The Elephant Walk

I like everything I’ve eaten at this place. There are always great options. I wish the dessert menu could branch out a bit, but I really like the place. I used to go to it when it was near Brookline, and happened to be at that location in its final week. I was happy to see it moved near me.
If you are interested in something more than your plain olé Thai, Japanese (or please not) Chinese, this is a level above all of those in my opinion.
All of the people in the restaurant have been extremely nice and the ambiance-​especially in the summer-​is fantastic.
I always like to start with this rice soup that has a lime on the side. The flavors are pretty amazing and the prices are reasonable.

I really, really like Elephant Walk, have been eating at their various locations since 2010. Their food is a delicate balance between Asian and French, so there are some surprises there! Pretty much everything is great, my personal favourites are the spring roles and the catfish curry.

We went here for a quick dinner — came in on Sunday around 6 pm — pretty early and there were lots of seats (even though I had made a reservation). We had nice quiet cosy table for two (I imagine this place could feel a little cramped if the restaurant was packed though). I ordered the B’baw Mouan (Cambodian Rice Soup) with a side of garlic noodles. My wife ordered one of the items from the special menu — can’t locate the name but it had tiger shrimp and coconut sauce in it. You get a free starter before your meal — bread along with olive oil with a slice of onion. Everything we ordered eventually tasted absolutely marvelous — I have to give a special shout out to the garlic noodles though — they were delicious! We didn’t try the dessert as we were in a rush but I imagine it would taste like heaven if our entrée was anything to go by. Relatively affordable place and wonderfully tasting food — what more could one ask for!

Loved the food, loved the service — great dining experience. Went here for date night with my husband and we sat in the bar area. The bartender waited on us and was very attentive and kind. He also did a great job helping us pick our entrees — we went with the pork stir-​fry & short rib with garlic noodles, I would highly recommend both. The rouleaux (pork spring rolls) are my favorite and I could eat them for a meal! We will definitely be back.

Excellent. Food is delicious. Service is great.
Came here with my boyfriend we had the hard rice with coconut chicken app… what a great dish. We are going back soon.

We absolutely loved this place! The apps. were amazing, especially the avocado lime soup (served cold like gazpacho). The corn was unique as well. For our entrees, we ordered the shrimp dish & the catfish. We are tough clients, because my bf is from the South, with delicious catfish. This was SO WELL prepared! My shrimp with vegetables had a wonderful flavor. I liked the drinks a lot, martinis that are Asian inspired, but my bf thought they were overwhelming, with not a great balance of alcohol & citrus. Overall, this was a great place & we would highly recommend it! We will definitely be back!

I may be biased as I am a hostess at The Elephant Walk, but after reading all of these awesome reviews I felt compelled to share my input as someone who has dined and worked behind the scenes.
First of all, the chefs are amazing. They know every recipe like the back of their hands. They cook each meal to perfection and never let a crowd ruin the quality of an individual plate. I am continually amazed by their capabilities. The head owner is a brilliant and creative cook, and she is often found front and center in the kitchen working alongside her chefs. She is constantly coming up with new flavors and tastes — I have never tried a creation of hers that I didn’t like. I dream of achieving her talent in the kitchen.
The management team is super friendly. They love what they do and it shows. It isn’t out of the ordinary to find an owner or manager serving food and chatting with the diners. This is one aspect of the restaurant that I think regulars love. The whole team gets to know the customers and this makes for a really warm and cozy atmosphere.
The food itself is spectacular. It’s unique, it’s tasty, and there is something for everyone on the menu. I have seen men, women, and children of all ages come in and leave extremely satisfied. One thing that’s great about the Cambodian entrees is that they don’t come spicey, you have the option to add spices till the taste is fits your pallet. This is great for people who are less adventurous with their eating! Don’t be afraid to try something new here! Odds are you will find multiple items on the menu that suit your taste buds.
Lastly, the service — I have worked with mostly all of the wait staff. Everyone loves to come into work. I can guarantee that any night of the week you will be treated more like a guest being welcomed into someone’s home than just another diner. As someone who has dined at quite a few fancy shmancy restaurants in the South End, I can say with confidence that you will feel more comfortable dining with us than many of our competitors simply because we are not stuck up or in a hurry to end a shift — we like working here. We are fed some amazing dishes, and we get to meet some really incredible locals and visitors.
If you haven’t already, you need to come in. if weeknights are a hassle, come in on the weekend for brunch or dinner. I guarantee you will leave with a full tummy and a big smile :).

