City: Ho Chi Minh City – Page 3

The Annam lunch buffet at Saigon Centre

Annam Gourmet is a brand of luxury supermarkets in Saigon specializing in imported food. They also have seats and a menu with a good assortment of Western dishes. When Saigon Centre re-opened in 2016 along with the newly established Takashimaya new overseas outlet, they took over a large space in the second basement and made it a gourmet heaven. In this location they also have a fairly large cafe area and they offer a fantastic deal for lunch in the form of a mini-buffet.

The visit

Here some of goodies from a visit during summer 2018.

A salad station.

Pizza and quiche.

Meat includes bacon, sausages, chicken, beef and clams.

They also have a small selection of sushi and sashimi and some cheese and cold cuts.

And finally a choice of fruit and desserts.

The check

This beautiful mini-buffet cost 250,000 VND (around 11 USD). It should be mentioned that drinks are not included, so the real price is more like my check, close to 300,000 VND (around 13 USD). Still, it is an incredible deal for Western food in central Saigon.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
B2-11/12, 65 Le Loi St., Ben Thanh Ward
Website: http://annam-gourmet.com/

The best dishes from Hokkaido Sachi restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City

Saigonese love Japanese food. In 2010, when I first visited the city, two chains were dominating the market: The Sushi Bar and Tokyo Deli. They are still around, but since then, restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City have upped their game when it comes to Japanese food. One of the most successful is Hokkaido Sachi that over the past few years has multiplied the locations around town.

From what I gather, it is owned by Vietnamese investors and some locations are in franchising but they had the foresight to hire and keep on staff some chefs from Japan. Most restaurants would only hire them to kick off the business, but I keep seeing them time to time overseeing the quality of the kitchen operations. This means that there are some genuine Japanese chefs that, while not involved directly in the kitchen, keep securing the quality control. This makes a difference.

Hokkaido Sachi is easily my favorite Japanese restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City (in particular I usually go to their branch on Nguyen Trai street, pictured below). In this review I will show some of my favorite dishes from their extensive menu.

The visit(s)

The service starts with some complimentary grilled ginkgo seeds, a classic izakaya snack.

The sashimi selection includes a lot of imported fish not easily found outside Japan. In the selection pictured above you can see hammachi and kampachi sashimi (two types of Japanese amberjack/yellowtail).

More sashimi in the picture above with a double portion of their regular tuna (112,000 VND for five pieces) and a portion of another exotic sashimi type, ishidai.

Also, keep an eye on seasonal fish. In the summer of 2018 I had this spectacular sashimi dishes with isaki (360,000 VND) and, again, ishidai (390,000 VND), two varieties popular in the summer in Japan.

The menu seems to enjoy the use of delicacies based on fermented roe. The picture above shows ika-mentaiko, squid with its own roes, spiced and fermented. An absolute delicacy. The mentaiko dishes should not be missed.

Of course, they also have original mentaiko, that is cod roe fermented and spiced.

They use mentaiko also for some grilled dishes. For example, pictured above, a slice of salmon surmounted by a layer of mentaiko and a scallop prepared in a similar fashion. Needless to say, this additional layer makes the dish even more delicious.

Or they even have Japanese omelette roll filled with mentaiko, another dish sometimes found in Japanese izakayas.

They have an ample selection of sushi. Their standard sushi set (around 220,000 VND, less than 10 USD) has 11 pieces.

One special dish is the foie gras sushi. The foie gras employed is top quality and worth the 170,000 VND for two pieces.

They also have various aburi sushi: for these pieces of sushi, the top fish is flame seared. Pictured above the salmon aburi made more delicious by some roe on top.

They have a large selection of creative rolls, like the roll with cheese and shrimps shown above.

More delicious and unusual Japanese food: above a bowl of ikura chawanmushi (the classic savory egg custard with salmon eggs).

And kazunoko kombu, herring roes with dried kelp (traditionally a new year’s dish in Japan),

More: grilled kisu fish with cheese (a type of whiting available during the summer).

Finally, I should mention that they also have some excellent meat, like the US beef steak set shown above. More exotic beef from Hokkaido is available, but frankly I think seafood should be the rightful focus of this restaurant experience.

