The décor at Le Tonkin is modern and sophisticated, belying its laid-back atmosphere. Outside, there is a lounge area with rattan sofas for lying back with a few cocktails, as well as a dining area with tea candles. Inside, the setting is more formal, with chintz curtains, plush lounges and clean white linen tablecloths—a perfect place to have a few drinks with some friends before moving on to a delicious meal. The menu is a mixture of mainly Vietnamese dishes, mostly hailing from Hanoi, with a few French favorites thrown in. After a little negotiation, the chef agreed to let us mix and match, and we were extremely impressed with everything we tried. The Vietnamese spring rolls and the chicken pho (soup noodles) were both wonderfully light and fragrant, and our French main course of scallops and prawns with vermicelli was absolutely divine. Even dessert was wonderful—the crème caramel practically melted on the tongue. Although the a la carte menu is a little expensive, our meal was definitely worthwhile as it was exceptional. We hope Le Tonkin gets discovered soon, as it was a pity there was no one else there to enjoy the experience.
