The Word Ho Chi Minh City December 2011

December 2011 Chuyên đề du lịch, ẩm thực The City in Your Hands

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Time To Rewind

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cOnTenTs December 2011

042 042 The Year ThaT Was

We take a look back at 2011 and tell you our thoughts on the city’s best new restobars, restaurants, music venues and more

Trivia buff ansWers

See p.155 for the original puzzle 1) His picture is in the newspaper) 2) The Communists 3) Hershey, Pennsylvania 4) 64 5) 55 6) Eagle 7) David Ginola 8) Red Adair 9) Plum 10) A King 11) Nigel Lawson 12) Eternal 13) San Francisco 14) Shayne Ward 15) 1994 16) Mexico 17) Leading Top Scorer for Arsenal 18) The Fontanelle 19) Washington, US 20) Roy Orbison 21) Absail 22) A Helicoptor 23) Ready Steady Go 24) All Qualified Pilots 25) 2x 761mph is speed of sound

2 | The Word December 2011

054 chrisTmas in The ciTY

The time to get rid of that avid diet and exercise plan, Christmas and New Year are all about good food and even better drink, right?

regulars The Talk 008. The Big Five 009. Just In 010. The Buzz 014. Trendspotter 016. In the Papers 018.

Word of Mouth 020. Calendar 032. Overscene 034. Alley Talk 040 .Fashion 074. Destination Zero 090. Travel Promos 094. Foodie Corner 104. Food Promos 112. For the Record 115. Live in Saigon 116. Decks ‘n Drums 118. Hanoi Section 142. Tieng Viet 148. The Final Say 151. On the Stool 156

Just the Tip

FROM JAPAN WITH LOVE

Julian Ajello excha nges his writin attempt at fencin g pen for a sword g. Photos by Charl in his rst es Barnes

a linguist, too, The executive editor of the Japanese language publication Sketch and Ryan Mattingly Kaoru Matsuhisa is as intricate as the city she lives in. Photo by Quinn IT'S UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE TO study Vietnamese as a foreign language at university. But then Kaoru is not your usual type of person.

Raised in Gifu near Nagoya in Japan to a Rinzai Buddhist priest father and a calligrapher mother, Kaoru's seven continuous years in Ho Chi Minh City have seen her not only craft a career as an editor, but also find love, happiness and marriage.

This city has been her cradle and also the path to success both personally and at work.

But it wasn't always like that. Kaoru's career in the media started in late 2004 thanks to being trilingual " besides Japanese she speaks fluent English and Vietnamese. She had always wanted to work with words, so quit her job as a translator for a consulting company to apply for a role at

Sketch magazine. " I thought I was being hired as a writer but on my name card it said editor," she laughs. She knew nothing about the work and had to " learn from scratch" . Stumbling her way through her first year Koaru eventually became a key member of the editorial team.

Now, over six years later, she's the executive editor of the Japanese language publication Sketch and there may even be further progression at hand.

Her career success stems from an enthusiasm and love for all the people involved, the readers primarily but also her staff and the people she meets on a daily basis. Kaoru recognises " it" s all about people in the end" , so recording her staff's achievements or hearing positive feedback from a client is what inspires her, " " Reaction' is most rewarding to me."

Although she is very much enjoying her work at Sketch, she has other paths she would eventually like to pursue.

Kaoru would love to create a magazine for Vietnamese readers. The philosophy of Sketch " is to be a bridge between Vietnam and Japan" and she would like to expand on this idea. " This country is full of charms and surprises. I want to introduce the charm of

Vietnam to its people through the eyes of a foreigner."

Unlucky in Love

Kaoru's time in this city has also seen her have a succession of relationships.

Tempestuous at best with partners from Germany, and even engagement to a man from Holland, for a while it seemed she was doomed to meeting the wrong men. Now, everything is more settled and she recently married Atsushi, an architect and interior designer who she met in Vietnam. Ironically he comes from Gifu, the same town as her.

Enjoying her new married life, she admits " my husband is adjusting himself to my lifestyle" rather than the other way round.

Kaoru has however made some adjustments of her own. " For my part, I don" t take any work home (I used to do that a lot) and try not to stay in the office so late all the time."

It isn't always easy separating home and work life, however. " One thing with my job [is that] there is no separation between " work' and " private.'" Getting her buzz from people, she enthuses about the people she finds along the way. " I simply enjoy meeting people and visiting new places, and it" s just impossible to be in either " work mode' or " private mode.' I just enjoy what I do, there is no point in separating the two."

But while these are successes that have come to her during her time in this country, so it was another personal nuance that has shaped her life.

A Mark to Bear

Born with a facial birthmark that quite simply makes her " different" , as a young child her parents tried all sorts of treatment for it. From traditional Chinese medicine to western-based procedures, it simply wouldn't go away.

In the conservative Japan of her youth it was not an easy mark to bear and was even described by her best friend as being a " handicap" . When she was teased she would fight back because, as she says, " I may not

be beautiful, but I don't want to lose, don't want to be inferior to anyone else."

That all changed when she went to high school in America. " My mother always told me that I needed to be financially and spiritually independent," she says. " And I was asking my mother to go and study in the US from when I was eight."

Despite last minute protests from her homeroom teacher, she finally made it to a high school just outside Milwaukee when she was 17. Although, " when I arrived my English was terrible."

Three months later she had improved enough to be able to express herself and understand what was going on around her and had to give a talk in class. Stood up in front of the other students suddenly somewhere piped up, " Your birthmark, it's

beautiful!" " Everyone was quiet," she remembers, " and I was upset, thinking that this girl was being nasty. But after the class all my friends came up to me and told me it was true. My birthmark was unique, they said, and it really made me stand out."

Returning to Japan her mother offered her laser treatment, but she refused. By now she felt that the birthmark was part of her.

But that sense of being different remained.

And it was this that caused her to take Vietnamese at university. " There were lots of popular Asian languages being studied in Japan at the time," she says, " but I wanted to do something different. I read about Vietnam and found it to be chaotic but full of energy.

So I went with it."

Now in her early 30s, out of the chaos of Vietnam she has helped create her own personal stability. Unsure of how long she will stay in this country, but absolutely sure she will continue editing, she also remains very much herself " unusual, charming and unique. " [The title] " editor' is like a passport to meeting anyone I" d like to and learning a lot from them... How can anyone let go of that?"

38 | The Word December 2011

rising WiTh The sun The executive editor of Sketch, Kaoru Matsuhisa, tells how she discovered both her career and love in Saigon

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" BEING ABLE TO head and swing RAISE IT ABOVE YOUR it at another that requires it the most emotional person makes a great deal of practice. When the basics are of the weapons," says fencing met the student strategy and teacher learn tactics can begin to tactics favourite weapon, Rina Guzman of her and strategy.

Trying to remember is overwhelming. the Now with some how to counter Among the many sabre. parry while of that explained, and was time for martial arts maintaining it dueling arts, my my balance kept my head including fencing, are on a mask and first fencing lesson. I put swimming employ the use which glove and picked one thing I remembere . So I did the of various types After acclimatin up a foil. " the foil, the d best, I lunged. of swords g Rina mentioned " p" e and the began by going to its strange grip we that oftentimes sabre. The foil and " p" e over the footwork. are reluctant students are move into attack to hit The may only score thrusting blades that beginning. That other people in the points with the attack, and the positions, retreat from an wasn’t a problem fencing with tip. When lunges require Striking someone the for me. balance and precision, be targeted whilefoil only the torso may more than a freakishly good. with a metal sword felt bit of grace.

I think I was The part that Sadly, part of the body. the " p" e may strike any shortchanged escaped my temporaril The at viewed birth. attention sabre I fencing as a may attack any part above was that I wasn’t y only one with strenuous sport, never the waist save after spending the a sword. but Additionally, the hands. a The area in which the sabre may semi-crouched good deal of time in a score with the edge as well the matches position and is two metres occur as the point. moving back and forth continuou by fourteen metres.

