Inside this bobo-traditional spot (blonde wood high tables, paper lanterns, a mural featuring children dressed in traditional outfits slurping up bowls of noodles) bordering Square Gardette, you’ll find a nhà quê (“peasant” in Vietnamese) chef revisiting culinary classics from his working-class roots with panache. Seated at the bar across from Eric Vo-Van as he worked, the other day we wolfed down his lovely lunch menu: crispy fried vegetable spring rolls with an incredible nuoc-mâm dipping sauce; mini chicken drumsticks seasoned with lemongrass, fennel and turmeric – which had us licking our fingers clean; before some creamy homemade litchi ice cream for dessert. At night, the menu gets a little fancier: spicy beef salad in a tamarind dressing, sweet and sour mango duck, silken tofu with sesame… // F.P.
FEELING THIRSTY? Homemade iced ginger tea (€3) or Saigon beer (€4 for 330 ml).
PRICE: Menu €15-20 (lunch), à la carte €23-33 (dinner).
