Langbaan

Such a disappointment. This restaurant has received glowing reviews and we had waited six months for our reservation for our party of four. It is difficult to even write this review because we had hoped that the restaurant meal would please us and we try to be supportive of Portland restaurants, which we think are generally excellent. My husband and I have spent the last week and a half speculating on what must have happened. Were the chefs on vacation? Are they resting on their laurels? Are they not doing well financially and now cutting corners? That would explain some of our disappointment but not all. For example, the service was as disappointing as the food.
We dined there on Saturday, January 16^th and the meal was built around Central Thailand cuisine. Although the food of Central Thailand might be unexceptional, it must be better than this. (So far we’ve loved all regional Thai cuisine that we’ve sampled both in the US and in Thailand.)
The appetizers, especially the Miang sum-​O (little wraps of fish, pomelo, shallot, chili, lime and ginger that reminded us of Miang Kum) and the Kanom krok (scallops, lemongrass and coconut cream served in a crispy rice cup), were good and the meal looked promising. However none of the remaining courses lived up to the promise. The soup course of Dungeness crab, green curry mousse, basil and kefir lime was flavorless. We were excited about the salads, based on the description of their ingredients and we all love Southeast Asian salads, but they just didn’t have the zing of the salads we love. The one with Wagyu beef was particularly disappointing because the so-​called Wagyu beef (domestically produced, if I remember correctly) was not flavorful and was so gristly as to be inedible. Not at all like the Wagyu beef course we recently had at N/​Naka in Los Angeles. We chewed for a bit, then spit it out. Why put Wagyu beef culotte on the menu as one of your ingredients if you can’t cook it to at least mimic the flavor and texture of real Wagyu beef?
The main course trilogy was a mackerel dish, a pork jowl dish and a shrimp curry dish, all of which compared unfavorably with our local Thai restaurant two miles down the road. Bland and unexceptional. Dessert consisted of two puddings, one slightly smoky, one just bland. They were less than unexceptional. We didn’t eat either one.
We ordered the matching wine pairings as well as cocktails before the meal. There was not enough time allowed in the two-​sitting time frame to enjoy the cocktails so if you must go, I’d recommend foregoing the cocktails. The wine was not paired well with the food in my opinion. I always order wine pairings and have never before been disappointed in a restaurant’s choice. This time I found the wines to actually conflict with the food, so ended up drinking the pared wines before and after the courses and drinking water with the food! It was really disconcerting.
The servers were pleasant but unprofessional. Once my food was taken away before I had finished and twice both mine and one of our fellow diners’ wine was taken away before we had finished.
All in all, I’d suggest saving your money and going to Pok Pok, where the food has never disappointed us.

Wow. Your hear that word uttered from each table at regular intervals. This is was by far my best dining experience in my life. Coming up to the time, I was worried the hip had taken me over — then I took that first bite and was transported. Two hours flew by with fantastic service, excellent wine pairings. Having this visit being a waitlist callback, I am beyond excited to drop more cash again in March.

Food was delicious! Well worth the wait! Each course have many different flavors. Loved how they set it up in front of you if you were seated at the bar table

WOW… What an experience! Took my wife there for her birthday and completely exceeded our expectations. Get there early and see if you can get a seat at the bar. Totally worth the experience to watch all the food being prepped and served. The chefs are masters of their craft and true artist. Can’t wait to go again!