When Rina moved constant back sly, the calves It’s a hamstrings are to Saigon from and forth in Philippines she the first muscles and a narrow the that allows for brought her stinging. to start no lateral movement alley love of fencing with her and how tight the now works with . Just quarters are Fencing Club. the Saigon becomes readily apparent when In addition to Foot Loose attacked by a fencing with the club opponent. After superior she has an arrangeme Once the footwork becoming comfortab with RMIT to nt enough to have was understoo use space in time to move d it was fun, Rina reminded le one gymnasiums on to blade movement just how little to instruct groups.of their I think most I knew. If it weren’t me s. focus on basic of my generation Her classes mask my jaw for the moves and footwork wanted a light secretly might have as terminolog sabre growing hit the ground as well response to how y and are open foil isn’t quite up. While a in quickly and levels. to all ages and the was able to counter efficiently she deal of fun. The same thing, it was a good an attack and When she started mask concealed tip of her blade put the that crawled training in her the smile anywhere she hometown, she across my face wished. " I have an innate began, as most as I heard the metal of the warrior spirit of fencing do, blades students wants to hit that with basics of swordplaycollide. Learning the people," she a sound foundationthe foil. It provides explains. For it is that drives her block and counter and how to parry, her to succeed. needed to master for the blade work an opponent belief that an As for her the sport and entertaining. was highly innate desire according to is, to hit people at the heart of Rina, a more lies With the fundamen her success in technically precise weapon fencing, I for one believe it. tals out of the than the other Rina and I began way Footwork is For those interested another necessary two. either footwork to fence. Practicing in fencing lessons component or blade work or the Saigon is challengin on its own Fencing Club g. Using them please Rina contact on 0908 750840 together with marie.s.guzman@intel.or email her at rina. com.

fenced in Time to get out th at footwork going. Fe foil and get your nc innate warrior in ing will bring out the you

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PuTTing On The bails Despite cricket’s growing strength among the city’s overseas population, the world’s second most popular sport is struggling to attract Vietnamese players

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24 hOurs in hanOi

So you think there’s nothing to do in Hanoi? Well you’re wrong. Read our travel piece and discover what the capital has to offer. They’ve even got winter

Giấy XNĐKKHXB của Cục XB số: 161–2011/CXB/154–07/LĐ ngày 02/03/2011 Quyết định xuất bản số 400 QĐCN/LĐ Nhà xuất bản Lao Động cấp ngày 25/10/2011 In xong và nộp lưu chiểu năm 2011.

074 OWn The sTreeTs Who said Saigon hasn’t got street style? We hit the motorbike workshops and streetside food stalls to show you how it’s done

The editorial and design of THE WORD HO CHI MINH CITY is carried out by Duong Huynh Advertising JSC Duong Vy Bao, General Director bao@wordhcmc.com bao@wordhanoi.com Editorial Christine Van, Managing Editor christine@wordhcmc.com

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152 unrequiTed lObO The western songs and bands that make the karaoke market tick

mYsTerY diner Two recently opened restaurants — Charner Café and Highway4 — get the treatment. How do they fare?

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142 The urban music arTisT 20-year-old R&B and rap artist Kim Kieu Ky is not your typical Vietnamese woman

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See p154 for the original puzzle. Puzzle by Frank A. Longo.

Edited by Will Shortz

144 The lasT PaTch Saigon South is full of green spaces, but Hanoi’s erstwhile equivalent, My Dinh, has yet to designate its parks

The Prelude December 2011 Chuyên đề du lịch, ẩm thực The City in Your Hands

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Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động

front cover

dh Ấ cm So n ng Ph c.c ẩ om Ng m ữ

Time To Rewind

Design by The Word - DH Advertising

Louis Armstrong once crooned in his gravelly rasp of a voice that ‘we have all the time in the world’. In reality it doesn’t always feel like that, 2011 being a case in point. The days, weeks and months of the past year have quickly disappeared, and now we find ourselves on the cusp of Christmas and at the precipice of the New Year, ready to do it all over again.

And if 2011 in Ho Chi Minh City is to be remembered for anything, it’s change. The continued expansion and evolution of this southern Vietnamese metropolis went into overdrive these past 12 months, earmarked not only by the inevitable slew of multiple, shiny new high-rises, but also by the largest and most diverse introduction of bars, restaurants, entertainment, travel destinations and live events in

recent memory.

Hence, our cover story this month, where we take a moment to reflect on the year that was, and highlight some of the new additions that made a memorable impact on this fair city.

Elsewhere, we bring you good tidings with our guide to spending the festive season in Saigon. For some real winter, though, spend 24 hours in that town (sorry, we mean capital city!) up north called Hanoi. And in this issue you can also get to grips with the art of fencing and the problems surrounding the development of cricket in Vietnam.

2011 has also been a year of change for The Word. From our January issue, where several plucky contestants battled it out to see who could make VND100,000 go furthest, through to the retrospective issue you hold before

you, our publication has undergone several transformations along the way, editorially and design-wise. Some have been minor, to the point where you may not have even realised the difference, while others have been more dramatic and obvious.

In any case, we hope you enjoyed reading the The Word this year as much as we enjoyed making it, and we look forward to returning fresh-faced, bright-eyed and with slightly wider waistlines in 2012. In the immortal words of Prince, make sure you ‘party like it’s 1999’ this New Year's Eve, because according to the Mayans there won’t be another one!

As always, feel free to sing our praises or knock us down a peg or two by sending your comments to john@ wordhcmc.com.

INBOX dO yOu have aNy cOmmeNTs ThaT yOu wOuld lIke TO aIr? If sO, Please emaIl chrIsTINe aT christine@wordhcmc.com

kudOs

(Oct. 2011) Such an interesting, varied and innovative edition this month. — Andrew H. PhOrrari

(Ong Audi Ba Bently, Nov. 2011) A well written article and very interesting topic. Many have been enjoying the fruits of their labour in the west and as a result, display these same fruits in various ways, such as a driving a flash car. Is it wrong for wealthy Vietnamese to do the same? I was recently sitting having a bowl of pho which cost VND20,000, about a dollar.

Whilst sitting there a young Vietnamese guy pulled up in a red Ferrari to eat the same bowl of pho. He dirtied his trousers and shoes getting out of his flash car, his beautiful girlfriend struggled getting out of the car due to the height of her heels, and I sat there thinking to myself, not so much about the car, but the choice of eating venue considering the obvious wealth. — Marty

6 | The Word December 2011

Back in Time

(Alley Talk, Oct. 2011) Great article. Well written. Brings back great memories. — Mike Proctor

On Friendly Terms

(The World According to Me, Oct. 2011) A very interesting article. When I came to England in the 1960s, being a French native I was tagged as "alien." Was it only a turn of phrase? Well in some cases it was not but most of the time I was accepted and made to feel at home. How about acceptance of the difference in order to grow not only economically but culturally. — Claudy Smith Good comments from the author's Vietnamese friends, but they are buried in the words of the opinion of the author. Too long. — Tomosaigon I am Vietnamese-American living in Vietnam. I find this to be true in terms of socialising.

I first worked in Vietnam back in 2003 to 2007 before returning again six months ago; during my time here the majority of my friends and the people I hung out with were mostly foreigners and Viet Kieus. It made the transition to live in Vietnam easier to be around people who spoke the same language, shared the same cultural up bring and a similar sense of humor. This time around I am working for a company that is Vietnameseowned, all of the employees are local Vietnamese . Even though they all speak excellent, I find it much harder to relate to my co-workers on a personal and social level. — MP

the talk

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Things to watch out for this month

Palms and alms alms ‘Tis the season of giving. But should you give your hard earned cash to people on the street?

A RECENT BBC TV PANORAMA documentary highlighted the growing problem of child beggars on the streets of Britain’s largest cities. Whereas a decade ago, the only people asking passers by to grace their palms were the destitute, as the programme discovered, the ‘trade’ has turned into a racket. One supposed homeless family followed by the film crew owned a BMW. When traced back to their hometown in Eastern Europe, they were also the legal proprietors of at least two properties.

Their children, dressed as Muslim Bosnian refugees, didn’t go to school.

Vietnam is no different and there are numerous stories of ‘professional’ beggars living in mansions. The classic case was of a wheelchair-bound man who used to hang around the ferry port in Vung Tau. With a good command of the English language, this wily professional would roam the streets of Front Beach searching for charitable tourists.

He was eventually ousted from his mobile throne when it was discovered that he had a much younger wife, two kids and a villa.

But it does beg the question. In Vietnam, except for through NGOs and charities, the physically and mentally impaired have no access to work. They are dependent on their families and are the brunt of a welfare stateless society. So, what’s wrong if they use a bit of cunning to make a living?

8 | The Word December 2011

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the talk ‘Tis The ParTY seasOn

As ever, Christmas and New Year will offer up a whole host of seasonal festivities for those not taking holiday-time advantage of the oh-too-short break. From the New Year’s Eve, Christmas Eve and Christmay Day buffets with Santa in tow at the five-star hotels through to the 10-minute long firework displays on New Year’s Eve that will be lit at different key spots around the city, despite its Buddhist roots, Vietnam likes to celebrate. To get your five-star dose of turkey, egg nog and Christmas pudding, check out our food promos on page 112 and our Christmas special on page 54.

And to find out where to party during this festive season, head to our website — www.wordhcmc.com.

