{Saigon Snacks} Bun Cha Ha Noi!

It's one year today since we moved from Hanoi to Saigon, so I thought it only fitting that we celebrate the anniversary with a lunchtime reminder of our time up north.

Turn right down the alley next to the Pho 2000 store on Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1 and you'll find Bun Cha Ha Noi  - one of a handful of restaurants in Saigon totally devoted to serving the delicious northern dish. (See my previous post for a description of Bun Cha).

If you're not the adventurous type, and tend to steer away from roaside street eats (as we often do for fear of making our 4-years-olds sick!), the grungy appearance of this 2-storey restaurant may put you off. (And if the look of the restaurant doesn't make you head back the way you came, the pile of trash bags neatly stashed out front just might!) 

In fact, as we walked down the alley Rob's first comment to me was "Are you serious?".

Given Georgia and Mackenzie have been begging me to take them to a real Bun Cha restaurant since we left Hanoi there was no way I was going to turn back.

I must admit, I have eaten lunch at Bun Cha Ha Noi a few times with my colleagues so it was not like I dragged my family here without recommendation!

Owned by a friendly family from Hanoi, this is the real deal Bun Cha (not too sweet like the southerners tend to make it). They also specialise in crunchy Nem (deep fried spring rolls) and deep fried battered prawns. Each dish is 27,000 VND (that's about US$1.31 for a meal!).

Bun Cha Ha Noi - 26/1 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1

Bun Cha Ha Noi

Ah....memories!

If you don't have a stomach of steel I suggest you avoid the greens!

Bun Cha Ha Noi's busy kitchen (that's the owner reading the newspaper!)

{Saigon Snacks} Ben Thanh Night Market

Tonight we played at being tourists.

Most people are shocked when I tell them I haven't been to Saigon's infamous Ben Thanh Markets - despite living here for 5 months.

Sadly, after almost 2 years in Vietnam, every market feels a bit "same, same" and the thought of visiting yet another tourist trap didn't hold much appeal.

After some prodding from my colleagues, who raved about the dining delights at the Ben Thanh Night Market, I decided that tonight was the night for me to shake off my apathy and behave like a newly arrived tourist.

The fact that we were dressed in our work gear must have looked slightly odd as we mixed with the sunburnt, shorts-wearing foreigners, but I must admit it was good fun!

Ben Thanh's Night Market is held on the two streets that run either side of Ben Thanh Market - a vast building that straddles the block between Le Thanh Ton and Le Loi Streets in District 1.

On recommendation we headed straight to Hai Lua - a streetside restaurant at the night market with plenty of plastic tables and chairs surrounding an open air kitchen.


Ben Thanh's Night Market

 

Hai Lua restaurant at the Ben Thanh Night Markets

 Hai Lua is a feast for the senses and it was fun to watch the tourists staring in wide-eyed amazement, mesmerised by the chefs preparing the food before grilling it on massive barbecues.

Interesting...all the barbecue chefs at Hai Lua are female!

If you can stomach it, wander to the far side of the kitchen to watch the chef pluck a live fish from a bucket of water and scale it while it flops around (in vain) on the chopping board. A wee bit cruel but nice to know the meals are fresh!

We ordered a barbecued whole red snapper, a plate of salt and spicy squid (a little thick and chewy), Cantonese fried rice and a few beers, all for under US$15. The fish was delicious. A little small and only 140,000VND - I'd recommend ordering one per person.

Delicious red snapper



Dining at Ben Thanh Night Markets

Tonight I learned a valuable lesson.

As a resident (albeit a temporary one) it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking you'll get around to seeing the sights one day, or reaching the point where you become blase and bypass the local experience because it feels too touristy.

Tonight I discovered that, despite almost 2 years in Vietnam, I still actually enjoy behaving like a tourist!

To my surprise I also learned that I'm (thankfully) still not immune to the charms of the local hawker children touting their wares.

The staff at the Hai Lua restaurant do a great job of moving on the kids if they look like they're bothering the diners, but one young girl (around 7 years old) caught my attention.

With her olive complexion and gorgeous smile she tried to convince Rob to buy a hand held fan.

"You buy one from me?" she asked politely. Rob declined. "You sure you won't buy one from me?" she persisted. "How about I buy zero from you," Rob retorted (with a grin). "How about you eat zero then," she shot back (with a cheeky laugh!).

