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Cote D’AzurClassic French cuisine served inambient surroundings. By M. Khan.Photos by Ho Huynh Ho Quang.Cote D’Azur exemplifies the“tucked away in a corner”eatery. Blink and you’ll missthe alley it’s located in but findit, and you’re transported to aquiet little restaurant, where, ifweather permits, al fresco diningcan prove to be a pleasantexperience.One of Cote D’Azur’s owners,Le Nhat Dong, has vastexperience in French cuisinefrom his time at Le Bordeaux,and was kind enough to join mefor dinner. He explained howhe and his partners wanted toopen a restaurat to serve Frenchcuisine in intimate surroundings.To this end, they have createda menu that serves classicFrench fare, from the Foie Grasterrine served with fig chutney(255,000 VND) to a scrumptiouschocolate soufflé (90,000 VND)to cite two examples.The space appears small butis perfect for a quiet meal thatcan be had at a leisurely pace.The long alley that leads to theal fresco dining space ensuresthat outside noise, so typicalto Saigon, is left at the door.This enhances outdoor diningbecause you are divorced from,for example, the motorbike driverspulling to a few inches awayfrom your table. The small spacehas been used well—diners aregiven ample space betweentables so as to ensure privacyand not the cramped one-inchbetween tables where you can’thelp but eavesdrop on eachother’s conversations.Because of this, Cote D’Azuris devoid of any pretention Ioften hear Saigon residents saypermeates French restaurants. Ican’t comment on this argument,not having dined at toomany French establishmentsbut I can say that Cote D’Azur’sstaff were very attentive toevery detail. My glass was neverempty for more than a nanosecond,my plate cleared withinmoments and this was donewithout any hovering over me.The staff were almost tuned intomy thoughts—and accommodatedthem.The dinner we sampledlived up to its promise of beingclassic: a lovely AmuseBouche (parma ham and salmontartare on toast) welcomed mycompanion and I and preparedour palette for the Foie Gras.We sampled a lovely Chinesesea grouper, which was servedwith Noilly Prat (245,000 VND).For our main course, we had avery good steak. The prime filletof Australian beef was cookedmedium and was thankfully justright at medium and not welldone as can sometimes happen.All in all, a pleasant diningexperience, even on a balmySaigon evening.12 T3 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,District 1Tel: 3911 5473Lang Nuong Nam BoBarbequeFor an authentic Vietnameseexperience head to Lang NuongNam Bo, a massive two-storeywarehouse-type structure downan alley off Cach Mang ThangTam in District 10.With a clientele that is almostentirely local, Nam Bo specialisesin barbequed meat and seafoodgrilled to smoky perfectionatop coal-filled tabletop burners.While there’s game to satisfycurious eaters (think porcupineand weasel) the five spice marinatedbeef is a much safer option.The special squid is anothermust-try (Both dishes are 72,000Vietnamese style. By Beth Young.Photos by Ho Huynh Ho Quang.VND per plate). For best results,dip in bean curd sauce, soy withchilli or a tart combination ofsalt, pepper and lemon. And fragrantCynanthe flowers sautéedwith garlic (49,000 VND) are atypical accompaniment to a doit-yourselfbarbeque meal.Nam Bo is also renowned forits generous hotpots (referred toas “steamboats” in the menu).The classic South Vietnamesevariety (150,000 VND) has aslightly sweet and aromaticbroth. A monstrous pile ofmushrooms of all shapes andsizes, bitter melon, shreddedcabbage and greens plusprawns, squid and chunks ofgrouper are added once thesoup begins to boil.A nook to the side of the restauranthouses a macabre collectionof baby pigs speared onstakes. They are spit-roasted onfull display out front to a crispyfinish (460,000 VND). And ifdiners are still peckish peanuts,pickled young mangos and fermentedquail eggs sit tabletop,too. Remember, though, thesetreats aren’t free; they’re addedto the bill at the end.Always packed and perpetuallynoisy the atmosphereis rambunctious. Frantic waitstaff dart quickly between tablesfilled with rowdy Vietnamesebut the food arrives remarkablyquickly. Ceiling fans humconstantly in rhythm withincessantly flashing neon lights.Loud and boisterous, Nam Bois respected HCM City wide asone of the best barbeque jointsin town.285/C145 Cach Mang Thang Tam,District 10Tel: 3862 2569Open 9am to 10:30pm46 asialife HCMC asialife HCMC 47