Le Cheval

In Walnut Creek for a late afternoon movie, we parked at the convenient Broadway parking garage, and went looking for some lunch prior to the show. We spied Le Cheval, a Vietnamese restaurant, right across the street, but of course that would be too easy. But after 10 minutes of finding nothing that struck our fancy, we ended up back where we started at Le Cheval.
We’re glad we did — this place is a find. First off, a well appointed interior makes for a pleasant dining atmosphere (only later did I figure out the abundant equine art tied in with Le Cheval = «horse»…duh). Lunch specials are available from 11 – 3 priced in the $ 10-​$ 12 range, and we both decided to try the Claypot Rice, soy rice with chicken, beef and shrimp in a clay pot. To avoid nodding off in the movie, a Vietnamese Iced Coffee and Iced Tea were in order.
Wow — the food was amazing. Every aspect of the claypot rice was wonderful, down to the slightly crispy rice at the bottom (you are asked if you’d like it that way). And the coffee. It comes to the table still brewing, you wait until it drips all the way, and then you pour it over ice. Fantastic! And the iced tea was just as good. I’d come back just for the coffee.
We enjoyed this so much that we had to stop by after the movie and order a clay pot to bring to my Penisula-​based mother to try.
Also a bonus, the location: it’s just outside the Walnut Creek downtown hectic area, so you can plan a surgical strike dinner and avoid the parking/​crowds a couple blocks away should you choose. Yet it’s a close walk to opt-​in to that scene if you’d like.
We’re already looking forward to a return Le Cheval visit.

This place is excellent. I used to go to the one in Oakland, but have now been going to this Walnut Creek location since it opened. Same great food, same great service.
I really love the salty prawns with the yummy lemon-​pepper sauce. I also love the ginger chicken. The fresh ginger really comes through and provides an awesome taste. The Phở they serve is also really good.
I give this place a solid 4 stars. I always take family from out of town here. It is my go-​to spot.

Worst service tonight. Meal came out separate times. Waitress wanted to argue with us when we told her about the terrible service. Crazy.

I really want to give this place five stars, but feel that 5 stars should be reserved for the best of the best.
Food — 5 stars (clay pot)
Service — 5 stars
Atmosphere — 3 stars. Relaxing, but nothing to write home about.
Value — 5 stars. Out meal for two was $ 35 pre-​tip.
Will I be back? On yes, oh yes indeed-​i-​do-​dah-​day. Delicious!

Had lunch there today with my co-​workers. We had a variety of food, and all agreed it was very tasty. Service was great, and atmosphere pleasant.
I had the Lunch Combo with grilled pork, grilled shrimp, imperial roll, and fried chicken wings, with red rice, and a small green salad.
My favorite bits were the grilled pork, a melt in your mouth experience. It was so good, savory and sweet. The shrimp was perfectly cooked. Chicken wings were ok, but nothing to write home about. The Imperial Roll was tasty, but I can’t help but think, all Imperial Rolls everywhere are compared to what I think is the Gold Standard Imperial Rolls at Tulan in San Francisco. No one has come close, except for Slanted Door at the SF Ferry building. But their’s like these are very small compared to the Tulan Imperial Rolls.
Red Rice was ok. It would be better if it had bacon like the Red Rice they make in Charleston SC, or the Red Rice my Guamanian friend makes, with that Finadene Sauce. I ended up spooning over a little fish sauce and that brought it up a notch.
For $ 12 it was a good deal, and I look forward to trying other dishes in the future.

I highly recommend the garlic noodles… mmmm! The wings with the lemon dip sauce is a must try!

