Vietnam, I Love You Even More

Rewinding to the Mid-Autumn Festival night, my wife and I, along with some friends, went to a beautiful place for dinner. We had a great time feasting and celebrating the festival. We chose Bistro Hoi An inside Elements! As the name suggests, this restaurant serves Vietnamese cuisine, but the decor inside is absolutely stunning. We spent almost half an hour just taking photos. From the ground floor to the staircase leading to the second floor, the place is adorned with atmospheric Vietnamese lanterns. Dining here during the Mid-Autumn Festival felt incredibly festive. We made a reservation for 6 PM, so there was still some daylight when we arrived, but the ambiance became even more enchanting as night fell. With such a great atmosphere, we had to pair it with a nice drink! This cocktail, called HANOI NIGHTS, is made with cocoa liqueur, Italian orange bitters, kumquat syrup, and tonic water. It had a refreshing kumquat aroma and was delightful to drink. The Vietnamese-style raw shrimp sashimi was incredibly fresh and had a nice, firm texture. Unlike the Thai version, it’s seasoned with kumquat fish sauce, which is savory and aromatic without being overly spicy—perfect for someone like me who can’t handle too much heat. The stir-fried minced meat with cauliflower was a pleasant surprise! The crispy cauliflower combined with dried shrimp, minced pork, and Thai basil was irresistibly flavorful. Even those who don’t usually like vegetables would fall in love with this dish. Both my wife and I are frog lovers, so we couldn’t resist ordering the stir-fried frog legs. The frog legs were cooked to perfection, tender and juicy, and seasoned with lemongrass, chili, and caramelized fish sauce, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. The Vietnamese pomelo and grilled shrimp salad featured fresh and succulent shrimp. The sweet and juicy pomelo, combined with crispy coconut shreds and mint leaves, made for a dish bursting with flavor. Ever since I tried a Michelin-starred Vietnamese baguette in Central, I’ve been hooked! The Vietnamese chicken sandwich here is equally impressive. The baguette is baked to a perfect crispness without being too hard to bite into. Inside, it’s filled with lemongrass chicken, foie gras pâté, pickled vegetables, and herbs. Every bite was incredibly satisfying. The stir-fried prawns with annatto and foie gras sauce sounded indulgent just from the name. The addition of annatto gave it a unique aroma, and the rich foie gras sauce was perfect for those who enjoy bold flavors. The signature egg curry with soft-shell crab was a standout! The curry sauce was so delicious, especially when paired with the accompanying baguette to soak it up. The fried soft-shell crab was also well-prepared—crispy and free of any fishy taste—but the curry sauce definitely stole the show. The Hoi An roasted suckling pig looked incredibly tempting! It’s served with homemade pickled vegetables, herbs, and lettuce, which you can wrap together to make it less messy. The suckling pig had crispy skin and flavorful meat, though the seasoning varied depending on the cut, giving everyone a unique taste experience. If you like spicy food, don’t forget to try their Sriracha seafood sauce—it’s very aromatic. My wife and I both loved the lemongrass and palm sugar roasted yellow chicken! The chicken was marinated to perfection, with tender and juicy meat. Don’t underestimate the accompanying cucumber—it was crisp and sweet, pairing wonderfully with the chicken. Worried we wouldn’t be full, we also ordered the signature crab fried rice to share! The fried rice included sausage, cabbage, chili, and herbs, creating a dish with layers of flavor that was incredibly appetizing. This rice dish is a winner. When it came to dessert, we tried the caramel popcorn banana! This dessert was a delightful mix of textures—sweet banana, crunchy popcorn, and cold Belgian caramel biscuit ice cream. It was absolutely delicious. Since one scoop of ice cream is never enough, we ordered an extra serving of homemade ice cream to share. It came with two scoops: coconut sorbet and Belgian caramel ice cream. Both flavors were fantastic, and the ice cream was incredibly smooth—definitely worth trying. Finally, for coffee lovers, there’s the Vietnamese espresso ice cream! The scoop of ice cream was also Belgian caramel-flavored, served with a drizzle of espresso and crunchy toppings. This dessert wasn’t quite to my taste, so I left it for the coffee enthusiasts to enjoy.