LeDu Thai Eatery Review
LeDu provides a cultural journey through authentic spices for the Newtonville community
Ever have a craving? Sweet? Spicy? Delicious? I’m sure everyone has. LeDu Thai Eatery is the way to please your cravings. It is located on Walnut St. in Newtonville.
LeDu is a go-to place for me, near my home. I have memorized my order and the employees have too. When I was writing this review, I ordered my favorite dish, Tofu Hot Basil Fried rice, with no onions and bell peppers. I can only describe my fried rice in one way: Astoundingly breathtaking. I knew that ordering the fried rice was the right move — I could almost taste how good it would be from the name. Their spices taste authentic and crafted with care. When I walked into the cozy space to pick up my rice I could smell the delicious meals that were being cooked in front of me even with a mask on. I love watching the employees talk and cook together and being welcomed at the door. My order took no more than twenty minutes to make — steaming even after the five-minute walk home in the cold. I would rate my fried rice a full 5/5 stars. I am not the only one who seems to feel this way about the food.
Cholada and her husband Paul, two Newton citizens, decided to open LeDu after noticing that the Newtonville neighborhood did not have a Thai restaurant. They were inspired by Cholada’s parents who owned restaurants in Brookline and Cambridge that she had managed. I reached out to Cholada, who says that her customers “...always comment that our ingredients are always very fresh. My husband goes to see our distributors a few times a week to get fresh vegetables and make sure we have all the ingredients we need.” Visit LeDu Thai Eatery to taste their freshly prepared food and embark on a cultural journey that the owners Cholada and Paul have created.
A restaurant is a job that gives to the community but takes a lot of work! Before the restaurant could be up and running Cholada and Paul had to take care of many prerequisites. It took around a year to fully open up after finding the location. “From the time we found the space, it took almost a year to open,” Cholada wrote in an email. “We had to get permits from licensing, the building department and health inspectors to build the kitchen and serve food.”
Location is a prime factor to take into account when opening a restaurant. Cholada explained that, “The restaurant business is like the real estate business: it’s all about location! We love Newtonville both as where our business is and as where we live.” LeDu is surrounded by other local businesses which creates a homey feeling.
She adds that, “The neighborhood has been great to us since we opened, and we have tried to give back as much as possible.” They have catered and donated for many functions and organizations in Newton, from schools to hospitals. Cholada loves her customers and community! She says, “We wanted to change from a large format restaurant to a more streamlined, sustainable, and scalable format. So far it’s been good, and we picked a great neighborhood to start.”
The business boomed during the pandemic as they had strict policies they followed, took takeout orders, and made no-touch food. Although they were not completely ruined, they did not have an easy year, especially adjusting to the new COVID restrictions and customers' COVID anxiety and special requests. “The pandemic has obviously been hard for everyone, but we were lucky because we never had to close and we didn’t have any employees test positive.” Cholada reassured me. “A lot of customers looked for online and contactless ordering, so my husband revamped our website and created an online ordering portal for customers to place their pickup orders without having to pay in person.”
Cholada and Paul got to learn more about Newton’s citizens and get to know them as well as feed them authentic Thai cuisine. The restaurant is extremely popular and beloved. When I asked Cholada if they get any funny takeout names she said, “We don’t get a lot of funny names, but we have a few celebrities that live locally and order from us pretty regularly.”
Come down to LeDu Thai eatery and grab a bite that both locals and celebrities can't “wok” away from.