One of the most beloved Oakland restaurants, Le Cheval is truly like no place else in the Bay Area. Businesspeople, large families and couples alike gather in the lively warehouse-like structure, spinning family-style dishes on lazy Susans. Authentic Vietnamese, sometimes beyond the limits of less adventurous American tastes, is the menu's subject. (Don't be alarmed at the sight of fermented snakes in the aptly named snake wine, for instance.) Multiple pages of soups, stews and noodle dishes featuring various meats, poultry, seafood and vegetables may be a bit daunting at first glance, but the descriptions in English help. When in doubt: The famed Bo 7 Mon, beef prepared seven ways, steals the show. Full bar. Serving lunch Mon–Sat, dinner nightly. Voted Best Vietnamese Restaurant in the 2008 Oakland magazine readers poll.