Bottom Line — Make reservations and then wait 6 months to eat here. But the wait is worth it. This is easily one of the best eats in Portland. You don’t even have to worry about picking and choosing menu items, because it is all chef’s tasting.
I came on Saturday, 21 November 2015 with 5 other friends. 2 of us had been there before, but not the rest of us. The restaurant had been talked-​up so much to us (from the 2 that have eaten here before) that our expectations were sky-​high. I’ll just say now that we were not disappointed.
APPETISERS included three «bites»
Miang som-​o — Pomelo, shrimp, shallot, chili, lime, ginger in a roasted coconut sauce on top of a betel leaf. Our very first bite of this was so good. We wanted more and were sad it was just one bite.
Kanomkrok — Crispy rice cup, scallop, coconut cream with galangal. This was even better than the first bite, and it was a consensus that it was the very best thing any of us put into our mouths the entire night. I wanted to eat this for the rest of the meal and nothing else, and I would be more than satisfied.
Guay tiew lord — Phuket-​style rice noodle, ankimo, dried shirmp, shiitake, pork, sprout, omelette, garlic, soy vinaigrette. This was excellent, but all that was on our minds was how fantastic the Kanomkrok was…
SOUP
Dtom gati hoy lie — Clams in coconut broth, romanesco, matsutake, sawtooth, shallot. This soup was hearty and nice and creamy from the coconut broth.
SALAD
Yum nuea khem — Soy-​cured wagyu zabuton, dried squid, braeburn apple, mint, groundwork carrot, shrimp powder. This salad was okay. But we were running on memories of that Kanomkrok!
MAIN COURSE
Gang puu cha-​om — Dungeness crab curry, cha-​om, betel leaf and pineapple. This had a spicy kick! It was very flavourful but our mouths were also on fire!
Plaa todd kamin — Tumeric fried squid with tentacle and smelt. This was pretty good! It’s a good thing all of us like squid, and it’s fried. How can this go wrong!
Nahm prik khai khem — salted duck egg with prawn relish, fresh greens. This dish was nice; I liked the saltiness and actually ate it with some of the curry.
DESSERT
Mon duai nahm gati — Cassava, job’s tear, pineapple, black bean, coconut broth, jasmine ice. This dessert was quite nice. I wanted more!
Roti — Pan-​fried roti, spiced honey syrup. What a nice way to round out the meal.
Table service was excellent, although maybe a bit clumbsy at times. Everyone was friendly.
Our tasting menu bill came to $ 450 (75/​per person) plus some drinks (wine, sparkling mineral water) at $ 105 = $ 555.00 for the 6 of us before tip. Not a cheap meal, but it could have been so much more.

Waited 6 months non chalantly, there was a tad of anticipation with the $ 75 price tag. We decided to go all in and spring for the extra $ 30 for the wine pairing which was beautifully done, and plentiful.
First — I’d definitely do the pairing on the next venture down the Thailand roots with Langbaan. Though, I would agree with Melvinator, with suggesting maybe a more traditional Thailand alcoholic pairing. Its not sificult to find some Thai originbeer/​liquor resonating that tastes of homeland.
Snacks, was and mini bomb in our mouths. Collectively, we said delicious! Definitely, a great rendetion of Thailands flavor. Coconutty, clammy, soupy, fish saucy delicious. All cuisine should just be like this, be as explosive. 3 in all i believe. A rice noodle wrap, crunchy bowly thing and a shrimp wrapped on bental leaf.
Yes, it was a rather shiny penny — but will definitely save those pennies for the next time.
+Ambience — the secretiveness, but nonchalantness was covertly intomate, but yet inviting. It was great. Anniversary, special happenins would make it a nice not to forget.
+Tastes. Great, but the entrée was way too spicy for us weaklings. It was a lot to almost disregard, but ckmjng into this… we knew Thai flavor could be on the Richter scale… but our taste buds just couldnt hang with our insatiable taste for anything hotter than hot.
+Quality vs Quantity. With Langbaan… you dont have to choose either or. With 2 snack size items (mussel incoconut broth and a crunchy bite size goodness), follower by a clam coconutty soup then seared yellowfin salad. Then the spicy entrée of lobstery curry spicyness with a deep fried small fish. then two small, but tasty dessert. And i believe there was 1 wine with appetizer, another with soup and salad portion, a beer to pair for entrée. I feel like im missing another wine in there somewhere.
+Service was great. Our tip spoke it.
Will we return. Yes! Will we try the sister restaurant next door. You betcha!
Thanks crew of Langbaan!

Better than any meal I had in Thailand! Simple remarkable. Service was splendid. Wine was perfect pairing!

4 stars for all the effort in the world. The vibe is ultra cool. We had the November menu which the waiter set us up by saying the chefs just got back from A 10 day journey in Thailand to learn and inspire cooking. We bought it and after a 4 month rsvp. I was ready to be impressed. The experience started with a bang because it’s a thai restaurant within a thai restaurant. Seating could probably fit 8 – 10 couples comfortably. The snacks were unbeatable! Betal leaf prawn that was bite size and a crispy edible rice bowl filled with creamy raw scallops and a coconut broth clam soup were my favorites of the 11 dishes. I really could have stopped there because the rest of the dishes were tasty but not mind blowing. There was a rice noodle snack wrapped with meat as well as a beef thai tar tar and yellow tail salad which were also delightful. The main entrée did not entice us. It was jasmine rice with smelt and calamari (which was not crunchy and feels like it’s been sitting) the crab curry was spectacular and the prawn pickled egg lettuce wrap tasted like something I’ve had before. The desserts were tasty but I was not shocked. I guess I was expecting to have flavors meld where I’ve never experienced before. I think being Vietnamese I’ve had my share of fish saucey dishes. I totally get the appeal from other cultures though and I probably wouldn’t try it again, but great experience. Now I can say that I’ve tried it. With 75 a pop I can figure better places to get a palate explosion in my mouth. Funny story: my husband asked for chopsticks, and that was extremely disgraceful to them lol, because they don’t do chopsticks there. HAH I tried to tell him, then I also wanted him to ask for hot sauce. Can you imagine? They might of booted us out right there and then!
Bonus: cocktails go great with the meal and there is also a wine pairing option with your meal.
Gripe :rsvps can be as long as 6 months in advance if you’re lucky to be waitlisted.

