Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) food trail- lunch/teatime

Here comes the second part of our non ending eating trip at Saigon.

Bếp Thuần Chay - Vegan Kitchen

23B Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, Phường 22, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh
028 3510 6698

https://g.co/kgs/fJPb94

I'm not a vegetarian and don't think I can ever manage without meat.lol. But this place is worth going. I didn't even feel like I was having all vegetables! It didn't feel like all gluten. Instead we really enjoyed the fresh produce used and the refreshing pho broth. 

Món Huế
10 Ba Tháng Hai, Phường 12, Quận 10, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
+84 28 7106 6633

https://goo.gl/maps/PXLNWJqfxrC2

A fairly popular franchised eatery in Vietnam, it has everything that you absolutely must try in Vietnamese cuisine. The taste is more internationally acceptable. But I must say the lotus leaf wrapped rice was kind of undercooked and a letdown. But the entree platter was up to their usual standard . 

Most of the dishes we ordered were on this lunch menu list. Just for your reference :)

MÂM

193 Hai Ba Trung Street, Phường 6, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh
028 3939 3888
 https://g.co/kgs/8vVnw1

This is a more high-end restaurant. Expect the waiter to peel prawns and crack crabs for you. So the bill was automatically double at around RM50 per pax. We had stir fry pumpkin flower, bamboo beef, coconut prawn, beef stir fry noodles, seafood stir fry noodles, steamed banana cakes, smoked duck salad and chilli tofu.

Chi Hoa Vietnamese Cuisine

31A Lê Thánh Tôn, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
028 3827 3155
https://g.co/kgs/jexjiM

A splendid spread of stir fry pork, tofu, spring rolls and seafood fried rice (we tend to order this because baby Bing can be quite choosy). Interesting seafood hotpot with a broth that probably had bean paste added. Besides slices of fish, prawns and squid. The selection of vegetables were amazing. We still don't know how to name many of them. But we just experimented one by one and found them palatable. 

Royal Saigon Restaurant Bui Vien

201 Bùi Viện, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

+84 96 292 17 73 

https://g.co/kgs/r8NMcT

A very homey setup. Cheap lunch set- rice, stir fry, salad and soup. Great for the office workers. Must try their kebab set-juicy meat kebab, grilled vegetable kebab, spring rolls and also a cute meat kebab fried with noodle strands wrapped on the outside. Rice lovers should also try their broken rice set. And of course, the super creamy avocado smoothie. 

Tokyo Deli Restaurant

Ward 5, District 3, 425 Võ Văn Tần, Phường 5, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh
028 3818 1177
https://g.co/kgs/gatP4x

Surprisingly, Saigon has fairly authentic Japanese food. From sushi, sahimi, okonomiyaki to karatge. It's slightly heavier in flavors than what's found in Japan though.

My Banh Mi

57 Nguyễn Du, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh 70000
028 3827 2145
https://g.co/kgs/7gik7f

These banh mi were more Western in flavour. No wonder their client profile is also more international than local. Nevertheless, equally charming and delicious.

Pizza 4P's Ben Thanh

8 Thủ Khoa Huân, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
028 3622 0500

https://g.co/kgs/BPJ2pP

These were perhaps the best pizzas we have ever had out of Italy. Despite being thin crust, the base was soft and made perfect by the fresh and generous amount of toppings. One surprise ingredient was seaweed strips with Hawaiian chicken pizza.

Coffee

Trung Nguyen Café Legend

87A Bùi Thị Xuân, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh 700000
091 528 99 35
https://g.co/kgs/6RykgT

Drip coffee priced at 170k VND (about RM30+), it better be good. Luckily it didn't disappoint. The thickness of a single cup of coffee could easily feed a few. The aroma was so strong and irresistible.

Highlands Coffee

187 Phạm Ngũ Lão, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
028 3838 9523
https://g.co/kgs/dDL8WB

Ubiquitous branches scattered around the city, it provides a quick caffeine fix Vietnamese and Western fusion style at affordable price tags.

Phuc Long Coffee & Tea Express

325 Lý Tự Trọng, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
028 3822 0166

https://g.co/kgs/omzDTB

To be honest, not so much of a fan because the coffee could be thicker.

Maison Marou Saigon
169 Calmette, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bìn, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
+84 28 7300 5010
https://goo.gl/maps/V8KJHUB6YxC2

Last but not least, chocolates! The dark chocolate drink was the thickest I gave ever tried and the place is always roasting cocoa beans. Tiramisu and rum cake were things that I could only appreciate the sight because it's a 0 alcohol policy for me the pregnant Mama. 

Hopefully that's a list long enough to fill up your whole lunch week in Saigon!