Came here for a group dinner outing a few weeks ago; warm, inviting atmosphere. Our server was entertaining. I mean, you can’t order a drink named «slap and tickle» without expecting to get razzed, right? (Strong by the way — can’t speak for the other cocktails but this one hit the spot).
I ordered the Meesiem: rice noodles with soy beans, tofu, pork, garlic, chilies, pickled shallot, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, and a little bit of egg. It was good, but could’ve used more sauce.

My wife and I decided to take advantage of Dine out Boston and try something new. I chose The Elephant Walk on the recommendation of a co-​worker and after a quick peruse of the prix fix menu I couldn’t say no.
We arrived a few mins late but there was no problem. We were seated quickly and our waiter quickly came by and asked how we were doing along with taking our drink orders. After returning with our drinks we started with the Rouleaux and the Croquette de Risotto aux Asperges Vertes. The spring rolls (Rouleaux) were delightfully sharp and tasty while the Criquette was savory and soft. Both were in good sized portions and tasted extremely freah/​straight out of the pan.
Next we shared the Khar Saiko Kroeung (PT Farm boneless beef short ribs braised in tamarind, ginger, chili pods and soy; with garlic fresh Shanghai noodles and pickled cucumber) and the Côtelettes d’Agneau Grillées à la Citronelle (Grilled lemongrass encrusted New Zealand double lamb chops, wild lime rice, pickled asparagus and yellow bell pepper, Port wine reduction). It was amazing. That’s all there is to say. If I had been eating in the comfort of my own home I would have licked the bowl clean. Very different flavor a and portion size was not even in question.
For dessert we had the Sangkhia l’Pao (
Coconut milk custard with Kabocha squash, garnished with coconut cream and fresh coconut) and the Gâteau Choco-​Caramel
(Chocolate caramel genoise with crème Anglaise and ganache). A perfect treat to end the night.
The long and short, it’s not an everyday choice only because it’s a little pricey but it’s worth every single penny. We will definitely be back for a romantic dinner or celebration in the near future.

This review is for the bar only.
I came with some friends for a drink on a Sunday evening, and there was a nice size crowd for a Sunday. There are some additional seats around the bar, and my friends and I were able to sit comfortably. The bartender was very attentive and provided us with great service. There is a nice wine list, a selection of beers and some interesting sounding mixed drinks. The bartender allowed me to taste a sample of wine before I committed to a glass. My friends ordered mixed drinks and it was fun watching the bartender mixing the cocktails using a variety of ingredients. The food coming out of the kitchen looked great, and smelled great! I’m hoping to come back for a dining experience.

The atmosphere is definitely nice, but the service could definitely be better.
Ordered:
— Rouleaux de thon cru aux épices Khmères
— Filet de Thon saisi aux deux coulis pimentés
— The chicken special with rice made with chicken stock
The rouleaux is basically a tuna spring roll (not completely worth the $ 13 imo). The tuna with scallion ravioli was really delicious. It didn’t look like much, but tasted great and was pretty filling. The Chicken special was disappointing. It’s basically a rotisserie version of Hainanese chicken with fish sauce instead of mixed soy sauce. However, when I make the Hainanese chicken at home, it’s always nice, supple, and moist. This version is a bit drying and the strong fish sauce didn’t rectify the situation. The Chinese version at least gives you some of the chicken broth with the dish for this issue; but alas, since it was roasted, there is no jus au poulet to serve. I made a note of this for the waiter, and he totally ignored it as if it wasn’t an issue.
Likewise, the restaurant wasn’t busy. But where was our waiter? Didn’t check on us or anything. So the service could’ve been better, for sure.

I thought no one knew about the great food at The Elephant Walk because the two times that I went for brunch, the place was a ghost town upon arrival. I actually just realized now that both of those times I arrived before they were even open… (which apparently is 11:30am btw). Props to the owner for not saying anything and seating us anyway!
The Loc Lac beef is amazing. So tender, so flavorful; my go to. It’s served with fries and spring mix. It’s the perfect portion. On my recent visit, the server recommended the rouleaux spring rolls as an appetizer. He also explained to us the proper way to eat them: wrap them in the lettuce and dip them into the sauce. I really appreciated that! They were delicious! French-​Cambodian is such a unique cuisine and there aren’t many restaurants of this type around (as far as I know). Definitely worth a try. Great food, great service, and despite being in this neighborhood, it was still affordable. Overall an awesome experience!