Clever girl. She had me. I found myself handing over 100,000VND for a packet of 3 hand held fans that I'll never use. They mean nothing to me, but a lot to her family.

After dinner we wandered the markets, drunkenly giggling at the tourists buying all manner of tack (realising we were once like them!) before making a snap, alcohol-fuelled decision to walk to the backpacker area on the edge of District 1.

Our destination was the very busy Bui Vien strip - a tourist area lined with heaps of bars, restaurants and shops for foreigners.

We were coaxed by the CO2 bar's roadside touts to pull up a plastic stool in front of the bar. A few too many dodgy wines and mojitos, but it was a fun (albeit unusual) Friday date night in Saigon!

The backpacker bar strip on Bui Vien

Roadside drinks at CO2 bar on Bui Vien



Here comes the hangover!

{Saigon Snacks & Sights} Black Cat and Saigon's fine arts

After this morning's swimming lesson we headed into District 1 for lunch and a look at some of Saigon's popular (expensive!) art galleries. My plan, although somewhat ambitious with the toddler terrors in tow, was to aimlessly wander the galleries in search of souvenir artworks.

{Saigon Snacks} Black Cat

Our lunch destination was the popular Black Cat at 13 Phan Van Dat in District 1. This is the place to go when you're over Vietnamese food and have a craving for a western-style burger, sandwich or salad.

They have extensive brunch and lunch/dinner menus with salads, sandwiches/wraps, burgers and Mexican fare (including heart stopping deep fried burritos!), delicious juices and dairy-free smoothies.

This charming two-level burger joint, with walls covered in photos of Hanoi and Saigon tourist sights,  was famously put on the map in 2006 when CNN.com voted it one of the "Top 10 Places in the World You Must Eat".

Undoubtedly the menu item deserving of this prestigious accolade is Black Cat's 1.5 kilogram cheeseburger - an almost dinner plate-sized bun containing a 500 gram beef pattie , 6 slices of bacon, 4 slices of cheese and more. Photos of patrons attempting to finish the burger adorn the walls, but reportedly only a few have made it to the end.

Watch this space when Rob challenges my brother-in-law Justin to a burger eating contest when he visits us in December!


Black Cat - Mackenzie attempted to eat the kid-sized cheeseburger (she didn't make it to the end!)



Georgia at Black Cat

Rob had a Black Cat sub























{Saigon Sights} Saigon's Art Galleries

Saigon has a thriving art scene with many popular Vietnamese artists showing original pieces in the exclusive galleries on Mac Thi Buoi and Dong Khoi, and numerous galleries throughout the city with in-store painters happy to rip off famous artists (alive and dead).

I must admit, I haven't done a lot of research on where to buy art in Saigon. I had previously passed a lot of galleries on Dong Khoi so the plan was to start there and see if we could find a large piece to take home as a souvenir of our time in Vietnam (as well as a few smaller pieces to fill the space on our walls).

Did I mention that these galleries are EXPENSIVE??!

In summary, the many galleries in this exclusive pocket are well worth a look if only so you can salivate over what you can't afford!

Some of the priciest pieces were in the Apricot Gallery at 50-52 Mac Thi Buoi, which has a sister gallery in Hanoi. Georgia and I spotted a pair of funky, abstract streetscapes which I thought would look great hanging side by side in our dining room. That dream was quashed when I was informed they were US$1800 per paitning. And they were certainly two of the cheaper pieces in the gallery!

If, like me, you wouldn't know the difference between a real or fake Monet, let alone an original by an apparently famous Vietnamese artist, it will all come down to what you like the look of and how much cash you're willing to part with.

Dong Khoi Street

Some Dong Khoi galleries, a little cheaper than Apricot but still with many gorgeous pieces:

• Quoc Dung Gallery at 36 Dong Khoi - boasting all original artworks, prices here are a little more affordable at US1,000 and under!
• 83 Dong Khoi - houses two galleries in one space, as well as the Gallery Deli upstairs (a restaurant with an artwork display). Both the galleries downstairs have a range of small, ready framed canvases starting from US$30 as well as larger range of more expensive, original pieces. The gallery at the back specialises in modern art.
• Thanh Mai Gallery at 52 Dong Khoi - a huge multi-level space with many original, large pieces (oil and lacquer). It's owned by Apricot Gallery. Definitely not cheap, but worth a look.

