I share similar sentiments on Langbaan to the review that Aramis provided below, and would note that Langbaan feels a very “casual” prix fixe dining experience.
In summary, food was good, but not great, and service / ambiance / elegance did not match the price tag of our meal (table of 4, ~$250 a person for cocktails, wine & added Wagyu option). November 2024 menu.
The first 4 dishes were phenomenal but quality / delight factor went down from there. The main entree was disappointing with the smoked trout relish being described as having similar flavors to a “Chicago chili dog”, served with lackluster fermented chicken, rice, curry, and vegetable wraps, all unremarkable. A few dishes were plated sloppily, which even our server commented. Our wagyu option (which was tiny) was served cold and its preparation felt like a disservice to the quality of the cut. Desert was fine but forgettable. We left hungry!
All tables are served each course at the same time, which perhaps contributed to issues mentioned above.
Ultimately the best dishes at Laangban just echoed flavors of my favorite Thai takeaway spots in PDX… which left me wondering why I spent so much for curry and rice. With so many other impressive prix fixe offerings in Portland to try, I would not recommend Langbaan.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sunny K
THE BEST restaurant in the Pacific Northwest.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Belle Sommer
Good was delicious, staff very friendly! It was a great experience. I will definitely make this a regular spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
matei mitaru
Really amazing tasting menu. Wine pairings were also awesome.
Dietary restrictions: Tasting menu is designed around any dietary restrictions. They are very accommodating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallop, A Pair of Oysters
Nellie Chung
Absolutely incredible dining experience at Laangban. Loved to have been able to experience Southern Thailand flavor in this fine dining restaurant. The vibes here are ultra cool and every member of the staff was so knowledgeable about the dishes and so friendly that we felt really comfortable eating here. You will leave full!! And each dish packed so much flavor. Fan favorites for us were the fried soft shell crab salad, pork dumplings, and shrimp relish. Will definitely have to come back in the future
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A N
My god was this 15-course meal amazing. The waygu dish was the best waygu dish I’ve ever had.
Maggie Peterson
I had an incredible time. Langbaan serves up unpretentious hospitality and complex, beautifully tasty flavours. Their collective attention to detail, plating, pacing, flatware, flavours, ambiance, and descriptions are all beautiful. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Chef Pui at the bar- it was awesome to hear his feedback and info about certain dishes and ingredients. Andrew and Joe took turns serving and sharing about the food; they were attentive, friendly, and engaging. Truly a stunning meal that I'll remember. Thank you, again. I'll be back with my family soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
L W
Absokutely delicious food, pretty decor, and warm and enthusiastic service. love it.
J. Paul
We finally got here after attempting to get a reservation for months. It was so worth the effort. First, the service was exceptional, from the 4 servers attending us. Each bite exploded with flavor! So many courses, but you are never overwhelmed by feeling stuffed. Try to try again to get into this amazing dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeanne Paul
An amazing dining experience. Menu is fixed so you are in for a culinary experience
It’s good but not great. The menu started out really flavorful and unique until we got to entrees. Green curry, rice, pork belly were all a bit standard. One main was a combination of beef, salted egg, and rhubarb and tasted as weird as you would guess. Serving sizes were small and we left hungry. A tad over priced. A good night overall but I wouldn’t go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Robert Dalton
This surely isn’t the best restaurant in America. We were told to show up early for our reservation so we did. They say they have bar seating but they don’t & have no way to accommodate you. They could not seat us & instead suggested we wait outside next to the dumpsters right outside the front door. Then we found out they only do one serving so we had to wait 45 minutes for everyone else to show up & be seated. It took 10 minutes for them to touch our table once we were seated. This is like a 10 table restaurant. The waitress was pretentious & rude. It took another 15 minutes for us to get our drinks. We did the wine pairing with the meal. Some of the wines were gross. The server said she won’t drink the wine served with the entree. It tasted like cat piss. It took 25 minutes for us to receive our second dish after the oysters. The cuddlefish soup was nasty. It was like watered down soy sauce. The catfish lettuce wrap was gross & way too fishy. They brought the desert wine cold for the last course then it sat for 15 minutes while we waited for the actual desert. When the sticky rice desert came it was disgusting. It was my 40th birthday dinner & it sucked. Don’t go here.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Aramis Penland
I hate to say it, but Langbaan just isn't worth it. And before you think I'm one of those people who just doesn't like spending a pretty penny on a meal, I just dropped $800 and $700 per person at the Alchemist and Geranium in Copenhagen, and had no issue doing so because those were absolutely worth it! At what came to about $160 per person, Langbaan just doesn't deliver the Michelin level food you would expect (per my other reviews, I've dined at 169 Michelin restaurants around the world, so hopefully am speaking from a point of comparison).
