As the exploration of international cuisine becomes more and more exciting, perhaps the rusticity and peace of the upstream flavors of home bring Vietnamese diners a special attraction, it seems. is immortal.
‘Rustic’ does not necessarily express the beauty of Vietnamese cuisine. Instead, ‘rustic’ is the correct adjective to express the pure Vietnamese soul in each delicious homeland dish.
‘Rusticism’ has long been no longer associated with backwardness. Rustic dishes are never rustic but are finished products made from the quintessence of a thousand-year-old mountainous region.
Let’s walk around Saigon to find beloved Vietnamese rice dishes.
1. Cuc Gach Quan
The journey to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine in Saigon cannot miss Cuc Gach Quan. Rich flavors, quality ingredients, and nostalgic space are the ‘ingredients’ that help Cuc Gach Quan ‘please the hearts’ of diners from all over.
The simplicity and sincerity of the restaurant are wrapped in white through the time-stained decoration combined with a menu full of rice, soup, salty vegetables, and items that are tried to be replaced with ‘green’ ingredients such as banana leaf juice, water spinach straws…
Come here, if the restaurant’s space brings you peace, then the bowl of fragrant sticky rice, rich and sour soup, dried papaya beef salad, pork belly with shrimp paste, and even a bowl of delicious salted eggplant… will make you happy, and”warm your heart”.
Address: 310 Dang Tat, District 1.
2. Quan Bui
Coming to Quan Bui is not difficult for you to immediately feel the Indochina breath wafting in the space.
Defining the brand as a restaurant specializing in serving Vietnamese cuisine, of course, Quan Bui always knows how to infuse every detail – from the layout to the menu – with a warm family atmosphere.
The dishes at Quan Bui are generally well-seasoned. Outstanding dishes that you cannot miss when coming here are salad from the bush shop, sour soup, soft shell crab with tamarind sauce, salted egg tofu…
Address:
Bistro: 11th Floor, 39 Ly Tu Trong, District 1.
Central: 2A Le Duan, District 1.
Original: 17/A Ngo Van Nam, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.
Garden: 55A – 55B Ngo Quang Huy, Thao Dien Ward, District 2.
3. Laang Restaurant
The restaurant’s name is inspired by the word ‘quiet’. From the moment you set foot here, you will feel like you are suddenly lost in a quiet, relaxing place. Through every detail of the space, you can see that ‘cool’, ‘gentle’, and ‘delicate’ are the elements that Laang pays special attention to.
Carefully selected local ingredients, then undergoing talented “molding” by chef Vo Quoc, have helped Laang’s dishes successfully conquer many demanding diners.
Not only is it a great place for family reunion meals and meetings, but Laang is also an ideal date spot for couples because of its luxurious and eye-catching elements.
Address: 22 Dang Huu Pho, Thao Dien, District 2.
4. Mekong Kitchen
When it comes to the Southwest region, we often remember the typical delicious dishes of the river region.
Besides the “salty” and rich flavors of dishes such as fruit hotpot, island hotpot, and Nam Can crab…, at Mekong Kitchen you can also experience the simple yet strange delicious taste with your loved ones through chicken dishes.
The taste of Western and Southern people seems to favor sweets. So Mekong Kitchen’s dishes also retain this characteristic.
Instead of using regular sugar, they accept to spend “a little effort” to take advantage of natural sweetness such as jackfruit, kumquat, and Ben Tre coconut…
Address: 156 – 158 Nguyen Thai Binh, District 1.
5. Aunt Mai Restaurant
Opened in 2016, Di Mai restaurant makes everyone who passes by flutter with its meticulous and eye-catching design.
Not trying to take diners back in time by deciding to hide on small street corners or using dark tones, Aunt Mai restaurant recreates old Saigon in a different way.
Located in modern buildings such as Landmark 81, Crescent Mall, and Ben Thanh Times Square, with a colorful space, Aunt Mai restaurant unintentionally reminds us of a beautiful and bustling “Pearl of the Far East”.
From there, they force diners to reflect and acknowledge the potential splendor of a modern Saigon.
Not burdened with family meals, Auntie Mai’s restaurant offers diners a series of other delicious Vietnamese dishes such as – street dishes, drinks including vermicelli noodles and pho, to dishes with variations.
Address:
Ben Thanh Times Square, 136 – 138 Le Thi Hong Gam, District 1.
Landmark 81, L02-03, 772 Dien Bien Phu, Binh Thanh District.
Crescent Mall, 3F-54 Crescent Mall Phase 2, 101 Ton Dat Tien, District 7.
6. Rice Restaurant
Fragrant sticky rice grains always play a role in creating a delicious meal. The owner of Rice Restaurant – dancer Linh Nga said that the restaurant’s rice is taken from specially bred rice varieties to produce the best flavor.
In addition to the familiar savory dishes from North to South, the list of vegetarian dishes will also make you praise their deliciousness thanks to the meticulousness of skilled chefs.
For those who visit for the first time, you definitely don’t want to miss dishes like grilled chicken with green bean sticky rice, lotus rice, crab apricot herbal rice, four seasons salad, soft-shell crab with salted eggs…
Address: 33 Le Quy Don, District 3.
7. Ms. Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant
The name of the restaurant reminds us of the image of traditional Vietnamese women being diligent and taking care of every bite.
During modern life, surrounded by a series of luxurious imported elements, a cozy tray of rice, “fragrant” with the scent of a home is sometimes extremely precious.
Ms. Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant will take you back to the excited feelings of your childhood when you see trays of rice filled with love.
The sincerity expressed through the taste of the food is not enough. In the small, airy space, every detail in the restaurant blends gently and rustically. Neatly placed on the wooden table are delicate ceramic dishes and “jostling” between them is a lovely small potted plant.
Address: 97 Hai Ba Trung, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.
