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imbibeRosé and RosesBy Beth YoungThis Valentine’s Day pop thecork on a bottle of rosé—crisp, fresh and light with analluring ruby tinge. Made fromred grapes that are crushedto release the white juiceinside, the intensity of thecolour depends on how longthe crimson-hued skin is leftinside the barrel to brew.Michael Kloster, sales andmarketing manager at VineGroup, takes the VeramonteSyrah Rosé (287,000 VND)off the shelf to illustrate. It’sa vivid lollipop red-pink thatalmost glitters in the light. Notall rosé shares its vibrancy,though. Different varieties willtake on varying degrees ofcolour and tone. And the skinalso imparts tannin, which determinesthe wine’s structure.Popular in warmer Europeanclimates and particularlyin the south of France, roségenerally pairs well with Mediterraneancuisine. Kloster saysit’s also a natural pair withVietnamese food—especiallyseafood—serving to enhanceits subtle, clean flavours. Foodwriter and AsiaLIFE columnistRichard Sterling suggestsbanh xeo (Vietnamese ricepancake) as a perfect accompaniment.According to Kloster, roséalso matches Vietnam’s physicalenvironment. Since roséhas a low alcohol content(generally about 5 per cent)it’s light enough to drink in thetropics.But, in the US, White Zinfandelreigns supreme (Vinestocks a Stone Valley varietyfor about $8). Developed inCalifornia in the 1970s, it’ssweet and uncomplex but afavourite among Americandrinkers. Kloster and Sterlingsay that while it’s a goodplace to start, European roséhas much more class. It’slighter, drier and crisper withfar more complexity.Kloster says rosé is an “everyman’s wine”. as a breadthof options are available to suitall budgets and palates. Atjust 222,000 VND the VeramonteSyrah Rosé (mentionedabove) is quite dry with aintense strawberry and cherryaroma. Alternatively, the Rosetta(525,000 VND) is a littlepricier and much sweeter witha bit of sparkle and a hint ofwild roses. Perfect for ladiesand beginners, mind you,a little dangerous—it goesdown a treat. And as Sterlingsays the Rosetta is “prettycomplex. It doesn’t smell likeKool-Aid”.Take your pick, rosé—orpink champagne as it’s sometimesreferred to—is the idealelixir for a romantic Valentine’sDay dinner. Rosé and roses:there’s just no going wrong.Xoi Vostreet gourmetXoi vo basically meanssticky rice that’s beenrolled through your hands.It’s a sweet treat that isusually eaten as a dessertor snack. Green mungbeans and coconut milkare added to the stickyrice. These ingredientsBull’s Cafe113C Bui Vien Street, D1Tel: 3836 1925www.bullcafe.com.vnMotoGP-themed lounge serving up coffee,smoothies and cafe house special,fruit cocktail.Cafe TerraceSaigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1This funky café is frequented by trendytypes attracted by the leather lounges,outdoor terrace and 52 non-alcoholicfruit concotions.Cay Da CafeGround floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu NhuanTel: 3844 9222 ext. 118www.moevenpick-saigon.comStocks the Moevenpick’s chef’s mostdelicious cakes, pastries, ice cream andsandwiches.Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf12-14 Thai Van Lung, D194 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3Nowzone, 235 Nguyen Van Cu, D5Metropolitan Bldng, 235 Dong Khoi, D1International café chain with a widevariety of coffees and teas, as well aslight snacks and food. Also sells freshroastedcoffee beans and tins of wholeleaf tea. Illy Café111A Pasteur, D1 Tel: 2220 2388Fax: 2220 2389Grand View Shop SA1-1, SB2-1Nguyen Duc Canh, D7 Tel: 5412 3292Fax: 5412 3293An Italian-style coffee bar that servesIlly—a world-renowned espresso blend.Makes classic coffees like the cappuccinoas well as innovative alcoholic andnon-alcoholic cocktails. Also serve lightItalian cuisine and desserts.create a sweet taste andgive xoi vo it’s yellowcolour. You can find xoi vostreet side all over Saigon.It is served in a plasticbag for about 5,000 VNDeach.Text by Hanh NguyenPhoto by VinhJubarcalypse35 