Wishing you all a great Christmas and New Year!

And hoping to see you all again in 2012.

a dOse Of fame

Hold on to your hats, party people, because this looks set to be one almighty event! A fine selection of Saigon’s DJs, musicians and multi-platform artists will come together on Thanh Da Island on Dec. 10 for a dOSe of FAME. Standing for Fashion, Art, Music and Entertainment, the event is not only the crowning culmination of dOSe’s resurgence in 2011, but also a celebration of the party collective’s 4th anniversary. Watch out for a very special headlining performance from Quantic. Flick to Live In Saigon on page 116 for a full preview of this unmissable event.

fuTure shOrTs The kids aren't alright

The issue is when it’s faked. Take the Pham Ngu Lao area. Most western backpackers and travellers who descend on this part of the city are imbued with the moral and spiritual teachings of Judeo-Christian tradition. As a result, the notion of charity is natural. So, when these people see those who are worse off than themselves, the inclination is to give.

Unfortunately they are being used and seldom see the reality. The kids on the streets selling chewing gum, cigarettes, lighters and souvenirs aren’t doing this ‘job’ as an after hours affair to help support their studies, they’re instead being used to support their families — after years in the business, some of these families are very wealthy. Ask the kids if they go to school. They may initially answer yes, but eventually you’ll discover that most don’t. Then there are the often drugged, rent-a-babies up all hours with women posing as their mothers.

The physically impaired, especially those displaying what look like open wounds, are also professional shysters. Many have been spotted on buses or down alleyways adding the finishing touches to their nicely paintedon wounds and filthy, ripped clothing. While at home they may have decent clothes, crutches or even a wheelchair, on the streets they pull and push themselves along on

wooden, low-down trolleys using their hands. When you see the same people in the same place, month after month, year after year, you know this is a profession.

The gift of giving

If you’re going to grace palms on the street, it’s important that your money goes to the right places. Lottery ticket vendors are the first port of call. Young and old, these individuals are trying to make an honest living. They only earn VND1,000 per ticket, so buy five or even 10. It makes a difference and you could even win something.

Then there are the indisputably destitute.

You see them from time to time and genuinely get a sense that these people are hungry or are in desperate need. Usually they are the old, and more often than not, reasonably well dressed — it’s the rag-clad who are the professionals.

But, whatever you do, don’t buy from the Pham Ngu Lao street kids — or at least those who are not of working age. Their money goes to support a racket and they’re being used as child labour. By giving them your hard-earned cash you are perpetuating the trade and keeping them out of school. The BBC estimated Britain’s street kids pulled in 200 to 300 pounds a day. It would be interesting to know what they are making here.

Future Shorts, the world’s largest monthly global independent short film festival, returns to Ho Chi Minh City this month.

Held at Lit Ca Phe (1st Floor, WE Café, 8 Le Quy Don, Q3) from 6.30pm on Dec. 11, with an encore screening at Snap Café (32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2) from 7.30pm on Dec 14, December’s programme includes the Oscar-winner God of Love by Luke Matheny, Michael Please’s BAFTA-winning The Eagleman Stag and Sundance-winner Deeper Than Yesterday by Ariel Kleiman.

Last month, Future Shorts became the first ever global pop-up festival, taking place in over 50 cities and 17 countries and comprising a worldwide audience of a half-million people, on and offline.

General admission is VND60,000, VND30,000 for students (with ID) and free for all filmmakers (with ID). For more information, visit www.futureshorts.com/vietnam

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la viTa e la mOrTe

Local dramatics group, Saigon Players, is teaming up with Boomerang Bistro Saigon next month to present a three-day festival of visual and performing arts.

Dubbed La Vita e La Morte (Life and Death), the charity event will showcase

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professional, non-professional and student artists, including painters, sculptors and photographers contributing art pieces that depict and reflect the theme of life and death.

Live performances by theatre actors, dancers and musicians will also feature, and all proceeds from the festival will go to the charity group Helping Hand Saigon, to fund scholarships for children affected with HIV or those whose parents have died from AIDS. La Vita e La Morte takes place from Jan. 13 to Jan. 15 at Boomerang Bistro Saigon (Crescent Residence 2-3-4, 107 Ton Dat Tien, Q7). For further information, email adam.zakharoff@ boomerang.com.vn or saigonplayers@gmail.com

bumPer fesTive PrOgramme

The year may be coming to an end but Seventeen Saloon isn’t showing any signs of letting up with a bumper programme of events scheduled in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City throughout December.

First up, the wild-west themed bar marks the third anniversary of its Da Nang outfit on Dec. 17 with a joint party held at both its Saigon and Da Nang branches. Among the many raffle prizes up for grabs that night, one lucky person will walk away with a Rebel motorbike.

Following on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve promises to be an eventful night with Santa Claus and the Wishing Princess welcoming guests with gifts, a game show and lucky draw, choreographed dance routines, a hit-filled set courtesy of Seventeen Saloon’s in-house Filipino band, and some stunning bar tricks and flair all on the cards.

And if that’s not enough, New Year’s Eve will be celebrated in style with even more live music, dancing, raffle draws, and bar flair before counting down to the arrival of 2012 with a champagne-toasted midnight fireworks display.

Seventeen Saloon is located at 103A Pham Ngu Lao, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City and Z76 Tran Hung Dao, Da Nang For more information, call 5412 3981

December 2011 The Word | 9

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JusT in

kiZciTi grand OPening

lY club resTauranT OPens

Set in an early 20th century French villa, Ly Club takes its name from the Ly Dynasty, one of Vietnam’s most glorious periods of cultural and artistic development between 1009 and 1225.

Drawing inspiration from its namesake, the establishment combines Asian sensibility with modern style, serving innovative cuisine from the east and west, all inspired by executive chef Dessi de Vries. Prices range from VND90,000 up to VND650,000 per dish, and the restaurant is open daily from 11am to 11pm for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, as well as providing catering and space for events.

Attention to detail is characterised by the interior decor, from decorative chrysanthemum patterns to a portrait of soprano Lina Cavalieri by 20th century Milanese painter Piero Fornasetti and oil and lacquer paintings by contemporary Vietnamese artists.

Ly Club is located at 143 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3. Tel: 3930 5588. For further information, visit www.lyclub.vn

The grand opening of KizCiti will take place on Dec. 18 at Khanh Hoi Park (Hoang Dieu, Q4).

KizCiti is a large-scale education and entertainment theme park in Vietnam for children aged between two and 15-years-old.

Children can experience the world of adults in a purpose-built replica city. It has a central square, hospital, bank, fire and police stations, a driving school, airline, food court and numerous other interactive occupations.

From the activities available at KizCiti, the aim is for kids to acquire significant learning to apply in their school life as well as their family and social environment, and highlight the importance of jobs and roles in the community. The organisers also hope to aid and expand children’s communication skills so that they use the information acquired at school and develop their cognitive abilities in a safe and comfortable environment.

For more information, visit www.kizciti.vn or call 3825 3868

Ground Floor, The Link, Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le Duan, D.1 Grand Opening Party on Dec 13. Buy one sandwich get one free with a purchase of a regular fountain drink 20oz*

iT’s all abOuT mui ne

A new non-profit website dedicated to all things Mui Ne has launched for holidaymakers heading to the popular costal town. Called AllAboutMuiNe. com, the website comprehensively lists hotels, restaurants, shops, events, activities, promotions, and parties in Mui Ne. For more information, visit. www. allaboutmuine.com

*Free sub must be equal or lesser value. Not valid with other offers or discounts. Images are for illustration purposes only. Limited time offer at Kumho Link store only. ©2011 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.

www.facebook.com/subwayinvietnam hYaTT regencY danang resOrT and sPa OPens

The Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa has now officially opened. Located 15 minutes by car from Da Nang International Airport and between Hoi An and Da Nang, the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa is situated on a stretch of beach with a view of the ocean and the Marble Mountains.

The hotel’s 200 guestrooms feature modern designs with oversized balconies and floor to ceiling windows. There are 182 luxurious residences and 27 private Ocean Villas each with a private pool.

With several bars and restaurants, extensive meeting and event function rooms and a wellness spa, other resort facilities include a fitness centre, swimming pools, tennis courts, badminton courts, and a Camp Hyatt offering a wide range of activities for children and younger guests.

For more information and reservations, visit www.danang.regency.hyatt.com

10 | The Word December 2011

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naPa sTeakhOuse & WinerY Y

The latest steakhouse and wine bar to open in Saigon, located in Nha Rong Port, Napa Steakhouse is trying to mix American-style steak and quality imported US beef with wines from California's Napa Valley.

