transition - AsiaLIFE Magazine

listingsfood &drinkBAR RESTAURANTSAla Mezon10 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 6291 0447www.alamezon.vnColourful four-storey venue serves fusionFrench-Japanese cuisine, as well ascocktails and wine by the glass. Spacespans a restaurant, lounge and mainbar and spacious, airy rooftop. Open 5pm to late.Bread & Butter40/26 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3836 8452Lunch menu of American classics(California burritos, po boy sandwiches),Brit pub dinner (bangers & mash, fish &chips) and Sunday evening roast. ServesHuda Beer from Hue. Closed 2:30 pm to5 pm and Mondays.Bernie's Bar & Grill19 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 2684Serves a solid menu of certified Angusand imported Aussie steaks, freshpasta, thin crust pizza, sandwiches andmains in an old school steak housesetting. Drink menu includes smoothies,cocktails, premium wines and spirits andSaigon's largest martini. Buddha Bar7 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2080An Phu institution serves up tasty mealsand good drinks in a friendly, chilled environment.Plenty of room to relax insideor out, plus a pool table on premise. Cafe Latin17 Dong Du, D1In its third location, this expat favouritecontinues to deliver good food, anextensive drink list and a comfortableatmosphere. Two levels to watch sporton or simply unwind. Said to serve thebest chicken parmigiana in Vietnam.Corso Steakhouse & BarNorfolk Hotel, 117 Le Thanh Ton, D1Located in the chic Norfolk Hotel CorsoSteakhouse & Bar is well known for itssteak imported from the US and Australia.Good destination for both lunchand dinner.La Habana6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5180www.lahabana-saigon.comThis charming little place has seatingindoors and outdoors, upstairs anddownstairs to fit your dining pleasure.Relaxed environment with frequent livemusic. Offers Spanish and Cuban fareincluding paella and a tapas fiesta comprisingthree plates. Open late daily.Le Pub175/ 22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1www.lepub.orgOne of Pham Ngu Lao’s favouritewatering holes, Le Pub also has a goodmenu of well-executed pub grub andinternational favourites. Hearty breakfastis available all day and specials areoffered daily.Mogambos50 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 1311This restaurant has been around sincethe mid-1990s, which offers an insightinto its enduring quality. Specializes inAmerican grain-fed steaks, hamburgersand salads served in a pleasantatmosphere. O’Brien’s74/A2 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 38293198A large Celtic-style pub popular withmedia types that has an interior done inbrickwork and wood, and an upstairsdining area. Draught beer is happyhour between 3 pm and 7 pm. Greatpizzas.Pasha Bar & Restaurant25 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 08 629 136 77www.pasha.com.vnTurkish–Mediterranean restaurantlocated in heart of HCMC serves halaland high quality food with ingredientsimported from Turkey, Spain, Singapore,Egypt, New Zealand, Japan and France.Long happy hour half price by glass.Various shisha flavours.Peaches: The Curry PubSky Garden 2, S57-1, Phu My Hung,D7 Tel: 5410 0999Serves up dishes from Thailand, Vietnam,Malaysia, China, Japan, Singaporeand Indonesia with a focus on healthypreparation and fresh produce.Phatty’s46-48 Ton That Thiep, D1Tel: 3821 0705www.phattysbar.comJaspa’s Steve Hardy and Ben Winspear’ssports bar has five widescreenTVs, a large drop-down screen and lotsof pub grub and beer for fans looking totake in a game or two.Qing110 Pasteur, D1www.qing.com.vnSophisticated downtown bar just off LeLoi specializes in Asian tapas, Asian/South American fusion dishes and a fewdelectable deserts. Variety of good winesby the glass or bottle.Sheridan’s Irish House17/13 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 38230793www.sheridansbarvn.comCosy Irish pub with authentic Irish decor,a pleasant atmosphere and regular livemusic. Wide range of classic pub grub,East Asian dishes and