Culinary Cambridge

Le’s Café, a local favorite, offers tasty Vietnamese food, and its quality isn’t compromised by its price. Formerly known as Pho Pasteur, this versatile locale in The Garage is a go-to place for an outing with friends, a meal on your parents’ tab, and even a first (or last) date.

Spread over three levels, the décor at Le’s is an interesting mix of Asian serenity and American tastelessness. The wooden tables are decorated with just a flower, while bizarre artwork clashes with the pastel colored walls. If anything, these prints create an interesting conversation piece and do not significantly detract from the pleasant environment. Compared to its similarly priced Asian counterparts in the Square, however, Le’s takes the cake for ambiance and cleanliness, despite its shortcomings.

Though a popular spot among students and Cantabrigians, it is rare to wait more than 15 minutes on weekend nights. While this makes Le’s an ideal spot on a busy evening in the Square, it also means that the service is a bit rushed and unpleasant. It is typical to receive your entrée before you are even able to start in on your second spring roll.

If food is going to be quickly piled on you, it might as well be good, and Le’s certainly excels at this. The menu, though seemingly extensive, is mainly comprised of variations on a few base dishes: soups, vermicelli, and noodle or rice stir fries. This is typical of any Vietnamese restaurant, and Le’s offers its dishes tastefully and warmly prepared.

The house specialty is vermicelli—thin rice noodles in a fish sauce mixed with your choice of beef, pork, or chicken and mint, bean sprouts, and peanuts ($6.95). It is a lovely light dish, and certain versions feature a crispy spring role accompanied by the wonderfully tangy nuoc cham sauce on the side. You can customize it to your liking (I choose to skip the mint), making vermicelli a good choice for your first Vietnamese culinary experience.

For the more adventurous among you, try a spicier meat entrée. The Xao Curi dishes ($9.50) are a great choice for any of the meat or tofu options. Intensely seasoned and saucy, these dishes feature vegetables and meat stir fried with rice on the side. Brown rice, annoyingly, is not available for more health conscious customers.

Another popular choice is any of the noodle dishes ($7.95). Available with meat, fish, or tofu, these offer a variety of spices and flavors. For an added twist, ask for the crispy noodles, which offer a nice crunch that compliments any flavor.

Given the pace of the service and the low price, appetizers are definitely worth it. The most popular choice is the spring rolls—available as fresh or crispy. The fresh are a bit healthier and include shrimp, but I find the crispy rolls with chicken to offer much more flavor.

The beverages, while they look appealing, are Le’s greatest weakness. The bubble teas and smoothies are disappointingly watered down, and I suggest heading to other nearby venues to experience these as a sweet post-meal treat.

Despite the rushed service, Le’s is an excellent choice for Asian fare in the Square. You can find dishes similar to your favorite Thai or Chinese food, while also experiencing a slightly different cultural twist. You will leave feeling satisfied—and the only thing that will feel overstuffed is your wallet filled with all the extra cash you saved.