Set in an attractive contemporary, white table-clothed open plan dining space, the food menu includes the likes of the bacon-wrapped sirloin filet (VND390,000) and the Napa Valley hamburger (VND320,000) as well as a range of sides and non-steak based mains.

On the wine front, a wine cellar holds a range of American wines including a couple of Zinfandels together with a good selection of reserves and ports.

Napa Steakhouse, Nha Rong Port, 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4. Tel: 6261 6471 www.napasteakhouse.com

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sanTO nerO OPens flagshiP sTOre

Italian men’s wear brand, Santo Nero, has opened its flagship store at 23 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, just in time for anyone looking for that perfect Christmas gift for their boyfriend, husband or boss. Open daily from 9am to 9pm, the outlet specialises in uniquely designed Italian shirts in a range of styles from corporate, classic, after-work and weekend, and imports fine fabrics, all are 100 percent cotton, from Italy, Switzerland and Japan.

Servicing gentlemen with its ready-towear shirt collection, prices range from VND1,470,000 to VND1,900,000 per shirt, while the shop also offers a premium service for VIP clients with exclusive shirts ranging from VND2,500,000 to VND4,000,000.

For more information, email shophcmc@ santonero.com

Thu Thiem Tunnel finallY OPens TO Traffic

After years of construction and delays, Thu Thiem Tunnel, which runs under the Saigon River, finally opened last month.

1,490m long and 33m wide, the six-lane tunnel is an important section of the 22km East-West Highway and links up downtown District 1 with Thu Thiem and Cat Lai in District 2. The highway, which runs through eight districts, is a key project in the restructuring of Ho Chi Minh City's urban traffic infrastructure system.

However, there has been concern about the noise levels inside the tunnel, especially in terms of their effects on motorbike drivers and children. As a result, trucks have been banned from the thoroughfare between 6am and 9pm daily and it is recommended that motorbike drivers and passengers using the tunnel frequently wear helmets with ear protection.

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December 2011 The Word | 13

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The buZZ

saigOn suPer cuP

The ILA Community Network is going footie mad in the name of charity this month.

Head on down to 828/24Q Su Van Hanh, Q10, on Dec. sankara saTurdaYs 9 from 10.30am to 1pm to Sugar Club Promotions has teamed up with Mui Ne's bestwatch teams battle it out in known bar and late night venue, Sankara, for the weekly Sankara a 5-a-side tournament in the Saturdays. hope of winning the coveted Featuring the disc-spinning skills of local turntablist DJ Long Toc Saigon Super Cup. All funds Dai, as well as the light shows and production frills of Sugar, the event raised will go towards essential will kick off every Saturday at 9pm and run into the early hours. vocational training for the boys Sankara, 78 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet. For information at the Green Bamboo Shelter, a call 0906 301107 or go to www.sankaravietnam.com and www. centre for disadvantaged boys sugarclubpromotions.com in Ho Chi Minh City.

Time fOr Tea

Tea, what’s not to love about it?

Hot, cold, with or without milk and sugar, nearly everyone is partial to the odd cuppa. And those who like to indulge in more than a few brews can look forward to Operation: TEA on Dec. 10.

Attendees will find themselves in a tea-filled utopia, able to try a variety of teas from around the world and learn about their history, health benefits and the art behind their cultivation from an experienced tea infusionist.

Admission is VND378,000 at the door and VND315,000 for those that register in advance by emailing surgery@operationteavietnam.com.

Operation: TEA will be held at Lam Boutique (4 My Duc, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7) from 3pm.

WhO leT The dOgs OuT?! mighTY blighTY Xmas ParTies

The British Business Group Vietnam (BBGV) will host two Christmas bashes this month in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Table bookings are now being taken for the organisation’s annual social event of the year, with this year’s Glitzy Glamour Christmas Party celebrating all things British with a “London’s Calling” theme. Think statuesque beefeater guards, Gerry Halliwell’s infamous Union Jack dress, the almighty crown jewels and red double-decker buses and you’ll get the gist of it.

Held on Dec. 9 at the Caravelle Hotel (19 Lam Son Square, Q1) from 7pm, tickets cost VND2.1 million per person and include a four-course dinner with free-flow drinks, a charity raffle and business card draw, and live

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entertainment.

While up in Hanoi on Dec. 2, the BBGV will host its inaugural Christmas Cocktails reception at the Hilton Hanoi Opera (1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem). Kicking off at 6pm, the event costs VND400,000 for BBGV members and VND600,000 for non-members, and includes free-flow cocktails and drinks, Christmas canapés, charity raffle prizes and live entertainment.

For further information and to register for the Glitzy Glamour Christmas Party, contact Tran at officemanager@bbgv.org or call 3829 8430. To register for the Christmas Cocktails in Hanoi, contact Nga at bbgvhanoi@bbgv.org or call 04 6794 0945. Alternatively, to register for either event, visit the events page of the BBGV website, www.bbgv.org

The Vietnam Dog Show 2011 will be held at Phan Dinh Phung Sports Center (8 Vo Van Tan, Q3) on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11.

The Vietnam Kennel Association (VKA) has announced that the event will include the first VKA-FCI International Dog Show, the third VKA National All Breed Championship 2011 and the fourth VKA Phu Quoc National Dog Show 2011.

Showcasing a diverse selection of local and foreign-bred dogs, the Phu Quoc Ridgeback is a native breed that has thrived on Phu Quoc Island since the 19th century.

The panel of judges includes experts from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

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sPOTTer POTTer

kumho link T

here’s a bit of the “Is this really Saigon?” factor about the relaunch of Kumho Plaza. Once a failed shopping mall with unworn escalators, empty corridors and even emptier retail space, the regenerated corner building that hugs The InterContinental Hotel on one side and Le Duan on the other is now promising to become a new wining and dining destination for this city.

When first discussing the recently rebranded Kumho Link, one doubter said it was going to be just another formulaic food court in a high building. To talk without seeing is an easy mistake to make. And it’s true. With its 18 restaurants and bars, this dedicated food and beverage space has certainly got something of the Singapore factor written all over it. But we’re talking

16 | The Word December 2011

CHIJMES or Far East Square rather than the typical food court you may expect to find all over our island, city state neighbour, and indeed these days throughout Saigon.

While there’s no colonial era building to house all the bars and restaurants that have opened up here — CHIJMES was once a Catholic Convent School and Far East Square is part of a heritage conservation project — the lack of age or breathtaking architecture takes nothing away from the place’s potential.

On the ground sits a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf opening out onto the street. Round the other side is the entrance to Hard Rock Café — they’re building a second bar on the ground floor — and the street-front but as yet sign-less Bobby Chinn’s. Move inside and you’ll find the latest incarnation of Lion City, the only restaurant in the building paying

testament to Singapore, the city’s second Subway, the Japanese café and sweets chain MOF (Ministry of Food), the increasingly ubiquitous Sushi Bar and a Tiep Thi & Gia Dinh grocery store and takeaway food counter. There’s also Lau Xe Lua, a Japanesestyle rotating conveyor belt restaurant that has substituted sushi and sashimi for hotpot.

Upstairs the outlets continue. Perhaps, at least for this writer, the most tempting is Brotzeit, a sleek Bavarian-style drinking hall mixing quality beer with Central European cuisine. Koh Thai with its contemporary, Thai fusion cuisine is also on hand as are two Korean restaurants — Ondal Korean Beef Soup and Dae Jang Gum — as well as a topfloor VIP-style Korean eatery called Sejong.

There’s also Vox nightclub in the basement.

Let’s get this straight. Kumho Link does not have the wow factor branded all over its walls. And as this article is written, some of the restaurants and bars have yet to open.

But with its mix of mid-range international and local cuisine together with its formidable, not-too-far-away from downtown location, this collection of wining and dining spots will certainly add a new dimension to the eating and drinking scene in this city. It’s also the first destination of its kind in Vietnam.

Kumho Link is in Kumho Plaza on the corner of Le Duan and Hai Ba Trung, Q1.

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in The PaPers The best of the Vietnamese press

cannibalism remOved frOm vieTnam’s cinderella Tale

vie vieTnam ieT Tnam TO limiT limi imiT Ta abOrTiOns bOrTiOns

A new Vietnam health regulation is going to ban obstetric clinics from giving abortions to fetuses older than seven weeks. The article is included in a bill drafted by the Ministry of Health, reports Tuoi Tre. Tre. Vietnam does not have specific laws on abortion, but use of the option has been on the rise and the rate is among the highest worldwide, especially among teenagers.

