Le's Cafe

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  Don't get confused by older reviews, Le's Cafe has moved to its own storefront space on Court Street at Vine.  I'm so happy to finally have Vietnamese food within walking distance from my office!  I've only had the pho so far, but it's pretty comparable to pho I've had at other restaurants in town and an amazing bargain for about $5 for a huge bowl.  The family couldn't be more friendly, and this space is much more conducive to lunch out with a few friends.

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  Posted on 11.29.12 lizbeth t.

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  So a while back it looked like Le's was gone for good.  Having been notified that their lease for the space in the library was being revoked hope was all but lost that the delicious Bahn Mi sandwiches were gone.  Then, like a phoenix, I noticed a small space near the corner of E.Court and Vine being renovated and the window read, "Le's Pho and Sandwiches."
  Now their digs are improved, the menu seems bigger and you can sit inside or out. It's a big improvement and it looks like our friends at Le's will be around for a while.

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  Posted on 07.31.12 Foodis G.

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  Won't repeat what others have said, but yeah it's a damn good Bahn Mi they've got and the price is right. Love the cute, Vietnamese couple that runs this place too. Super nice people.
  
  Only downside is that the cafe seating area in the library seems to often be a spot for the homeless to chill, so it's not exactly the most relaxing lunch spot, but there's plenty of other places to eat outside on a nice day.

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  Posted on 04.10.12 Mark C.

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  Little known to most folks, the main branch of the Cincinnati is home to Le's Cafe, a small shop and food joint where you can find a wide variety of food, including the mythical banh mi. I had stopped by once before and, to my disappointment, they were not serving banh mi on that day. I left that day wearing a sad face and filed the idea in my head for another day. I decided to give it a whirl again last week and this time I had much more luck.
  
  I saw 'banh mi' on the little whiteboard they have their special on and gave a little squeal of delight (not really, but I could have). I ordered one of them and a small order of a noodle dish whose name I am forgetting because it is 6:30 and I don't have enough coffee yet. Maybe lo mein. They were out of cilantro and hot peppers for the sandwich, which are a huge part of its flavor profile, but I gave it a go anyways.
  
  Between the sandwich, the noodle dish and a bottle of Diet Coke, how much did my meal come to? $6.45. Yes, six dollars and forty five cents. You are not reading that incorrectly. The sandwich was $3.00, the noodles $2.00, and the Diet Coke $1.45. The value of this lunch is unbeatable. I happily had my lunch rung up and skipped back to the office to fill my belly.
  
  I tackled the lo mein first and while it was not the best I've ever had and perhaps was reheated, it was still pretty darn good. Definitely better than $2.00 worth of good. There was a good amount of chicken in it. The banh mi was the star of this show, however.
  
  Even missing those two ingredients, this sandwich was delicious. I'll definitely say it is one of the best I've had since moving to Cincinnati. The baguette was good, but was really a delivery mechanism for the amazing-ness inside of it. There are so many flavors going on here; from the smoky taste of the pork loin and cold cuts, to the creaminess of the pate- mayo mixture, to the sharpness of the shredded carrots and crunch of the cucumbers. Note that this sandwich was tremendous even without the addition of two key ingredients. With cilantro and hot peppers, it would be a veritable taste bomb.
  
  I'm going to put it out there and just say it: at $3.00, the banh mi at Le's Cafe is without a doubt the best lunchtime deal in downtown Cincinnati. Perhaps even within the city limits. I will be back again and again. If you're at the library around lunch time, go give Le's Cafe a look. They're nice, they make a hell of a sandwich, and it won't lighten your wallet much.

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  Posted on 02.04.11 Josh O.

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  Very recently I was introduced to a culinary secret most downtown public library regulars have enjoyed for years. I'd read about Banh Mi (I pronounce it "BUN me"), a Vietnamese sandwich being served in a little place inside the Main Library downtown. It's called, Le's Cafe, where in addition to some standard Americanized options, you can also enjoy Asian menu items like potstickers; spring rolls; egg rolls; spicy chicken with rice; Teriyaki chicken with rice; and lo mein, all at insanely cheap prices.
  
  Banh Mi is a unique baguette sandwich that has its origins steeped in both Vietnamese and French culture, thanks to French colonization of Indochina. The sandwiches are typically filled with roast pork, liver pate, cucumbers, carrots, fresh cilantro sprigs, hot peppers and daikon radish shavings. It's an excitingly fresh-tasting sandwich that, at first glance, may look similar to something you'd get at Subway, but is far better.
  
  The sandwiches have a rather ineffable quality about them: the fresh taste of cilantro combined with the savory roast pork, the slight iron bite of the pate and the heat of the fresh jalapenos is a taste experience like no other. I'm not sure if they make their own bread, but it tasted very fresh, light and airy, with a slightly chewy crust.
  
  Full review: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnatibites.com%2Freviews%2Fles-cafe%2F&s=0d7682a6a85e2417c465b1a6a7e3343accb67714c35e1bb78564473a1247c775" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.cincinnatibit…</a>

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  Posted on 01.20.11 Cincinnati B.

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