Brett Davis - AsiaLIFE Magazine

swathed in oranges and reds serving
Lebanese cuisine prepared by Damascan
chef, Nouman. Mezze and tapas are
the main draw, but you can also puff on
hookas post-meal.
Xu Saigon
71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 8468
www.xusaigon.com
Inspired restaurant with an F&B director
with a passion for mixing Vietnamese
cooking with flavours and styles from
around the world. Sleek but sparsely
designed, the restaurant serves nouveau
takes on Vietnamese cuisine.
ITALIAN
Basilico
InterContinental Asiana Saigon,
Ground Floor, Corner Nguyen Du and
Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3520 9099
dine@icasianasaigon.com
Contemporary and casual trattoria-style
restaurant specializing in authentic Italian
dishes and homemade desserts. Woodfired
pizza oven and a wide selection of
Italian wines.
Centro Caffe & Ristorante
11-13 Lam Son Square, D1
31 Ngo Duc Ke, D1
6 Thai Van Lung, D1
This is home of Illy coffee in Vietnam.
Offers modern and traditional Italian
cuisine in three central locations with
lunchtime set menus and regular wine
tasting evenings. Good spot for business
coffee meetings.
Da Vinci’s Pizza
001B Hoang Dieu, H1, D4
Tel: 3943 4982
Wide variety of brick oven pizza, calzones,
spaghetti, subs and sandwiches.
Pizzas come in medium and large sizes
and pay homage to Italy with names like
Verrochio, Pompeii and Assisi.
Good Morning Vietnam
197 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3837 1894
Popular authentic Italian restaurant with
additional outlets around the country.
Specializes in thin-crust pizza, pasta and
a range of Italian dishes. Good selection
of Italian wines.
La Hostaria
17B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1080
Rustic eatery specializing in top-end
traditional cuisine from various regions
in Italy. Main courses from 130,000 VND
with daily specials on offer. Serves excellent
pizza.
freshest and finest ingredients around to
produce some superb dishes.
Pendalasco
87 Nguyen Hue, D1, Tel: 3821 8181
One of the city’s oldest Western restaurants,
Pendalaso serves a wide range if
Italian favourites, as well as remarkably
authentic crispy, thin-crust pizza.
Pepperoni’s
111 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3920 4989
Attractive pizza and pasta restaurant
from the same chain as Al Fresco’s.
Good cheap buffet lunches on weekdays
and all-round large and tasty
portions.
Sarpino’s
125 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7788
Tasty American-style pan pizza in a
pleasant and fresh Italian-themed
environment. Four sizes available, from
personal to extra large, with a large
range of toppings. Also serves pasta,
soups, wings and salads.
Scoozi
6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3823 5795
Italian pizza restaurant affiliated with
Centro Caffe serving tasty gourmet pizzas
prepared in a wood-fired oven. The
delicious creations restore one’s faith in
HCM City’s ability to turn out a quality
pie.
JAPANESE
Dragon Hot Pot
122-124 Ho Tung Mao, D1
Tel: 3915 1001
info@dragonhotpot.vn
Japanese hot pot restaurant serving
motsu nabe, Japanese barbeque and
lots of sake and shoju.
K Cafe
74 A4 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 5355
Small, cosy and cheery, this café is
noteworthy for its cracking hand rolls.
Salmon skin rolls are also a treat. The
assorted sushi and sashimi, tasty and
beautifully presented, costs around USD
$8. Leave some room for homemade
yoghurt.
Kuru Kuru Sushi
129 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3824 3566
Sushi restaurant with colour-coded
menu and items served from a rotating
conveyor belt. Helpful place mats in
both English and Vietnamese break
down prices and explain how to choose
your food. Very affordable prices.
dining menu along with a wonderful
selection of sweets and offers possibly
the most divine and delectable gelato in
HCM City.
Nishimura
Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen
Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222
Exquisitely prepared sushi and sashimi
from a globetrotting chef with three
decades’ experience. A wide range of
cooked dishes and monthly meal promotions
are also available. Set lunches cost
about USD $15.
Okinawa Yamaneko
13/1 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8433
www.yamaneko-vn.com
Part restaurant, part Japanese pub serving
up a variety of Okinawa favourites like
sashimi with sea grapes, namakari and
goya champuru plus sushi and soba.
Sakae Sushi
Nowzone @ Royal Centre, Level 4
235 Nguyen Van Cu, D1 Tel: 3504
0054
Healthy, affordable and quick service
kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi makes for a
fun dining experience. Extensive menu
also includes beef, chicken and vegetarian
options.
The Sushi Bar
2 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8042
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3911 8618
This brightly lit Japanese-style restaurant
serves over 40 varieties of sushi at
reasonable prices. Sit at the sushi bar
or in private rooms upstairs. Open until
11.30 pm, delivery available on request.
Popular with expats and locals alike.
Zen
20 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 0782
Located amid the sea of Japanese
restaurants on Le Thanh Ton Street, Zen
offers a wide range of Japanese dishes.
