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Vietnamese royal courts. Thegolden silk-draped chairs,potted dishes with designs ofDong Son bronze drums, theantique decanters and the staffgarbed in traditional costumeall immerse one in a past age.Diners can order authenticroyal cuisine or specialtiesfrom north, central and southVietnam and enjoy their meal tolive music.QUAN NGON RESTAURANT160 Pasteur, D1Opened in 2001 and twicehaving changed its location,Quan Ngon has found its placeon Pasteur. And judging by thepacked crowds that throng it(locals and foreigners alike), itclearly made the right move. Bewarned that it can sometimesbe difficult to find space duringpeak hours so book or comeearly. There is an extensivemenu with a great selection oftraditional food. Quan Ngondoes not have a central kitchen,so chefs cook up their specialtiesright at the stands, whichare arranged in a manner sodiners have a chance to viewthe food choices.BACCHUS CORNER158D Pasteur, D1Bacchus Corner is awell-known—and wellfrequented—winecellarin town, which provides alarge selection of high-gradeimported wines, spirits andchampagnes. The cellar offerswine tasting options as wellas advice on pairings—whichwines to have with whichmeals and how best to keepyour wines given weatherconditions here. Free deliveryis also available.THE ELBOW ROOM52 Pasteur, D1This diner-cum-bistro is agood choice for those whowant a different take on Westernfood and bar entertainment.True to its name ElbowRoom is a relativly narrowspace but it is still cosy andhomely serving hearty mealsand all American staples. Inaddition, activities like livemusic every Friday night andthe hosting of the Single MattClub on the third Thursday ofeach month makes it an idealspot for gourmets in town.The Elbow RoomSail with usthrough the sleeping dragons ofHalong BayOpening 1st quarter 2011The Life CollectionLife Heritage Resort Ha Long BayTel: +84 (0)33 6253 000 | E: reservations_halong@life-resorts.comHCMC Sales and Marketing OfficeT: +84 (8) 3844 3605 | E: sales@life-resorts.com | W: www.life-resorts.com18 asialife HCMC