Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Asialife HCMC

cooked dishes and monthly meal promotions
are also available. Set lunches cost
about US$15.
Okinawa Yamaneko
13/1 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8433
www.yamaneko-vn.com
Part restaurant, part Japanese pub serving
up a variety of Okinawa favourites like
sashimi with sea grapes, namakari and
goya champuru plus sushi and soba.
Sakae Sushi
Nowzone @ Royal Centre, Level 4
235 Nguyen Van Cu, D1 Tel: 3504 0054
Healthful, affordable and quick service
kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi makes for a
fun dining experience. Extensive menu
also includes beef, chicken and vegetarian
options.
The Sushi Bar
2 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8042
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1, Tel: 3911 8618
This brightly lit Japanese-style restaurant
serves over 40 varieties of sushi at
reasonable prices. Sit at the sushi bar
or in private rooms upstairs. Open until
11.30pm, delivery available on request.
Popular with expats and locals alike.
Zen
20 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 0782
Located amid the sea of Japanese
restaurants on Le Thanh Ton Street, Zen
offers a wide range of Japanese dishes.
The yakitori station grills up fantastic
steak and quail’s eggs, and the chilled
udon noodles are also a standout.
KOREAN
25 Si
8A/6D Thai Van Lung, D1
Tel: 3824 6921
Traditional Yasik-style drinking restaurant.
Winter and summer scene murals fill the
walls of this dual level eatery. Large menu
with favs like budae jjigae, a mix of chilli
paste, Spam, hot dog and tofu, as well
super spicy duruchigi.
Hana
8 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5588
Japanese-Korean fusion in the heart
of District 1. Contemporary decor with
a private, yet open feel. Broad menu
including cooked and raw fish and
traditional hotpot with fish eggs, rice and
vegetables.
Kim Bab Chun Gook
R4 42 Hung Phuoc 2, Phu My Hung
Tel: 6296 9057
Korean boonshik/snack food eatery
serving up a wide variety of light but
substantial foods including dumplings,
rameyon and fish cakes.
Kumdo
6A Pham Ngoc Thach, D3
Tel: 3824 3253
Korean beef barbecue served in small,
welcoming dining rooms with barbecues
built into tables. Large selection of raw
meat specialties.
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
lac Thai
71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506
An elegant restaurant tucked in an
alleyway and decorated with art-deco
furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared
by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less
spicy than you’d find in Thailand.
little Manila
S2-1 Hung Vuong 2, Phu My Hung, D7
Tel: 5410 0812
Small, no -frills eatery with outdoor
and indoor seating located on a quiet
street. Serves a range of dishes from the
Philippines (pictured on menu for those
unfamiliar) and draught San Miguel.
The Red Dot
21 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 5123
Aptly titled, this Singaporean restaurant
serves decent chicken rice, char kway
teow, chili crab, and a handful of Malaysian
specialties.
Sawasdee Saigon
102 - 104 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3925 7777
Authentic Thai cuisine in a warm, friendly
atmosphere.
Satay House
35 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3822 1727
Bright and rustic, this Malaysian-run
place specialises in Halal food. Chicken
and asam fish curries are must-tries. Its
famous satays are equally delicious.
Thai express
8A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 6299 1338
www.thaiexpress.com.vn
Modern restaurant with a massive menu
of Thai specialties served in moderate
proportions. The menu inludes chef’s recommendations
and background on Thai
cuisine. Warning: some dishes will test
your tongue’s threshold.
VEGETARIAN
an lac Chay
175/4 Pham Ngu Lao, D1
Tel: 3837 0760
Apropos of the backpacker district, this
little restaurant offers no frills and a vast
menu. Though meat dishes are available,
it specialises in vegetarian Vietnamese
and quirky “backpacker favourites.”
Hoa Dang
38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1
Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet
street that serves up nutritious dishes,
including meatless versions of bun bo,
pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving
non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other
sweets.
LOUISIANE
BREWHOUSE
Saigon Vegan
378/3 Vo Van Tan, D3 Tel: 3834 4473
Rustic vegan restaurant with extensive
menu of healthy food at moderate prices.
Lots of tofu dishes and soya chicken/
beef, soups, banh bao and more. Also
has a kids menu.
Tib Chay
11 Tran Nhat Duat, D1 Tel: 3843 6460
Intimate spot with a big menu of Vietnamese
vegetarian appetisers, salads,
soups, rice/noodle mains and desserts
Viet Chay
339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D3
Tel: 3526 5862
Upscale vegetarian restaurant specialises
in fake meat dishes. The attractive dining
room is suffused with natural light.
Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem
Pagoda.
VIETNAMESE
Cha Ca la Vong
3 Ho Xuan Hung, D3 Tel: 3930 5674
This HCM City oupost of the legendary
Hanoi original serves only one dish:
the eponymous and delicious cha ca
la vong, fish pan-fried at the table with
turmeric and dill and served with cold
noodles and peanuts.
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.
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.
Beachside Nha Trang
Asian & Western Cuisine
Swimming Pool & Private Beach
Miami
23 Ton Dan, D4 Tel: 083 941 5433
Lively, interactive restaurant serving
primarily Vietnamese seafood dishes like
hotpot using choice ingredients. Guests
can choose from market-style selection
and watch as chefs prepare their meals.
Frequent food promotions on offer.
Nam Kha
46-48-50 Dong Khoi, D1
Tel: 3823 8309
A swish restaurant from the Khai Silk
family with aquatic décor, massive vases
and a large staff eager to cater to your
every whim. Set and a la carte menus
available. Upstairs is the upmarket
Dragon lounge bar.
Nghi Xuan
5/9 Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3823 0699
Located down an alley just past Hai Ba
Trung, featuring an attractive open firstfloor
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.
Quan an Ngon
138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, 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
29 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.
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
www.louisianebrewhouse.com.vn
Banh day could be the Western
equivalent of bologna on
white bread, but thankfully,
it’s a bit more flavourful than
the classic American sandwich
of yesteryear. Eaten
primarily for breakfast, banh
day is made with two small,
round gelatinous pieces of
sticky rice that sandwich a
piece of slightly spicy pork
sausage. Although banh day
is sold year-round by bicycleriding
vendors, during the Tet
holiday it goes by the name
banh chung. But regardless
of when you eat it and
what you call it, there’s no
debating that at 8,000 VND
a fix, banh day is a delicious
mini-meal and economical
way to fill your stomach.
66 asialife HCMC asialife HCMC 67
banh day
street gourmet
rooom and at significantly lower prices.
Specialises 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.
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 personalised service.
long Phi
325 Pham Ngu Lao Tel: 3920 3805
Popular late night spot for those who
prefer to spend their after hours over a
cheap beer rather than at a nightclub.
Live music, a fooseball table and a tasty
burger-and-fries plate contribute to the
laid-back vibe.
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