I ate here a few weeks back right before Christmas with my family. I was really excited because I ALWAYS hear about this place as a native Bay Area resident, and because of my love of phô and Vietnamese food.
We were seated, the mood was nice thigh we error perhaps too casual lol. It was however a nice respite from the rain after work. We had the imperial Roland and egg rolls I believe. I ordered the beef phô, and patiently waited.
My food arrived and the portion was awesome! Though I do believe it’s a bit overpriced. It was delicious! I believe they use rice noodles, the broth was flavorful, and I got an abundance of accoutrement (sprouts, cilantro) to throw on top. It was delicious!
Here’s the bad part: I had so much left over I took it to go. However, upon reheating the noodles were pretty gross! I’ve had phô other places and everything reheats perfectly! The noodles were disintegrating so badly and gave the broth such a weird taste that all I ate was the sprouts and left over meat, then left to go buy lunch! Still for service (I’m also clumsy and spilled me cup of water: X) and flavor, ambience 4 stars! I’d like to go back at another time when they’re not prepping to close to get a real review going!

Love this place. French Vietnamese inspired. Fresh and locally sourced food. Multi level taste explosions that pleases the palate. Seafood and vegetarian dishes are my favorite. Service was speedy but just ok. Can’t wait to return

Everything here is solid. Pick any of the dishes and you can’t go wrong. I’m partial to the vermicelli bowls but I’ve tried a few of the other things including the Banh Hoi and Bo Luc Lac. Both fantastic. The staff is very professional and can defiantly help you if it’s your first time trying Vietnamese and you’re looking for a recommendation. The place is also very clean and well decorated, which, if you eat Asian cuisine a lot, you know is not normally the case. For sure a great place to take a date!

This is the number one spot for Vietnamese food in the East Bay. It seriously could not be better. It’s located in the heart of walnut creek and there’s ample parking nearby; garage and street.
I came here for two job interviews (not for le cheval) and I ended up getting an offer. So there’s good memories tied to this place. But on another note, they have tons of extremely fresh and yummy food on their menu to choose from.
The service was good, they’re very attentive and fast, especially around lunch when they know lots of people are in a rush.
I ordered the shrimp spring rolls for an appetizer that were soooo good and came with a side of peanut dipping sauce.
For an entrée I ordered the chicken salad — BEST CHICKEN SALAD EVER. You can choose how you want your chicken cooked — boiled, grilled or fried. It comes with red cabbage, cilantro, shredded carrots and cucumbers, peanuts and has a sweet taste vinegar like dressing. It’s a decent sized portion, so expect to take home leftovers.
If you like Vietnamese food and live in the area, you need to check this place out.

Their lemon pepper sauce is soooo good. They pretty much serve it on all their dishes. Their beef and green beans are cook very well. The Meat is super tender.

It feels a tad more like Chinese Food then Vietnamese Food. The portion size is good, it’s never really too crowded for lunch. The food is consistent, and it is consistently quality. It’s nothing to adore over, but it fills you up and it taste decent.
The service is quick and there is enough variety here for lunch to keep you coming back. The location is decent, it isn’t on the main drag which probably is one of the reason why the traffic isn’t as heavy as other places on N Main. Overall, it’s a good casual place to eat, you can either stay around and talk for a while or dine and dash.

A decent Vietnamese joint in the heart of Walnut Creek. The food is nice and the menu gives you tons of options– the service is cordial and timely on top of that– the price is right. So why the heck I am giving it a 3? Well after writing quite a few reviews in my lifetime– the 4 and 5 star category applies to memorable food, something that I yearn for and I crave going back to. I simply didn’t get that vibe from this place.
However, I highly recommend the Bird Nest Noodle which is crispy (Like Hong Kong Style Noodle) you will have the choice of beef, prawn and chicken or Vegetarian with it.

