Le Dalat

I'm so amazed at the review by the person from Cape Town that I feel I have to respond. Since June 2002 I have dined here about 15-16 times on 14 separate trips. I've been here for early and late lunches and dinners, for no special occasion and for New Year's. I've come in a hurry, and I've visited when I had time to order a few drinks in the restaurant lounge, Le Lotus Bleu (presumably named after George Prosper "Herge" Remi's 1934 Les Aventures de Tintin: Le Lotus Bleu), which BTW is an excellent respite from the craziness of Soi 23 further south. The staff, from the male maître d', to his female assistant in the evenings, the waiters and waitresses, and the boy who fetches the drinks, are all excellent; I'm particularly fond of the demure lady in her mid-forties who serves lunch. The food is quite good, reminiscent of the many French colonial Vietnamese restaurants that still dotted Saigon during the American occupation. Vietnam Vets will know what I mean and should saunter on up to the gent's on the second floor to examine the etchings...

Went to Le Dalat for lunch. A shabby place and sour faces of the staff. No comparison with all the friendly Thai places. Staff dress definitely shabby. Ordered a bottle of wine and appetizers. The wine we got. After half an hour some sort of bouncer asked us if we had been served? Well what were the others doing? Anyhow our order was never passed to the kitchen. We aid for the wine and left convinced that there are better Vietnamese places in Bangkok
Kirpan