Came here on Friday with a friend to grab a quick lunch. I was initially drawn here by the name more than anything else, but was very impressed with the food. You might say it was an elephant walk to remember…
Ok, I’ll stop with the awful puns. Here’s what we tried:
2-​course lunch combo ($ 15) — really good deal here, you get to choose 1 app and 1 entrée from the lunch menu. For the starter, we went with the Rouleaux (crispy Cambodian spring rolls with pork). The waiter suggested wrapping the roll in lettuce and adding bean sprouts/​basil with a drizzle of tuk trey. It produced a nice savory/​aromatic combination that I really enjoyed.
For the entrée I had the crispy catfish sandwich. Loved the crusty ciabatta bread, although would have preferred a bit more sriracha mayo or pickled veggies to moisten out the sandwich a bit.
Poulet à la Citronnelle ($ 11) — A classic lemongrass chicken curry, very well made, flavorful with just a hint of spice.
4 stars for the food, 3.5 for service as the waiter got one of our orders wrong the first time, but in the end it’s about the food, so 4 stars overall.

Elephant Walk is quite a good place for meals and conversations. The food, while don’t wow me, are solid and tasty. Service is always good and attentive. For the setting, I’ve always enjoyed the unique, ethnic — fusion décor. Moreover, the noise level is perfect for conversations. I’ve been to elephant walk a few times and will continue to be a regular.

My fiancé (who happens to be Cambodian) and I were visiting Boston for the weekend and stumbled upon this gem! As New Yorkers, I have to admit that we’re a little spoiled when it comes to restaurants — you can find any type of cuisine there is in Manhattan. However, when we tried out a few Cambodian restaurants in NYC, he was not impressed, at all.
The Elephant Walk, however, was a pleasant and delicious surprise. The food was authentic and tasted a lot like a home-​cooked Cambodian meal. We started off with the Nataing as an appetizer and for dinner I got the Loc Lac while my fiancé had the Khar Saiko Kroeung. The meats were so tender and every dish bursted with flavor.
I am giving The Elephant Walk only 4 stars because I feel like the restaurant can be a little more authentic… there is no homage to Cambodia in the restaurant itself. When you first walk in, it seems like you walked into an Italian or French restaurant. Maybe play some Cambodian songs or have a few paintings here or there? Also, there were no Cambodian employees — not sure if the restaurant owner is Cambodian? Other than that, we were extremely pleased with the service and food. This is a definite go-​to when in Boston.

Great place for dinner on the winter evening. Salad with raw tuna and avocado was delicious, fried asian fish was yummy too with interesting combination of spices. My bf had Cambodian noodles with the pork belly which he liked too. The best part is desert –both chocolate and caramel cakes were absolutely great. Place itself was packed, but not loud. Service was prompt. Looks like the owner (or GM) cares a lot about this place. I saw him running the food and cleaning tables. My only suggestion –please put some candles on the tables and you’ll see how cozy your restaurant will look like. Will definitely come back.

Brunch here was absolutely delicious. We were a little hesitant because the place was a lot emptier than other nearby South End restaurants when we arrived, but don’t let that fool you. I cannot wait to return and try dinner here.

Wow – that’s all I can say after having dinner here a couple of nights ago.
I had heard about Elephant Walk a couple of times before, but nothing really substantial either way. Nevertheless, the boyfriend and I decided to check it out on a Tuesday night. Since it was early in the week, it was not too crowded and we were able to be seated right away.
After perusing some of the reviews, we decided to go with the duck appetizer – as my boyfriend is a huge fan of duck. The dish was plated creatively and really had some great flavors. The polenta paired well with the duck and the sauce on top was delicious. Even though I’m not a huge on duck, I really enjoyed this first dish.
For our main meal, we decided to split the Loc Lac and the Khar Saiko Kroeung.
The Loc Lac was a preparation of beef that was more steaky and had a very flavorful and sweet marinade on it. It was served with white rice, which wasn’t the most exciting side dish, but went well with the beef.
The Khar Saiko Kroeung was also a beef dish, but more closely resembled a pot roast and was very tender and just melted in your mouth. Though the beef was tasty, my favorite part of the dish was probably the garlic noodles. These noodles are addicting as they provide a garlic kick, but don’t overwhelm the palate.
Overall, this was one of the most enjoyable meals we’ve had in the South End. The service was great, the food came out quickly, and the quality of food was very high. If I had to nitpick, I would say that the Loc Lac portion was a little small for the price, but the flavor more than made up for that. Other than that, this was a very delicious meal and is definitely a place worth checking out in the South End.