 For tourists who want to spend as little cash as possible, there are numerous pockets of galleries outside of the Dong Khoi strip offering up cheap copies and some funky originals.

I promise to devote another post to the location of Saigon's budget art gallery gems (once I locate more of them!) but my best find this afternoon was a gallery called Kim Do at 32 Le Loi Street in District 1 (across from the Saigon Centre).

I purchased a small, abstract painting of a traditional stilt house for US$35. The painting had just been finished so I left it at the gallery to dry. I'll post a photo later this week.

Happy hunting!

{Saigon Snacks} Hoa Tuc on Hai Ba Trung



Rob at Hoa Tuc

Hoa Tuc restaurant  in District 1 is my preferred caterer for the regular events I organise for my day job in Saigon.

Tonight, I finally managed to dine at Hoa Tuc's restaurant and I was pleased to see a few of the friendly young waiters who regularly work at our functions.

Hoa Tuc is located on the grounds of Saigon's former opium refinery on Hai Ba Trung Street (hence the restaurant's name which means opium flower).

Enter through the archway at 74 Hai Ba Trung Street and you'll find a number of top quality restaurants catering to tourists and expats including The Refinery, Vinos, Vasco's and Hoa Tuc.

Hoa Tuc has an extensive contemporary Vietnamese menu with nothing over US$10 (unless you want to order the soft shell crab!).

You can dine in the dimly lit front courtyard or inside which is a popular option for large tour groups.

Our recommendation: try the seafood spring rolls and beef in betel leaf for starters. Also the banana flower salad and for mains the sea bass with mango salsa.

Hoa Tuc: 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

{Saigon Snacks} Baba Ganoush and Ice-cream in Thao Dien

While an Arabic restaurant and an ice-cream parlour may seem like a weird culinary pairing, the combination of Warda and Fanny's ice-cream on the same lot in Thao Dien is a welcome one for parents.

Fanny's and Warda in Thao Dien

Inside the gates at 63 Xuan Thuy Street in Thao Dien you'll find parents of busy young children enjoying the chance to dine out on exotic middle eastern food while the kids play in the (sparsely!) grassed courtyard between the two restaurants.

The courtyard has a few pieces of play equipment, as well as a foozball table and a toy area in Fanny's, to keep the kids entertained.

Dining in the outdoor bedouin tent with its cushioned lounge seating, and the promise of Fanny's ice-cream for dessert, is enough to get most kids through the mezze platters, kebabs and tajines. But if their young tastebuds aren't that exotic, Warda also offers a kid friendly, albeit, middle eastern-styled menu.

Rob and Georgia in Warda's bedouin tent

Me at Warda - where's the wine??

Mackenzie

This is Warda's second restaurant in Saigon (the original Warda opened in 2006 in District 1), but you'll find the same menu and prices in a very different, contemporary-styled setting.

With its modern, minimalist styling inside the restaurant, Warda number 2 would be a gorgeous spot for a kid-free date night, but during the day be prepared to have your eardrums assaulted by Saigon's expat kiddie population!

Georgia at Fanny's

Warda and Fanny's - 63 Xuan Thuy Street, Thao Dien, District 2

{Saigon Snacks} Bun Bo Hue

It has taken me a few months, but I have found a Vietnamese "foodie" obsession to replace my northern cravings for Hanoi bun cha.

My new dish, and one that you'll find me eating at least once a week in the Vincom food court (yeah, yeah I know it's not exactly a grungy roadside street stall!) is called Bun Bo Hue.

Translated, this means beef noodle soup Hue style. The soup consists of thick bun (vermicelli noodles) with all manner of meaty bits (many unrecognisable to a foreigner!) floating in a rich, tangy broth. It comes with a serving of salad condiments such as lettuce, coriander and bean sprouts to add to the dish and, best of all, a generous helping of fresh chilli and lime which gives the soup a good kick.

Although three times more expensive than what you'll buy outside, for only 45,000 VND a serving, the aptly named Hue Delights food stall in the basement of Vincom dishes up a reliable version that's less likely to give tourists a tummy issue!

Bun Bo Hue

Hue Delights, Vincom Shopping Centre, Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1

{Saigon Snacks} Blu Bar & Grill, Riverside

Mackenzie at the Blu Bar & Grill, Riverside

For Team Somerville, Sundays in Saigon have fallen into a regular pattern. Sunday morning swim school with Mr. Tony at the AIS pool followed by lunch at the Snap Cafe.