Under the bill, obstetric clinics can give pregnancy examinations and supervision, and first emergency aid in pregnancy and gynecology situations. The draft also bans beauty clinics from conducting plastic surgery, including altering the shapes and sizes of body parts like breast raising, fat removal or skin straightening.

lOuis vuiTTOn Wins cOPYrighT laWsuiT in vieTnam

saigOn Plans TableT insTallaTiOn fOr neW Year celebraTiOns

Ho Chi Minh City plans to install free tablets in the downtown area for people to send messages and wishes during the New Year 2012 celebrations and during the Lunar New Year festivities later in January.

The tablets will be installed along Le Duan. It will also hold tenminute firework displays at several locations on both occasions. Other activities planned include sound and light performances and outdoor concerts on Nguyen Hue where no vehicle will be allowed from the evening of Dec. 31 to early morning Jan. 1.

Details of this project are still being worked out.

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The Supreme People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City ordered a shopkeeper to pay fines and make a public apology for selling fake Louis Vuitton products in an appeal trial held in October.

Le Thi Hong, who owned a kiosk at the Saigon Square will have to pay VND68 million as compensation for copyright violations. Hong was also ordered to publish her apology to Louis Vuitton in local newspapers.

In May 2009, Louis Vuitton discovered that Hong sold counterfeit products under its brand at her store and sent her a note asking her to cease. After Hong ignored the request, the company reported the case to local authorities.

Hong was subjected to administrative fines four times but kept on selling the fake products.

In November, Louis Vuitton brought the case to court. It sought a compensation sum of US$13,430 and Hong’s public apology. Louis Vuitton also proposed that local authorities suspend Hong’s business for three months.

In the first trial, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court ordered Hong to stop any acts that infringed on the brand's copyright and to issue a public apology to the company.

Hong admitted her acts, asking the court to reduce the compensation sum, given her family’s financial difficulties.

However, the appeal court upheld the initial sentence.

The ending of the story of Tam and Cam — Vietnam’s most famous fairy tale — has been changed in the official literature textbook for tenth graders with the cannibalistic element cut out.

However, there have been different reactions from teachers and parents about the modification of this traditional fairy tale.

Tam and Cam is a Cinderella story about a young beautiful girl called Tam who lives with her wicked stepmother and stepsister Cam. In the end, Tam gets married to a king and is brought back to his palace.

When Cam asked Tam about her beauty secret, she tells Cam to take a bath in boiling water. Cam does as suggested and dies after being boiled alive.

Cam's body is then cut apart and used to make a jar of food.

Tam sends the jar to her stepmother, who eats it and later finds out that it was her daughter. She then dies of shock.

However, in the new version, the stepmother dies of a broken heart after seeing her daughter being boiled in hot water.

Le Thi Hong Thuy, head of literature teachers at Nguyen Du High School in District 10 said it is the karma that counts.

“Many teachers are still debating if the end of a fairy tale should be modified. The basic methodology is to let students discuss the ending. We also need to explain to them this is a folk story, thus has different versions. The core message is good people get rewarded and bad people get punished in the end,” she says.

Local literature teachers explain this change in the ending originated from educators’ fear that Tam’s cruel revenge may affect students’ morality in society.

December 2011 The Word | 19

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WOrd Of mOuTh fv hOsPiTal eXPanding

On Nov.16 construction began on three new floors above the Nuclear Building to create 28 more consultation rooms to increase FV Hospital’s capacity for OPD and IPD patients and to accommodate more associate doctors as part of FV’s objective to open FV Hospital up to Vietnam’s wider medical community.

The additional rooms will increase the total number of consultation rooms in the Nuclear Building to 35, allowing the hospital to see a total of 500 patients there per day. FV Hospital already receives around 850 to 1,000 patients each day, which is almost FV’s full capacity for OPD patients.

Among the plans, a transparent glass walkway will link the Main Building and Nuclear Building, creating an additional 580 sqm for a large lobby coffee shop, internet café and larger, more upscale waiting areas.

This walkway will also act as a venue for different activities, such as hosting painting exhibitions or VIP members’ evenings.

The current pharmacy will be more than doubled in size and accessed via the new

PeTrOleum indusTrY gives P back

The Vietnam section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (VN SPE), in collaboration with Nutrifort Fitness, organised the 11th annual charity golf and tennis tournament in Vung Tau last month.

Around 400 golfers and 200 tennis players from Vietnam’s petroleum industry, as well as a number of regional participants, turned out for the three-day function, which was held from Nov. 3 to Nov. 5 and was hosted at the Imperial Hotel.

20 | The Word December 2011

walkway. This will help the hospital to set up a new operations flow that will be more comfortable and convenient for patients, as well as help to reduce waiting times.

The ground floor will remain the same, incorporating OPH, the Lasik centre, Dermatology and Nuclear Medicine.

The first floor will become the Paediatric Centre and ENT Clinic, and will have six consultation rooms, a large children’s play area and a dedicated area for baby care. The ENT Consultation Centre will consist of four consultation rooms.

The second floor will become the Life Style Clinic and Asian Clinic, and comprise FV’s Plastic Surgery, Cosmetic, Anti-Aging, Dietician and Stem Cell departments. There will be three large rooms for minor treatments, such as Botox and Filler injections, plus one massage room and two smaller consultation rooms. The Asian Clinic will consist of four consultation rooms with a Korean doctor, a Khmer doctor, a Japanese doctor, and a doctor of traditional medicine.

The third floor will be a surgical centre consisting of nine consultation rooms, three nursing care rooms and a blood collection area.

The surgical centre will be available to associate doctors.

The estimated construction time is eight months and work should be completed by the end of June 2012. Following construction, the Nuclear Building and the Main Building will be renamed.

FV Hospital is located at 6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7, with an associative clinic located at 45 Vo Thi Sau, Q1. For more information, visit www. fvhospital.com

The tennis tournament was divided into singles, mixed doubles and men’s doubles with six different brackets based on ability, while the golf event consisted of a fourman Texas scramble.

As well as taking part in several days of sporting action, participants also enjoyed promotional gifts, live music and entertainment, and a meal at the Binh An village seaside resort on the Friday evening, followed by a special gala seafood dinner replete with two short dance performances courtesy of the Vung Tau Orphanage charity, live music and a

The Pearl Of canTOnese cuisine

The latest addition to the now completed Saigon Pearl complex on Nguyen Huu Canh, Hoang Ngoc Saigon Pearl will be attempting to provide top-end Cantonese cuisine to Ho Chi Minh City.

Located just 10 minutes from central Saigon, the menu at this newly opened restaurant mixes a la carte with a selection of dim sum favourites. Seating up to 200 people with four private dining rooms to boot, expect dishes such as sliced suckling pig with cucumber in blueberry sauce, roasted Beijing duck with pancakes, barbequed char siu with honey and a range of options made with abalone, Asia’s most prized shellfish.

Hoang Ngoc Saigon Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh. Tel: 3514 9883

prize-giving ceremony the following night.

Though figures are yet to be officially finalised it’s believed the event raised somewhere in the region of US$160,000 for petroleum-related students and petroleum-related support for three different universities in Vietnam, as well as for several charities including the Vung Tau Orphanage, Loreto Vietnam and the VinaCapital Foundation.

A registered non-profit organisation in Vietnam sponsored by PetroVietnam, VN SPE specialises in disseminating technical information to petroleum professionals.

December 2011 The Word | 21

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Classic & Modern Furniture Custom Design Sofa & Upholstery Bedding & Accessories

GYMBOREE XMAS PARTY

59 Nguyen Huu Canh St.,Ward 22.,Binh Thanh Dist.,HCMC Tel: +84 (8) 35 147 614 Email: livinggiving88@yahoo.com web.www.livinggiving.com Open: 9am - 7pm from Monday to Saturday

22 | The Word December 2011

Discover the joys of this festive season with your loved ones as Gymboree Play & Music invites new borns, todlers, young kids and their parents to sing, dance and play, build a snowman, climb a slide, paint a snowflake, and more at their Christmas party. Held on Dec. 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18, tickets cost US$15 for members and $20 for non-members. Check www.gymboreeclasses.com.vn for times and age ranges.

Gymboree Play & Music is located at Somerset Chancellor Court, Floor 1, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1. To purchase tickets and make a reservation, call the Gymbo Party hotline on 3827 7008

HELENE KLING PROMOTION

Seeing as Christmas is just around the corner, artist Helene Kling is offering 15 percent off on her range of hand painted artworks from now until Dec. 17.

Helene’s collection can be seen on her website, www.helenekling. com, and viewed at her studio, Gallery HK (189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2), every day from 8am to 7pm, and by appointment on Sundays. Alternatively, head to Flow (88 Ho Tung Mao, Q1) where a selection of Helene’s work is on display.

For further information, call Helene on 0903 955780

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BREAKFAST unique sTOck aT anuPa

Luxury leather bag and accessories boutique, Villa Anupa, is now stocking a line of sustainable French haute fantasie jewellery and environmentally conscious eyewear.

