Coriander, Thai Restaurant, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Coriander Restaurant

185 Bui Vien Street, District 1

Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours 09:30 - 13:30

There are not many Thai restaurants in the Pham Ngu Lao area, actually this is the only one I recall seeing. I had not planned on eating here as the exterior is little inspiring to be honest. However, the Mumtaz, where I had planned to eat, was full and this was opposite the Mumtaz so I gave it a shot.

Very basic interior.

The interior was cleaner than the outside let me expect and the staff where on me in a flash to hand me the menu. The choice is fairly large without being too large and has all the run-of-the-mill Thai favorites: Pad Thai, Khao Pad and curries. Surprisingly enough they also have Spaghetti on the menu; perhaps a concession to the backpackers. I would have liked to see more curries as their choice is limited to Green and Red curry.

Spaghetti in a Thai restaurant?

Prices are quite reasonable with starters in the VND 35,000 - 60,000 range, salads and rice dishes around VND 60,000, curries VND 70,000 and main dishes from VND 35,000 to 150,000 (the latter a whole sea bass). Drinks are also not expensive, a fruit juice will set you back VND 20,000 and the cheapest beer, Sai Gon Green, costs a measly VND 12,000. If you want a drinkable beer than a large bottle of Tiger is only VND 20,000.

Order taken, I settled back with my coconut juice and tried to read. This was no easy task as the staff and owners were engaged in a very lively discussion. Vietnamese culture tends to border on the noisy but this was ridiculous, my ears were ringing by the time I left the restaurant; so much for a quiet lunch break. My theory is that the constant noise so prevalent in Vietnamese cities has resulted in most people being borderline deaf; thus the constant shouting.

Food arrived quickly and the portions were more than generous. I had asked for deep-fried shrimp patties to be served as a starter but, as usual failed and everything was served in one go. The patties were not bad though, not as rubbery as they often are; I would have liked a little more kick though. The sauce that came with the patties was out of the bottle and sweet like heck. It would have been nice to have some fish sauce, Thai or Vietnamese, with chillies. When I first came to Vietnam fish sauce was served as a matter of principle (and it still is so in Thailand); regrettably many restaurants have shifted to Maggi or something similar; a sauce that is just salty and tastes like crap really.

Fried shrimp patties.

The spicy beef salad was quite good though again lacking the necessary punch that is part of Thai cuisine. I pass that particular restaurant quite often and see that it is popular with Vietnamese punters; my guess is that they keep the food moderately hot for that market.

The salad was pretty good.

I had ordered pan-fried minced pork with Holy Basil and fried egg as the main dish. Not bad at all and this was the one dish that had a at least a little zest to it. As mentioned earlier the portions were way too large for me; like many Asian cuisines, Thai food is best eaten in a group so one can sample a little of everything.

Pan-fried minced Pork.

It would be more than a slight exaggeration to say that this was the best Thai food I ever had. However, considering its location in the backpacker area (where good food is a bit of a rarity) and the prices; I still think it is a solid choice and an alternative to all the restaurants lining Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien serving the same pseudo-Vietnamese food. Should the need for Thai food strike again, and should I be too lazy to head for the arguably better restaurants around Dong Khoi, I will certainly be back.

Food: ***

Ambiance: *

Value for money: ***

Recommended: For a quick Thai fix, yes.

Tavan Restaurant, Sapa, Vietnam

The restaurant is in the Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa where I recently stayed for a night. Obviously a little up-market, with prices to match, but I was in serious need of some pampering.

The hotel has been built in a sort of Swiss Chalet style, a theme that is repeated inside the restaurant. As the hotel is on a hill above Sapa Town, it offers great views (weather permitting) and dining both inside and on a terrace.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a very friendly waitress who escorted me to the table and gave me the menu; shortly followed by a cold face towel and some delicious bread. The menu is not very large, with a page each of Vietnamese and European dishes; as well as a couple of set menus.