The check(s)

In the summer of 2018, a lunch for three people cost me (after a 15% discount for a loyalty card) 1,158,000 VND (50 USD).

Another more lavish lunch for 2 people with the seasonal sashimi went for a similar price.

Even if you account for the discount, this is great value for money.

Unfortunately prices move quickly in Vietnam and I cannot assure that you will find exactly these prices on your next visit.

However, you will hardly find in South East Asia a Japanese restaurant with so many authentic and exquisite dishes at this price point.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
Check their website for a list of locations.

If you visit La Villa in Ho Chi Minh City do not order this menu

La Villa is a long running French Restaurant hosted in a beautiful villa in Saigon’s District 2. The restaurant is operated by Chef Thierry from France with the help of his Vietnamese wife Tina.

I had several dinners and lunches in this restaurant over the years (the first one I believe back in 2011). I have never been disappointed and I have always regarded La Villa as the golden standard for fine dining in Ho Chi Minh City. However, sadly, I have to file this specific visit among my (mild) disappointments. I will certainly go back and do not discourage you go; hopefully this review can help you choosing the right menu.

The visit

I showed up unannounced for lunch during a weekday. Lunch time is not usually crowded. Dinners are another story and I would recommend to make a booking in advance.

The dining room is not huge and occupies the best part of the ground floor of the mansion (the upper floor is closed to the public). It has a classy atmosphere and tables are generously spaced. They also have some outdoor seats.

The first thing you notice is the impeccable service. The staff is very well trained and provide a high level of professional care. Man, it is one of the few places that will clean the table before the dessert… This is well above the average of what you can find even in five star hotels in Saigon, so it deserves some kudos.

The bread is served warm and you can choose your type. It is regularly replenished during the meal.

In my previous visit, also for lunch, I had ordered a la carte. But that was one year earlier. This time I was made aware that for lunch only the set menus were available and in particular the set menu Petite Villa that was specifically designed for lunch. I did not think too much and I ordered from the Petite Villa set menu.

First, I was offered three amuse bouches, including a refreshing tomato gazpacho.

One more treat came in the form of a salmon mousse sprinkled with a few (literally) eggs of caviar. The presence of original blinis in the composition was really a nice touch.

My first dish from the menu selection was a classic beef tartare. It is a very good well executed tartare. The only disappointment was that it went in a mignon size. Below you can see a picture that I took of the same dish ordered a la carte.

Then I got the duck leg, another French classic, with mashed potatoes. Again, it was good; I suspect it was also a reduced portion.

The dessert was a beautifully presented molten chocolate cake with a mango meringue.

A few more treats came before the check.

The check

Total check was 970,000 VND (or 46 USD at the time of the lunch; at the time of writing this review, only 41.5 USD), including a soft drink.

The food was good but I was disappointed for two reasons. First, this menu did not do justice to the chef. There are way better and more creative dishes on the menu. Of course they will be more expensive, but it is worth. Second, paradoxically, for what I got, I think this was terrible value for money in Ho Chi Minh City. In other similar restaurants (thinking of Le Corto in Saigon or La Verticale in Hanoi) you can get a similar lunch menu for half the price or less.

So in conclusion, if you go to La Villa – and it certainly retains my recommendation – go big, aim high. Do not settle for this lunch menu, go for one of the more comprehensive set menus or choose what you like from la carte. It won’t be cheap, but the return on investment will be higher than the one with the Petite Menu described here.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
14 Ngô Quang Huy, Thảo Điền, Quận 2
Check the restaurant website for bookings and menus.

Indian fine dining at Tandoor in Ho Chi Minh City

While I eat Indian food only occasionally, I am happy to give a shout-out to Tandoor in Ho Chi Minh City because it combines a nice dining environment, good food, and affordable prices. It has been around for ever and can be regarded as the go-to place for Indian food in an elegant environment.

The visit

Tandoor is located in a street between two of the central thoroughfares of Ho Chi Minh City district 1: Dong Khoi and Nguyen Hue. The environment is comfortable and staff is very attentive.

Just as an example, here’s what I had in a dinner with three guests.