Dong Khoi, D1 Tel: 3827 7930Jubarcalypse has an interesting undergrounddesign. Playing jazz music, it’sthe perfect place to re-energize with arefreshing selection of juices and snacks.Loaves and Fishes5 Street 11, Thao Dien, D2Tel: 3547 0577Coffee house on a side street nearRiverside Apartments serves up drinksand serves the full line of Western-stylebaked goods from Harvest Baking.Mojo88 Dong Khoi, D1www.sheratonsaigon.comA top-end cafe with an attractive interior,outdoor terrace at street level andcomfortable lounges upstairs. Goodbusiness coffee or lunch venue.Nirvana14Bis Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1Tel: 3910 0745Pleasant retro-styled cafe with outdoorwater features and welcome moderntouches like free Wi-Fi. Live music atnight.Paris Deli35 Dong Khoi, D1Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1Tel: 3821 6127Grand View Building, Nguyen DucCanh, Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 412 2179Petite boulangerie/cafe decked out withFrench-style furnishings. Offering tastyFrench and international dishes with arange of lunchtime specials at reasonableprices.That’s CaféRivergarden, 170 Nguyen Van Huong,D2The Crescent, 103 Ton Dat Tien, PhuMy Hung, D7Hailing from the U.S., That’s Café isa new Khai Silk initiative. Claiming toprovide the best coffee in town in acomfortable and friendly atmosphere, it’sa great place to hold a business meetingor catch up with friends.Une Journee A Paris234 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3827 772315B Ngo Quang Huy, An Phu, D2Tel: 0128 608 9551A Parisian-style café that serve Frenchcuisine, coffee and pastries like fondantchocolat, baba au rhum and tropezienne.Free Wi-Fi. Open Monday toSaturday from 7 am to 7 pm.X Cafe58 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3914 2142212 A2 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 39259307Bright, spacious foreign-run cafe decoratedin the style of an Alpine chalet.Popular with local makers and shakers,has a great open-plan upstairs area andtwo outdoor terraces. Regular live musicand homemade ice cream. Nguyen Trailocation includes children’s playground.Catering available.Zenta41 Mac Dinh Chi, D3A large, extravagant, kitsch cafe withseveral rooms resembling airportdeparture lounges. Customers, though,tend to gravitate to the more attractiveoutdoor terrace with its pond andwaterfall-style water features.CHINESEDragon Court11-13 Lam Son Square, D1Tel: 3827 2566Open until 2am, this vast, no-frills eaterygets packed with hungry locals whosavour generous portions of tasty dimsum. All the Chinese staples are here.Expect a good feed for under 100,000VND per person.Dynasty RestaurantNew World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1Tel: 3822 8888Fine Chinese dining in an opulent restaurantreminiscent of the Middle Kingdom’simperial days. Delicacies clock in at500,000 VND, but most dishes fallbetween 80,000 to 180,000 VND.Huy Long Vien99 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 7799www.huylongvien.comA magnificent Chinese restaurant witha leafy slate-tiled courtyard, Chineselanterns and a labyrinth of water works.Lunchtime dim sum is 120,000 VND,while the a la carte menu runs higherwith Chinese specialties such as Pekingduck for 400,000 VND.KabinRenaissance Riverside Hotel, 8-15 TonDuc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033Elegant dining space with beautifuldecor and great views over the riveroffers extensive lunch and dinner menusfeaturing authentic gourmet Cantoneseand Szechuan dishes and an assortmentof dim sum at lunchtime.Li BaiSheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, D1Tel: 3827 2828Imperial-styled restaurant named aftera famous Chinese poet. Excellent lunchtime dim sum buffet for USD $17.00.Nightly à la carte menu with dishes goingfrom 100,000 VND.Lotus Court1st floor, Moevenpick Hotel Saigon253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu NhuanTel: 3844 9222 ext. 168www.moevenpick-saigon.com62 asialife HCMC asialife HCMC 63