Designed by Celine Ventalon, the Loani Bijoux range includes bangles made to the highest standard using premium acrylic glass and French Swarovski crystals. Also available, UNITDOT and Colin Ball’s unique and stylish eyewear collection of sunglasses and optical vision glasses made from a mixture of natural materials such as bamboo.

Villa Anupa is located at 17/27 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 and is open daily from 9am to 8pm. For further information, call 3825 7307 or visit www.anupa.net

sailing club fesTive PrOgramme

Sailing Club Nha Trang is gearing up for the festive season with a full stocking’s worth of seasonal promotions and events this month.

A festive five-course set meal including a free cocktail upon arrival is being offered at their Sandals Kitchen for VND819,000 per person on Christmas Eve as well as a huge outdoor party.

With a capacity of 2,500 people, Warapo will perform a set of hot-blooded Cuban numbers, while DJs Mostic and Paradise Lost will take to the decks, before old Saint Nick himself joins in the fun at midnight to dish out presents. Tickets for the party, which can be purchased on the door, cost VND100,000 and include a sponsored drink.

On Christmas Day, Sandals Kitchen is offering Christmas platters for two to share from 5pm. The restaurant takes reservations as well as walk in guests for VND378,000 per person. There will also be an a la carte menu available.

Finally, on New Year’s Eve, Sandals will once again be offering another festive platter for two to share plus a glass of bubbly for VND609,000 per person, as well as their biggest outdoor club event of the year.

Televised, with full stage and light production, expect to see such talents as Canada’s’ international DJ Eclectik and cat walk fashion

by Vu Quoc Bao as well as international fire performer Richard Davidson. Tickets may be purchased at the door for VND120,000 and include a sponsored welcome drink. The maximum capacity is 3,000 people before the doors or shut.

Sailing Club Nha Trang is located at 72-74 Tran Phu, Nha Trang.

Tel: 058 352 4628

www.alibi.vn 5a Nguyen Sieu Street, District 1, HCMC Tel: (84-8) 38 25 62 57

New breakfast menu items, created by Chef Ana, now being served

Rendez-vous?

Alibi MEET - DRINK - EAT

41 Dong Du, District 1 Tel: 3822 7375 Email: zzb.saigon@gmail.com www.zanzbar.com

24 | The Word December 2011

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the talk venus cOiffure relOcaTes & eXPands cOncePT

Venus Coiffure, owned and managed by Sandrine Nguyen, has relocated its long-standing flagship salon to a dedicated designer villa in Thao Dien, District 2. And with an expansion in services offered comes a whole new brand — Concept Coiffure.

Offering a broader range of services and treatments such as coiffure and kids coiffure, facial care, skin and nail care, foot reflexology and body therapy, the new interior has been specially designed to combine modern style with unique and personalised features.

Concept Coiffure offers treatments for hair that is stressed and over-styled hair that has been damaged from too much colour or has become overly dry. Professional nail care is offered for ladies, gentlemen and kids, as well as a range of hand and foot treatments using sterilised and sanitised equipment.

A team of thoroughly trained professional therapists can deliver a range of treatments, drawing on ancient Eastern healing philosophies, and the selection of head-to-toe treatments cleanse, exfoliate and nourish the skin to soothe, relax and invigorate the body. Facial treatments focus on cleansing, anti-aging for mature skin and firming facial care.

Finally, Concept Kids, housed in a separate salon on site, specialises exclusively on children’s cuts and styles, as well as a range of children’s products, services and gifts, in a child-friendly atmosphere.

Concept Coiffure is located at 48 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2. Tel: 3519 4625

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the talk neW Year, neW face

Wired!

When Americans Tyler Kellen and Tara Alan embarked on a bicycling trip to Southeast Asia, they captured the sounds of the places they visited, like the honking on a busy street or the music from a garbage truck in Hoi An, and uploaded them to www. soundcloud.com.

A versatile website that lets users share, download and comment on audio tracks, SoundCloud isn’t just a place to put quirky travel recordings or podcasts.

It’s become a darling of independent bands and musicians around the world, allowing them to cultivate fans from a dedicated community of users. At least 52 people who list their country as Vietnam currently share their audio tracks on the site — seven of them are from Hanoi.

Search SoundCloud for your favorite genre — from journalism and comedy to music — and then follow your favourite people, like on Twitter, to keep up with their uploads. Joining the site is free, sharing on social media is easy and you can limit your audience to a private list, too. — Kaukab Jhumra Smith

To celebrate the arrival of the New Year, Sian Skincare Laser Clinic is offering a special gift product promotion of 10 percent off Botox and fillers treatments.

Botox and fillers were the top two non-surgical procedures in 2010 for men and women, and are used for the immediate smoothing of wrinkles, restoring the skin’s plumpness and modelling of facial contours.

Sian Skincare Laser Clinic is located at 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1.

Tel: 3827 6999

TOOThbrushes fOr Xmas

an un-cOnference

BarCampSaigon is a user generated event where everyone who attends works to create participatory workshops based on topics related to technology. There is no keynote speaker. There are no formal presentations. There are no panel discussions. There is no audience. Everyone participates and contributes to create the conference. Anyone with an interest in technology or education is welcome to participate, share and collaborate.Thanks to sponsors such as RMIT, skunkworks and KMS Technology attendance is free of charge for all participants.This year BarCampSaigon will be held on Dec. 11 at RMIT. For more info and registration visit www.BarCampSaigon.com

Classic & Modern Furniture Custom Design Sofa & Upholstery Bedding & Accessories

Japanese dental clinic, Smile Dental, is celebrating the festive season this month by giving away toothbrushes to its customers. Schedule an appointment anytime between Dec. 12 and Dec. 25 to receive one of a limited number of toothbrushes and ensure your pearly whites are exactly that ahead of the inevitable myriad of smiley, Christmas photo opportunities.

Smile Dental is located in The Crescent at 173 Ton Dat Tien, Q7.

For more information, visit www. smiledental-vn.com

fesTive Tash

December looks set to be a busy month for Blanchy’s Tash with an array of festive promotions and events.

Fans of deep house should check out Pure on Dec. 7, while DJ Jordan Howard will spin nu disco and fun-time 1980s music on Dec. 16.

Blanchy's Tash is going twice as large on Dec. 10 with three DJ's on two floors. Italy’s DJ Konka, who’s played with the likes of David Guetta, Bob Sinclair and Carl Cox, and been a resident at some of the world's most prestigious venues, will tear up the terrace on a Funktion One Sound System, spinning soulful house, while the UK’s Dan K will keep things moving in the cocktail lounge.

DJ action returns on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) in grand style with DJ Kaiser T and a yet-to-be-announced special guest, and on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) when special guest DJs take over two floors.

The restaurant will also be offering a special five-course wine and champagne dinner specially created by chef Andreas Ertle to ring in the New Year. The meal will feature innovative dishes that fuse Japanese and South American flavours while offering wines and champagne paired with each dish. Seating begins at 8pm and will finish just in time to celebrate the stroke of midnight in the downstairs cocktail lounge. The five-course dinner is priced at US$112, including wine and champagne during the meal. Seating is limited so advanced reservations are encouraged.

Blanchy’s Tash is located at 95 Hai Ba Trung, Q1. For more information on the NYE set dinner, call Mr Sen on 0909 028293

fOie gras and Wine

From Dec. 9 to Dec. 18, fine foods retail supplier Sava The Gourmet will be running a foie gras and wine promotion called “Foire au foie gras”.

Foie gras, goose terrine, duck breast and whole ducks from the well-known French Rougie brand will be sold at a 15 percent discount, while a selection of wines will be reduced by 20 percent.

Customers interested in the wine can taste it free of charge at Sava the Gourmet’s shop (No. 17, Street 12, Binh An, Q2, just off Tran Nao).

The promotions are available both online at www.savathegourmet. com or for purchase at the shop. For more information email sava@ classicfinefoods.com.vn

59 Nguyen Huu Canh St.,Ward 22.,Binh Thanh Dist.,HCMC Tel: +84 (8) 35 147 614 Email: livinggiving88@yahoo.com web.www.livinggiving.com Open: 9am - 7pm from Monday to Saturday

28 | The Word December 2011

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Xmas dinner in nha Trang

a Piece Of french savOir-vivre

Gaya is offering up to 40 percent off its stock of Chateau Panigon bed and table linen from French designer Corinne Leveilley.

The Chateau Panigon collection was launched at Gaya three years ago and has been well-received by discerning clients. The name originates from a wine propriety dating back hundreds of years ago, located in the south of France.

