River Oaks District is so hot right now. It’s seriously the place to see and be seen. Whether it’s walking out of Equinox in your Lululemons, catching a flick at iPic, or casually perusing the goods at Harry Winston, River Oaks District is no joke. I can’t even remember what that space used to be? Apartments? A parking lot? Being that River Oaks District is the hot ticket in town, it only makes sense that when you have a foodie guest coming into town you have to go to the hottest spots, and those spots would be the new restaurants in the River Oaks district: Le Colonial and Steak 48.

The Vibe:

Being in the restaurant feels like something straight out of a Hemingway novel. It’s outfitted as what seems to be ahurricane shuttered plantation home, and there are black and white pictures of people working in fields and huts which I assume to be Vietnamese days gone by. I like the decor, even if the idea of colonialism is kind of a strange one for a restaurant concept, hearkening back to the times of French imperialism in Vietnam, but the food and service are good, so I guess you can overlook the concept? Our reservations were at 9:00, and the place was packed, so we ended up waiting about 20 minutes, which was fine because the bar was buzzing.

The Food & Beverage:

While at the bar I opted for the Mezcal Mule, and that’s exactly what it sounds like… a Moscow Mule with mezcal instead of vodka. Spicy from the ginger beer and smoky from the mezcal. Interesting pairing, but it works, at least for me who tends toward non-sweet cocktails. Anything boozy, earthy, bitter, or spicy usually has my name all over it.

As for the food, by the time I sat down, I wasn’t really in the mood to make any decisions, and for whatever reason the menu felt overwhelming. It could have been that I just I didn’t feel like reading it, but it seemed like there was a lot to choose from. Typical Vietnamese fare for me is banh mi, bun, and pho, but since I didn’t even look for anything on the menu, I couldn’t tell you if it’s there. When faced with the paradox of choice sometimes I’d rather just let someone else do the choosing while I go on autopilot, and it works because I’m not much of a picky eater and I’m always up for a culinary adventure. That being said, we let the waiter bring his recommendations out, and I’d say we need up with some solid choices.

We ended up with some tuna taco like things, a filet salad, a fried noodle dish where the noodles tasted almost like beignets to me, and a shrimp and asparagus dish with maybe eggplant in it. All of the dishes were pretty tasty and great quality, but I wouldn’t say I was particularly blown away by any of the dishes. However, if someone asked for a recommendation out of the dishes I ate, I’d have to go with the filet salad.

Also, while Vietnam and Thailand are relatively close to one another, separated by Cambodia and Laos, it only makes sense that Thai food and Vietnamese food are reminiscent of one another and cross over in some places. The style of food, the presentation, and the atmosphere remind me of another southeast Asian restaurant in Houston, Foreign Correspondents. While the atmosphere at the bar upstairs at Le Colonial is pretty high energy with people bustling around and waiters moving to and fro throngs of patrons, the atmosphere at Canard, the lounge that connects to Foreign Correspondents is much more subdued and low key, at least it has been any time that I’ve visited.

The Verdict:

Right now Le Colonial has the typical glow of a hot new restaurant in Houston. People are excited to be there and to try it, but unfortunately great restaurants are a dime a dozen in this city, so you’re only, hot, young, and fresh until the next new player comes to town. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with all of the new restaurants opening in town, as much as I try.

Realistically, if I get a craving for Vietnamese food, it’s hard not to default to the low key, cheap, delicious places in Midtown. The street names are in Vietnamese for crying out loud. It’s doubtful I will crave high-end Vietnamese food when Les Givrals, Mai’s, and Huynh are so good and easy and casual with no wait. Granted the style of food is elevated at Le Colonial, and the atmosphere is also very different, so I’m going to leave Le Colonial as a special event place when you want to eat good food that’s more interesting and fun than just a regular American menu or if maybe I’ve got a hot date later at the iPic.