Tag: District 1

An affordable sushi restaurant in Saigon Center: Ikeikemaru (closed)

You cannot splurge every day. In Saigon Center, Ho Chi Minh City, there is a sushi restaurant to keep in mind for a cheap but yet quality sushi meal.

The visit

The restaurant is located in the second basement of Saigon Centre, in the heart of Saigon and its full name is Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru. It is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant (I reviewed a similar restaurant in Tokyo). From what I understand it is originally from Singapore.

They have two types of seating arrangements: counter and booths for groups.


Rules of the house.

What is notable is that they serve a lot of different types if sushi, like this gizzard shard known for its strong flavor.

Another very unusual sushi in Saigon, with a fluffy egg custard.

A shrimp croquette.

Another sushi with a strong flavor: mackerel, seared with vinegar.

I also ordered from the menu (they have reduced the number of dishes on the conveyor belt, but the number is still significant). The menu, by the way, comprises also many other Japanese food classics, such as ramen.

The first trio of sushi included tuna, tuna belly and negitoro (minced tuna). The second one included snapper, hamachi, and tuna again.

Finally I had some tuna sashimi. Not the best tuna in town, but very good value.

They serve over 100 types of sushi.

The check

Total check was 376,300 VND (or 16.20 USD). A single sushi dish from the conveyor belt was 27,500 VND (1.18 USD).

Ikeikemaru is good value for money and at the same time it provides a nice assortment of sushi that is difficult to come by even in higher end restaurants in Saigon.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
65 Le Loi, B2 Floor, Saigon Center.

Update 2020: After the March lockdown the restaurant did not re-open. Keep an eye on their FB page to see if they re-open.

Brunch at Le Corto in Ho Chi Minh City

I have already reviewed Le Corto, a fine French restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City and I have praised the creativity and substance of its dishes. The weekend brunch warrants a separate review.

The visit

I had booked my spot for the brunch a couple of weeks in advance (exchanging a couple of messages through the restaurant’s Facebook page). Since the main dining room is not huge, spots are limited.

The brunch included a spread of appetizers, cold meats, cheese, seafood and the possibility to order a selection of dishes. In a nice contrast to other buffets following this format, guests are allowed to order as many mains as they wish.

Oysters and prawns.

Boiled vegetables and slow-cooked chicken breast.

Some salads.


Cheese and smoked salmon.

The cold meat section including Serrano ham.

Some of the desserts,

Above pictures some of the dishes I enjoyed from the buffet.

From the dishes on demand, I had the gratinated lobster.

The poached egg.

The check

The price of the brunch is 650,000 VND net. Since drinks are not included, the real price is a little bit higher. My check was 720,000 VND (31 USD) that was an absolute bargain.

I really appreciated the balance between the buffet quality selection and the hot dishes on demand. Service was good and the atmosphere was pleasant. This may well be the best brunch deal in Ho Chi Minh City at the moment.

Where in Saigon:
5D Nguyen Sieu, Ben Nghe ward, District 1 
Website: http://lecortovietnam.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeCorto/

Divine lunch at Le Corto in Ho Chi Minh City

Le Corto opened in 2016 and has made a name for itself as a premium French restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City. The name is an homage to Corto Maltese, the fictional adventurer coined by Hugo Pratt (Corto Maltese is from Malta and Pratt was Italian, not sure the link to a French restaurant, but it does not really matter). I also reviewed their weekend brunch deal.


The visit

They have a great deal for lunch, but I ordered a la carte (the full menu was available).

The bread basket was promptly served.

A particularly striking dish was a mille-feuille with marinated salmon heart, foie gras, and raw sea Scallops, sliced with avocado and guacamole and presented with wasabi espuma. This is a good epitome of what I like about Le Corto: creativity but not for creativity’s sake, the dishes are delicious and substantial. The wasabi espuma was quite spicy, I did not find it necessary to enjoy this great dish.

Foie gras ravioli were very well executed.

Finally, I had a tuna steak with kampot pepper, warm vegetable tabbouleh, citrus and coriander jus.

