Brett Davis - AsiaLIFE Magazine

where are you going tonight?
41 Dong Du, D1, Tel 3822 7375
Com Nieu
19 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 6288
The house specialty, com nieu (smashed
rice), comes with a shattered-crockery
and flying-rice show at this well-known
restaurant, prominently featured in
Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. An
extensive and tasty selection of southern
Vietnamese cuisine rounds out the
menu.
Hoa Tuc
74 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 1676
This comfortable high-end restaurant
serves traditional Vietnamese fare with
a contemporary, classy twist. Expect to
find your local favourites as you’ve never
experienced them before. Beautifully
plated, this is Vietnamese cuisine at
its best.
Hoi An
11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 7694
Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy
of two sumptuously decorated colonial
villas, a bamboo-clad walled courtyard
and a menu spanning the three main
regions of Vietnam. Specialities include
abalone soup and a raw fish salad. Four
VIP rooms.
Lam Nuong Nam Bo
285/C145 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10
Tel: 3862 2569
Warehouse-sized quan well-regarded
among locals serves everything from
beef, chicken and fish to porcupine,
weasel and field mouse. Great destination
for intrepid gastronomes. Has
standard hot pot, rice and noodle dishes
too.
Mandarine Restaurant
11A Ngo Van Nam, D1 Tel: 3822 9783
Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy
of two sumptuously decorated colonial
villas, an antique wooden stair and a
menu spanning all regions of Vietnam.
Traditional music performances are
available for dinner.
Marina
172 Nguyen Dinh Chieu
tel: 3930 2379
www.ngocsuong.com.vn
Swish seafood restaurant with al fresco
and indoor seating and a vast menu of
up-market Vietnamese dishes. Features
10 set menus at varying price scales.
Nam Phan
34 Vo Van Tan, Q3 Tel: 3933 3636
Well known at its previous corner
location on Le Thanh Ton, Nam Phan
continues to serve modern Asian cuisine
including asparagus and crab meat
soup, stewed bellyfish in pineapple and
grilled duck breast in orange sauce. Set
in a restored colonial villa, the interior is
alive with reproductions of Cham-era
bas-reliefs and is inspired by Euro-Zen.
Nghi Xuan
5/9 Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3823 0699
Located down an alley just past Hai
Ba Trung, featuring an attractive open
first-floor and upstairs dining rooms
with dark wood furniture and carved
woodwork. Serving Hue staples, crab
and prawn spreads and an impressive
array of wines and cocktails.
Papaya
68 Pham Viet Cham, Binh Thanh
Tel: 6258 1508
www.chi-nghia.com
Hanoian classics mingle with new interpretations
created by Chi Nghia, whose
experience and dedication to clean,
fresh ingredients set Papaya's menu
apart. 10 am to 11 pm, 7 days.
Ngon Restaurant
160 Pasteur, D1
The long lunchtime queues tell the story:
good food at low prices. More a food
court than a restaurant, this has become
a major favourite for its airy decor combined
with cheap and tasty noodle, rice
and other standard dishes.
Quan Nuong 3T Barbecue
29-31 Ton That Thiep, D1
A favourite with both locals and expats,
this rooftop restaurant above the Temple
Club offers an extensive menu of meat,
seafood and vegetarian dishes. Try the
beef wrapped around tasty melting
cheese or deliciously fresh skewered
prawns.
Son Ha Garden
147A Hai Ba Trung, D1
Spacious and airy restaurant sculpted
from bamboo with an open kitchen.
Serves a range of affordable local favourites
family style, as well as Vietnamese
desserts including homemade yoghurt.
Temple Club
29 – 31 Ton That Thiep, D1
Tel: 3829 9244
This high-end restaurant attached to an
elegant lounge bar is a must-try for its
art deco atmosphere as much as for its
food. Mains go from around VND80,000
to VND150,000.
Tib
187 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3829 7242
100 Nguyen Luong Bang, Phu My
Hung, D7 Tel: 5413 6868
www.tibrestaurant.com.vn
Popular up-market dining spot serving
Hue cuisine in an attactive dining room
that draws on traditional architecture.
Call for reservations.
Tib Express
162 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3
Tel: 3822 5038
Serves a large selection of Tib’s Huefood
menu in a more casual dining
rooom and at significantly lower prices.
Specializes in bun bo Hue.
Wrap & Roll
62 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 4030
SA1–1, My Khanh 1,
Nguyen Van Linh, D7
Attractive downtown venue that brings
street-style food into air-conditioned
and uncluttered comfort. Choose prewrapped
appetisers such as the cha gio
(spring rolls) or roll-it-yourself mains with
ingredients like pickled shrimps, beef on
sugar cane, fish, grilled eel and pork.
nightlife
BARS & LOUNGES
See bar restaurant listings for more
popular watering holes.
Acoustic Bar
6E1 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, D3
Tel: 3930 2239
A Volkswagen Bug tries to scale the wall
outside this well-priced music venue
popular with college-age Vietnamese
and the occasional expat.
Amber Room
59 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 6291 3686
info@theamberoom.com
A true London meets New York lounge,
with chilled out tunes during the day and
more funky vibes at night. A pleasant
meeting place for drinks and a bite to
eat.
Boston Sports Bar
28/2 - 28/4 Bui Vien, D1
Tel: 6656 6338/6656 6328
Sports bar featuring North American
food. Satellite TV, free pool and darts.