Came here for restaurant week and it’s 4 courses.
1: spring roll made vegan — fantastic, if you’ve never had a cambodian spring roll before they let you know how to set it up. Our server also brought us some amazing hot sauce, so if you like it spicy ask for that
2: garlic noodles and shrimp — all of those words are good, and this was not a let down. I could have eaten that until I was stuffed and then some
3: Mahi Mahi: a bit overdone, the sauce was great, but the rest of the dish seemed to not fit
4: chocolate tart: dense and delicious
service was fast and friendly
I had the cambodian mule and a margarita to drink and both were fine, but nothing as amazing as the food.

LOVE ALWAYS. I finally made it to the South End location as and usual there were great drinks (love the martini), great food and great service. The ambiance is the same as the other restaurants – low lights and good energy. I had the Cambodian salad (They still have not added back the Bo Bang) and it was great with the peanut sauce that comes with the roleoux (sp). The desserts were also awesome – the coconut special was great.

Good new neighborhood restaurant. I love that you can order smaller portions at this restaurant — I often feel like whenever I go out to dinner in south end, I end up seriously indulging and eating more than I planned to, so it’s great to have the smaller option here. I had the shrimp curry, and it was delicious! Will be back!

The Elephant Walk (can we talk about how absurd this name is by the way?) was a pleasant surprise as we wandered the streets of South End at 7pm on a Friday evening, trying to find a decent restaurant that didn’t have a 90 minute wait.
I didn’t expect the place to be as good as it is, particularly as I’ve walked past it many many times and always found it to be fairly empty.
We were seated swiftly and were attended to by the sweetest waiter. I ordered the beef short ribs and my boyfriend ordered the loc lac. Our food came out at record speed and it was the perfect portion size.
The beef in both our dishes was cooked to a tender perfection. Literally so soft and flavorful. I loved my noodle dish and the sauce was the right blend of sweet and salty.
They have a house habanero sauce which is REALLY spicy. If you like spicy sauces, this is a definite must try. I kind of liked how it tingled and numbed my mouth when I only tried a drop.
The quality of the food here is awesome and I really didn’t find it too pricey. Would definitely come back again to try some other dishes!

What a treat to return to a restaurant with a warm atmosphere, gracious and knowledgeable service, and good food. The Elephant Walk has relocated from Brookline to the South End and the place is better than ever.
We were there on a weeknight and it was about ¾ full. Sitting in one of the window tables, we looked out at the Cathedral across Washington Street and it was a great view.
Bread with a couple of spreads came first and the spreads (including one flamethrower) were delicious.
Our party of three ordered the vegetarian Cambodian spring rolls. A generous serving and they were superb. We had the chicken special, the duck, and the salmon. Each of us were delighted with the food.
The wine list was good and we shared a bottle of Gavi — just right with the food. Our server had been with the restaurant for 10 years and was first rate.
What’s not to like?

The Elephant Walk has been one of my favorite Boston restaurants for years. Since college, in fact. So, 15 years! Many restaurants aren’t even around for that long. Why has it won my heart? Because it’s genuine, delicious, unique, and unpretentious. You can’t get heartfelt, artfully crafted French /​Cambodian cuisine anywhere else. I’m so glad they moved in to the South End.
In terms of what to order, Loc Lac is an obvious choice — tender, flavorful beef with a bright dipping sauce. Also: Nataing– the crispy rice as a vehicle for the ground pork simmered in coconut milk is out of this world. Both tuna and pork spring rolls are crunchy and inventive, and the chicken rice soup is creamy and lively. The kelp noodle salad is unlike any other salad you’ve had– so fresh and crisp with the mint, basil, and lime, and so healthy with the cucumber, cherry tomato, shrimp, and kelp noodles. Finally, the pan-​seared tuna dish is a bit heavy on the sauces, but playful and delicious with the crispy ravioli and the two different sauces intersecting in the middle of the plate.
The cocktail menu is also both thoughtful and seasonal, and the service is lovely. I always look forward to a meal here!