The check

Final check was 1,110,000 VND (around 58 USD). For a trio of high cuisine dishes like these was a very good deal. Le Corto is one of the best French restaurants in Saigon in my opinion.

They also have a special deal for lunch.

Where in Saigon:
5D Nguyen Sieu, Ben Nghe ward, District 1
Website: http://lecortovietnam.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeCorto/

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/

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:

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.

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. 

Tasting the original Japanese hamburg steak in Saigon: Gyumaru

Japanese cuisine is immensely rich (it is not just sushi and sashimi!) and has been subject to many external influences (tempura is a legacy of the contact with the Portuguese for example). Along these lines, it should not come to a surprise that Japanese have developed their one version of the hamburger. It is called hambāgu and is quite different from the classic American hamburger: usually it has a softer texture and is enriched by various herbs. In Japan, an hamburger is often part of a quick set lunch. I have tested a few in Tokyo and Sapporo for example and I was left unimpressed. But luckily, I can satisfy my taste in Ho Chi Minh City in an authentic Japanese restaurant called Gyumaru Hamburger & Steak. Gyumaru is a small chain of restaurants that originated in Ureshino, a city located in the western part of Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. They also have locations in Nagasaki (read thee review of the Japanese location for a comparison!), Hiroshima and a few other small cities. The branch in Ho Chi Minh City is their only international presence. In Saigon, there is a sizable Japanese business community; my theory is that the owners of Gyumaru must have had a friend in HCMC that encouraged them to open a branch.

The visit

This review refers to their location in an alley of Le Thanh Ton, in the part that is known as Japan town. They also have a small restaurant in the basement level two of Takashimaya, but it has a different menu specializing in burgers only.

I have been a customer of theirs for years. Every time I am in HCMC I pay at least a visit. The reason is their namesake hamburger steak.

The set meal begins with a salad with their delicious dressing sauce.

They have a number of set menus for lunch that include a soup and a side of bread or rice. I chose the simple onion soup. But for a small additional fee, you can get their signature corn pie soup that comes covered with a layer of pastry.

In this meal I chose the simplest option: a plain hamburger steak with some vegetables (this is the 150 gram version, you can choose bigger sizes.

As you can see in the picture above, the hamburger is served sizzling hot on a cast iron plate. By opening it, you will see its juices being released. The meat is soft, tender and enriched in flavor by various herbs. Just great.

The menu includes a number of combos (with croquettes, my recommendation, with fried fish, with BBQ meat, etc…). They also have an hamburger with curry that is great if you like Japanese curry. I finally recommend to have a go once with their huge combo meat platter.

They claim their beef to be wagyu (the type of beef steak that gets marbled with veins of fat that enhance its flavor and tenderness thanks to a special diet administered to the cows). And you can also order a full-fledged wagyu steak for reasonable prices. Honestly I do not care. Wagyu is one of the biggest fad in fine dining right now and I have seen restaurants calling wagyu ordinary beef. What matters, is that the resulting hamburger is brilliant.

I have not dined in any of their Japanese locations, but by looking at their pictures online the offering in Ho Chi Minh City seems to be the same as in Japan. My impression is that they offer the real deal.

The check

This set lunch cost me 209,000 VND (or about 9 USD). I went for the cheapest set, but even the larger combos will not set you back for more than 15 USD or so.

I think that this is great value for money for a quality meal with premium ingredients and professional preparation according to Japanese standards.

I highly recommend Gyumaru for anyone who has not tried a real Japanese hamburger steak or for hamburger lovers in general.

Pro-tip: if you become a regular, take advantage of their point collection scheme (it used to be more generous, maybe too much, but it is still a nice kick-back).

Pro-tip 2: also I love that they keep a set of colored crayons on every table. They can be used to draw on their paper cover. Fun for your kids or for your inner child.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
8/3 Lê Thánh Tôn, Bến Nghé, District 1
(Another branch serving burgers only – not the dishes presented in this review based on hamburger steak – is located in the second basement level of Takashimaya)
Attention: at time of writing, the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. Check their Facebook page for Vietnam.