The yakitori station grills up fantastic
steak and quail’s eggs, and the chilled
udon noodles are also a standout.
KOREAN
25 Si
8A/6D Thai Van Lung, D1
Tel: 3824 6921
Traditional Yasik-style drinking restaurant.
Winter and summer scene murals fill
the walls of this dual level eatery. Large
menu with favs like budae jjigae, a mix
of chilli paste, Spam, hot dog and tofu,
as well as super spicy duruchigi.
Hana
8 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5588
Japanese-Korean fusion in the heart
of District 1. Contemporary decor with
a private, yet open feel. Broad menu
including cooked and raw fish and
traditional hot pot with fish eggs, rice
and vegetables.
Kim Bab Chun Gook
R4 42 Hung Phuoc 2, Phu My Hung
Tel: 6296 9057
Korean boonshik/snack food eatery
serving up a wide variety of light but
substantial foods including dumplings,
rameyon and fish cakes.
Kumdo
6A Pham Ngoc Thach, D3
Tel: 3824 3253
Korean beef barbecue served in small,
welcoming dining rooms with barbecues
built into tables. Large selection of raw
meat specialties.
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Lac Thai
71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506
An elegant restaurant tucked in an
alleyway and decorated with art-deco
furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared
by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less
spicy than you’d find in Thailand.
Little Manila
S2-1 Hung Vuong 2, Phu My Hung, D7
Tel: 5410 0812
Small, no -frills eatery with outdoor
and indoor seating located on a quiet
street. Serves a range of dishes from the
Philippines (pictured on menu for those
unfamiliar) and draught San Miguel.
The Red Dot
21 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 5123
Aptly titled, this Singaporean restaurant
serves decent chicken rice, char kway
teow, chili crab, and a handful of Malaysian
specialties.
Sawasdee Saigon
102 - 104 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3925 7777
Authentic Thai cuisine in a warm, friendly
atmosphere.
Satay House
35 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3822 1727
Bright and rustic, this Malaysian-run
place specializes in Halal food. Chicken
and asam fish curries are must-tries. Its
famous satays are equally delicious.
Thai Express
8A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 6299 1338
www.thaiexpress.com.vn
Modern restaurant with a massive menu
of Thai specialties served in moderate
proportions. The menu inludes chef’s
recommendations and background on
Thai cuisine. Warning: some dishes will
test your tongue’s threshold.
VEGETARIAN
An Lac Chay
175/4 Pham Ngu Lao, D1
Tel: 3837 0760
Apropos of the backpacker district, this
little restaurant offers no frills and a vast
menu. Though meat dishes are available,
it specializes in vegetarian Vietnamese
and quirky “backpacker favourites.”
Hoa Dang
38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1
Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet
street that serves up nutritious dishes,
including meatless versions of bun bo,
pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving
non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other
sweets.
Saigon Vegan
378/3 Vo Van Tan, D3 Tel: 3834 4473
Rustic vegan restaurant with extensive
menu of healthy food at moderate
prices. Lots of tofu dishes and soya
chicken/beef, soups, banh bao and
more. Also has a kids menu.
Tib Chay
11 Tran Nhat Duat, D1 Tel: 3843 6460
Intimate spot with a big menu of Vietnamese
vegetarian appetisers, salads,
soups, rice/noodle mains and desserts
Viet Chay
339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3
Tel: 3526 5862
Upscale vegetarian restaurant specializes
in fake meat dishes. The attractive
dining room is suffused with natural light.
Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem
Pagoda.
VIETNAMESE
Cha Ca La Vong
3 Ho Xuan Hung, D3 Tel: 3930 5674
36 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3915 3343
Two HCM City ouposts of the legendary
Hanoi original serve only one dish: the
eponymous and delicious cha ca la
vong, fish pan-fried at the table with
turmeric and dill and served with cold
noodles and peanuts.
Opera
Ground floor Park Hyatt Hotel, 2 Lam
Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234
Slick, contemporary eatery with exposed
brick and glass. The space revolves
around an island kitchen from which
chefs produce gourmet Italian fare. Internationally
trained chefs work with the
MOF – Japanese Sweets & Coffee
Level B3-17A, Vincom Centre, 70-72
Le Thanh Ton, D1
30 Le Loi, D1
Refined Japanese café specializing in
unique desserts and food. Focusing
on use of organic products, this casual
eatery has a comprehensive Japanese
LOUISIANE
BREWHOUSE
Beachside Nha Trang
Asian & Western Cuisine
Swimming Pool & Private Beach
www.louisianebrewhouse.com.vn
111A Pasteur, D.1, HCMC
Tel: (08) 22 202 388 Fax: (08) 22 202 389
Grand View, Shop
SA1-1, SB2-1 Nguyen Duc Canh Blvd, D.7, HCMC
Tel: (08) 54 123 292 Fax: (08) 54 123 293
76 asialife HCMC asialife HCMC 77