On February 15, more than 600 guests attended the glamorous premiere of Delray Beach’s newest dining destination, Le Colonial, ushering in a new era of upscale dining with its unique brand of old-world sultriness and spice.
Stylishly clad guests arrived at the 6,000-square-foot palm frond-lined restaurant and lounge at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Northeast 6th Avenue, where they were immersed in a romantic period drama that sizzled with soft mood lighting, ornate touches, slow-turning coastal fans, wood shutters, and earthy wood tones. Inside, guests were treated to a wide selection of light bites and flowing rosé, courtesy of Whispering Angel, as well as a selection of LC signature cocktails: Lychee Martinis, Gin & Tonics, Spicy Kiwi Margaritas. Guests danced the night away to the sounds of DJ Olivier Meiji from France, by ways of New York.
National Culinary Director Hassan Obaye developed the Delray Beach menu with an emphasis on bringing the freshest, locally sourced vegetables and premium seafood and meats to live utilizing all that the Florida coast has to offer.
“I am so honored to present our unique flavors and ambiance to Delray Beach,” said Chef Hassan Obaye. “The menu is a tribute to Vietnam’s rich culinary history, while incorporating the light and tropical fare suited to South Florida.”
The menu was also developed under the leadership of acclaimed Vietnamese chef and cookbook author, Nicole Routhier, who serves as a partner and culinary director. Born in Vietnam to a Vietnamese restaurateur mother and a French father, Routhier began cooking at a young age and moved to New York City in 1979 with the goal of attending culinary school. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. Routhier developed the menu for the original Le Colonial in New York City more than 30 years ago. She went on to join Rick and Joe as a partner during the opening of their Houston location in 2016.
“Inspired by my childhood in Vietnam, I first developed the original menu for Le Colonial in New York in 1993 and have helped refine the menu to reflect the fresh Florida seafood for the Delray location, “said Chef Routhier, who currently resides in Houston and is the author of three cookbooks, including the Foods of Vietnan, which received a Julia Child Award for best American cookbook by the International Association of Culinary Professionals in 1990.
Chef Huy Hoang is the Executive Chef at the Delray location. A native of Vietnam, Hoang lives in Delray. Prior to joining Le Colonial, he led the kitchen at Katsuya in the SLS South Beach Hotel.
Meant for sharing, the traditional recipes play easily into today’s health-conscious preferences with ingredients like lemongrass, clams, swordfish, Gulf shrimp, rau ram and mung bean sprouts. Highlights include new dishes, featuring the showstopping Crispy South Florida Yellow Tail Snapper, carved tableside and accompanied by freshly tossed greens, dill, pickles, toasted garlic chili lime dipping sauce; and Canh Chua Crudo, a red grouper seasoned with Vietnamese Tamarind sour, lime, okra, pickled mustard seeds and herbs. The menu will also pay tribute to Le Colonial signature dishes including, Bo Luc Lac, caramelized filet mignon, garlic confit, show peas, organic watercress salad, Vedalia onions, kaffir lime; Tom Chay Toi, Tiger Prawns with sauteed garlic, sriracha, tamarind jus and crispy rice noodles; and Bahn Uot, grilled sesame beef rolled in flat rice noodles, cucumber, lettuce, basil and lime garlic sauce.
On the beverage side, the seasonally driven cocktail program will also align with French and Vietnamese influences and offer an array of signature cocktails, fresh mocktails and a 160 wine labels from which to choose. Particularly popular, the Lychee Martini includes Helix Vodka, Giffard Lychee, fresh lime and simple syrup. The Ginger Kumquat Caipirinha includes Cacaca, soy caramel syrup fresh lemon, fresh kumquat and ginger. Mocktails include the Watermelon Thai Basil with watermelon juice, fresh lime and Thai basil and the Ha Long Lemonade with butterfly pea flower tea, fresh lemon and simple syrup.
Lunch is available Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Dinner service is from 5 until 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 5 until 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The lounge is open Sunday through Wednesday 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 3 p.m. to midnight and is walk-in only, offering a full menu until an hour before it closes, with Saigon Social running Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Le Colonial has a dress code, stated as follows: With the goal of creating an unforgettably stylish and elegant experience for our guests, Le Colonial celebrates the elegance of a bygone era – a time when ball caps, jerseys, sweats, hoodies and sneakers, plus flip flops, slides and sports sandals could only be found on the court, the field or the beach. Given the love and effort we put into our décor, service, food and drinks, we politely ask that our guests return the favor by joining us sans any of the beforementioned athleisure attire. We reserve the right to deny a reservation if any party does not adhere to these rules, and we thank you in advance for your understanding.
For more information, visit www.lecolonial.com or call 561-566-1800.
