Le Lan Restaurant

There really aren't many restaurants that do the French Asian cuisine. There's Viet places, but I mean the more elegant French Asian fusion, for which Le Colonial has a fine reputation. Here's what Le Colonial doesn't have: a chef named Chad Starling. He's really doing some fine things in Le Lan's kitchen. I can't wait to go back for more. I went on a Friday night, somewhat concerned that I was underdressed and that the place would be too crowded. It was nice-but-casual, and not too crowded -- just right. I was alone, so I sat at the bar. The house Riesling is delicious. Chef Chad sent out an amuse bouche, which was a melt-in-your-mouth piece of sashimi (I think it was yellowtail) with something frizzy on it, like radish shaving, and a flavored oil, I think. Don't know what the hell it was, but it sure amused my bouche. The entrees looked great, but I was in the mood for appetizers. I started with the Young Thai coconut soup, which was one of the best soups I have ever tasted. I cook a little myself, and I do soups, and this one made me envious. I also sampled some duck dumplings, which I wanted more of. I don't mean the order was small; I mean I wanted seconds. The homemade spring rolls are light for fried food, and the filling once again reflected the chef's knack for marrying flavors. I can't wait to have some of these entrees and will review again when I do. The night I went, the bartender was also waiting tables, and the wait staff sometimes tended their own drinks. They just do it this way. Maybe it fosters helpfulness on the part of the staff, but I don't care for it. It makes the place look harried and short-staffed, even though it's not. Pros: Chef Starling, the soup Cons: a bit pricey more

I had an amazing time at Le Lan. Everything that needed to go right that night went right. From the amazingly courteous staff (hostess, waiters, sommelier) to the delicious food (we had quail foie gras (sp???) and the venison and it was delicious). I had arranged for the desert before hand and they were very receptive and helpful in assisting me with the surprise. I highly recommend this place for anyone wishing to have a friendly and romantic experience. more

I was excited to try Le Lan for the first day the other night, unfortunately the food was terrible. My soup had far too much salt and tasted as though someone had made some serious mistakes measuring. Even worse, my fish entree was severely undercooked and I had to send it back immediately. Later that night confirmation came in the form of severe food po isoning (won't get in the specifics here but let's just say it wasn't pretty). All in all I would say this was not a good dining experience: the staff was ambivalent, prices were super high and the food was literally sickening. Cons: Horrible Food, expensive and rude service more

Wow, talk about A+ service! My husband and I went there for our 4th Anniversary and were blown away by the attentive and thoughful service. Our menus were personalized and we were given a number of complimentary tastings. more

We went to Le Lan to celebrate our anniversary, and I had called a month in advance for reservations, letting them know we were celebrating. I also asked about veg food options before making a reservation and they assured me that they did vegetarian all the time and had plenty of options. When we arrived, we had to wait 15 minutes for our table. Then they gave us a table in the corner (they have a cool round table on one end, that of course, they didnt give to us). Although the food was good, I was disappointed that they actually only have a couple dishes that were veg, and only 1 entree option. So although the decor and atmosphere was nice, I would not recommend this place esp if you are vegetarian. There are plenty of other options in Chicago with better service and great food. more

Although this restaurant has a romantic ambience, it is nice, but not too fancy. The food is great (mahi mahi was excellent) and the martini's are unique. The waitstaff made sure that we were enjoying our meal, and the chef even came out to season our soups. Overall, great ambience for a special dinner, great food, and excellent service. The prix fix menu is a good deal during the weekdays without being too expensive. Definitely a place to try!! more

My husband and I went to Le Lan for our anniversary and we received the most top notch customer service we have had from a downtown restaurant in a long time . We were greeted with anniversary well wishes from the host to the coat checker, the waiters as well as the bus boys . We were seated right away . Our dinning experience began with 2 glasses of complimentary champagne . The heading on our menus was Happy Anniversary , which was just a lovely surprise. They informed us they do special headings on the menu depending on the occasion you are celebrating. We started with the delicious Young Thai Coconut Soup and the Mushroom Dumplings . For dinner we had the Sizzling Short Ribs and the Lobster special . Both dishes were flavorful and cooked to perfection . We finished our meal with the Chocolate Moelleux with star anise caramel and the Ice cream collection which were decadent with exceptional flavor. We had a truly romantic and satisfying anniversary celebration thanks to the staff and chef at Le Lan . Pros: customer service , the chef, the ambience more

FYI, they've changed chefs and the menu here. That is undoubtedly the reason for the diversity in reviews. more

I would rate this place very average and am surprised by the high ratings from other people. When I tell friends I work with that I felt this place was overrated I get mixed reviews, some swear by, some agree with me. Pros: Ambience Cons: Average food more

