Dining Discoveries: Le Soleil
Le Soleil
Right in the heart of Downtown San Leandro, smack dab on E. 14th Street, lies Le Soleil — a quaint Vietnamese restaurant that, while celebrated by many San Leandrans, is yet to be discovered by many. The interior is modern and sophisticated and the service is quick and efficient, which makes it ideal, both as a lunch spot and a place for a dinner date.
The reasonably priced menu offers a well-balanced variety of dishes you would come to expect from a Vietnamese eating establishment, as well as some unique offerings. What makes Le Soleil stand out is the freshness of its ingredients. From the bountiful phờ soups to the comforting vermicelli or stir fry dishes, diners experience a fresh and distinctive culinary sensation. Many dishes provide the option to select the level of spiciness, allowing diners to fine-tune the dining experience to their liking.
It is hard to go wrong at Le Soleil, but some stand-out dishes are the spicy chicken noodle soup, the crispy five-spice chicken, and the wok tossed beef steak cubes. The restaurant also offers a variety of sumptuous seafood dishes, such as the grilled catfish with black bean sauce, grilled mussels, and prawns with tofu simmered in a clay pot.
Le Soleil’s dessert menu surprisingly includes some Italian staples like tiramisu and coppa stracciatella. But particularly intriguing are the two kinds of fried banana, and the chocolate caramel pyramid. Those choices alone are ample reason to lure hungry pedestrians inside.
Le Soleil is worth a visit from those who haven’t yet dined there, and warrants rediscovery from those who have. Le Soleil is a gem in the Downtown area that deserves a second visit, and a third, and more.
About Dining Discoveries: San Leandro’s restaurant scene is full of hidden gems, quirky hole-in-the-walls, and authentic ethnic foods. Dining Discoveries is a recurring feature on San Leandro Next designed to bring increased awareness to businesses that have been flying under the radar…and to help you find a great place to get dinner tonight.
Want to suggest a restaurant for a future post? Email slnext@sanleandro.org and tell us about it.
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