I really enjoyed the food. It was a great experience. Food was delicious except for the duck egg yolk and shrimp relish- that was an acquired taste. Ambiance and staff were great. I appreciated the attention to detail. The chefs did an amazing job and so did the waiter/waitresses. I definitely recommend anyone who loves Thai, to give this place a try!
My wife & I enjoyed the entire experience starting with the location and small private setting.
After passing through the hidden bookcase door we knew instantly this was worth the wait to get a reservation.
The chefs and waiting staff were extremely well versed in describing the culture, ingredients, flavor and pairings for all the servings Langbaan plated for the evening.
This should be on your bucket list for Portland restaurants to visit every chance you get!
What is it like to attend a dinner at LangBaan, which is hidden behind PaaDee (give your name at the front of PaaDee to be escorted to “The Back Of The House”. It’s an experience you have been looking forward to probably for a while, as you have to purchase your tickets online months ahead of time for a spot at one of their 8 seatings available a week, two seatings a night each Thursday-Sunday? Here’s a peek behind the bookcase door, with my Journey of a Dinner at LangBaan with their May 2017 Tour of Thailand menu.
Langbaan literally means “back of the house” in Thai, and it’s also the name of a unique dining experience in Portland offering a Thai-inspired tasting menu in a tiny 24-seat space tucked behind another Thai restaurant. And to be clear, it was my favorite meal of my recent vacation here. Portland has a long history of secret supper clubs, what we mostly call pop-ups these days. Langbaan is probably its most popular at the moment, gaining national recognition and reviews for its Thai tasting menu from chef/owner Akkapong Earl Ninsom, who also owns the larger Paa Dee casual Thai street food restaurant that’s home to Langbaan.
It is a full blown dining experience unlike any other you will experience in the USA. Gorgeous S.E. Asian/ Thai dishes you have never heard of presented beautifully with a super attentive and friendly staff in an intimate cool & cozy setting reminiscent of what a secret club or an exclusive speakeasy must have felt like and 3-4 chefs making magic in front of you. ....However ....if you travel a lot to SE Asia and you eat local when you are there, then you might not leave this restaurant thinking that this is a one-of-a-kind experience not to be missed. Set menu that changes every month , a few of the courses were good but not fantastic. The Pork jowl, jaaw dipping I had was actually very tough and chewy. If you go with the optional wine pairing expect to drop at least $250 on dinner for 2 when you factor in the tip.
It's a beautiful experience. I would call this food "from another world." I told my dining partner "this is the food to eat if you want to be treated like royalty." The octopus and duck dishes were especially stellar. I'd gladly come back, but it looks like I'd have to wait around five months.
Pros:
Probably the fastest tasting experience we have had which is a huge pro for me. The food was delicious. For nut allergies, they make you a separate dish that's similar. The staff was all very friendly and knowledgeable about each dish. Loved every dish they gave us. So it's hard to pick a favorite and they change the menu so chances are you would have a slightly different experience when you go food wise.
Cons:
Corkage fee is on the high end and so is the price for similar restaurants/experiences.
Have done quite a few tasting experiences now at different restaurants and this was definitely on the high end of all of them. The only reason I'd rate this a 4/5 is for the price. If that doesn't bother you then it's a 5/5.
I like all the starters. They were phenomenal and quite creative. The main dishes were a little off because I expected something more than just the traditional Thai foods. Don’t get me wrong, they were still good. However, the price should be reconsidered. I went to Michelin Stared restaurant and still cost less.
All the drinks are light and tasty so you can enjoy your foods while not being too drunk.
Amazing food, great experience. One of the few fine dining establishments I’ve been to that is worth this kind of price. Scallops were the highlight along with the taro cake dessert. The main course was on the spicier end, and may be too much for some, so be careful. Service was attentive and helpful
Wow. We had the tasting menu. $125/person. Very creative. Small but fun wine list.
Exquisite Thai food. Cafe by day and chefs tasting menu on the weekends. Delicious rotating chef menu every few months. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared, with such great flavour combinations.
This is undoubtedly the best restaurant I’ve been to in at least 6 years. We did a cocktail each, then the tasting menu with paired wine. The highlight dishes for this month were the two starting snacks (the scallop cup and the shrimp leaf) and the pork curry. Pictured are two other dishes we had, a dessert and a soft shell crab salad dish.
Overall outstanding. The price matches the experience - two people gratuity included - $494.
Wow!! The flavors were bursting in every bite. If you enjoy Thai food, definitely try this place… its on a whole new level.
![5]( "Recensione")
My boyfriend and I came here to celebrate our anniversary. We were incredibly impressed by our experience. We sat at the chefs table and everyone who greeted us was extremely friendly and wished us a happy anniversary. They even gave us some complimentary prosecco which was a nice touch and really appreciated. When we saw the menu we were so excited and thinking, do we really get all of that?? We chose to add the wagyu option since it was a special occasion and I'm so glad we did. Best steak I've ever had, hands down. Honestly, everything we had was absolutely incredible. Some of the dishes were definitely spicy but I don't mind that and felt that it wasn't in such a way that overpowered the amazing flavors. We enjoyed some cocktails as well and had great, attentive service throughout the entire 2 hour long meal. It was a wonderful time and I would absolutely love to come back here some day. Yes it was pricey, but I felt that it was worth it due to the amount of dishes we got to try, the high quality, service, atmosphere (we really enjoyed sitting at the chefs table) and just the overall experience. Forgot to take many photos because we were too busy enjoying the meal! Also thank you to our servers whose names I wish I could remember but it was definitely a little information overload with all the amazing food descriptions they provided. They did a wonderful job.
The tasting menu started off promisingly, with an array of exquisite and inventive dishes that delighted the palate. However, as the meal progressed, the momentum began to wane, and the main course failed to live up to the earlier culinary wonders. Despite the initial excitement, the flavors and presentation fell short, leaving a lingering sense of longing for more enchanting and satisfying creations. The experience left me craving the wow factor that had initially captured my imagination.
delicious experience + friendly and helpful bartender (Molly)
the replacements for people who have a shellfish allergy like me were delicious - i heard that the regular food was also delicious
they replaced almost everything for me, even things with just a touch of shellfish like oyster sauce
the drinks were also quite unique
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in Portland
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes