Tauranga, NZ
Every time I come back to Vietnam, there's always an agenda. This time, it was 2 concerts, celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia. I was honored and humbled to be asked to represent in this iconic and historical moment, especially being the child of a refugee! The concert went swimmingly well and the performance as well as the behind the scenes footage will be up soon on my YouTube channel HERE.
Of course in the moments I had in between rehearsals, dress fittings, interviews and photoshoots, I love to suss out the new hangouts and eateries as well as Vietnamese designers so here are my recommendations and findings:
1. Lunch Lady
Where: google map it. Just type in lunch lady and it actually comes up - it's District 1 :)
What: made famous by Anthony Bourdain, it's a street vendor. Don't expect fancy. You're on low plastic seats, in the heat and she cooks a different soup everyday sitting at about 35,000 VND ($1.50USD) They also have rice paper rolls at 5,000VND (25 cents a pop) so winning all round!
Recommend: trying whatever is on offer on the day.
2. Quan Bui
Where: there are 2. The one i went to was 17A Ngô Văn Năm – District 1.
What: Vietnamese home style cooking, great for lunch or dinner but in a very pretty old-school setting, not quite as lavish as Cuc Gach but similar vintagesque feel. I went on a Tuesday and booked and would highly recommend it because it does fill out. There are 3 floors, ground floor doesn't have A/C and the other 2 do.
Recommend: all the traditional stuff - caramelised pork in clay pot, lotus salad, kankong or morning glory in garlic sauce, lemongrass beef.
Pricing: very reasonable. You'll see higher end Vietnamese or ex pats here.
3. Fê Cafe
Where: 26 Ly Tu Trong, District 1 (literally across from Vincom)
What: cafe newly opened by the founding director and designer for Valenciani, Adrian Anh Tuan. Super cute, small but full of character and befittingly designed. It also houses the Devon London line of clothing. What more could a girl want? Coffee and clothes :)
Recommend: coffee ... Duh! And their iced teas are fab too!
4. M2C Cafe
Where: 44 Ly Tu Trong St, District 1(just around the corner of Quan Ngon, corner of Ly Tu Trong and Pasteur, and right next to Fenetre de Soleil)
What: cafe and restaurant. This place literally had its soft opening the day I arrive in Saigon this time (Sunday 8th dec) and 2 days later I was in there with the Elle Magazine girls tasting the menu. Opened by the same owners of the I.D Cafe, Art Director Dzung Yoko and ex model and entrepreneur Minh Anh so finely curated this beautiful cafe. Spread across 3 levels, the lounges through to the light fixtures, plants, resurfaced walls and who could forget the Unicorn are so carefully positioned to create a beautiful setting to have coffee or a meal. The food is fantastic!
Recommend: Bun Cha (it's a vermicelli fish soup), honey banana smoothie as well as the M2C rice paper rolls! Tastes a bit like Brodard rice paper rolls in California!
5. L'usine
Where: I know I've posted L'usine before but that's their flagship cafe on 151/1 Dong Khoi St. Their second one is 76B Le Loi St,
What: cafe, kitschy hipster clothing and accessories, perfect gifting ideas and stocks Australian designers like Finders Keepers along with Herschel Bags etc they sell all their outfittings from lights to tables to decor. Just think Alexandria/Surry hills feel for you Aussies.
Recommend: caramelised pork salad, a latte (real tasting coffee, not the Vietnamese coffee because sometimes you just don't need that speed hit!), olives and then of ochre some vino during their daily happy hour from 4-8pm!
6. Dong Pho
Where: 57 Ho Xuan Huong, P. 6 District 3
What: a central-Vietnam cuisine restaurant! Seriously delicious and so many different dishes. Nice and quiet setting too with great decor. Seemed to have a lot of Japanese and French tourists.
Recommend: all the different 'savoury cakes' like 'banh bot loc', 'banh cuon', 'banh it' etc. There's also a French cakes section to the restaurant so go nuts, all you non-gluten intolerant people :)
I will need to do a post on clothing separately I think!
That's all from me for now folks! Go nuts!
Love and grace,
Van-Anh
And for the Right Nows:
Wearing: lime green Dawn Lu Shoes, J Brand waxed denims, Tommy Hilfiger belt, LF peplum, Carrera sunglasses.
Favorite food: rice paper rolls ... Gets me every time. Oh and green mangoes. Major salivation happening right about now!
Current city: Tauranga
Next city: Bay Of Islands
Listening to: Pharell Williams 'Happy'
Reading: Shantaram ... Never got to finish it
Wish list: a GoPro Hero 3
Missing: the same amounts of food I devoured over the Christmas period. Plane food sucks! Oh and missing a hell of a lot of sleep too! :)