Of 11 dishes served, only 1 (the scallop tart) was truly great. A few others were slightly above average (the cod), others average, and the rest outright misses (the shrimp was overcooked, the wagyu steak of all things was tough/chewy - a big no no, the soup was far too sour). Aside from the food itself, there also were a few oddities that I had issues with:
1) The server introduces the restaurant by saying "we have a new menu as of Friday, which means you are one of the first people in America to try it." If you are going to say something like this (which comes off as pretentious - I've never heard such a thing at those 169 Michelins I've been to), you have to deliver, otherwise it really comes off the wrong way.
2) The meal is advertised as 11 courses, but 4 of those are brought out at one time as part of the main course, and it really is just 1 course with multiple parts, not 4 separate courses (unless you want to count the rice as a course, or the duck curry sauce that you put on said rice). Again, I haven't seen something like this done elsewhere, so found it a bit misleading.
3) The servers were all really nice and friendly, so no issue there, though they would frequently introduce dishes by saying "What I love most about this dish is..." Because multiple of them did this, you could tell it was required/scripted, which takes away from the genuineness of such statements.
4) For all the pretentiousness, they don't replace plates/utensils after each course, there is no AC, and when we arrived, we had to stand outside (this was during a recent heat wave of >100 degrees) until after our start time because the hostess said "they weren't ready."
I really wanted to love Langbaan (I wouldn't have taken my mother and sister there if I didn't), and per many of my other reviews, I don't have an issue giving high marks when deserved. But this missed on so many levels that I get the feeling the high reviews from other patrons are from those who don't eat this level of meal a lot (so of course it is the "best" meal of their life). I hope Langbaan improves. And hey, maybe it was just an off night. But to me, it wasn't worth the $160.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Andrew McLean
Were thrilled to snag a table here the month after it won the James Beard award for #1 restaurant, but I am at a loss as to why this place received such an honor. This is great Thai food to be sure, but I have had better meals in Portland for less $, let alone New York or LA. Definitely not worth the price and is in a very seedy area (two drug addicts smoking fentanyl directly across the street) made us wish we had taken an Uber, not driven our car. The interior is bascialy an extension of the bar so if you are looking for elegance, this is not the place. If you want the insta brag then perhaps worth it, but temper your expectations.
Parking: Don't take your (nice) car, we were worried about it being broken into by the drug addicts walking up and down the street outside for the whole meal.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
Rick Rickard
Not impressed limited menu. We were told only appetizers available
Vegetarian options: I had some sort of radish concoction
I share similar sentiments on Langbaan to the review that Aramis provided below, and would note that Langbaan feels a very “casual” prix fixe dining experience.
In summary, food was good, but not great, and service / ambiance / elegance did not match the price tag of our meal (table of 4, ~$250 a person for cocktails, wine & added Wagyu option). November 2024 menu.
The first 4 dishes were phenomenal but quality / delight factor went down from there. The main entree was disappointing with the smoked trout relish being described as having similar flavors to a “Chicago chili dog”, served with lackluster fermented chicken, rice, curry, and vegetable wraps, all unremarkable. A few dishes were plated sloppily, which even our server commented. Our wagyu option (which was tiny) was served cold and its preparation felt like a disservice to the quality of the cut. Desert was fine but forgettable. We left hungry!
All tables are served each course at the same time, which perhaps contributed to issues mentioned above.
Ultimately the best dishes at Laangban just echoed flavors of my favorite Thai takeaway spots in PDX… which left me wondering why I spent so much for curry and rice. With so many other impressive prix fixe offerings in Portland to try, I would not recommend Langbaan.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
THE BEST restaurant in the Pacific Northwest.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good was delicious, staff very friendly! It was a great experience. I will definitely make this a regular spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really amazing tasting menu. Wine pairings were also awesome.
Dietary restrictions: Tasting menu is designed around any dietary restrictions. They are very accommodating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallop, A Pair of Oysters
Absolutely incredible dining experience at Laangban. Loved to have been able to experience Southern Thailand flavor in this fine dining restaurant. The vibes here are ultra cool and every member of the staff was so knowledgeable about the dishes and so friendly that we felt really comfortable eating here. You will leave full!! And each dish packed so much flavor. Fan favorites for us were the fried soft shell crab salad, pork dumplings, and shrimp relish.
Will definitely have to come back in the future
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My god was this 15-course meal amazing. The waygu dish was the best waygu dish I’ve ever had.
I had an incredible time. Langbaan serves up unpretentious hospitality and complex, beautifully tasty flavours. Their collective attention to detail, plating, pacing, flatware, flavours, ambiance, and descriptions are all beautiful. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Chef Pui at the bar- it was awesome to hear his feedback and info about certain dishes and ingredients. Andrew and Joe took turns serving and sharing about the food; they were attentive, friendly, and engaging. Truly a stunning meal that I'll remember. Thank you, again. I'll be back with my family soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absokutely delicious food, pretty decor, and warm and enthusiastic service. love it.