Today we decided to mix it up a little with a new lunch venue. Not as exciting for the girls (because it's hard to beat Snap with its massive outdoor jungle gym and sand pit) but good for us parents who need variety once in a while!

Today we had lunch at the Blu Bar & Grill, a cafe cum restaurant within the Riverside compound in District 2.

They serve a brunch menu from 11am to 4pm, mostly international dishes such as eggs benedict and breakfast burritos, and some with an Asian twist such as a vegetable ommlette  with chilli soy sauce and steamed rice. Good food and friendly staff.

A great outdoor/indoor venue on the Saigon river (with overhead fans to keep diners cool) and a playground within the compound for the kids once they get bored with eating.

Most of the dishes are under US$10, but best of all there's a complimentary salad bar.

Riverside is next to our compound (Villa Riviera) on the river. Would be great if the management of both compounds could come to an agreement about extending the river boardwalk so we can dine here on a regular basis!

Georgia



The Saigon River

Blu Bar & Grill, Riverside Apartments, 53 Vo Truong Toan Street, An Phu Ward District 2

{Saigon Snacks} Saigon's best indian food

We've had a few weeks break from Friday Date Night, either due to work or travel, so we decided to make an effort tonight. (Although I must admit after a big week at work the thought of slobbing around the house with a $2 dvd and a bottle of wine was tempting!)

After work we met for drinks at Shri (a regular haunt as it's in the building where Rob works and has the best views in town) followed by dinner in the backpackers district on Bui Vien Street.

Tonight we ate at Mumtaz on Bui Vien, a halal Indian restaurant with a huge expat and tourist following. Despite its grungy appearance this place serves up the tastiest Indian food I've had in a long while.

We made the mistake of ordering our dinner "spicy", but even though we immediately corrected ourselves and said "but not too spicy" it was certainly hot! But delicious all the same.

The Mumtaz waiters are particularly attentive. One guy seemed quite concerned that we were struggling with the chilli, despite continually telling him the food was fantastic, so he kept coming over to top up our mugs with ice water the second they were emptied and bought us a little cup of plain youghurt to finish off the meal and stop the tastebuds from burning!

The masala papadums were divine, especially the array of condiments they came with, and the chicken tikka was the best I've had.

And best of all, most likely due to its location in the "grunge" district, this place is ridiculously cheap with most mains priced at around 80,000VND (about US$4!). Highly recommended.

Mumtaz - 226 Bui Vien Street, District 3

{Saigon Snacks} Another long Sunday lunch!

Legend Hotel Saigon - all you can eat buffet

If you're holidaying in Vietnam with kids, and have had your fill of local food, the all you can eat and drink Sunday lunches at the major hotels in Hanoi and Saigon could be just the ticket.

As parents of busy toddlers we're always on the look out for hotels that have a kids area within the restaurant. A perfect way to bribe your kids to eat before going off to play and a way for Mum and Dad to relax with a few drinks while the kids are taken care of.

I hadn't heard of the restaurant kids club concept until we moved to Vietnam. We never dined at hotels in Australia (unless it was a special occasion) because (1) it was ridiculously expensive and (2) I was under the assumption that they weren't kid friendly venues.

In Vietnam this is a growing industry - a fully staffed area within the restaurant to keep the kids entertained - genius! Of course the low cost of labour, and the Vietnamese love of children (particularly light-haired, blue-eyed kids!) makes it a viable business in this country. 

Unfortunately, unlike Hanoi, the large hotels in Saigon don't seem to have the kids club option down pat just yet (although there are a growing number of smaller cafes around the city with playrooms/outdoor playgrounds).

In Hanoi many of the large hotels had fantastic kids clubs that, although fully staffed with babysitters, were also in sight of the restaurant so parents could keep watch.

A few people in our Saigon expat network had recommended the Legend Hotel for its all you can eat international buffet (with free flow wines and beer included in the price), and the attached kids club, so we arrived at 11.30am today ready to eat (and drink!) our fill.

Sadly the kids club was not up to scratch. The room wasn't close enough to the restaurant to make me feel safe about the girls playing in there (and it wasn't staffed) and, as Georgia and Mackenzie would say, the room was "lame". Definitely more suited to babies than toddlers.