I love this place. The flavors were incredible in every bite we had. And the textures! The creativity! Wow oh wow.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, with the hefty price tag and the 6 month wait, but it was all delicious. We went in November, and in that menu, the snacks, soup and salads were the best part of the meal. Absolutely blown away at the items. However, the «main dishes», if that’s what you would call them, were not as good and required a bit more adventure than the previous items. However, it’s all in personal preference and I’m sure other people felt the opposite and moreso enjoyed the later items.
Aside from my personal preference on some items and the hefty price tag, this is a great restaurant. I’d highly encourage someone to get on the waiting list that has an adventurous side, just in case they serve fried smelt again.

I am officially a huge fan of Chef Earl and his restaurant.
I went back in July for my birthday, so yes this review is a bit late…
But not only did he accommodate me for the day I wanted, but it happened within 24 hours.
The experience is like nothing else in Portland, it felt intimate and well executed.
Every single dish I had was delicious, literally EVERY SINGLE ONE.
I sat at the counter with my girlfriend and another couple and I believe that made my experience even more intimate, since we got to speak to the other cooks and watch all of the dishes get prepared.
I seriously left the restaurant completely satisfied, the $ 80 price tag was totally worth it.
And no, I am not exaggerating. I consider myself to be a tough customer and my standards are quite high.
This place is officially my FAVORITE place in Portland. Thank you Earl!
P. S. I ran into Earl again at Feast and he remembered me & was very friendly. Awesome guy.

Was really looking forward to Langbaan after putting our name on the waitlist in April for a spot in early September. We were the first to arrive and be seated and our server came right over and took our drink order. All was well at that point — the cozy dining room had nice ambience with a view of the chefs in the kitchen.
Things then took a turn for the worse.
Our drinks never arrived –even after several other people were seated and receiving their drinks and food had started coming to other tables (except ours). We finally flagged down the other server and she apologized and went to check on our drinks. While still waiting our server brought over a complimentary glass of wine and apologized. Ten minutes later our drinks still had not come but the food had began arriving. Our drinks finally did arrive so that was the end of that saga. For the record, I understand service can sometimes be spotty and understand mistakes happen. However, in this case our server avoided us long after our drinks should’ve arrived even though the room is incredibly small.
The food. Dear Langbaan. I had waited and waited to try you. The food was very disappointing. Out of the 9 dishes I would say 2 of them were good. Not great, just good. About three dishes in I told my boyfriend I was disappointed. It did not feel like a $ 70 per meal place nor worth the 5 month wait to get in. My boyfriend, who has been to Thailand, was very disappointed.
Had very high hopes — sadly would not recommend.

There are no words that can do justice to the explosion of flavors and textures experienced tonight during our 11 course meal. From start to finish, one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve ever had with professional and courteous wait staff, talented and passionate chefs who performs magic with their ingredients, and a really nice space tucked behind Paadee for our meal. Every dish brought to us was packed with so much flavor and so well balanced that I really really couldn’t pick my top one or even top three. There was nothing served tonight that wasn’t a work of love. The 3 month wait was well worth it as this is one meal that would be difficult to forget!

Well worth the wait. We made reservations in February for July… yes, you read that correctly.
I have to say from the moment you walk in the door to when the first dish comes out it is 100% amazing!
Everything was spectacular, but the octopus and the omlette dish was stand out to me. Desert was just ok, but that is my personal preference, not a fan of tapioca.
I made reservations for January and can’t wait to see what the menu for winter is.