We finally got here after attempting to get a reservation for months. It was so worth the effort. First, the service was exceptional, from the 4 servers attending us. Each bite exploded with flavor! So many courses, but you are never overwhelmed by feeling stuffed. Try to try again to get into this amazing dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An amazing dining experience. Menu is fixed so you are in for a culinary experience
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
It’s good but not great. The menu started out really flavorful and unique until we got to entrees. Green curry, rice, pork belly were all a bit standard. One main was a combination of beef, salted egg, and rhubarb and tasted as weird as you would guess. Serving sizes were small and we left hungry. A tad over priced. A good night overall but I wouldn’t go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
This surely isn’t the best restaurant in America. We were told to show up early for our reservation so we did. They say they have bar seating but they don’t & have no way to accommodate you. They could not seat us & instead suggested we wait outside next to the dumpsters right outside the front door. Then we found out they only do one serving so we had to wait 45 minutes for everyone else to show up & be seated. It took 10 minutes for them to touch our table once we were seated. This is like a 10 table restaurant. The waitress was pretentious & rude. It took another 15 minutes for us to get our drinks. We did the wine pairing with the meal. Some of the wines were gross. The server said she won’t drink the wine served with the entree. It tasted like cat piss. It took 25 minutes for us to receive our second dish after the oysters. The cuddlefish soup was nasty. It was like watered down soy sauce. The catfish lettuce wrap was gross & way too fishy. They brought the desert wine cold for the last course then it sat for 15 minutes while we waited for the actual desert. When the sticky rice desert came it was disgusting. It was my 40th birthday dinner & it sucked. Don’t go here.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
I hate to say it, but Langbaan just isn't worth it. And before you think I'm one of those people who just doesn't like spending a pretty penny on a meal, I just dropped $800 and $700 per person at the Alchemist and Geranium in Copenhagen, and had no issue doing so because those were absolutely worth it! At what came to about $160 per person, Langbaan just doesn't deliver the Michelin level food you would expect (per my other reviews, I've dined at 169 Michelin restaurants around the world, so hopefully am speaking from a point of comparison).
Of 11 dishes served, only 1 (the scallop tart) was truly great. A few others were slightly above average (the cod), others average, and the rest outright misses (the shrimp was overcooked, the wagyu steak of all things was tough/chewy - a big no no, the soup was far too sour). Aside from the food itself, there also were a few oddities that I had issues with:
1) The server introduces the restaurant by saying "we have a new menu as of Friday, which means you are one of the first people in America to try it." If you are going to say something like this (which comes off as pretentious - I've never heard such a thing at those 169 Michelins I've been to), you have to deliver, otherwise it really comes off the wrong way.
2) The meal is advertised as 11 courses, but 4 of those are brought out at one time as part of the main course, and it really is just 1 course with multiple parts, not 4 separate courses (unless you want to count the rice as a course, or the duck curry sauce that you put on said rice). Again, I haven't seen something like this done elsewhere, so found it a bit misleading.
3) The servers were all really nice and friendly, so no issue there, though they would frequently introduce dishes by saying "What I love most about this dish is..." Because multiple of them did this, you could tell it was required/scripted, which takes away from the genuineness of such statements.
4) For all the pretentiousness, they don't replace plates/utensils after each course, there is no AC, and when we arrived, we had to stand outside (this was during a recent heat wave of >100 degrees) until after our start time because the hostess said "they weren't ready."
I really wanted to love Langbaan (I wouldn't have taken my mother and sister there if I didn't), and per many of my other reviews, I don't have an issue giving high marks when deserved. But this missed on so many levels that I get the feeling the high reviews from other patrons are from those who don't eat this level of meal a lot (so of course it is the "best" meal of their life). I hope Langbaan improves. And hey, maybe it was just an off night. But to me, it wasn't worth the $160.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Were thrilled to snag a table here the month after it won the James Beard award for #1 restaurant, but I am at a loss as to why this place received such an honor. This is great Thai food to be sure, but I have had better meals in Portland for less $, let alone New York or LA. Definitely not worth the price and is in a very seedy area (two drug addicts smoking fentanyl directly across the street) made us wish we had taken an Uber, not driven our car. The interior is bascialy an extension of the bar so if you are looking for elegance, this is not the place. If you want the insta brag then perhaps worth it, but temper your expectations.
Parking: Don't take your (nice) car, we were worried about it being broken into by the drug addicts walking up and down the street outside for the whole meal.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
Not impressed limited menu. We were told only appetizers available
Vegetarian options: I had some sort of radish concoction
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 3
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