Le Colonial Delray Beach opened in February 2023 and quickly made a name for itself among Delray foodies as one of the new restaurants in Delray Beach.
The Delray food loving community couldn’t wait for Le Colonial to open its doors. It arrived in style, with a cuisine not yet found in the community: French-Vietnamese.
Le Colonial Delray Beach Brings Unique French-Vietnamese Dining to the Community
Le Colonial Delray Beach is a “celebration of seductive spirit and vivid flavors reminiscent of Saigon in the 1920s.” As soon as you enter, it feels as if you have been transported back in time.
Tables are immersed in a jungle of large palm fronds and Birds of Paradise. The vibe is laid-back but elevated, with coastal accents and earth tones, and a sense of intimacy in its layout. There is even a Le Colonial dress code put in place to give the entire experience an essence of sophistication.
Downtown Delray is the 5th U.S. location for Le Colonial restaurant. The others are in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Lake Forest, and most recently, Naples, FL. Denver and Scottsdale are on the horizon.
The 7,000-square-foot restaurant has an indoor dining room and outdoor patio seating, plus a social lounge. The lounge atmosphere is more casual, with a beautiful bar and couches that line the walls of windows. There is also an outside patio that looks out onto other nearby Atlantic Ave restaurants, shops, and art galleries.
The lounge is where Le Colonial’s version of happy hour takes place. Saigon Social is Monday through Friday from 3-5 pm, featuring a limited menu of discounted bites and drinks. The lounge menu is an abbreviated version of the full Le Colonial menu, focused on small, shareable plates.
One of my favorite things on the menu is the Ca Song, spicy yellowfin tuna tartare. Layers of yellowfin tuna, hass avocado, sweet chili, cucumber, red shiso, and a generous portion of soy caviar are topped with one large rice “chip”. It has a kick, but it’s not too spicy.
A note to my gluten-free friends: this is not safe for Celiacs. There are very trace amounts of gluten in the caviar. It hasn’t bothered me the times I’ve had it, thankfully. You know your body and its limitations; listen to it.
Everyone raves about the Banh Uot, sesame beef ravioli. It is made with rice noodles, which makes it gluten free — and totally Shaina friendly. These flat rice noodles are stuffed with tender grilled sesame beef and served alongside cucumber, lettuce, basil, and a lime-garlic sauce.
The sauce is thin, more like a dressing. For the full flavor experience, tilt the plate. Then, spoon more of the sauce directly over the ravioli before going in.
The crunch from the lettuce and cucumber adds the perfect amount of texture to the soft noodles. My only complaint about this dish is that when you cut open the ravioli, the beef falls out too easily. But that’s super minor.
This dish is an absolute must when dining at Le Colonial Delray Beach, regardless of whether you’re in the lounge or the dining room.
Le Colonial has a nice wine menu and even a few non-alcoholic beverage choices. If you’re into craft cocktails, though, the drink list is sure to spark joy into your tastebuds.
If you’re looking for something tasty but not too boozy, the Vietnamese Mojito is a good choice. It pays homage to traditional mojitos using fresh lime and mint, but that’s where the similarities end. There is no rum, but it still does give off a tropical feel.
The main spirit is a lychee liqueur. It also has pomegranate and orgeat, which is a cocktail syrup made from almonds, sugar and either rose or orange flower water. If you’ve ever had a Mai Tai (also on the cocktail list), you’ve tasted orgeat. It’s a popular ingredient for most tiki drinks.
The Smoked Old Fashioned is Le Colonial’s signature cocktail. It’s a bit pricey, but it is made with an exclusive Le Colonial Maker’s Mark barrel selection. My bourbon-and-whisky-loving boyfriend tells me, though, that the ‘On the Ave’ is just as tasty, and a much more budget friendly Old Fashioned option.
I’ve tried quite a few of the entrées at Le Colonial Delray Beach, and it’s honestly hard to pick a favorite. Each dish has distinct flavors and aromas, fresh (and lots of local) ingredients, and a beautiful presentation.
My best advice for a night out at Le Colonial is to go with a group of friends or a double date and order a variety of items to share. Believe me, there’s no way you’re going to be able to choose one dish for yourself. You’re going to want a taste of everything!
One of the most iconic things on the menu has to be the Ca Chien Saigon, crispy South Florida red snapper. The whole fish is filleted and served tableside, and meant to be shared by two. Since you’re most likely ordering more food, this can easily be split between four people. It’s served on a bed of peppers, scallions, crispy garlic, dill, and butter lettuce, with chili-garlic fish sauce.
Oh, and the best part? Le Colonial uses rice flour to fry the snapper, so it’s gluten free! Check out this video, and prepare to drool.
I have to show some love for the Suon Nuong, baby back ribs. I’ve never had ribs like these before and they are probably the best I’ve ever tasted.
The dish consists of chargrilled Beeler’s Heritage pork ribs with a Vietnamese dry rub, lemongrass, cabbage slaw, scallion oil, and toasted peanuts — and you guessed it, gluten free! Are you sensing a pattern here? Le Colonial’s menu has a ton of gluten-free options.
The Ca Hoi Nuong, roasted salmon, is another favorite of mine. It’s a beautiful combination of miso-glazed Faroe Island salmon swimming in a coconut lobster broth with baby bok choy, organic Mother Fungi shiitake mushrooms, and annatto oil. One bite and you will be blown away by how each component just fits together so perfectly.
The last dish I’ll touch on is the one I’ve had most recently. It was available on the special menus for last fall’s Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month and Flavor Palm Beach — which is always a great deal, by the way. Look out for these events in September!
The dish I’m talking about here is the Ga Xao Xa Ot. It’s a spicy chicken stir-fry with Cage Free Cook’s Venture chicken, turmeric, lemongrass, jalapeño, J&C Tropical Farms Vidalia onion, Mother Fungi mushrooms, and Thai basil.
If heat scares you, don’t fret. Just let your server know if you’d like to adjust the spice level. I asked for mild for mine. It still did pack some heat, but nothing too crazy.
Whatever you order, expect to find yourself immersed in vibrant flavors, intense aromas, and an overall excellent experience, from start to finish. It has become one of my favorite restaurants in Delray Beach Florida.
Le Colonial Delray Beach is located at 601 East Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Visit the website for menus and reservations.
Dinner hours are 5-9 pm from Sunday through Tuesday; 5-10 pm on Wednesday and Thursday; and 5-11 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Lunch hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-4 pm. The lounge is open Sunday-Tuesday from 3-10 pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 3-11 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 3 pm-midnight.
FAQs
Athleisure, beachwear, hoodies, and hats are not permitted in the dining room. This does not apply to the outdoor patio area.
During South Florida’s busy season, I highly recommend making a reservation through their website. The lounge area is first-come, first-serve.
Yes, there is a beautiful room available to book for private dinners. Contact the events manager at [email protected].
Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary dining experience at Le Colonial. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.
