62 08/2019
ON THE CORNER OF DONG KHOI
and Mac Thi Buoi streets, one block
from the Nguyen Hue walking street, sits
Vietnam House (97 Dong Khoi, D1).
It occupies all three floors of a newly-
renovated historic building, originally
built in 1910, and aims to establish a
legacy for the next hundred. Created by
celebrity chef Luke Nguyen, the vision of
Vietnam House is to elevate Vietnamese
cuisine to a much higher level. At the
restaurant’s two-year anniversary, we
check-in and see how they’re doing on
this mission.
Luke Nguyen is a Vietnamese-
Ausstralian chef and restaurateur who
has become the international face of
Vietnamese cuisine. He has produced
documentaries on the origins of
Vietnamese cuisine and the influence of
French cuisine, and is most well known
for his appearances on MasterChef
Australia and MasterChef Vietnam.
In Luke’s own words, Vietnam House
seeks to elevate Vietnamese cuisine by
“using the most incredible produce,
using modern cooking techniques, and
also presenting it in a very beautiful and
wonderful way.”
The first thing to note at Vietnam
House is the incredible service. From the
parking attendants, to the maitre d, to
the servers, all of the staff are courteous,
professional and easy to communicate
with. After you arrive, you step into
a gorgeous interior that incorporates
Vietnamese themes from hand-carved
wood, colorful embroidery, and stainedglass—all elevated to feel international,
elegant and sophisticated.
Vietnam House has a wide selection
of international wines, in addition
to beer and cocktails. Our server
recommended the Bordeaux Chateau La
Gamaye (VND1,488,000), a 2016 mix ofVietnam House Bean CurdElevating Vietnamese service and cuisine to the next level
Text by Grant Hawkins
Images Provided by WMC Group