Tavan Restaurant.

I could not face a 7-course menu and I know from previous stays that the Sapa mushrooms are fantastic. I therefore ordered the Sapa Mushroom soup as a starter and the Sapa Mushroom Risotto with crispy egg yolk as a main course.

Not a very large menu, but I refer that to hundreds

of items out of the freezer.

The soup arrived piping hot; something that is surely appreciated during the cold winters (though it was bloody hot in Sapa that day). The mushrooms soup is not like the pureed and strained version often served in Western restaurants; it comes with chopped mushrooms and lots of them. As mentioned before: I think Sapa mushrooms are great and I was not disappointed here. The soup was seasoned to perfection and went down a treat.

Sapa Mushrooms rule.

The Risotto that followed was a bit small, without the soup I think I would not have had enough. However, this is the only criticism I can make. Risotto is not a difficult dish to make, but it is amazing how many restaurants can get it wrong; turning the rice into a soup or leaving it uncooked. Not here though; the grains were just the way I like them, creamy but still "al dente". I was not so amazed with the egg yolk; but I guess that is a matter taste. I am also a snob when it comes to the Parmesan usually served with Risotto. I would have preferred freshly shaved Parmesan instead of the ground version I got here but then that was maybe asking too much.

Perfect Risotto.

Menu prices range from USD 10.00 (for the Risotto) to USD 28:00 (for Black Angus Beef). There are obviously cheaper eateries all over Sapa, the town being a popular back-packer destination, but they obviously have different levels of service (from louse to non0existant) and quality of food (ditto). I think the prices are very reasonable for being treated like a king and getting outstanding food. Value for money is what it is all about in my book.

A real dining experience in Sapa.

I did take a look at the wine list, though no wine drinker myself, and here the prizes that make my eyes water; the cheapest bottle started at USD 38.00 and quickly moved well beyond that. I guess getting the booze up the mountain comes at a cost.

I think I am not going out on a limb here when I state that the bet food can be found at the Tavan restaurant and it would certainly be my choice if I ever make it up to West Tonkin.

Some candy floss for dessert.

Service: *****

Food: ****

Ambience: ****

Value for money: ****

Recommended: Yes.

Hanoi Noodle Soup (and it is not "Pho"

The restaurant does not have a name, menu, or much room.

I am a big fan of Pho, the noodle soup so popular in Vietnam. Arguably the best Pho comes from Ha Noi but as I have had more of those than I can shake a chop stick at, I tried something different this morning.

I happened onto a small restaurant on Hang Bac in Hanoi's Old Quarter following a tip-off. The restaurant is so small that I almost missed it but it is obviously very popular with the local neighbors, all 12 chairs or so were packed.

It was packed 5 seconds earlier and would be so again 5 seconds later.

I squeezed myself into the restaurant and on a tiny plastic stool, trying to keep my size-11 feet out of the kitchen. No need to ask for a menu here, there is only one dish and that is Bun Rieu Bo (though I need to verify that that is what it is). The noodles look a bit like Spaghetti but are made out of rice flour. These are dumped in a big bowl and ladled with an absolute excellent broth.

The kitchen, for all it's worth.

Unlike Pho, the broth is heavy on tomatoes and does not have much meat. It does have lots of fried Tofu. No big fan of Tofu normally, the Tofu here is actually pretty good. Add to that some chili, lime juice, lots of herbs and a couple of bread sticks and you are set for the day with a breakfast that beats many 5-star hotel efforts hands down.

Do not expect service or atmosphere, this place is about food and that is all there is to it. Go in, get your bowl, grab some iced tea, polish off your soup, pay your VND 20,000.00 (USD 1.00) and get out to make room for the punters waiting outside.

Bun rieu Bo.

Service: Are you kidding? This is a noodle shop.

Food: *****

Ambiance: Still kidding?