As appetizer we had onion pakora (a type of spiced onion fritters) and shrimps (not pictured).

Two types of naan (Indian bread): cheese and butter. As usual, very good while hot.

Two types of curry, lamb and chicken. Both were satisfactory and the meat was good.

The check

It was a simple but satisfactory dinner that cost 1,085,000 VND, or 46.6 USD. In addition to the dishes pictured, the bill also included fried rice, steamed rice and drinks. You can probably find cheaper Indian food in Ho Chi Minh City, but in less nice environments. I am happy to pay a little extra for the overall service.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
39 Ngô Đức Kế
Check the restaurant website for checking out the menu and reservations. They also have a restaurant with the same name in Hanoi that I have visited (same menu, but it is a larger venue, less intimate).

The real tonkatsu experience at Fujiro in Ho Chi Minh City

Tonkatsu is the Japanese pork cutlet. In Japan, it is a common item found in lunch sets everywhere but there are even restaurants specifically dedicated to tonkatsu using only the best pork breeds. There is a certain way to it. In Ho Chi Minh City, tonkatsu is a popular dish, but there is one place where to try the full Japanese pork cutlet experience: Fujiro. I read about Fujiro on the Saigoneer, that has a very nice series on “hem gems”, interesting eateries located in alleyways (“hem” in Vietnamese). Not surprisingly, the restaurant is located in the unofficial Saigon’s Japan Town: a net of alleyways between Le Than Ton and Thai Van Lung.

The visit

I went for lunch on a weekday, shortly after noon. The restaurant was already packed and a group of salarymen (I like to think so) was waiting for their turn to occupy a booth. Since I was alone, they let me pass and I was accommodated at the wall counter. Outside they have their menu on display through plastic models: tonkatsu is served in a variety of ways, including with omelette and rice, curry, and fried prawns.

I found the seating perfectly suitable for a quick lunch. By the way, the pictures reflect the situation in July-August 2018; I noticed that they were remodeling a store next door into a restaurant… I suspect they may be moving soon.

The photo above shows why you go to Fujiro. Their jewel of the crown is a special 3 centimeter thick tonkatsu made of pork loin. That was what I ordered.

The set also includes rice, miso soup, some radish and pickles.

The experience would not be complete without mustard and…

…tonkatsu sauce that can be added to this bowl of sesame seeds. According to the tradition, the guest has the privilege to smash the seeds before pouring the sauce.

The thick tonkatsu was something majestic. Perfectly cooked, thickly battered, and with a tad of fat to make the meat even more tasty.

The check

This was one of the most expensive lunch sets on their menu. After tax, it cost me 198,000 VND, that is 8.50 USD. This is a price difficult to question or beat for this kind of quality. You can find cheaper versions, but not this one. And of course, they also serve the normal tonkatsu at a lower price.

And here is a dish I would not mind to try next time.

Finally, it is worth noting that they have the menu available in Japanese, English, Korean and Vietnamese.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
8A/5B1 Thái Văn Lung (it is not on the main road, you have the enter the net of alleyways and find your way around).
At time of writing, it is open daily, 11am-2pm for lunch and 5.30pm to 10pm (9.30 on weekends) for dinner.
Check their Facebook page for more photos.

This burger was amazing and you cannot have it: Soul Burger in Ho Chi Minh City

What I like in a restaurant experience is substance paired with creativity. Creativity alone can be dissatisfying and substance is important but can get boring. For this reason, I am a big fun of Soul Burger in Ho Chi Minh City since in their burgers I can find both creativity and substance. This is particularly true of their burger of the month. Unfortunately these burgers are limited editions. But also the rest of the menu is mouth-watering and over the years, since their opening in 2015, I had a chance to try almost every item (including the juggernaut double patty eponymous Soul Burger) and never got disappointed.

The visit

My most recent visits date back to July 2018 and one big trigger was their burger of the month called Chuck Norris, an homage to the 4th of July American National Day. But let’s proceed with order.

Soul Burger is located on the second level of a building facing the popular Ben Thanh market in central Ho Chi Minh City. To get to the stairs, you have to walk through a narrow corridor beside a noodle shop.

