that is great for a date or a night with some close friends. As I got to the bar, I noticed nobody was there which is completely fine. As I sat at the bar, nobody said anything to me for 5 minutes even though it was not busy and the bartender was not making any drinks. I was not even given or offered water. The bartender did not really say much at all to me in fact and kind of just stared at me upon the first interaction. I don't think he is pretentious, but probably just very inexperienced. By being a regular at the one in Chicago and having friends who work there, I know what goes on and not a lot was going on at the bar. Even the other stuff around the bar who saw me staring at them did not do anything. The service I received was completely and utterly unacceptable.
Anyway, onto the food.
* Classic Pho – I was excited to try this because the one in Chicago is far and away the best bowl of pho I've had in the world. I have it in good knowledge that it's also a very famous/well accomplished chef's favorite bowl of pho in the entire world (including places in Vietnam) as well. HOWEVER, the one in NYC's Le Colonial is far inferior to the Chicago one. Not only was it too salty, but it was very one dimensional. The soup was bland and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't that great. On its own, not even comparing it to others, it is average and not as comforting as pho should be.
* Lobster Galanga – I was expecting more. The foam and side vegetables/fruit were slightly above average but nothing to write home about. I'll most likely forget I ever had this dish within the next few days. The lobster was nicely cooked but very bland with almost zero flavor. For the price, I was expecting something more really (even more lobster – I've had lobster rolls with 2X more lobster than this dish for half the price).
I know I didn't have a lot, but based on my experience, I probably won't be back which pains me since the one in Chicago is one of my favorite restaurants in the world. I hate to say this NYC, but the one in Chicago has you beat by about 10 miles.
Because it was so expensive, I expected the food to taste good. It was ok.
Asian restaurant done classy, with prices to match.
I popped in here for lunch. I've been once before for drinks upstairs, but never eaten in the main dining room. At first glance, it looks slightly intimidating, with the white tablecloths and corporate clientele that is probably 15+ years older than me. But I ignored the stares and settled into my table.
I ordered the Le Colonial Pho and a salad which I forgot the name of and now seems to be disappeared off their website menu. The pho is an appetizer here, so you need to cross off any expectations of those big bowls from pho noodle joints. The presentation was spot on. They bring it out beautifully plated and pour the broth separately from an individual pot. The foie gras sits atop the ball of noodles over a layer of perfect beef. Sauces on the side.
The flavors were delicious, and I couldn't get enough of the melty foie gras and rich broth. Portion was tiny, but I expected that. My salad was a plate of marinated beef cubes on a bed of greens, dressed with yellow tomatoes, onions, fried lotus slices, and pepper dressing. The portion also looked small, but it was filling! The beef was cooked medium rare to medium and complemented the delicious dressing.
Overall though, it's too expensive for the amount of food you get, but it certainly is quality food. I might go back once in a while.
Wanted to see what the fois gras pho hype was all about. um, not amazing, not impressed. had the banh cuon aka ravioli (LOL), it was decent. you get two pieces. also had the snapper, that was alright. sticky rice with shitake mushroom, meh. wasnt moist. dinner between two people: $100. def a place where you pay for the experience and ambiance (cute french inspired theme). wouldnt come back for sure.