Le Colonial's Secret Menu

A few weeks ago the BF and I made a pit stop in the Viagra Triangle at French Vietnamese hot spot Le Colonial. I had been to Le Colonial for lunch during restaurant week, but was very excited to check out the dinner menu.

The dining room was especially packed during the weeknight we were there, but we managed to grab the same cozy corner table I had on my previous visit. We kicked things off with some cocktails and wine and the Cha Gio, or fried spring rolls with shrimp, pork, and Asian mushrooms. The spring rolls came with lettuce, mint, carrots and pickled daikon which are used as a wrap around the spring rolls. Finally--a way to make egg rolls (kinda) healthier! I loved the chili lime dipping sauce and the fresh mint!

Fried Spring Rolls

Our server recommended we try the Ca Bam Xuc Banh Trang, or wok-seared monkfish with chili, turmeric, lemongrass, peanuts, and toasted sesame crackers. This was truly a unique appetizer and we loved the sweet sesame crisps paired with the savory chopped fish.

Wok-seared monkfish

For our main courses, we decided to split two very different entrees. The first was Ga Xao Cari and it was SO good! This dish consisted of sauteed chicken with Japanese eggplant, mango, yams, string beans, and cashews in a yellow curry sauce. Mango is by far my favorite fruit so I automatically gravitate toward any dish with mango. The BF and I enjoyed the blend of sweet, spicy, crunchy and creamy. I'd definitely order this again!

Sauteed Chicken with Chinese Eggplant,  Mango, Yams, Yellow Curry

For our second entree, we tried Le Colonial's #OffTheMenu special, Com Thit Nuong. Every month, Le Colonial offers a special secret entree which it promotes via social media. The dish we tried was a deconstructed pork fried rice with thinly-sliced barbecue pork, white rice, a sunny-side up egg, and a lime-garlic sauce. It was fun to combine the ingredients ourselves and determine the exact flavoring we wanted.

Deconstructed Barbecue Pork Fried Rice

For the month of August, Le Colonial is offering the Goi Muc calamari salad as its #OffTheMenu special. The salad features chilled calamari, pickled carrots, daikon, cucumber, and chopped cashews, and is topped with a chili lime vinaigrette.

Calamari Salad
Photo Credit: Le Colonial

If you're looking for a change from standard Asian fare, Le Colonial is a great option. The menu offers many unique and flavorful dishes for a variety of palates and the #OffTheMenu special ensures the menu is always changing. Head over to Le Colonial for a lovely lunch or romantic dinner, and say, "I'll have something off the menu."

Note: my meal at Le Colonial was complimentary; however, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Le Colonial
www.lecolonialchicago.com
937 N. Rush St.
Chicago, IL 60611
312.255.0088