Upstairs, the dining room is long and narrow as per the classic design of Vietnamese buildings. Furniture is comfortable and everywhere there are references to the world of Soul music.

They also have a few seats on a balcony from which you can see Ben Thanh market (and after dusk the busy night market).

The menu is printed on the paper cover and comes with an extensive drink list. The burger names remind again Soul music: the Diana Rose, the Blues Brothers, etc.

The beauty pictured above was the Chuck Norris burger of the month of July 2018: the classic Soul Burger 150 gram beef patty, topped with house made potato chips and a slice of dill pickle between melted cheese sandwiches. Yes, you heard me, they replaced the buns with two melted cheese sandwiches. I am sure Chuck Norris would approve indeed.

Eating this limited edition burger was very satisfying. The cheese was hot and the sandwich crunchy. Overall, I did not make a mess and I was able to eat it bite after bite without compromising its structural integrity (I mean, spilling its content all over the place).

Icing on the cake, the set came with a house made mildly spicy tomato soup. The fries were the standard ones coming with a burger.

Since you won’t have a chance to try the Chuck Norris (but ask for the new burger of the month!), here’s also one of their regular burgers, the Diana Ross. It comes with a 150-gram house-ground beef patty obtained from USDA Choice beef, topped with charred green onion salsa verde, slided avocado, paprika, aioli, cilatro and crispy tortilla chips. They maintain a 80/20 lean to fat ration to ensure the right taste. An unspeakable explosion of flavor!

All burgers include a salad or cut fries and come on a plate with additional leaves of salad, onion, tomato and pickles that you can add as you like. The buns are made of pretzel bread and can be regarded as a signature element of Soul Burger (not seen them used elsewhere in Asia).

And if a burger is not enough, I recommend their fried buffalo wings in their original sauce.

Also the staff deserves some kudos as they speak English and are very friendly and professional.

The check

Most burgers cost around 275,000 VND, that is around 12 USD (but there is also the Little Richard, the most basic one, for just around 225,000 VND). If you compare these burgers with the gourmet burgers I tried in Hong Kong and Shanghai, you can realize the the value for money (in Hong Kong and Shanghai usually the patty is only 100 grams and they cost more!).

A meal with the Chuck Norris, half dozen wings and a soda cost me 451,000 VND (a bit less than 20 USD). Just a burger (the Diana Ross) and a soda cost me 308,000 VND (13,20 USD). With this price point, one could easily argue that Soul Burger is good value for money when it comes to Westerner food in Ho Chi Minh City.

But what counts more to me is the passion and the creativity. You can see that this restaurant is a labor of love. Every detail, from the naming of the burgers to the drink list or the wall-decorations, was well thought to tell a story. In an interview chef and owner Gabe Boyer said “Burgers are in my blood… My grandfather owned Goldy’s, a famous burger joint in the suburbs of Chicago, but it was sold before I had the chance to be a part of it.” This is where the passion and creativity comes from: when a restaurant marks the culmination of a life and career trajectory you can bet that the owner will care. When the owner also happens to be extremely creative and talented, then you get a memorable eatery like Soul Burger.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
4 Phan Bội Châu, District 1 (read the review to see how the entrance looks like; also, after 7pm the street is closed to traffic to make room for the night market).
Pro-tip I: at the time of publishing this review, they are open for lunch and dinner and closed on Mondays.
Pro-tip II: keep an eye on their Facebook page for promotions. These where available when I visited in July 2018:

The American BBQ that won Vietnamese over: Quan Ut Ut in Ho Chi Minh City

I still remember when Quan Ut Ut opened in March 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City taking over a multi-story building previously occupied by a seafood restaurant. It was an instantaneous hit. Locals would queue for an hour outside the restaurant, defying the heat and the rain, to get a table. At that time you could see the head cook Mark Gustafson grilling ribs and sausages on the walkway in front of the entrance.

For this reason, it took me a while to try it. I truly enjoyed all of my visits (usually early in the evening to avoid the big crowd… you probably do not have to wait one hour nowadays, but it can get full pretty quickly). And when I think of Quan Ut Ut I cannot avoid marveling at the fact that while one restaurant can become crazily successful others, even if very similar, cannot pass the one-year mark.