Value for money: *****+

Recommended: No, as I don't want hordes of Lonely-Planet touting backpackers descend on the place.

Stella Restaurant

The quest for halfway decent food in the Pham Ngu Lao area in HCMC continued yesterday. The town was heaving with the up-coming "Liberation Day" (North Vietnam "liberated" South Vietnam on this day in 1975) on the 30th of April; followed by May Day. All I wanted was a quick bite to eat so the first stop was at a "Subway" on Pham Ngu Lao proper. The conversation went something like this:

Young male sales person that would rather have been somewhere else (YMSPTWRHBSE): Good evening.

Yours truly (YT): Good evening.

YMSPTWRHBSE: What do you want?

YT: (looking around a branch of Subway): a sandwich I guess.

YMSPTWRHBSE: What bread?

YT: Rye?

YMSPTWRHBSE: Finished.

YT: Wheat?

YMSPTWRHBSE: Finished.

YT: Right, what do you actually have?

YMSPTWRHBSE: White bread (which I do not like).

YT: No choice, I guess.

YMSPTWRHBSE: (pointing at the displays behind him) Which sandwich?

YT: I'd like to build my own.

YMSPTWRHBSE: Cannot.

YT: The sign here says I can?

YMSPTWRHBSE: If you insist (unhappily).

YT: Bye-bye.

This little chat set the tone for the evening. Next stop was the Boston Pizza and Sports Bar on 175/6 on Pham Ngu Lao. I was getting hungry now but the visit here was short-lived too. What appeared to be the owner/manager was sitting at the bar working very hard to dislodge something from his teeth. This one I could have ignored, but I was not so happy with the waitress doing the "what do you want" bit. How about parting with my hard-earned cash to get some food and less questions? Whilst waiting for my Strawberry smoothie I took a couple of picture. Now the waitress got really rude; giving me the 3rd degree as to why I was taking pictures. So up I got and continued looking for food (yes, I did pay for the smoothie even though I did not actually have it.

Next stop a branch of Wayne's Texas BarBQ on Bui Vien. I hear the steaks are pretty good here, but I never got that far. Asked for an OJ: finished. Asked for fresh coconut juice: finished (in Vietnam, a country with more coconut palms than motorbikes).

Menu has a good selection without being worryingly large.

I was ready to go to bed and cry myself to sleep when I walked past the Stella on 121 Bui Vien. I had walked past this place a few times before, noting that they are not exactly bashful, with a big sign proclaiming they have the "Best coffeein town" and also thinking they should find someone to correct their sign.

The interior is not much to write home about, but I was greeted by a couple of very friendly waitresses. A clean and fairly extensive menu was presented in no time at all and once again the waitress was on the ball, quickly taking the order.

The interior does not exactly scream "Italian".

I ordered a Beef Carpaccio which at USD 5.00 was not the cheapest starter available. However, the Chef was not miserly with the beef, there was heaps of it. The color was a little strange, a bright pink, but the quality was very good. The lettuce the beef was on was fresh and the Parmesan was better than what many Italian restaurants serve. I would change the vinegar used in the dressing though. It was obviously a cheaper vinegar which was sour in a not so nice way.

Plenty of meat and yes, the color did look a tad strange.

I ordered Saltimbocca as a main dish, like most dishes it was around USD 5.00. Beers go from just over USD 2.00 with milk shakes and juices from USD 1.50 to USD 2.00. As this came with either vegetables or mashed potatoes, I ordered the potatoes and a "Insalata Stella". The Saltimbocca arrived after about 20 minutes and both meat and mashed potatoes were piping hot, the way it should be. The meat was excellent, though obviously not veal which is hard to get in Vietnam (and the menu did say that the meat was pork loin); well grilled without being dry. The sauce was great as well, though I did miss the sage. Not sure what the herbs were but they had little taste.

Excellent meat.