Great food with exotic flavors, excellent service, and best of all just down the street from my house.

Came here on a Sunday around 1 pm and pretty much had the whole place to ourselves! I was a little hesitant coming here because I went to the one in Porter Square about a year ago for Boston Restaurant Week and remember it being meh. So glad I gave them another chance because the food and service were great!
Service 5 stars — very attentive yet not interfering, a hard balance to strike. He didn’t have much people to attend to though so who knows what service is like when it’s busy
Thai tea (cold) — This is legit! I always crave a good thai tea after traveling in Thailand, but most places serve it from the powder/​are too sugary, not Elephant Walk though! Next time, I would ask for no ice because it was sad when the ice diluted it
Duck crêpe — Very good! Decent amount of meat. Wonderful flavors. The portion is a bit small, especially considering the price, but no regrets.
Passionfruit mousse for dessert — I love passionfruit so I might be biased but the tartiness is on point. The mousse is artistically placed on a fried dough/​hard shell chip thing. The crunch is a delightful contrast from the smooth mousse. Would get again!

I don’t mind splurging on an expensive meal, but it better be worth it. In this case, shelling out $ 20+/entrée hardly seemed worth it. I will give it to them though, their rolleaux (crispy pork spring roll wrapped with lettuce and mint and dipped in fish sauce) is pretty good. However, the portion sizes and quality of the food did not warrant the prices.

Loved it.
We had eaten at the Beacon Street location a couple years ago, and it was *meh* as I remember the menu being overwhelming and I don’t think I finished my entrée.
Atmosphere at the South End location is intimate and inviting. It was late on a Monday night when we went there, so it was a little quiet. We sat by the big windows in a high table, looking out over Washington St, which was great.
Food was sooo tasty. Each dish was composed of deep, savory flavors, and the Nataing crushed it. I could have eaten 3 bowls of that. The menu and flavors reminded me of SF/​Bay Area dining, and I haven’t really found that here in Boston (read: food snob).
We’ll be back!!!

Dinner at the Elephant Walk was surprisingly my first time eating Cambodian food. The main part of the menu is split up into three sections: traditional Cambodian options, French options, and new/​fusion Cambodian options. I wanted to try a few different things, so my friend and I shared a couple of dishes:
— Rouleaux (crispy Cambodian pork spring rolls with greens, herbs and tuk trey) — so great and fun to make each little lettuce roll to your liking.
— Chilled avocado lime soup (a special of the night) — tasty and extremely fresh, but the lime flavor was a bit too strong for me.
— Khar Saiko Kroeung (boneless beef short ribs braised in tamarind, ginger, chili pods and soy, with garlic Shanghai noodles and pickled cucumber) — my favorite of the two entrees, this was delicious and will be a repeat for me if I return.
— Loc Lac (beef tenderloin caramelized in black pepper, garlic and mushroom soy) — my friend preferred this dish, I thought it was good but not my taste.
Overall: great service, food, drink options and location.

Same as it ever was.
Cozy if not trendy interior feels instantly comfortable despite just opening at this location.
If I can’t have Phở Republique back, I’m glad to have the reliable Elephant Walk.
Interesting cross-​cultural menu beats the same old American comfort food /​pub grub that’s everywhere else.

This place is awesome. I came here this weekend because its impossible to get a table at a more «high end» South End restaurant on a Saturday night so be default we ended up here for a 9pm reservation that we got within 5 minutes of calling.
The Good:
–food is GREAT. The shrimp coconut milk dish is great. I also loved the fact that you can do half size portions fro all meals, even at dinner.
–Great service – Claire was efficient, friendly, and nice. And gave us extra peanut sauce :)
–Cheap. our meal was only 35 dollars each and we had a lot to eat and wine.
–clean, great location, and good bathrooms! It is so much nicer than the BOMA that used to be here.
The only thing I would say is that the décor/​ambiance could use a little more music/​liveliness. I felt like the entire area could hear our conversation because everyone was so quiet. Also, the tables are VERY close to each other.
I will def be back and maybe for take out. I have been to the location in Cambridge and really like both.