I have recently been back and learnt that a minority stake of Quan Ut Ut (that meantime expanded to include a second location and another brand, BiaCraft) was recently acquired by a investment-fund backed Vietnamese restaurant operator, Red Wok Cuisine. This means that the brand is likely to expand in other cities and locations. Hopefully, they will be able to maintain the same standards. For sure, it makes a great entrepreneurial story.

The visit

I visited the original location in Vo Van Kiet street and headed to the first floor. Two big changes: first, now they are open for lunch; second, now the upper floor has windows and air conditioning. This is truly appreciated. The rest was the same: spartan park-style seating, pork miniatures and silhouettes everywhere to remind the core business (“ut ut” denotes the onomatopoeic sound of the pig in Vietnamese, like oink oink in English), the menu printed on a paper cover. The staff speaks English and was very professional (they even tried to talk me out ordering a big platter all for myself… very nice of them).

I ordered one of their combo platters, named the Meat Sweats, including 4 Memphis style ribs, one big pork sausage, 300 grams of brisket, corn, green beans and slaw.

The brisket was good, very tender and I could taste the smoke (if it is even possible). I still prefer the one at TNT BBQ however.

This was the first time I tried Memphis ribs. This is a type of dry rib that is treated with a “rub” powder in which paprika is the most distinctive flavor. I am not able to judge whether they were authentic or perfectly executed, but I appreciated that the ribs were tender, well cooked and meaty. I did not enjoy the paprika flavor that much.

The sausage was ok.

In the past I enjoyed more another of their big platter, the BBQ Sampler that includes rib tip, pork shoulder, smoked chicken. Also, their signature cashew smoked pork ribs that I had in the past would have been a better choice.

Their menu keeps expanding and they also sport cacao-smoked ribs and pineapple smoked lamb shoulder.

The check

The platter was 600,000 VND. In total I spent 630,000 VND (including an iced tea) as their prices are inclusive of 10% VAT and service (chapeau). That’s 27 USD for a lunch that could have satisfied two people. I call this very reasonable.

By the way, Quant Ut Ut is definitely a place to try in a group where you can share multiple dishes.

While the involvement of a restaurant group worries me a little bit, what I found in July 2018 was still the old Quan Ut Ut and as such has my recommendation. Also, I cannot disagree with them:

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
168 Võ Văn Kiệt.
Pro-tip I: They do not take reservations. Go early! Go for lunch or be there before 6pm to enhance your chances to get a table right away.
Pro-tip II: They have some very reasonably priced lunch sets. Check their Facebook page for updated information.

All the flavor of Vietnamese food at Cuc Gach Quan in Ho Chi Minh City

I kind of forgot how good and tasty Vietnamese food can be until I recently came back to Cuc Gach Quan. I discovered the restaurant I believe back in 2011 and it was already very popular, one of the few restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, along with Pizza 4P’s, where a reservation is in order. Shortly after, Hollywood celebrity couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had lunch in the restaurant during one of their humanitarian trips to Vietnam. At that point securing a table became very difficult! For this reason I stopped going (I hate competition when it comes to eating).

The restaurant was started by architect Tràn Bình in 2009 with the aim to recreate a family environment, like at his grandmother’s house, where guests could enjoy traditional Southern “countryside” food.

The visit

My most recent visit took place on a weekend in July 2018. I booked over the phone the night before. The receptionist spoke English and booking was not a problem.

The restaurant is located in a residential area called Tan Dinh at the margins of District 1. It is a nice area not yet gentrified (no Family Marts or Circle K there!). If you have a chance, take a walk.

A view of the entrance.

Across the street they have another facility that they call “Party” mainly used to host corporate events or large groups.

As you can see from the pictures above, the interior is very nicely decorated with vintage furniture and objects. The feeling is very intimate. Each table has its own character.

The ritual began as always with the massive menu (they have both a Vietnamese and an English version). Vegetables, meat, seafood, you name it… they have so many choices. Be aware that usually their bring only one menu since in Vietnam it is customary to have one person to order for all the party.