The salad was pretty good with decent Olives and Feta cheese; once again many Italian restaurants use awful Olives and plastic cheese; I'd go back for the salads alone. I will also have to go back for a coffee and verify their "best coffee in town" claim. Whilst I was having dinner a number of patrons came in just for the coffee, so maybe the owners are not exaggerating.

Massive salad and not stingy with the cheese.

The restaurant has an air-conditioned area; not common on Pham Ngu Lao but a welcome relief as it was stinking hot yesterday. Inside and air-conned also means some respite from the ever-present touts and trinket sellers that prowl the back-packer ghetto.

I saw some comments on the web that the Stella is too expensive. It might be a little bit more expensive than some of the dives in the Pham Ngu Lao area, but both service and quality of food are also considerably better. My total bill was less that USD 20.00 and I was close to bursting as the portions are certainly not small.

Update 18/05/2011:

The "best coffee in town" could not stand unchallenged so I went back for lunch today.

The Mozzarella salad was OK; the tomatoes were fresh and tasty but the Mozzarella was a little "blah".

The Tagliatelle al Funghi on the other hand were excellent. The sauce was expertly seasoned with the taste of the mushrooms really coming through. I'll go back for that one.

The coffee: couldn't order one last time as I went for dinner; if I have a coffee after 16:00 I'll be dancing the jitterbug all night. Today all I had to look forward to was a tedious meeting in the afternoon; perfect to try a coffee. I ordered a Cappuccino but I am still not sure if it is the best in town; haven't had enough coffee in HCMC yet.

One thing is for sure though, it has to be one of the friendliest coffees in town; first time a Cappuccino wished me a "Happy Day":

Service: **** Friendly and attentive.
Food: ****
Ambiance: ***
Value for money: ****

Recommended: Yes.

Crazy Buffalo, Saigon

The good thing about the Pham Ngu Lao area, home of banana pancakes, fisherman's pants and dreadlocks, is that my expectations are very low when it comes to food. Every so often though, even these low expectations are not met.

The "Crazy Buffalo, on the corner of Bui Vien and De Than certainly fits the bill. Impossible to miss with the garish neon lights and the very loud music. Getting closer, you will also notice the service staff being busy chatting with each other, screaming across the restaurant, and generally not being very interested in the guests. Don't get me wrong, they are friendly enough; but I guess this is what you get when you hire inexperienced high school kids.

Not exactly subtle.

Sitting down, I eventually managed to get the attention of one of the waitresses and got the menu. The drinks list is pretty extensive, with 13 different beers ranging from USD 2.00 - 3.00. Their "Outstanding Wine List" (their words, not mine) is less impressive, but I suppose one cannot expect much for USD 20.00 a bottle. Shakes and juices are USD 2.50, which I find rather expensive for Saigon and spirits are around USD 3.00, plus another Dollar if served with a mixer.

Good selection of juices and beers, at a price.

Food is mostly run-of-the mill with all the tourist restaurant staples: Pizza, Pasta, Burgers, and some Asian dishes. Again, not exactly cheap. Starters are on average USD 4.00, Burgers around USD 5.00, Pastas USD 4.50, Pizzas USD 7.00 and Western mains from USD 6.00, which is not too bad. Vietnamese dishes will set you back around USD 6.00.

PNL staples: Pasta, Pizza, Burger.

Prices do not include 5% service charge, and they tag on an additional 20% after midnight; this was a new one for me.

As I am no fan of fast food, I ordered the "Pan Seared Old Fashion Fish". Purportedly Sea Bass with "Fermanted Yazu crsusted" (they should pay some backpacker a beer to check their menu) with Polenta Cream and Smoky Sauce. Sounded pretty appetizing and I was looking forward to it.