My husband and me cannot say enough great things about Le Lan. We were there recently for our 10th Anniversary and they really couldn't have made it more special. Starting from the moment we walked into the door, until we said our goodbyes, the service was absolutely impeccable, beautiful ambience, and wonderful food. This restaurant is a jewel and can be compared to any top of the line place that is out there, and goes beyond because they are not stuffy and pretentious. I cannot even begin to tell you the ways in which the staff at Le Lan made our anniversary special (I am omitting the specifics so that the surprise is better) and just when we thought it couldn't get better, it kept getting more wonderful. I am a vegetarian and they made special accomodations to make sure my dining experience was fantastic. I want to tell everyone and anyone about Le Lan because it is truly a phenomenal experience. We went on a Tuesday night and they have a fabulous prix fixe meal which is absolutely delicious and very very reasonable for the kind of service and attentiveness you get. Pros: Great food, phenomenal service, and great ambience. more

Le Lan is definiately in our top 10 Favorites for Chicago. The food and service is consistantly excellent! The $38 pre fixe on Tuesday is a great find and can't be beat. You order of their regular dinner menu. If you are a fish lover be sure to try the Bass or the Red Snapper. Both are wonderful and always difficult to choose between. You won't go wrong with either one though. They have a very extensive wine list (with one of our favorite wines Flowers - difficult to find) and the cocktails are great too! The Lychee Bellini is my personal favorite. If you haven't been here you don't know what you are missing! Be sure to save room for dessert - which btw is included in the pre-fixe dinner Pros: GREAT, CREATIVE CUISINE, PROFESSIONAL WAITSTAFF Cons: Too pricey to eat here everyday! Change up the menu seasonally would be nice. more

this place is uber-trendy, and tries to push the limits of viet/french cuisine. i wasn't too impressed with... more

this place is uber-trendy, and tries to push the limits of viet/french cuisine. i wasn't too impressed with the taste, and given the prices, i had ... more

There is a reson why there aren't any negative reviews of this restaurant. Pros: Best Restaurant For Food Pairings Cons: More Asian Influence Than French more

Though the prices can seem a little uninviting for just grabbing something to eat, this place is a great experience the minute you walk in the door (great date spot, small special occasion group, you get the idea). Staff is awesome, food is excellent, wine...mmmmm and dessert is oh so yummy! Don't expect the heaping portions though. Pros: Everything! Just valet. more

I was very excited to go to Le Lan and had high expectations. The restuarant itself is small and cozy. The service was great. I really enjoyed the fact that they were so approachable and easy going, without coming across as aloof. To me there is nothing worse than a pretentious staff that can ruin your evening. The meal was outstanding. The flavors in everything we ordered was kept us one our toes. We kept trying to guess what the flavors were and what was used by the chef. For starters we ordered the Spicy Citrus Noodle Salad. The Asian greens and seaweed were fantastic. We then ordered the Duo of Vietnamese Spring Rolls. I especially enjoyed the cold rolls with a hint of mint. For an entrée I ordered the Organic Coconut Chicken. The chicken was tender and perfectly cooked. The flavors were out of this world. more

The restaurant was quiet and pleasant without being stuffy (most patrons were dressed in sweaters and slacks). Our server was friendly and knowledeable, but not intrusive. The food was excellent. We had the foie gras dumpling (only 1) with pickled asian vegetables and the abalone mushrooms with watercress puree and truffle foam for appetizers and both were excellent. My entree was the beef tenderloin with red wine star anise sauce over quinoa. The beef and sauce were wonderful. The quinoa was too salty, but it was the only bad thing. The tiny chocolate cake filled with ganache over thyme and cinnamon anglaise was a wonderful dessert. The cardamom ice cream was excellent. Add 3 glasses of wine and it's the best $178 (including tip) that I've eaten. My only criticism is that the tables are VERY close together and not very private with a full restaurant. Pros: flavors of food, good service, pleasant Cons: tables too close, salty quinoa more

Roland Liccioni and Arun Sampanthavivat have made ""Le Lan"" into an exceptional restaurant, which has refined the cuisine of Vietnam. The ambience itself is very romantic and quiet, not as boisterous as the typical Vietnamese restaurant found on Argyle Street, and the service is beyond great! Of course reservations and proper attire are suggested for a restaurant of this caliber, but it is very much worth the relatively high price! ""Le Lan"" can make a great place for a date, a business dinner, or even an intimate gathering between friends. I highly suggest ""Le Lan"" for a romantic night out! Pros: Ambience, Food, Service more

I've only been to Le Lan once, and I can't wait to go back. The space is elegant, but not at all stuffy feeling, and the food is amazing. Delicious spring rolls and dumplings, excellent service. Perfect for a special occasion. more

Dined at Le Lan on a whim and will now become regulars. Thrilled with the attentive yet not overbearing service. From appetizer to dessert every dish was beautifully executed and the flavors were sublime. Create but not outrageous. Should give North Pond some competition for the Chicago foodies' devoution. A surprisingly great value for the quality of food, service and ambiance. Don't miss the thyme ice cream it rivals the herb ice creams at the Inn at Little Washington. Pros: food quality, waitstaff, setting more