With prices starting from VND210,000 for a chateau cotton thread embroidery and pure linen napkin, to VND6,111,000 for a lotus superking duvet cover using cotton thread embroidery on satin cotton fabric, many items are priced below VND1,050,000 even before discount.

For further information, call 3925 1495 or email info@gayavietnam.com

30 | The Word December 2011

Those spending Christmas by the beach in Nha Trang will be happy to hear that Guava (34F Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nha Trang) is offering punters an all-you-can-eat Christmas dinner buffet with all the trimmings.

Available on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, the menu includes pumpkin soup, roast turkey, suckling pig, pork and apple stuffing, roast potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire puddings, gravy, cranberry sauce, apple crumble, carrot cake, chocolate mouse and fresh fruit.

At VND380,000 per adult and VND190,000 per child, advance booking is recommended as spaces are limited. As an incentive, those that book before Dec. 19 will receive a discount rate of VND300,000 per person.

Galerie Quynh will feature a group exhibition running through the entire month of December, featuring works by Nadege David, Thien Do, Do Hoang Tuong, Hoang Duong Cam, Sandrine Llouquet, Nguyen Thanh Truc and Lien Truong.

The works on the ground floor will explore ideas of power and control in a varied, sophisticated abstract language, while the first floor exhibition room will feature more representational work on paper and canvas, focusing on figures and portraits.

Hoang Duong Cam's 'Dialogue' series (1998), which has never been shown in Ho Chi Minh City before, is a highlight of the exhibition.

Galerie Quynh is located at 65 De Tham, Q1, and is open from 10am to 6pm, Tue to Sat. For more information, call 3836 8019 or visit www. galeriequynh.com

December 2011 The Word | 31

the talk

the talk GROUP EXHIBITION AT GALERIE QUYNH

They have more draughts than an Irish castle

SHANE MACGOWAN *

Great Range of Beers Draught and Bottles. Open Breakfast Lunch and Dinner .The Best Sunday Roast Asian Fusion and Pub Grub.

New Menu LIVE MUSIC Space available for Private parties 17/13 - 14 LE THANH TON ST. DIST1. SAIGON Near THAI VAN LUNG

*or someone who looks like him

30 | The Word December 2011

XMAS DINNER IN NHA TRANG

A PIECE OF FRENCH SAVOIR-VIVRE

Gaya is offering up to 40 percent off its stock of Chateau Panigon bed and table linen from French designer Corinne Leveilley.

The Chateau Panigon collection was launched at Gaya three years ago and has been well-received by discerning clients. The name originates from a wine propriety dating back hundreds of years ago, located in the south of France.

With prices starting from VND210,000 for a chateau cotton thread embroidery and pure linen napkin, to VND6,111,000 for a lotus superking duvet cover using cotton thread embroidery on satin cotton fabric, many items are priced below VND1,050,000 even before discount.

For further information, call 3925 1495 or email info@gayavietnam.com

Those spending Christmas by the beach in Nha Trang will be happy to hear that Guava (34F Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nha Trang) is offering punters an all-you-can-eat Christmas dinner buffet with all the trimmings.

Available on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, the menu includes pumpkin soup, roast turkey, suckling pig, pork and apple stuffing, roast potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire puddings, gravy, cranberry sauce, apple crumble, carrot cake, chocolate mouse and fresh fruit.

At VND380,000 per adult and VND190,000 per child, advance booking is recommended as spaces are limited. As an incentive, those that book before Dec. 19 will receive a discount rate of VND300,000 per person.

Galerie Quynh will feature a group exhibition running through the entire month of December, featuring works by Nadege David, Thien Do, Do Hoang Tuong, Hoang Duong Cam, Sandrine Llouquet, Nguyen Thanh Truc and Lien Truong.

The works on the ground floor will explore ideas of power and control in a varied, sophisticated abstract language, while the first floor exhibition room will feature more representational work on paper and canvas, focusing on figures and portraits.

Hoang Duong Cam's 'Dialogue' series (1998), which has never been shown in Ho Chi Minh City before, is a highlight of the exhibition.

Galerie Quynh is located at 65 De Tham, Q1, and is open from 10am to 6pm, Tue to Sat. For more information, call 3836 8019 or visit www. galeriequynh.com

December 2011 The Word | 31

the talk

the talk

CALENDAR To have your event included in our calendar, please email news@wordhcmc.com by no later than Dec. 15 with a description of the event and a high-res photo.

WED

TUE

MON

THU 01

Graeme Swift Farewell Celebration Golf Tournament. 7am at Thu Duc Vietnam Golf & Country Club. Call 3911 0272 for info

Happy Hour Tasty Bites.

Every day from 4pm to 7pm at Mekong Merchant

05

Happy Hour. 4pm to 7pm every day at Pasha

Tapas Fiesta & Wine through the night. 7.30pm every Mon. at La Habana GBA Business Meeting at New World. Visit www.gbavietnam.org for info

12

Leyote Taylor. 11pm from Mon. to Fri. at MZ & 10pm every Sat. at Thi Café

06

Ladies' Day - free drink for ladies. Every Tue. at Tamago

Music Quiz with DJ Peanuts.

Every Tue. night at Ala Mezon Jenny Santiago’s acoustic night. 8.30pm every Tue. at La Habana

13

Every Tue. at BoatHouse.

VND210,000 Steak

Happy Hour. 5pm to 8pm every day, except Sun. at Alibi

07

Pure. 9pm at Blanchy’s Tash

Saigon Players Club. 7pm every first Wed. of the month at La Habana Randy Cataluna. 8.30pm every Wed. at Al Fresco’s Thao Dien & from Thu. to Sun. at Universal

14

Future Shorts. 6.30pm Dec. 11 at Lit Ca Phe & 7.30pm Dec. 14 at Snap Café.

Visit www.futureshorts.com for more info

Happy Hour. 6pm to 2am every day at Purple Jade Salsa classes at 7.30pm and Jazz Night at 8.30pm. Every Thu. at La Habana Happy Hour. 50% off every day from 4pm to 7pm at The Deck

Happy Hour and Afterwork.

50% off on beers and House wines. 5pm to 8pm from Mon. to Fri. at MM Bistro

19 Salsa classes at 7.30pm & Romantic Night with “Carmen & Brothers” at 8.30pm. Every Mon. at La Habana Heineken Bucket of 6. Grab a bucket of extra-long neck Heinekens for VND94,500.

Every day at ZanZBar

26 Free Beer Mondays. 6pm to 7.30pm every Mon. at BoatHouse VND42,000 Bacardi and Coke, VND160,000 jugs of Mojito.

5pm every Mon. at Le Pub

32 | The Word December 2011

20

Michelle Manzo performs at Park Hyatt Saigon. From Dec. 1 to Dec. 31, call 3824 1234 for info

22

21 Live Music. 6.30pm every Wed. at Al Fresco’s Thao Dien Happy Hour. 5pm to 7pm everyday at Hog’s Breath Matt Willis. 8pm every Wed. at Sugar Bowl Jazz

Night. 8pm every 27 Ladies 28 Tue. at The Amber Room

Art House Cinema – Religulous. 7.30pm at Snap Café

Buy 1 pizza get 1 free available Turkish & Italian pizza at Pasha. From 11am to 11pm every Tue.

Loco Wednesday with half price mojitos and sangria.

Every Wed. at Pacharan

VND21,000 Vodka drinks. 5pm every Tue. at Le Pub

Ladies Night with Carmen & Brothers’ Live acoustic. 8.30pm ever Wed. at La Habana

02

Group Exhibition.

From Dec. 1 to Dec. 31 at Galerie Quynh.

Visit www. galeriequynh. com for info

Yakitori/BBQ - prices range from VND15,000 to VND49,000/ per skewer. Every Wed. & Thu. night at Tamago

Ladies’ Night. Every Thu. at Bootleg

29

Friday Fiesta. 9pm at La Habana

London Calling. 6pm at Hilton Hanoi. Call 6674 0945 for info NordCham Christmas Party.

6.30pm at Equatorial Hotel.

Email contact@nordcham.com for details

09

08

15

FRI

Friday drinks.

4pm every Fri. at Vino

London Calling. 7pm at Caravelle Hotel. Call 3829 8430 for info Saigon Super Cub. 10.30am at 828/24Q Su Van Hanh Maeve & Dave. 9.30pm every Fri. at Thi Café

16

Bash @ Tash. 9pm at Blanchy’s Tash

Happy Hour - Half Price Drinks. 5.30pm to 8.30pm from Mon. to Fri. at Xu Aperitif. 7pm every Fri. at La Fenetre Soleil Fullness of Absence. Final day from Nov. 10 at San Art

23

Live Music. 8pm every Fri. at Elbow Room

The Soul of Vietnam. 5pm every 15th and 23rd of the month at The Opera House.