Not to worry because the array of food, as well as the friendly ladies at the entrance of the restaurant making balloon animals for the kids, kept them well occupied.

At around US$36 per person, kids under 6 eat free, it was good value.

Legend Hotel Saigon - Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1

If you're in Hanoi visit the Daewoo Hotel - 360 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District.

Although the Daewoo's price of US$25 per person only included a glass of champagne and free flow beer (I need wine!) the kids room within the restaurant was huge.

The room was sponsored by Lego and came with a giant screen to watch movies, a colouring in area, a lego corner and a kiddies buffet, complete with babysitters to help the kids build fantastic Lego creations. Kids under 120cms eat free.

{Saigon Snacks} Mandarine

Mandarine - 11A Ngo Van Nam, District 1

Today is our 9th anniversary (that's nine years dating, not married!) - a good an excuse as any to check out another fancy restaurant in our new city!

For those of you following our blog since we arrived in Saigon, you could be forgiven for thinking we don't eat Vietnamese food that often.

Over the last five weeks we've dined at many non-Vietnamese restaurants in Saigon because (1) we didn't have a huge range of international restaurants in Hanoi so we're making up for it now by over-indulging and (2) our housekeeper cooks us tasty Vietnamese meals most nights of the week, so why would we bother eating it out?

Tonight we celebrated with a lavish dinner at Mandarine - voted by many of our friends in Saigon as among the best Vietnamese restaurants in the city.

Mandarine - on Ngo Van Nam in District 1 (the geisha girl street that also houses the fabulous French restaurant La Cuisine) is contemporary Vietnamese at its best, showcasing the country's most popular dishes from the north to the south.

A 3-storey venue with wooden floors and modern Chinese/Vietnamese decor, this restaurant suits both couples and large groups.

The menu is ridiculously extensive. If you haven't been in Vietnam long you're best to go with the one of the many set menus, starting at US$33 per person. But, if like us, you know your Vietnamese cuisine it could take a while to order!

Eventually we decided on the banana flower salad with beef and the grilled scallops in the shell with peanuts for entrees, and stewed caramelised pork with a side of rice as well as Hanoi's famous grilled fish (Cha Ca) as our mains.

Banana flower salad

Grilled scallops

Cha Ca was one of my favourite dishes when we lived in the north and I'm happy to say this version lived up to my very high standards (although it was slightly sweeter than the Hanoi dish). It is also one of the few dishes on the menu that the restaurant staff cook at your table. Delicious!

Cooking our Cha Ca

Cha Ca

We topped off the meal with chocolate mousse for me and Vietnamese kem (ice cream) for Rob.

At just under 2 million VND (around US$100) including tax, this is not the cheapest meal by Vietnam standards. But, if you take into account that almost half of the bill was for the drinks (3 wines and 3 beers) the cost of the food is good value for a restuarant of this very high standard.

As an aside, the service was outstanding! Highly recommended.

Mandarine - 11A Ngo Van Nam, District 1

Nine years has certainly gone fast! For a laugh, here's a few pics of us from the early years (well, at least from the time we bought a digital camera in 2004) on a backpacking trip around Thailand and Singapore.

New Years Eve 2005 - Koh Samui, Thailand

Riding the cable car in Singapore - January 2005

{Saigon Snacks} The Snap Cafe

We've been living in Saigon for 5 weeks!

Being back in the workforce, my social life has certainly had an upswing and I've gone to more bars, restaurants and networking functions (many I haven't had time to write posts about!) in the last 5 weeks than I did in the 16 months in Hanoi.

Today I had a quiet one. Suffering from the excess of a Friday night out (my boss had a party on his rooftop terrace - far too much alcohol was consumed by all!), I spent the morning begging Georgia and Mackenzie to lower the verbal volume while Rob was out on his first road bike ride in 18 months.

At 11am when he finally staggered through the door complaining of hangover/heat stroke/unfitness (is that a word?) the girls and I were dressed and ready to party...well, they were at least!

Before we moved to Saigon we discovered Snap Cafe - a fabulous sanctury in District 2 that has a huge playgym and sandpit for the kids and a thatched roof outdoor cafe with funky, low lounge chairs for the parents to eat and drink the hours away. Perfect hair of the dog venue!

