After more than two decades at their original Gold Coast location, Le Colonial {57 East Oak Street, Chicago; 312.255.0088} made a move…right around the corner! The delicious menu is staying mostly the same, but they have a whole new look to go along with their new location. The team here is still serving up vibes and flavors from French Colonial Southeast Asia circa 1920s. Their stunning new home reveals an updated menu by executive chef/partner Quoc Luong, which still includes many fan favorites. There are also stunning interiors by the award-winning architect Mark Knauer, with hospitality still being guided by the director of operations/wine director, Valerie Cao.
Even in the new venue, it’s just delicious business as usual for the Le Colonial team, including principal Joe King. He and the team are still providing the elevated service and menu they have been for decades, and they can’t wait for Chicagoans to see the new space. King is now giving us a peek at what to expect…
What does this new location add to the dining experience?
Joe King: We have worked very hard to maintain the feeling of Le Colonial as people remember it, but with a lighter, fresher look. Oak Street is the epi-center of the Gold Coast and now with more space we are able to offer several distinct feelings from room to room.
What do you want people to feel when they dine with you?
Like they are at a dear friend’s home some place far away. We want them to feel comfortable!
The décor of your restaurant is well-known. How did you work with the design team on the new space?
We worked very closely with the Knauer team over a long period of time. The “Le Colonial” feel that has been a staple for 23 years needed to be maintained, but also needed to move the ball forward after 23 years of operating and upgrade it with different, lighter elements, such as mill-work, French Moroccan tile, lots of windows, upgraded furniture, flatware, plates etc.
What has led to the restaurant’s continued success over time?
Consistency. You can never let up in this industry. We have been known for our consistent food and service and being that go to place when you just need to have that favorite dish.
Are there any new offerings or experiences people can look forward to now?
We have most of the old favorites and some new great dishes and a combination of old dishes now made with some upgrades. We have a new drink list, new wine list, and a light bites menu for our “social hour” (aka happy hour) with special, deeply discounted drink and food offerings from 4-6pm.
What are some menu items we should definitely try for spring?
Our Tuna Tartare is outstanding. We have a new dumpling dish that we can’t prep enough of to get through the night. Our Spicy Beef Salad is now a Prime Beef Carpaccio and is also outstanding.
And how does the beverage program reinforce and pair with that?
Our director of operations is also our wine and spirits director. Valerie Cao was the Sommelier at Grace restaurant and before that worked for Le Colonial for 11 years. She is Vietnamese and therefore knows the food and has a particular knowledge with her wine background of what works. The list is built for those that want the culinary pairings and also for those that love the food and want their favorite big Cabernet, house labeled rosé or a great French, Italian, or California white.
What are the restaurant’s plans for the summer?
To open our 55 feet of windows allowing the open air on the porch and to serve as many of our loyal guests as possible. We love our new location and the summer feels like it will be just great for are loyal guests of 23 years and all the new people who are discovering Le Colonial for the first time!
Tell us more!
This is a message to all of our long-time guests whom we love: We could not open with the FULL menu because we are new and have new staff, POS systems, a bigger space, and we could not include all the dishes. We will incorporate some old favorites as time passes and have others as specials and sadly, some may not make it back. Please come and try some old favorites and experiment with some new dishes and enjoy!
Interview by Kaleigh Glaza | Online Editor
The post Le Colonial: A Chicago Staple Gets a New Venue appeared first on DiningOut Chicago.