It must have been around December or January that I read all about Langbaan and set my heart on experiencing it. I remember going to the website and finding zero reservations for a party of two. I was crushed. Luckily, I placed myself on the waiting list for July 5^th, knowing we would be going out to celebrate our 7^th wedding anniversary that night.
Month’s later I am haunted by the incredible press and accolades that Langbaan continues to accumulate. I check for reservations occasionally but never find anything available. Then, as I sit at my desk packing my stuff up to head home one Tuesday afternoon, I get a text message. A table for two has opened up on July 5^th at 5:30! I had 15 minutes to reserve it, so thank goodness I was just sitting around. Good fortune had clearly smiled upon me.
The day arrives, we have already looked over the prix fixe menu a dozen times. Every dish seems as though it was created just for us! It’s a central Thailand themed menu, heavy on greens, coconut milk and seafood. All our favorites.
The meal starts with three snacks. first a delicious prawn and naval orange wrapped in a tasty leaf. These are followed by rice cups filled with tender scallops and a sweet lemony coconut sauce which
.mind. The hand woven egg net filled with pork and water chestnuts and topped with a pickled cucumbers totally wows us too. Each snack is two of three bites which is larger than we were expecting. Next comes soup which luckily we don’t have to share. Savory pork meatballs, cuttlefish and greens in a rich broth. Then, two salads; the octopus is my husbands favorite with thai basil and a creamy dressing. The octopus is cooked perfectly, it’s soft and savory, not chewy. I preferred the salmon with pickled watermelon skins which are a little spicy.
Finally, it’s time for the main course. We are given all three entrees and a bowl of rice at once and instructed on which to eat first. The cod and fermented rice starts us off, we pile it onto leaves and cucumber boats. Next, the Peking duck with spicy dipping sauce. This is a dish I have always wanted to try and it did not disappoint. The third entrée is a main lobster which is soft and sweet, served in a coconut curry. The rice is a great tool for mopping up all the delicious sauces.
At this point we are stuffed. I don’t know how anyone has room for any wine with all this food. Dessert is coming though and as soon as I see it I know I can make room. It’s a coconut granita with melon balls and tapioca pearls. It’s incredible and light. Then, one more dessert because why not. It’s a warm coconut custard. It’s so thick it’s almost like a little cake, and somehow it’s the perfect end to the meal.
The food aside, the staff really goes the extra mile to make this an incredible experience. They explain everything as they place the for in front of you, they keep the table clean and effortlessly move from dish to dish. The chefs are nearby and you can watch them systematically prepare each plate. It’s perfection, from beginning to end. They have thought of everything. If you ever have the opportunity to eat here, take it in an instant. You will never forget it.

Wow. Just wow. This was not just a meal, this was an experience. So much love, thought, & creativity was put into every bite. The only problem was that every course was so delicious, it left me wanting more. But isn’t that the point? All of the courses were good enough on their own, but all put together, it was a perfect symphony of textures & flavors. And the price is so reasonable at $ 65/​person. Worth every penny. The only problem I have is that I can’t go back whenever I want. Not sure if I can wait 6 months to go again!
Also, I wanted to give props to the restaurant for sticking to their guns the night we were there (4÷11÷15). A party of 14 reserved most of the restaurant & they apparently decided to just bring 2 extra people. Can’t do that at a place like this, idiots. They were told very diplomatically that they could not accommodate 2 extra people due to food & space constraints. They tried to argue, beg, & barter to no avail because 2 people had to leave. I never wanted to slow clap so badly in my life!

so. $ 65/​person???
its very delicious and every dish was very well composed.
but. they give you 1 dish for 2 people… and portions were ridiculous. didnt feel like a meal but more like a sample tasting? and the waiting time in between each dish was long so i wouldnt recommend for an impatient person like me. You basically take a small bite and u just wait… and wait…
the first couple of appetizers had bold flavors and was pretty satisfied. but there were nothing «unique» about their entrees which was a huge disappointment for me. felt like i can get that at any decent thai restaurant for quarter of the price.
service was great, space is beautiful. but just dont go there hungry.
we were ready to eat a second dinner by the time we walked out. :(

