French-Vietnamese Restaurant Le Colonial Debuts Denver Location November 27

In recent years, more and more high-end, out-of-state restaurants like Water Grill, Yardbird and Church and Union have chosen the Denver market for expansion.

The latest is Le Colonial, a French-Vietnamese concept inspired by 1920 Saigon that was founded in New York City in 1993. While that location shuttered during the pandemic, there are currently Le Colonial outposts in Atlanta, Chicago, Delray Beach, Houston, Lake Forest and Naples; soon, Scottsdale will join the roster. But first, the Denver location will debut at 255 Fillmore Street in Cherry Creek on Wednesday, November 27.

"Denver is a forward-thinking community, and our hope is to bring healthy and flavorful food in a romantic, warm, sophisticated environment that will bring happy memories for years to come," says co-owner Rick Wahlstedt, who brought another NYC-born concept, Le Bilboquet, to Cherry Creek in 2019.

The design of the 6,000-square-foot restaurant is inspired by "Saigon’s deep-rooted natural heritage," and "melds influences from Paris, Marrakesh and the Far East," according to a press release. The space includes several dining areas, including an outdoor patio, the main dining room outfitted with Moroccan cement tile floors and leather banquettes, a plant-filled porch and a cocktail lounge.
Heading up the kitchen is executive chef Phong Nguyen, who was born and raised in Vietnam and moved to America in 2012 to study marketing. A 2013 visit to Le Colonial Chicago inspired him to get a culinary arts degree and open his own restaurant; in addition to his role at Le Colonial Denver, he also operates Monsoon Vietnamese Cuisine and K-Pocha Korean Street Food in Grand Rapids.

Also behind the menu are Vietnamese chef and cookbook author Nicole Routhier and Le Colonial's national culinary director, Hassan Obaye. The lineup includes signature items such as Bo Luc Lac (shaking beef), Mi Xao Don Chay (crispy egg noodles with greens, shiitake mushrooms, tofu and soy-ginger sauce) and Ca Chien Saigon (whole red snapper for two). There are also some Denver-specific items that use local ingredients, including Soun Cuu Nuong (grilled lamb chops from Boulder Farms), Goi Bo (grilled beef tenderloin with Rebel Farm greens) and Ca Kho Tieu (ginger marinated sablefish with shiitake mushrooms from Fiber of Life and tomatoes from Rocky Mountain Fresh).

Classic and signature cocktails such as the Lychee Martini and gin-based Saigon Tea are on offer as well, along with mocktails, organic teas and a selection of over 110 bottles of wine.
Le Colonial is joining the scene where new, locally owned options for Vietnamese fare — including Dân Dã from the former owner of Savory Vietnam and Sắp Sửa, which has gotten a lot of well-deserved national attention since it opened in June 2023 — have already upped the ante for this kind of cuisine.

And they don't have the baggage that comes with the Le Colonial name. In 2019, then-San Francisco Chronicle critic Soleil Ho published a biting review of that city's Le Colonial.

"Le Colonial’s theme is covered with the sticky film of racism," Ho wrote, adding that she wasn't thrilled by the food, either. That review and the backlash that followed, combined with the challenges of the pandemic, led to the closure of the San Francisco Le Colonial in September.

But as Wahlstedt is quick to point out, both the Le Colonial in San Francisco and another that operated in Los Angeles until 2001 were under separate ownership. They were part of a licensing agreement made early on by restaurateur Jean Denoyer, with whom Wahlstedt had opened the original in NYC (Denoyer eventually sold his interests in the business);

The remaining Le Colonial locations, including the one in Denver, are now owned by Wahlstedt and restaurateur Joe King.

When asked about his reaction to the 2019 San Francisco Chronicle review, Wahlstedt responds: "I cannot speak to what transpired at a restaurant six years ago that we have no ownership of and have never been affiliated with. However, I can tell you that at our restaurants, we focus on culinary excellence, grace and romance. This approach has been instrumental to our three decades of success, earning us significant recognition both nationally and internationally."
He also touches on how Le Colonial has — and has not — changed since it was founded. "In some ways, our approach to design and the menu has changed to keep with modern trends," Wahlstedt says. "In other ways, we are continuing the legacy that has made our restaurants so beloved over the past three decades. My partner and culinary ambassador, Nicole Routhier, who was born and raised in Saigon and is also considered one of the preeminent cookbook authors on Vietnamese cuisine, as well as executive chef Quoc Long, who has been a partner for 28 years, have been instrumental in bringing Le Colonial forward, both culinarily and spiritually, over the years."

In conclusion, Wahlstedt emphasizes, "We condemn any celebration of colonialism. Our restaurant is a celebration of beautiful design and delicious, healthy food."

Le Colonial is located at 255 Fillmore Street and will be open for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday and 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday starting November 27. The Lounge will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lunch service is set to launch in January. For more information and to make reservations, visit lecolonial.com/denver.