The food came quickly enough, maybe too quick. I like my veggies crunchy, but the vegetables I got were raw and ice cold. The piece of fish was minuscule and I now know where the "Old Fashion Fish" comes from; the fish I got had been out of the water for a looong time. It was well cooked however, but smothered in salt. Still not sure what "Yazu" is, maybe Japanese for salt?. This is more than could be said for the Polenta cream; not only did it have the consistency of wet cardboard, it also tasted like I would imagine wet cardboard tastes. As for the "Smoky Sauce", I failed to detect any taste of smoky; actually I failed to detect any taste at all. The meal will go down as one of the blandest I have ever eaten; I had better food on planes or in hospitals.

Both presentation and taste pretty naff.

During all the time, the music was good (all 70's stuff) but way too loud. The owner needs to decide if he wants to run a restaurant or a club, both at the same time doesn't work. In particular as the waitresses shouted their orders right across the restaurant. They were also quite pushy, on more than one occasion they almost knocked me out of my chair as they passed.

The restaurant also serves Shisha (water pipe or Hookah), and the guy setting them up seemed to be the best staff in the restaurant. However, USD 10.00 a pipe is pretty exorbitant in my opinion.

Overall, not too great an experience even if one keeps in mind that the restaurant is located in the middle of the backpacker ghetto. The quest for good food in the Pham Ngu Lao area continues.

Service: ** Friendly, once you manage to get their attention
Food: *
Ambiance: * to *** Great for people watching, but too noisy and constant hassle from people trying to flog their wares.
Value for money: **

Recommended: Nope

Punjabi, HCMC, Vietnam

Located on 40/3 Bui Vien Street, this restaurant sits right in the middle of the Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area; an area where cheap food is more important than good food. My expectations where therefore not exactly high when I entered the place; a feeling not exactly helped by an interior reminiscent of a airport waiting lounge.

Typical Pham Ngu Lao Charm

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a friendly waitress who very promptly took my order of a Mango Lassi that turned out to be pretty good. The menu is fairly extensive and I decided to order dishes that I had never eaten before, apart from the Chicken Samosas I ordered as a starter. Said Samosas took 35 minutes to arrive, which I thought a bit long, and were pretty tasteless. As there were no condiments apart from a very thin mint sauce, there wasn't much I could do about it, either.

The Samosas tasted like they were presented: dull

For the main course I ordered Chicken Karahi (with tomatoes, onions, and ginger), Mutter Pilao (rice with green peas and spices) and a Methi Nan (Nan with Fenugreek). These dishes came considerably faster than the Samosas and turned out to be pretty good. The chicken curry had plenty of meat in it, from what I saw at neighboring tables all the portions were pretty large. The Nan was very good though I realized that Fenugreek is not my thing, especially as most of it was blown all over the table by the fan under which I was sitting. Only the peas in the rice tasted like they had come frozen, but I might be wrong. Once again, I would have liked some Chutneys or pickles to spruce things up a little, but I guess at those prizes one cannot ask too much.

Again zero points for presentation, but actually pretty good

Whilst not the best Indian food I have ever had, it is good value for money. Starters range from VND 18.000 to VND 40,000, a whole Tandoori chicken is VND 140,00, and mains start from VND 65,000 for curries. Drinks are also more than reasonable, with the Mango Lassi at VND 30,000 and Beers at VND 18,000.

But very good value for money

I ordered another Lassi after the meal which took 20 minutes to arrive. I took a look at the kitchen under the pretext of looking for the bathroom and understood why some dishes took so long: the kitchen is minuscule and there is only one blender. Hats off for providing food to the 20 or so persons that were eating when I was there. Speaking of bathrooms: would be nice to have a towel or tissues and a decent soap; I eat my Indian food with my hand and do not really like wiping it on my shorts once I am done. Total bill for more food than I could eat was VND 225,000.

Service: *** Friendly service, but let down by poor organisation
Food: ***
Ambiance: *
Value for money: ****

Entertainment value: ***** The long waits are made bearable by watching the zoo that is Pham Ngu Lao pass outside.
Recommended: Cannot fault the place for decent, cheap food.

Zero condiments though