The sight of the table full of food was a bit moving. I felt like being in someone’s home and not in a restaurant.

This fried tofu was super delicious. We finished it in a second.

The prawns in coconut juice broth were a simple dish, but again so tasty. I even ate the onion as the sauce was irresistible.

Anther simple dish, squid, made delicious by the sauce, this time based on tamarind.

The deep fried fish with fish sauce cannot be missed in a Vietnamese family meal. This is river fish. Not that meaty, but again, the flavor was remarkable.

Another must-eat: a soup with clams, dill and tomato.

Somebody wanted some beef!

My friend ordered these soft shell crabs specifically for me. She knew I crazy about them. These are the best I had in Vietnam for a long time. The key is that they are only lightly fried, as opposed to those I had at TIB Restaurant for example.

The check

The feast cost us 1,115,000 VND (prices displayed on the menu are inclusive of 10% VAT and no service charge is added, thanks!). That’s around 48 USD for a meal that satisfied four people. That’s an incredible value for money considered the quality of the food, in my opinion much better than the food at TIB Restaurant for example. Just to make a comparison: at TIB one soft shell crab cost me around 270,000 VND, here I spent 250,000 for two.

For once, this was a restaurant that lived up to its reputation and the success did not mess things up. That they are popular is hardly surprising: the food is incredibly delicious and the able use of tamarind, coconut, passion fruit and other Vietnamese “countryside” condiments turn even the simpler food into a mouth-watering dish; the location has character and it is intimate; the price point is very honest. I must add that the service was good; I had some bad experiences in my first visits, I guess they improved this department.

These reasons make Cuc Gach Quan one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
10 Dang Tat, Ward Tan Dinh, District 1
Pro-tip I: check their website to get an idea of the different seating arrangements available and when you book try to specify where you wish to seat. Warning: the stairs to the second floor are very steep, if you have mobility issues, ask for a seat downstairs.
Pro-tip II: they also opened a Cafe located in 92 Thạch Thị Thanh. Be sure to go the right address! In the cafe they serve a very enticing set lunch (no menu, only the set lunch available). Staff in the cafe does not speak English.

Vietnamese fine dining with a backstory of unfulfilled love: TIB in Ho Chi Minh City

There is an interesting backstory to this restaurant. It has been repeatedly told by a Vietnamese friend that seems to be super sure about its accuracy. Admittedly, I did not find any corroboration online (but also nothing to falsify it). So maybe I am uncovering something new for the English-speaking web, or maybe not.

It goes like this. The restaurant was opened in 1993 by a very famous Vietnamese composer and song writer named Trịnh Công Sơn (deceased in 2001) and now run by his younger sister Tam. With the name of the venue, he meant to hint his love for singer Lê Hồng Nhung (born 1970), nicknamed Bong. Tib should stand for “toi ieu Bong” or “I love Bong”, where “ieu” is a variation of the most common “yeu”, “to love”. It was probably a love not meant to happen given the huge age gap between the two. Certainly, Nhung/Bong was regarded as a powerful interpreter of Son’s love songs so the two of them were in some kind of relation.

The restaurant quickly gained notoriety as a luxury interpretation of Hue food (Trịnh Công Sơn grew up in Hue, a historic city and former Vietnam’s capital). That was something relatively new a that time. In 2007 Tib was chosen by George W. Bush, then president of the United States, to host a dinner with the Australian Prime Minister during a visit to Vietnam.

The visit

Tib restaurant is tucked away in an alley of Hai Ba Trung Street and occupies what could have been an old Saigon patrician house. The decor, characterized by massive wooden furniture and old paintings hanged on the wall, is both classy and decadent. You are usually welcomed by a Vietnamese gentleman dressed like a butler and of course old Vietnamese love songs play in the background.

This review is based on their original location in Hai Ba Trung. They also operate a vegetarian restaurant in District 1 called Tib Chay (170 Tran Quang Khai Street) and a more informal eatery in Phu My Hung (100 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Dist 7).

I recommend you to eat at Tib in a large group so you can share multiple dishes that are usually designed for sharing. This is what I had with two friends.

