Society

Houston Hotspot Celebrates Its New Patio & Cocktail Menu With a VIP Party to Swoon Over — Le Colonial Makes Bold Moves

This River Oaks District Staple Only Keeps Getting Better

By Shelby Hodge // Jun 27, 2024

Photography Johnny Than

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Joe King, Rachel Schweers, Darrah & Rick Wahlstedt make the scene at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Sallie Green, Elizabeth Carl, Lauren Gray, Alexander Green at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Nancy Bihlmaier, Carrie Colbert at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Declan Nye, Yonne & Shireen De La Mora, Ezra Saul at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Brandon Bentley, Naela Menchaca, & Sean Cole at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Martin Theis, Khaled Salem at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Frances Chenne, Tran Le, Karin Jamieson at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Le Colonial Houston executive chef Fredy Cutz, maitre 'd Susanna Nagel, Le Colonial culinary director Hassan Obaye at the (Photo by Johnny Than)

Mike & Karin Nassar at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Caroline Henderson, Andrea Martinez Aldecoa at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Charles Mansour, Troy Yearby, George Atala at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Matt & Anne Lee Phillips at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Nam Nguyen, Thuy M. Tran, Christine Tran, Anna M. Tran at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Kerry Wald, Franklin Costales at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Brad Sutton & Maryellen Walsh, Erin Walsh, Jordan Geibel, & Ben Kastleman at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Julie & Eric Kleine, Mary Hoang-Do & Andy Do at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

London LeMay at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

William Finnorn, Pantea Sarvi, Tim Grimes at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Graham & Dawn Ginn at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Sheryl Serna, Montaque, Chloe Detchessahar, Alanna Gustin at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Alexander & Sallie Green at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Gigi Huang, Mark Faigen at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Dr. Fred Aguilar, Nick Florescu (Photo by Johnny Than)

Anne Thomas, Will Kolb at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Kasey & Mark Massey with baby Cora Massey at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Ahmad & Naureen Malik, Selena Mackay, Morgan Robinson at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Michael Schaefer & Ellen Benning at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Alexandra Killion, Kelsey Ralph at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Marie Glover, Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Mark Latham & Carrie Colbert at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Chris Beverly, Tiffany Halik at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Shireen & Yonne De La Mora at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Barbara & Robert Pascal at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Specialty cocktails created by Manhattan's Emplopyees Only at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

When Le Colonial owners Joe King and Rick Wahlstedt jet into Houston from their home bases (Chicago and New York, respectively), you know there is going to be a can’t-miss happening. The two arrived with team in tow to celebrate the completion of the patio renovation of this River Oaks District restaurant and expansion and the new bespoke cocktail menu. And what a party it was.

The Houston hotspot welcomed more than 250 invitation-only guests who mingled through the lush greenery — palms, boxwoods, topiaries, and flowers — in the newly imagined tonnelle, which is French for a shady, leafy shelter. And indeed it was thanks to the design of Illinois-based architect Mark Knauer and Connecticut-based DF Creative Designs.

0251-Le Colonial-Sallie Green,Elizabeth Carl, Lauren Gray, & Alexander Green-PC-20240613-JT (Photo by Johnny Than) — Sallie Green, Elizabeth Carl, Lauren Gray, Alexander Green at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

PaperCity joined Le Colonial in hosting the cocktail reception that had the soigné clutch swooning over the familiar and new cocktails created by Manhattan mixology bar Employees Only. Among the adult libations were lychee martinis, green makrut lime gimlets, Hanoi coffee and French kiss and for the non-imbibing the Saigon mint colada mocktail.

In keeping with Le Colonial’s special parties, the menu of passed hors d’oeuvres included spicy tuna tartar; sesame cone with Hass avocado, sweet chili, cucumber and soy caviar in a sesame cone; chilled shrimp roll; roasted duck; pan-seared chicken dumplings and more.

0242-Le Colonial-Sheryl Serna, Montaque, Chloe Detchessahar, & Alanna Gustin -PC-20240613-JT (Photo by Johnny Than) — Sheryl Serna, Montaque, Chloe Detchessahar, Alanna Gustin at the Le Colonial Summer Soirée, co-hosted by PaperCity (Photo by Johnny Than)

Wahlstedt and partners founded the stylish throwback to fine dining in Vietnam in the 1920s in New York City in 1993. Joe King joined in 1996 to open the Chicago location. Since that time, Le Colonial has grown to include restaurants not only in Houston but also in Atlanta, Lake Forest, Delray Beach and Naples. Up next are new Le Colonials in Denver and Scottsdale.

On this night, the Houston team welcoming the movers and shakers included GM Ezra Saul, lounge manager Kiely Brown, assistant manager Emily Janacek, captain Juan Solis and popular maitre ‘d Susanna Nagel.

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While of course, any Houston party in June will be steamy, attendees received Le Colonial signature hand fans. But all went well as the air conditioning inside the restaurant was up to speed.

PC Seen: Darrah Ferrari Wahlstedt, Steve Wyatt, Rachel Schweers, Elizabeth Carl, Sheryl Serna, Montaque, Sallie and Alexander Green, Lauren Gray, Karen and Mike Nassar, Julie and Eric Kleine, Mary Hoang-Do and Andy Do, Gigi Huant, Anne Lee and Matt Phillips, Nancy Bihlmaier, Jordan Geibel and Ben Kastleman, Maryellen Walsh and Brad Sutton, William Finnorn, Pantea Sarvi, Tim Grimes, and Mark Latham and Carrie Colbert.