Le Dalat — Restaurant in Khlong Toei Nuea Subdistrict

It’s been more than ten years since our last visit - this hidden and at times forgotten gem of Bangkok. It was just a good Vietnamese restaurant with peculiar and ancient furnishings.

Since last visit, we’ve learned a lot more about central-Vietnamese foods, and having a better understanding of Le Dalat’s menu.

If you’ve visited Danang before, you have seen these dishes, but probably sitting on the roadside under less-ideal hygienic conditions; but the food was great! So here you can relive the fresh-spice induced experience in a finer-dining setting.

Bun-cha, Banh-xeo, Banh-beo, thit-nuong, were excellent. We also ordered the notorious standing fried fish, and fried vermicelli with crab. The fresh bowl of spice greens is elemental to enjoying the explosion of tastes when combining with other dishes.

Back then we had to choose between Le Dalat and Baan Khanitha, when dining at Soi 23; with BK closing this location, we will visit Le Dalat more often, if not trying out Mitsumori from Tokyo. Soi 23 still offers its mystique from this ever-changing post-COVID Bangkok scene.

PS. A little out of the way, but close to Wat Po there is a small restaurant with great potential for a star, offering their version of Danang(not naming here), however for family dinner or to enjoy a nice night out, Le Dalat...

If, like me, you're looking for decent beef pho, and have been disappointed with other so-called Vietnamese restaurants in Bangkok, give Le Dalat a try.

The restaurant is wonderfully decorated with Asian themed - not necessarily Vietnamese and with Chinese influence - decor which includes paintings, vases, lamps, etc. The anteroom before entering the dining area is simply stunning.

I went mainly for the pho, and I was mostly happy with Le Dalat's take on this Vietnamese classic dish. While the broth is tasty, and the accompaniments are authentic, there was something missing - I'm not sure what - that made it just slightly short of perfect.

But that's a quibble, considering all other pho that I have had elsewhere falls far short and have been very disappointing. With pho, it's all about the broth. Get it wrong, and it doesn't matter at all if everything else is right. That's how central and important the broth is.

As for the other dishes, they were a hit and miss.

There's a shop/gallery at the back of the compound where they sell some locally made arts and crafts. It's worth having a look though selections are limited and will not appeal...

Took my parents to the restaurant after all the great reviews and hype. Checked that they had a vegetarian menu before hand as they are vegetarian. First the hospitality - unfriendly to say the least at entrance. When we left, not ONE single employee thanked us or escorted us out as is normal in every restaurant I've been in in Bangkok. And this is meant to be high end. The food - I've been eating Vietnamese food since a child and this was simply TERRIBLE. Uninspired, not particularly tasty and... For vegetarian food... It had prawn sauce in many of the things including the sweet sauce. Honestly we came home and had to eat again. Not impressed at all. Every table, as soon as they sat, was offered a dish of greens... We weren't..I asked about it and the waitress said.. We will have to charge you. I'm sorry but the service reeked of racist behaviour from wanting us to sit in the corner most table (when almost the entire restaurant was empty) to them running around Europeans. Don't go here. İts not worth it. Go to The Local restaurant across the road. Excellent food and...