As an appetizer we had banh beo, that is some tiny rice pancakes with ground shrimp. They are supposed to be dipped in fish sauce and you can add some chilies. Honestly I would not recommend this appetizer, there are better choices in the menu. It is just not that tasty.

Then I could not avoid ordering a soft shell crab fried with garlic. These soft shell crabs are one of my favorite dishes in Vietnam, as you can eat everything of the crab. Sometimes the frying is overdone, but not in this case.

As customary for seafood dishes, you can dip them in a sauce of lime, salt and pepper (see picture above; they leave you the pleasure to squeeze the lime).

Another classic Vietnamese dish: a fish soup with tomato, herbs and a good quantity of white fish. There were no bones. It is an excellent dish to share and have with rice.

Somebody in the party really wanted a beef steak. Please do not order a beef steak in this kind of restaurant, really a waste when so many more interesting items are available!

We also ordered some pork ribs glazed in sweet (and sticky) fish sauce. A bit messy to eat, but a nice flavor combining different tastes.

The check

The dishes my small party had represent just a tiny selection from a very vast menu. Soups, fish, meat, vegetables, you name it. Tib has a lot of choices. Still, I hope that this review can give you an idea of how Vietnamese find dining can look like.

The check (handwritten…) reflects the fine dining concept. We spent a total of 1,298,000 VND (or 56 USD, that is less than 20 USD per person) that may seem extreme for Vietnamese food, but it seems reasonable for a fine dining venue.

Evidently, Tib suffers from a lot of competition nowadays in Ho Chi Minh City and they seem happy to continue to provide their traditional menu. If you want to jump back in time and have a “vintage” fine dining experience with classic Vietnamese dishes, Tib may just be the right place. But if you fancy a hipster decor and innovative dishes, you may want to look elsewhere.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
187 ter Hai Ba Trung, District 3.
They have a website, even if not necessarily up to date.

Melt-in-your-mouth brisket and more at TNT BBQ in Ho Chi Minh City (Closed)

Sadly we learnt that the restaurant closed at the end of September 2019. This is the message announcing the closure from the owners:

Vietnamese love BBQ and over the course of years a few solid American-style BBQ restaurants opened in Ho Chi Minh City. In my opinion, TNT BBQ is probably the best, certainly a favorite of mine. A few years ago they moved in a nice location just a couple of blocks from the central Ben Thanh market. I always try to stop by during my trips to Saigon.

The visit

TNT BBQ is tucked away in a quiet side street of Ly Tu Truong. They did a very nice job in decorating the place. The faux bricks wall, the “far west” memorabilia and the vintage posters create a cozy atmosphere.

They also have a wide assortment of craft beers if you are into that.

As you seat, you are welcomed with a plate of corn bread, dip sauce and a bottle of cold water. Free of charge. This is a great level of service in my books.

In my latest visit, I ordered 200 grams of their smoked beef brisket, a piece of their smoked chicken with signature sauce and a jalapeno sausage, plus a side dish (coleslaw). Above you can see what I got (and you can see that by the time I got my order I had almost finished the corn bread… so good). They also specialize in pork ribs and have pulled pork. I had the ribs in the past and they are also excellent.

Everything is delicious, but the brisket in my opinion stands out. It just melted in my mouth and the ratio between fat and meat is perfect to enhance the flavor but without killing it. According to their menu it is slowly cooked for 16 hours to get to this shape.

Special mention to their jalapeno sausages that are filled with cheddar cheese. I would not know where to find them anywhere else in Ho Chi Minh City. By the way, for some reason good sausages are rare in Asia, so if you like them, make sure to include at least one in your order.

The check

I liked every single bite of what I ordered. While the brisket stood up, the chicken and the sausage were also great specimen of good BBQ meat. Overall, I spent 390,000 VND (more than half, 210,000, for the 200 grams of brisket). That’s around 16.75 USD, what I regard as a reasonable price for the quantity and quality of what I received.

If you like original smoked meat in a nice environment, I highly recommend TNT BBQ. Bonus: I will also mention that, over the years, I found them incredibly fast and reliable in their delivery service.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
3 Dang Tran Con, District 1.
They have a Facebook page and offer delivery.