Catering services and private room available
for parties. Open 24 hours.
Ciao Lounge
2nd Floor, 74-76 Nguyen Hue, D1
Trendy and attractive lounge bar with a
mixture of retro and modern decor and
a pleasant atmosphere to boot. A great
escape from central Saigon but quite
touristy.
Cranberry Café & Pub
45 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3914 0991
Upmarket,quiet lounge great for private
parties. Brickwork and cranberry-red
chairs speak to the bar’s name, with a
cocktail range and Tigers in blissfully
frosted mugs.
Level 23
23rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel
88 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 2828
One of the best views of the city from
this upmarket terrace bar and lounge.
Excellent cocktails don’t come cheap
but the atmosphere is great with live
music throughout the week and a live
DJ every Monday.
The Library
InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner
of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1
Tel: 3520 9099
dine@icasianasaigon.com
Unwind with a glass of wine or a cup of
tea. The Library provides a welcoming
atmosphere for those in search of calm,
comfort and personalized service.
M52 Bar
52 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 6726
Sparsely-appointed venue with reasonably
priced drinks noted for packing
a punch. Owners Annie and Ms. Van
are never too busy to check on their
patrons, and the busy bartenders are
quick with a smile.
Number Five Bar
44 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 6300
Number Five Bar is older than it looks,
having formerly been located at 5 Ly
Tu Trong. The bar attracts a regular
clientele of established expats.
Park Lounge
Park Hyatt Hotel
2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234
Elegant lounge bar, with classic songs
played every night by international musicians.
The salubrious surroundings are
matched by the range of the drinks, with
vintage wines from USD $6 to $10 per
glass. Tiger is $4.50 a bottle.
Purple Jade
InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner
of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1
Tel: 3520 9099
Chic lounge blends the stylistic influences
of contemporary design and opium
dens. Hosts live music and serves
special drinks, including Shaoxing and
Maotai rice wines and an exclusive
selection of luxury spirits.
Q Bar
Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square, D1
With low ceilings, intimate cubbyholes,
colonial arches, gold paint, ultraviolet
lighting and clubhouse beats, this is a
bar that has a reputation for being a
place to be seen. Great outdoor terrace
and late-night indoor opening.
QD Bar & Lounge
138 Ton That Dam, D1, Tel: 3821 5338
Sophisticated lounge with New and
Old World wines served by the bottle or
glass, modern decor and floor-to-ceiling
windows overlooking Ton That Thiep.
Saigon Saigon Bar
9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son
Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999
Popular bar usually packed out with
tourists and business travellers searching
for some delicious cocktails and a
great view of the city skyline. Cuban
band Warapo plays every night except
Monday from 8.30 pm until late.
Samsara Club
131 Dong Khoi, D1
A laid-back cosmopolitan drinking and
dance venue with comfy lounge chairs
around low-lying tables and an island
bar bedecked in extravagant whitefeather
decorations. Pink neon gives the
joint a contemporary edge.
T&R Tavern
57 Do Quang Dau, D1
Classic expat dive bar with pool table,
darts and comfortable yet simple decor.
Daily happy hour and sportsfans can
catch games on the big screen.
Vibe Billiards & Lounge
102 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1
Tel: 3925 2599
Sleek bi-level lounge with Scandinavian
design, Bansky-esque murals and
top-notch billiards and snooker tables,
paid for by the hour. Hosts league play,
half-price Mondays, ladies’ nights and
DJ events.
Voodoo Lounge
92 Ho Tung Mau, D1
Voodoo paintings adorn the white walls
at this small, attractive bar south of Sunwah
Tower. A daily happy hour, plenty
of stool space and a pair of dartboards
make it a good place to grab a drink.
Yoko
22A Nguyen Thi Dieu, D3
Tel: 3825 1901
Compact and popular joint with nightly
live music boasts a refreshingly eclectic
range of Western styles, with most
songs sung in English.
BREWHOUSES
Alderbrau
98 Nguyen Du, D1
Small brewhouse decorated with
antique brewing miscellanea, with an
enclosed garden for outdoor swilling
the small range of house brews and
bottled imports. The kitchen dishes up
sausages, German fare, and Vietnamese
dishes.
Gammer Czech Beer
107 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 8619
www.biatuoitiepvn.com
Attractive, multi-story Czech beer hall
furnished with heavy wood and outfitted
with a few flat screen TVs tuned in to
sports. Dark and blonde beers are available,
as well as a full menu of Vietnamese
food from mussels to rabbit.
Hoa Vien
28bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3829
0585
www.hoavien.vn
Expansive beer hall serves up pilsner
beer crafted from malt, hops and yeast
from the Czech Republic. There’s also
a large food menu and imported Pilsner
Urquell.
Lion Brewery
11C Lam Son Square, D1
Tel: 3823 8514
Microbrewery featuring traditional German
brew technology and German fare
like pork knuckle and wurst. Good spot
to meet friends and enjoy a hearty meal
and a whole lot of beer.
NIGHTCLUBS
Fuse Bar
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1
A popular bar that plays primarily hiphop
music. Every Tuesday Fuse hosts a
ladies night where women drink for
free and two bottles of wine can be
purchased for 2 million VND.
Lush
2 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 2496
A large and lavishly decorated bar and
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