Visited here for lunch and the food was fabulous. Ordered the Garlic Beans with Chicken, along with the peppered Beef steak, both dishes were GREAT. The flavors were on-​point. Service was great, ambiance was great, Food was Great. Cant wait to try other dishes. Yumm Yummm

We came here on a Friday evening around 7 for a laid-​back date night. No need for reservations; this place is pretty big and wasn’t anywhere near crowded when we came in. The host at the front was a bit shy, but got us seated quickly in a nice spot underneath a skylight.
Looking around, most of the clientele are either business diners or older white couples taking a night off. The vibe is casual, but classy, and the décor evokes a slightly higher-​end Vietnamese dining experience. The majority of the time we roll with Kevin’s Noodle House and are more than happy; if you’re looking for a fancier place with a more varied menu, this is your spot.
We ordered (and shared) the Chicken w/​Coconut Milk ($ 13.50) and the Claypot Rice ($ 12.50). The first was a more traditional entrée, reminiscent of Thai curry dishes; though listed as «spicy», it was actually bordering on pretty bland. Onions and garlic would have gone a long way in this dish — the carrots aren’t doing any favors. I covered this with Sriracha and got it up to par.
The Claypot Rice was the standout — beef, chicken, and shrimp layered with zucchini and mushroom in a pot atop seasoned rice. I wish there had been more of the bibimbap-​style crispy rice on the bottom; it felt like the pot was used more for presentation than a cooking vessel. As for the spice level — again, T.G.F.S. — Thank God For Sriracha!
Though prices are higher than usual (for less-​expensive ingredients, interestingly), the serving sizes are large: We brought home leftovers of both entrees, and the service will kindly package it up for you. Bottled beers are $ 5.50, cocktails are $ 9 – 10, and a side of white rice for 1 person is $ 2 (rice not included with entrees).
We’ll be looking for a more flavorful bang for our buck in the future, but if you’re a mild eater looking for a change of pace in a fancier environment, give Le Cheval a shot!

My dining experience here was short of wonderful; not only did I get to try the dish that I always see my grandma order (com tay cam), I got a chance to meet Amanda L. A Unilocalette whom I am close w/​all thanks to the Talk forum. I had the pleasure to meet her kids and boyfriend as well.
After I parked the stroller, I was greeted by Amanda immediately; a hug and a gift containing the things she knows I like for my birthday. I turned 33 last month. After getting settled, we just talked and forgot to even look at the menu. Who would have thought there is another person like me out there — her boyfriend does not share his food! Yup, I do not share my food. Ask anyone. Anyway. Conversations flowed naturally like we have been close friends forever.
My entrée was good; the rice was crispy and a bit sticky (too much water) and the chicken and beef was tender. The dish itself was heavy and very filling. Thank goodness I did not order anything else because at the end, Amanda’s boyfriend wouldn’t let me pay.
Her kids behaved throughout the meal and Gavin did quite well, too despite his many attempts to collect his gift from Amanda. Damn Hot Wheels! I did not want dinner to end but I know that this is just the beginning.
Gavin and I will be in LA this January :)
Service was great. Prices are little high.
I’d recommend.

Came in here with the family for a Saturday night dinner. I was here years ago and wasn’t really impressed last time, but it has been years. We were sat down right away as there was no line, it was actually a little slow for a Saturday night on prime dinner time.
Then we sat…, examining the menu like a final exam. For a full fifteen mins, we sat and debated what to order, since we have no idea who would serve us. Then finally our waitress came and ask if we were ready to order. We gave her our drink order and food order at the same time. And this is where it speeds up, at least for the food. I am not sure if they had to brew my blue moon, but think they did or they actually went to Singapore for my buddy’s Singapore sling. They took forever for those, we were well into our food by the time that came.
Anywho, back to the food:
Shrimp Roll: same as any viet restaurant, good not great, not super special as everyone seems to tell me.
Carrot Chowder: didn’t like it at all, tasted like cream of nothing to me, but that could just be me. Everyone else was ok with it.
Pork kebab: with no sticks attached. Just a little confused about the no sticks part. Besides that, this was really good. Thinly sliced, grill just right. With a side of fish sauce to dip. Really good, no complaints.
Lemongrass beef: this was pretty good, more like curry beef than lemongrass beef, but it was good anyways.
Birds nest: their version of the pan fried noodles. This was great, the crispy noodles stayed crispy, the sauce was good. The beef, chicken, shrimps and veggies were not overly done. Enjoyed this a lot.
Clay pot rice: by far the best of the night. The toppings of meat and veggies were excellent, the rice was to die for. The rice was flavorful, with just enough burn rice on the bottom to scrape off.
Overall, the food was good, the rice was fantastic. The service was somewhere between so-​so and good, perhaps I caught them on a off night. They were a bit slow, but did come back to make sure we were ok. I would definitely come back and order other stuff.

