AF Reeves

Section

Food

Restaurant reviews and culinary dispatches.

Fine dining

Stumbling through the world of fine dining.

  1. Việt Nam News Nén: where storytelling meets the plate Keeping with the narrative theme, each course is introduced by chapter, taking the diner on whichever journey Chef Summer and co wish to charter.
  2. Việt Nam News Eat, eat, drink, drink: exploring ÂnÂn Vietnam's best restaurant 2023. Asia's Top 50 Best Restaurants. A charismatic head chef. Michelin Series: 3/4.
  3. Việt Nam News GIA: fine dining through the seasons I took a visit to the fine dining selection from the Michelin Guide's first ever Vietnamese awardees, and it did not disappoint. Michelin Series: 2/4.
  4. Việt Nam News Consistency is key with Tầm Vị (and Michelin agrees) Tầm Vị was one of the first Vietnamese restaurants to ever be awarded a coveted Michelin star. I went along to find out why. Michelin Series: 1/4.
  5. Việt Nam News Hà Nội's little slice of Tuscany Lots of truffle, serious beef steak. Old school Italian hospitality in a modern setting. Get down.

This IS Vietnam

The best spots in town.

  1. Việt Nam News Making friends with salad: a night at Ưu Đàm Chay So, if the aim here is to showcase what can be achieved with high-quality ingredients and no meat, then I, for one, am convinced.
  2. Việt Nam News Experiencing Phở Chào's renowned 'Phở-Tine' Knowing how much phở means here, who is out there straddling the line between bravery and madness with the nation's most beloved dish?
  3. Việt Nam News Some broken things don't need fixing: a 'cơm tấm' revelation This isn't a restaurant that whispers. It sizzles, it smokes, it yells, you can hear it down the street, and you'd better listen.
  4. Việt Nam News Reclaiming breakfast: noodles at dawn Bánh Cuốn is a morning revelation, Bún Chả asserts its dominance before 10am, and the best Phở spots run dry by nine.
  5. Việt Nam News On the Bourdain trail: highlighting Huế The weekend belonged to me and for the weekend, my tastebuds belonged to Huế.
  6. Việt Nam News Sampling Sa Đéc: my local dish of the year For over three decades, this family-owned gem has been serving up the city's distinctive flavours, offering a taste of the Mekong Delta in the heart of southern Việt Nam.
  7. Việt Nam News Mỳ Bò Đài Loan: a taste of Taiwan near the heart of Hà Nội The star of the show here is, of course, the broth. Dark as the night, it's a rich, almost black potion that oozes character and depth with a captivating sweetness and slight kick.
  8. Việt Nam News Sichuan in the city: welcome to flavour town The best kept secret in Hanoi: a succulent Chinese meal by the side of the road. Bring your appetite.
  9. Việt Nam News Phở Thìn-ternational: a tale of two cities Phở Thìn Tokyo is an excellent homage to one of the best bowls of noodles on the wider continent. We're fortunate to have the original on our doorstep.

World food

All the classics. Think France, Italia, India.

  1. Việt Nam News Food meets friendship at Mediterraneo It is a laid-back atmosphere and guests mingle and make polite introductions. There is laughter and a sense of anticipation only impending antipasti can provide.
  2. Việt Nam News West African comfort reaches Hà Nội At Makeni, the broth, deep and very peppery, sends warmth through you with each mouthful. This will get us through the impending northern winter.
  3. Việt Nam News Coraggio: big pasta in Little Tokyo This is homely, affordable Japanese-style Italian food. Think Japanese interpretations of Italian fare, mozzarella meets mentaiko.
  4. Việt Nam News 'A Taste of Lanka': The Bottle Shop's backyard secret This collaboration between The Bottle Shop and Chef Kumar in bringing his beloved food to Hà Nội is a delight.
  5. Việt Nam News NGON NGON: London's No.1 Vietnamese restaurant? Ngon Ngon is worth a visit. It offers an interesting perspective on Vietnamese cuisine adapted for the palates of likely clientele.
  6. Việt Nam News Traversing Tây Hồ: Little Thai goes big There is much peace and satisfaction to be found when a little Thai wisdom meets a big appetite.
  7. Việt Nam News Cross the bridge: Italy meets France at Quinza An emergent and notably French culinary movement is afoot, with the banks of the Red River proving fertile ground for such scenic ventures.

Unusual eateries

Not your usual spots. New flavours to be found.

  1. Việt Nam News Join The Union? Don't mind if I do It's a homage to British food, a knowing scoff towards the TikTok generation that would file away British food as but a beige meme.
  2. Việt Nam News Saigon Taco Festival 2025 in review Ahead of my arrival, the event card promised some of the country's best vendors for a one-day contest of mole, masa, and bragging rights.
  3. Việt Nam News Saigon Sandwich Wars I am not ashamed to admit that I have crossed borders in pursuit of sandwiches.
  4. Việt Nam News New Year, new Été: bistro in the heart of Ba Đình This isn't an attempt to reinvent the wheel or an avant-garde pitch, but rather a reinvigoration of a neighbourhood classic with an atmosphere to match.
  5. Việt Nam News Don't look back in hunger: Burger Fest 2024 Put your burger where your mouth is? Sliders at dawn? For our sins we got the latest edition of the Hà Nội Events team's contributions to the culinary calendar.
  6. Việt Nam News All Mexican, no stand-off Tacos at dawn. There's an abundance of great Mexican food available in Hà Nội, with no shots fired, unless you count the mezcal.
  7. Việt Nam News Parting with Pyongyang North Korean restaurants were a visceral simulator for territory that the vast majority of world foodies will never chart.
  8. Việt Nam News Goodtime Burger: the name says it all Good customer testimonies, and I'm intrigued. A flurry of messages and a short wait later, I'm tucking in, and I'm hooked.