a fantastic breakfastfry-up available from 8 am.Storm P Bar & Restaurant5B Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3827 4738www.stormp.vnThis friendly hangout is a favourite withboth the Scandinavian community andEnglish-speaking expats. Offers Danishcuisine to go with the drinks. The TavernR2/24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7Tel: 5410 3900Boasts good international food, a pooltable, dartboards and sports coverageon large screens. Outdoor seating onmutiple levels. Second floor sportslounge hosts DJs at the weekends. Vasco’s Bar74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 2888Chic bar decked in deep reds that getspacked to capacity on weekends. OpenMonday to Saturday with live music onFridays. Food menu by chef with over 10years experience at La Camargue. Alsodoes excellent pizza. ZanZBar41 Dong Du, D1Funky, modern interiors and variedinternational breakfast, lunch and dinnercuisine. Imported beers, cocktails,gourmet espresso coffee, and happyhours make ZanZBar a great after-workspot. Open late.CAFESAnnam Cafe16-18 Hai Ba TrungCosy corner cafe with free Wi-Fi overlookingHai Ba Trung. Serves a slate ofgourmet sandwiches, coffee and wine.Bobby Brewer’s45 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3920 409070 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 Tel: 3821810086 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 62991990www.bobbybrewers.comThis is an attractive fast-food style coffeeshop with friendly staff and good lattes.All the coffee is roasted on the premisesand there are comfortable couches andtravellers aplenty making it a chilledplace to hang out. feast broaden your palate with promotions around townRestaurant NineteenOn February 3 and 4 from 6 pm till 10 pm,the Caravelle Hotel’s Restaurant Nineteenwill prepare a Tet buffet dinner for1,050,000 VND ++ per person. Choicesinclude Tet staples like banh chung, panfriedsalmon and suckling pig plus there willbe a BBQ and seafood station. Dessertslike fudge cake and peach crumble willalso be served up. Call 38234999 or visitcaravellehotel.com.Reflections RestaurantFrom February 3 through 12, the CaravelleHotel’s Reflections Restaurant will payhomage to mushrooms by preparing disheslike morel with white truffle oil on toastedsourdough with sea scallops. A la Carte optionsrange from 200,000 to 540,000 VND++ per dish. A set menu for 980,000 VND++ is also available and includes searedsea scallops and roasted fillet of beef. Call38234999 or visit caravellehotel.com.Opera RestaurantLocated on the lobby level of the ParkHyatt Saigon, Opera Restaurant is becomingknown as a venue for authenticItalian cuisine. The restaurant has nowintroduced a new concept to help easeinto the new year. The ‘Colazione atOpera’ is an antipasti buffet enhancedwith a choice of one main course and adelectable dessert buffet. Available from11:30 A.M. to 2.30 P.M. on Monday toFriday, prices start at VND 470,000++per person. For more information andreservations, please call 08 3520 2357 oremail opera.saiph@hyatt.com.More Bangers for your Buck atGartenstadtCraving those traditional German flavors?It’s time for Gartenstadt. Featuring sausageplatter specials with an array of sausagessuch as Bratwurst and served withfried potatoes and sauerkraut for only320.000VND++. Known for exceptionalquality since 1992, Gartenstadt is a favoriteof locals and expatriates alike. Witha warm and cozy atmosphere, importedGerman beers and authentic dishes,Gartenstadt will leave you satisfied. Open10:30 am until midnight, call 8 38223623 or visit gartenstadt@vtpinvestment.com.Auspicious Dishes at Café CentralNguyen HueIt’s time for Tet and Café Central is servingup auspicious dishes such as severalvarieties of traditional Chinese dumplings,cooked in an array of styles and startingat only 48.000VND++. Situated in theheart of bustling downtown Saigon,Café Central Nguyen Hue is one of thebest locations to sip on a drink, munchon a snack or have a filling meal whilewatching the world go by. Open 7 am tomidnight, call 8 3821 9303.60 asialife HCMC