The Beautiful People Flock to This River Oaks Hotspot’s Anniversary Party

It was a swell bunch that climbed the stairs (OK, a few used the elevator) to hot spot Le Colonial’s second floor bar cum dining room for a two year anniversary bash that still has the invitation-only guests swooning. What could be more praise-worthy than an open bar, DJ accompanied by electric violin, and a continual flow of Le Colonial’s scrumptious menu items?

Few could have been more pleased with the gathering than Joe King, Le Colonial honcho, who flew in from Chicago to help thank investors, customers and members of the city’s social flock, regulars on the chichi River Oaks District scene.

“It’s been two really wonderful years here within the Houston community that has supported us,” King told PaperCity. “We’ve invited a lot of regulars, some of our investors, some neighborhood people , people that have truly been ambassadors of the restaurant. We’ve invited them to come and say, ‘Hi’ and get a bite.”

Not long after start time, the place was packed as is typical of Le Colonial Thursday nights when the cool peeps fill the bar with social cachet and dinners spill over from the first floor to the second. On this night, the 200 or so that moved in and out of the scene were invited guests. A testament to the owners’ generosity to close the second floor on a Thursday for a no-admission-charged party. It was all one big thank you.

“I couldn’t be happier with the success that we’ve had here,” King said. “It’s a different concept. It’s French Vietnamese. I know there’s a tremendous amount of Vietnamese restaurants here but this is sort of upscale.

“It is clearly going to be a little more expensive than some of the places that are not so sophisticated and I think people have really grasped it.”

While DJ Ramalama spun the beats and electric violinist Emilio Arrendondo played along, a bevy of attractive waitresses circled the room offering trays of the best of the Le Colonial menu. The sensational party menu included mini banh mi (Vietnamese pork sandwiches), skewers of flavorful filet mignon, dumplings freshly steamed in the middle of the party scene, tuna tartare with soy caviar on a wonton taco, grilled shrimp rolls and more.

Savoring the night: Ellen Benninghoven and Michael Schaefer, Sophia and Pepe Gambara, Lori and Dr. Isaac Raijman, Ed Melchor, Elizabeth and Sebastien Laval, Neal Hamil, Gigi Huang, Karen and Mike Mayell, Marni Greenwood, William Finnorn, Marcelo Saenz and Adrian Duenas, Karen Lix, Diane Lokey Farb, Courtney Hobson, Debbie Festari, and DeeAnn and Marcus Thigpen.