A bit disappointing. I thought it was fancy Vietnamese food that’s a bit overpriced. I had to give Le Cheval a try since it’s been around forever, and stopped by for lunch on Sunday. The restaurant was pretty empty around 1pm, and we were able to grab a table right away. We tried:
–Complimentary Potato Cream Soup (
): This was pretty good for a complimentary soup– the potatoes were nice and soft, and the soup had a creamy texture.
–Le Cheval Combo (Pork Kebab, Prawn Kebab, Fried Chicken Wings, Imperial Roll, Served w/​Red Rice [Rice w/​Butter, Tomato Sauce, $ 11.75],
): Eh, not that great. The prawns were overcooked, the chicken wings were dry, and the imperial roll was so-​so. The pork was the best part of this plate, since even the rice was a bit dry and bland.
–Garlic Noodles (Wheat Noodles in Buttered Garlic Sauce Topped w/​Parmesan Cheese, $ 11.50,
): Eh, not the best garlic noodles I’ve had. Also, the garlic sunk to the bottom of the plate so you got a mouthful of garlic taste at the very end. Skip!
–Cube Beef Steak ($ 15.25 + Green Beans $ 1.25,
): It was just ok for me, but the bf liked this dish a lot. The beef was tender and flavorful, but I thought it was a bit too chewy. Everyone liked the beef without the lemon pepper dipping sauce they serve it with. We added the green beans, but they were just ok– I would recommend ordering the dish without them.
Service was solid– they came to take our order right away and the food didn’t take too long to come out. However, I didn’t feel like the quality of the food justified the higher prices. Based on my experience today, I doubt I will return. Parking around this area is also difficult– some street parking is available, but the meters run everyday until 8pm (I believe). There is a parking structure also where the first hour is free, which is a good option.

Love this place!
The service, food, ambiance, and location are great! I’ve been to their Oakland location several times. This was my second time at the Walnut Creek branch.
Very attentive and friendly service. My water was refilled constantly.
My wife and I were recently here for lunch and ordered the following:
–garlic noodles — SO GOOD! I can’t find any place in the Tri-​Valley area that makes this dish so well
–Combination clay pot rice — Generous portions of meat and vegetables. Everything is so flavorful. The bottom crust of rice is amazing!
–Tofu curry — Really good flavor
–The corn chowder is delicious!
There’s metered street parking right outside the restaurant and a parking structure a block down.

Oh heaven on a hankie.
Yesterday was one of those days at work where I contemplated getting up from my desk and leaving the office behind forever. The hum of the copier combined with the flickering of lights overhead formed the most annoying cornucopia of the senses. Just as I was developing my escape route and thinking of a legitimate excuse for my absence, I realized I was probably hungry. If Snickers commercials have taught me anything, it’s that I’m really not capable of logic when I’m hungry.
In search of relief, I decided that I wanted soup. After a painful perusal of the Interwebz (as in fraught with indecision), I was pretty sure that I wanted some soup from Le Cheval. I (and the rest of the world, probably) am so damn glad that I made that decision.
I got the most delicious noodle soup with veggies (carrot, zucchini, onion, mushroom, cilantro, broccoli) and all the accouterments (I just need you to know that I pronounced that uh-​coo-​tray-​mon) and my spirits were instantly lifted. Everyone in the office kept making remarks about how delicious my soup smelled. I really hope they didn’t expect me to give them any… They should know better by now.