Wow.
I think I muttered «wow» after about every single bite at Langbaan. And if I didn’t, the same sentiment was expressed in a simple, subtle, head-​shake in disbelief. To put it succinctly, the food here is incredible.
Thai and Vietnamese food expresses itself in so many dynamic flavors. Real Thai food, that is. Not just the stoplight curries and pad thai that you find at most Thai joints. But the herbs (basil, mint, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, etc), roots (turmeric, galangal), and spices (chiles, etc) combine in often explosive ways to create serious flavor, varied throughout each bite. And a chef like Earl takes these to new heights with carefully-​crafted combinations of herbal, spicy, sour, sweet, smoky, savory, umami, and salty.
The format here is fantastic. Nine courses, many of them single-​bites of food. I am a hearty eater and left full, so never fear. Those bites add up. And some of the mains offer a few bites for each diner. You won’t leave hungry. Our menu (it changes monthly) offered a Thai Muslim influence, so a mix of the bright spicy Thai flavors with the earthy, smokiness of the Muslim influenced foods that stretch through the region. Examples from our meal include scallops in a galangal coconut cream floating in a rice cracker bowl; dungeness crab pancakes topped with an herb, spice and pickle relish; spicy oxtail soup with legit A5 Japanese Wagyu beef on top; lamb in Massamun curry; Massamun dry curry rice; smoked halibut with salad and herbs; peking duck with mango, herbs, green strawberries and a coconut curry dressing… everything an explosion of flavor.
The price for all this? $ 65. That’s insane. In a good way. I’ve had plenty of much higher-​priced prix fixe meals in PDX that don’t come close to the creativity, quality and quantity of what we got here. The wine and cocktail prices are reasonable (they do have a pairing option) and they have a great selection of white wines to go with the spicy, bright food.
This was easily one of my top two meals of the year, if not this year and last. The only real downside is that it’s fucking impossible to get reservations here. Two seatings per night, open Thu-​Sun. That’s it.
If you’re at all on the fence about whether to dine here, let this review push you over into the yes side. It’s beyond worth it. Such amazing flavors, great service, solid atmosphere, and something you won’t get anywhere else in town.

BOOM! Shut the competition down! This is it! This is the best meal ever!
My husband and I had a pretty «blah» anniversary dinner the weekend before (see last review), so we decided to try again… and we nailed this pick! I know «best meal ever» sounds like hyperbole, but I assure you it is not. Every flavor was on-​point incredible. Every taste kept taking things up a notch. I left full but not stuffed to the gills. This was the meal the world deserves to feel like they’ve eaten!!!
We’re big fans of Pok Pok, but this… this just brings Thai taste to another level. The spice had so much bite but wouldn’t linger. The sweet was subtle but cooling, and made every taste even better.
The meal was just pitch perfect. Not a thing about it I would change.

Goddam Legit.
Lang Baan is Rustic Thai cuisine in an elegant setting. They are executing the flavors of true Thai food at an insane level.
The thing I love the most about Thai cuisine is that it is naturally a near perfect culinary experience. Watch the food shows and they are always barking on perfect dishes having balanced flavors complemented with textural components in a beautiful presentation. Those are the characteristics that Thai food naturally has. Thai food doesn’t have to try to be all those things. It doesn’t need necessary garnish to add acid, color, or crunch. Lang Baan’s execution of Thai regional specialties takes all that natural perfection and raises the bar.
My favorite section of my 9 course dinner was the the salad courses. This is where the salty, sour, sweet, spicy flavor symphony is at its peak. I would have gladly paid $ 65 for just one big bowl of those salads. The 9 course menu has you wanting more. Not because it isn’t filling, but because it tastes so good that you don’t want to it to stop.
My one teeny-​tiny complaint is the wine pairing. Pairing wines is not what I envision for this Thai dinner. I did not opt for the $ 30 pairing. I would have loved to pair Thai and SE Asian beers with this food. The only SE Asian beer they had was Singha (Thai lager). I would love to see them expand their beer menu to better complement the food. My personal Singaha pairing still hit the spot.
Lang Baan has something special going on here. The press is well deserved. I felt like I was eating in Thailand without the 18 hour flight or $ 1000 airfare. Take my 65 moneys, Lang Baan! We’re not supposed to drop the A-​word, but eff it… This is AUTHENTIC!

I’ve been there 3 times now and each of them has been a wonderful experience. While there are some similar items in the appetizer area, each month usually highlight on a region in Thailand. I would say 90% of the dish I’ve never tasted anywhere else before, making it a very unique experience. I was blown away with the complicated flavors and texture of each dish. Apparently the recipes are ones the chef found from old palace recipe book written by a Thai Princess (but of course, with a twist and modified with local ingredients). The result is fantastic. I can’t wait to try the different tasting menus in the future!
The logistics:
1. Only opens Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun. that’s it.
2. Only 2 seatings per day: 6pm or 8:30pm.
3. Only prix fixe menu $ 65
4. Optional wine pairing for $ 30, or other cocktails/​beers.
5. Located inside PaaDee restaurant, inside a «secret» room behind a bookcase.
6. They now take online reservations — max 6.