Vietnam is beautiful and so is the food, they use fresh vibrant ingredients which not only makes the dishes delicious but also appealing to look at. I bet you didn’t know but Vietnamese cuisine adopts a lot of its cooking techniques from French people as they colonised the region for a while. There is a lot of contradictions that the origin of the word Pho also could be because of the French rule during that time.
Most of the dishes are rich and considered quite healthy and who wouldn’t mind slurping on those heavenly Pho’s after all. In the last few years, the Dubai crowd has got impressed by the Vietnamese food and you can see many more restaurants popping up to compete against taste, quality and most importantly to win our hearts with their food.
If you are on the lookout for some of the best Vietnamese food in Dubai, these are some of my best suggestions for you.
Vietnamese foodies – This restaurant in JLT is popular and on the weekdays it is quite difficult to even get a table inside, but that just says how much the people enjoy the food out here. The Pho’s are pretty amazing and so is the coffee. The chef and founder Lily, is hospitable and is passionate about cooking and you can see her love for Vietnamese cuisine being depicted by her food. A must-try here is the Papaya Salad and the authentic Pho’s which is cooked for almost 14hours. Doesn’t that tempt you to try as well?
Lao – Situated in the wonderful Waldorf Astoria Palm this restaurant is one of the fine dining places where you can expect romantic ambience, scrumptious South Asian dishes and most importantly you will have a fantastic time. Some of the must-try dishes here are the dumplings, Chinese pancakes and the braised short ribs. The service here is spectacular and the staff can help you with some good suggestions if you are not well aware of the cuisine. If you go during the cooler months you can sit outdoors and admire the charming garden of the resort too.
Hanoi Naturally – JLT is winning all the foodies heart when it comes down to pleasing it guests with some superb options of restaurants and one such fine restaurant is Hanoi Naturally which opened in 2006. They are proud of not only serving authentic but also flavoursome dishes. Having some impressive fare of dishes you won’t be disappointed by the food here, it is generally busy on the weekdays as it’s another restaurant enjoyed by the local, tourists and expats in UAE. Of course, you cannot miss their exceptional Pho’s which taste divine!
Indochine – A fairly new fine dining restaurant on the block which has a strong Vietnamese influence with a subtle bit of French. The decor is marvellous and this place has the most fun ambience, if you want to impress someone with fine taste, both in food and restaurants this place is a sure win. Located in DIFC where there are already some quite established restaurants, Indochine is very much here to stay. Some of the signature dishes here are the Beef Pho Rolls, the Caramel Cod and the Honeycomb Chocolate Ganache.
971 Pho – This is one place which I think deserves a mention as they don’t have a restaurant but are available only for home delivery via Deliveroo, Talabat and Careem Now. The place is known for it’s delightful and comforting bowls of Pho but there are some other interesting dishes on the menu which have become quite a favourite of mine like Banh Xeo (pancake with prawns), and Pan Fried Noodles. The Pho is packed with zesty flavours and you won’t regret trying it.
Vietnamese snack food cafe – Another restaurant in JLT which has all my attention is Vietnamese snack food cafe, you cannot get more authentic than this. It’s not a big place but if you decide to sit outside near the lake they do have a couple of tables. The staff are friendly and will try their best to accommodate any of your dietary requirements if possible. I love the Beef Salad, the Sizzling Prawns and the decadent Duck and Bamboo Noodle soup. Even though it’s easy to order a takeaway but it’s best to sit in the restaurant and slurp over a hot Pho. They have a restaurant in Vietnam since 2000 but opened in the UAE in 2016.
Miss Tess – Situated in Taj at Business Bay, this place is a more casual and fun place to try if you enjoy Asian food in general. They also have some Vietnamese influence and dishes which you would enjoy. They have live entertainment too and it makes for a fantastic place if you are with friends or just want to take it easy at a restaurant. The restaurant serves some tempting street foods, and the menu is quite extensive so you will have a lot to try. Music is amusing and so is the choreographed dance. Saigon roll’s here are divine!
Asian 5 – This restaurant serves five cuisines under one roof and after a successful branch in DAFZA they opened a second one. They serve ingredients which are organic and locally sourced, and that’s not it, they even have a vegan menu. The portions here are huge and they serve some delectable dishes like Pho, rice paper rolls and Fried Banana Wontons. The place gives a very homely and comforting vibe which makes me want to visit this place often.
Hoi An – Situated in the iconic Shangri La, this restaurant has been a part of the hotel for a long time. They pride themselves with being authentic and I don’t doubt that the decor complements the Vietnamese food served here. You should surely try some of their signatures like Organic chicken with lemongrass, and the Vietnamese Red Curry. Another fun fact about this restaurant is that the entire staff is Vietnamese from the servers to the chef, so if you want are not too familiar with the dishes they would certainly be quite helpful. The name Hoi An comes from an ancient port in Vietnam and it is known for being traditional and dominated by the culture.
Saigon – JLT is like a melting pot, you can find some of the best restaurants from many different regions and countries. It already has a couple of Vietnamese restaurants but that hasn’t stopped more from popping up, this new restaurant in the vicinity is serving some comforting bowls of Pho which are sure to impress many. It is quaint and you can see the Vietnamese influence from the decor. The name of the restaurant is derived from Vietnam’s old capital Saigon which was changed later to Ho Chi Minh after the war of 1975.
Vietnam is popular for many things, and after trying it’s food and being a fan of some of their most popular dish it makes me want to visit the beautiful and dynamic country soon. The history, culture, its people have always fascinated me and with this article, I just wanted to pay a tribute to some of the most luscious dishes we have been given by Vietnam.
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