I think it’s safe to say that when you are in a foreign country you should eat as the locals do. It’s what all the cool guys (ie. Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern) tell you to do. But sometimes you have to suck up your pride, shell out a couple hundred thousand dong, and eat at a restaurant that is meant for tourists. As great as it is to eat on the streets I would say that most people, definitely me included, need a break from that every once in a while.
Here are some of the meals I’ve splurged on.
Lamb Tikka Masala from Ganesh
Garlic Naan from Ganesh
Roasted Duck with Ravoili from Hideaway Cafe
Salmon and Avocado Salad from Sheridans
Seared Swordfish with Lemon Relish and a Passionfruit Martini from The Refinery
When you are living in a place like HCMC you need to find ways to escape from the chaos of it all. For me, going out for a nice dinner or spending the afternoon in a quiet cafe is the perfect way. There will definitely be more fine dining posts to come!
Ganesh is located at 15B4 Le Thanh Ton, District 1.
Hideaway Cafe is located at 41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, District 3.
Sheridan’s Irish House is located at 17/13 Le Thanh Ton, District 1.
The Refinery is located at 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, District 1.
pass the fish sauce 
that all looks so good 🙂
What are the biggest expat communities in Vietnam – where are they from? What sort of food do they make?
Hmmm…good question. Foodwise you definitely feel a huge French influence. But now adays a lot of Japanese and Koreans are moving to HCMC and they are opening up restaurants. Middle Eastern food is also sort of popular. There isn’t a big expat community from the middle east but there are tons of Kebab shops all over town.