All morning I had promised them that if they let me nurse my sore head in peace and quiet they'd be rewarded with a trip to Snap. Thankfully it worked so we spent a relaxing 2.5 hours eating lunch, sipping hair of the dog wine and watching the girls have a blast with the other kids in the play area.

The cafe, owned by an English expat, has a great western/Asian menu with cheap food and drinks to suit all tastes.

Snap Cafe - 32 Tran Ngoc Dien Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2

I was too hungover and crabby today to remember my camera, so here's a pic of Mackenzie eating lunch there late last year. Not the best pic of Kenny, but you can see a small section of the cool play area in the background!

Mackenzie - The Snap Cafe, December 2009

{Saigon Snacks} Bun Cha!

Last night I gave my housekeeper a copy of KOTO, a culinary journey through Vietnam - a cookbook written by Hanoi-based Australian chef Tracey Lister and her husband Andreas Pohl that introduces Vietnamese specialty dishes region by region.

All proceeds from this fabulous book go to KOTO, an Australian charity working to help Vietnamese street kids learn skills and find employment in hospitality.

I'm fast learning that there are many differences between the way the northerners and southerners prepare what I had thought were standard Vietnamese dishes and that some recipes, such as Bun Cha, my favourite street food in Hanoi, are ubiquitous in the north and rare in the south.

With that in mind I sat down with Thuy (my housekeeper) and showed her the KOTO cookbook pages with our favourite dishes from Hanoi. Bun Cha, Bo La Lot and Cha Ca were the three recipes I pointed out as our firm favourites from the north. Hint, hint - please cook these for my family!

Tonight when I walked in the door from work, I was greeted by the glorious smell of chargrilled pork. Bun Cha! Not as sweet, mind you, as smelling Bun Cha as it wafts around the streets of the Old Quarter in Hanoi, but it came close.



Homemade Bun Cha!



Bun Cha is pork grilled on a small charcoal burner served with bun (noodles) dipped in a salty and spicy broth-like sauce served with a range of vegetables such as coriander, shallots and bean sprouts. The pork is done in two ways - one a soft pork pattie, the other a slightly chewy pork belly piece. Absolutely delicious!

Apparently there are a small handul of eateries in Saigon that serve Bun Cha Hanoi style. I am yet to try them, but for the moment I am just happy that Thuy was good enough to reproduce the northern version at home!

PS - the roasted peanuts you may have spotted in the photo are not typically standard Bun Cha fare, not in Hanoi at least, but they were pretty damn good!

{Saigon Snacks} Mekong Merchant

Mekong Merchant - Georgia, Rob and Mackenzie

In District 2 we're lucky to have many restaurants offering a wide range of cuisines (Vietnamese, Italian, Thai, Spanish, standard western fare and loads of the trendy western Asian fusion options) that cater to the predominantly expat population living in the area.

Since we moved to our new house a few weeks ago, Sunday has become our day to try out the local businesses, many of which are happy to deliver. 

With today's drizzly rain that went on for hours we didn't have enthuisiasm to travel far, so we went local for lunch again.

In District 2, there is a street called Thao Dien (also the name of the suburb) which is lined with shops, services, restaurants and bars.

Today we had lunch at Mekong Merchant on Thao Dien - a casual brasserie with a friendly family vibe that serves a mix of Italian (gourmet pizzas and pastas) and western fare (salads, sandwiches).

Conincidentally this restaurant is owned by the same partners that are behind The Deck which we ate at last Sunday.

Mekong Merchant is defintely a more casual option far better suited to families, as evidenced by the many expats with kids who were dining today despite the weather.

Mekong Merchant, or MM as it affectionately known by the regulars, has a spacious outdoor courtyard in between two buildings that house indoor dining areas.

The courtyard has huge wooden tables that would be perfect for a family lunch on a sunny day, but with today's bad weather we had to dine inside.

Pizza and garlic bread for the girls, a steak panini for me and chicken wrap for Rob, fresh juices, coffee, ice creams - and of course wine - a total of US$37.

Surprisingly, unlike many of the restaurants we have eaten at since we arrived in Saigon a month ago, this place does not include the 15% tax and service charge which makes me more inclined to leave a tip.

The MM staff were friendly and took the time to ask if we enjoyed our meal - not a common question in Vietnam!

Thumbs up for this place. Can't wait to return on a sunnier Sunday.

Mekong Merchant - 23 Thao Dien, District 2.