THE DINING GUIDE
Chicago is a city that takes its food seriously…as it should.
From neighborhood favorites and beloved institutions to tasting menus worth planning an evening around, the city rewards those who arrive hungry.
This is the Maison 818 edit: places worth the reservation, dishes worth ordering, and
a few favorites worth returning to.
Courtesy of Le Colonial Chicago
THE M818 FAVORITE
There are restaurants you recommend, and then there are restaurants you return to again and again. Le Colonial is the latter.
Tucked above Oak Street, its lush interiors and polished service set the scene for a menu that feels equally considered. French influence meets Vietnamese flavors in dishes made for lingering over, whether it’s lunch in the sunroom or dinner that stretches well into the evening.
Elegant without feeling overly formal, Le Colonial is the kind of place Maison 818 loves most: beautiful, memorable, and consistently worth the reservation.
KENDRA’S NOTE
“My favorite restaurant. In life. Not just Chicago.”
WHAT TO ORDER
Start with the Sup Ga Cay.
Spicy chicken soup with shiitake and shimeji mushrooms, scallion and cilantro in a spicy coconut broth.
For the table, order the Cá Chiên Sài Gòn.
A whole crispy red snapper served with peppers, scallions, crispy garlic, and dill, with butter lettuce and chili-garlic fish sauce. Add the Dau Que Xao (garlic green beans) and Mi Xao He (garlic noodles) alongside it.
Finish with a Vietnamese coffee.