Call 2229 9414 for info Scott Brantley on Percussion.

8pm every Fri. at Elbow Room & every Tue. at O’Brien’s

30

Thursday Night Special.

Every Thu. at La Hostaria Turntables on Terrace. 8.30pm every Thu. at Pacharan 2 course set lunch for VND150,000. From Mon. to Fri. at Hog’s Breath

SAT 03

SUN 04

Mr. 10, Navin, Icee & Justin Murta. 9.30pm every Sat at Xu 11th Annual AmCham Scholarship Award Ceremony.

8.30am at The Opera House.

Visit www.amchamvietnam.com for register online

10

A dOSe of FAME. 4pm to 4am at 1163 Xo Viet Nghe Trinh, Thanh Da Island. Visit www.jazznotjazz. com for more info

Weekend Brekky. 10am at Hog’s Breath

Welcome, Yule! 7.30pm Dec. 2 & 3 at St. Paul’s Convent Chapel (4 Ton Duc Thang, Q1) Sunday Paellas & Happy Hour. 12pm to 8pm every Sun. at La Habana

11

The Vietnam Dog Show 2011. Dec. 10 & 11 at Phan Dinh Phung Sports Center ((8 Vo Van Tan,, Q Q3))

XXL. 9pm at Blanchy’s Tash 16th Annual Governors’ Ball 2011 – A Hawaiian Christmas.

6pm at InterContinental. Visit www.amchamvietnam.com

17

The Beats Saigon 5th Anniversary. 9pm Dec. 10 & 17 at Vasco’s

Sankara Saturdays. 9pm every Sat., call 0906301107 for info The 3rd Anniversary of Seventeen Saloon in Saigon & Danang. Email caramelthy@ yahoo.com for info

24

Xmas Eve Celebration at Blanchy’s Tash

Black Sauce. 9pm every Sat. at La Fenetre Soleil Peace Christmas at Saigon & Danang Seventeen Saloon.

Email caramelthy@yahoo.com for info

31

18

Regatta. Dec Dec. 17 Annual Regatta & 18. Email juliashaw2@ gmail.com for info

Riverside

Happy Hour. From 5pm to 9pm every day at Bacchus Corner 3 + 1. 8pm every Sun. at Juno Corner (76 Mac Dinh Chi)

25

Christmas Dinner. Dec. 24 & 25 at Guava. Call Tara on 0937 242714 for info

Saigon Swing Club and Relaxing Night withCarmen & Brothers. 7pm every Sun. at La Habana Live music with BBQ. Every Sun. night at Ala Mezon

Poppin’ Bottles at Blanchy’s Tash

Weekend Treats. 6pm to 10pm every Fri. and Sat. at Market 39 The Old Dreams. From Nov. 19 to Dec. 31 at Himiko Visual Café. Email himiko.nguyen@ gmail.com for info

New Year’s Eve at Saigon & Danang Seventeen Saloon.

Email caramelthy@yahoo.com for info

December 2011 The Word | 33

the talk

scene DR. VINCE CABLE AT SLATE IN THE MOVENPICK The British government showed that times aren't all that bad when they put on a bash for the visit of the UK business secretary, Dr. Vince Cable, at Slate

PENDOLASCO OPENING IN AN PHU

DIWALI

One of the city's enduring Italian favorites opened their second restaurant in the heart of District 2

Incham once again hosted the Festival of Lights in Vietnam, as ever with great entertainment and excellent cuisine at The Sheraton

BLANCHY'S TASH

CAKEWALK OPENING

CONCEPT COIFFURE

The bar with the most memorable name in town finally opened its doors on Halloween, with both costumed and non-costumed punters filling its three floors on Hai Ba Trung to the rafters

The new patisserie and cafe for members of the public with cake fetishes opened to the public at 84 Nguyen Cong Tru, Q1. Not to be confused with Catwalk...

Having moved, expanded its services and changed its name, the unisex beauty and hair salon for adults and kids opened with bang on Tran Ngoc Dien in An Phu

La pura eleganza dell’autentico espresso italiano rivive nell’aroma di

Punto

tostatura

Italia

Espresso.

La

lenta

preserva

le

caratteristiche e la dolcezza della sua raffinata miscela e garantisce tutto

il

piacere

del

sapore

PHOTOS BY EJ CHUNG

PHOTOS BY EJ CHUNG

un capolavoro italiano.

PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

PHOTOS BY CHARLES BARNES

PHOTOS BY EJ CHUNG

PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

dell’Italia. Punto Italia Espresso:

SUPERSIZE SAIGON

KRYOGA CHARITY CABARET Following on from last year's theme of Alice in Wonderland, this year's charity cabaret saw hundreds of avid partygoers dress up as super heroes. Gotham City, here we come!

Well-known guru Master Kamal held a press conference to promote the launch of his new holistic centre, Kryoga, which will teach over 27 different styles of yoga. The studio is located at 538 Cach Mang Thang 8, Q3

PHOTOS BY CHARLES BARNES

PHOTOS BY CHARLES BARNES

PHOTOS BY CHARLES BARNES

The night that Vietnam beat Brunei 8-0, the ensuing traffic jams meant that Supersize Saigon may not have had the audience this time round. But the bands - 6789 and The Lost Souls Club - put the football behind them and gave us a sweat-filled, rock-heavy show

The elegance of the authentic Italian espresso unfolds in the aroma of Punto Italia Espresso.

The slow fire-roasting preserves the characteristics and sweetness of the refined blend, guaranteeing the pleasure of the real taste of Italy.

Punto

Italia

Espresso:

an Italian masterpiece.

from japan with love

t

stmas in the city

PHOTO BY EJ CHUNG

36 | The Word December 2011

FROM JAPAN WITH LOVE

The executive editor of the Japanese language publication Sketch and a linguist, too, Kaoru Matsuhisa is as intricate as the city she lives in. Photo by Quinn Ryan Mattingly IT’S UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE TO study Vietnamese as a foreign language at university. But then Kaoru is not your usual type of person.

Raised in Gifu, near Nagoya in Japan, to a Rinzai Buddhist priest father and a calligrapher mother, Kaoru’s seven continuous years in Ho Chi Minh City have seen her not only craft a career as an editor, but also find love, happiness and marriage.

This city has been her cradle and also the path to success both personally and at work.

But it wasn’t always like that. Kaoru’s career in the media started in late 2004 thanks to being trilingual — besides Japanese she speaks fluent English and Vietnamese. She had always wanted to work with words, so quit her job as a translator for a consulting company to apply for a role at Sketch magazine.

“I thought I was being hired as a writer but on my name card it said editor,” she laughs. She knew nothing about the work and had to “learn from scratch”. Stumbling her way through her first year Koaru eventually became a key member of the editorial team.

Now, over six years later, she’s the executive editor of the Japanese language publication Sketch and there may even be further progression at hand.

Her career success stems from an enthusiasm and love for all the people involved, the readers primarily but also her staff and the people she meets on a daily basis. Kaoru recognises “it's all about people in the end”, so recording her staff’s achievements or hearing positive feedback from a client is what inspires her, “‘Reaction’ is most rewarding to me.”

Although she is very much enjoying her work at Sketch, she has other paths she would eventually like to pursue.

Kaoru would love to create a magazine for Vietnamese readers. The philosophy of Sketch “is to be a bridge between Vietnam and Japan” and she would like to expand on this idea. “This country is full of charms and surprises. I want to introduce the charm of

38 | The Word December 2011

Vietnam to its people through the eyes of a foreigner.”

Unlucky in Love

Kaoru’s time in this city has also seen her have a succession of relationships.

Tempestuous at best with partners from Germany, and even engagement to a man from Holland, for a while it seemed she was doomed to meeting the wrong men. Now, everything is more settled and she recently married Atsushi, an architect and interior designer who she met in Vietnam. Ironically he comes from Gifu, the same town as her.

Enjoying her new married life, she admits “my husband is adjusting himself to my lifestyle” rather than the other way round.

Kaoru has however made some adjustments of her own. “For my part, I don't take any work home (I used to do that a lot) and try not to stay in the office so late all the time.”

It isn’t always easy separating home and work life, however. “One thing with my job [is that] there is no separation between ‘work’ and ‘private.’” Getting her buzz from people, she enthuses about the people she finds along the way.

“I simply enjoy meeting people and visiting new places, and it's just impossible to be in either ‘work mode’ or ‘private mode.’ I just enjoy what I do, there is no point in separating the two.”

But while these are successes that have come to her during her time in this country, so it was another personal nuance that has shaped her life.

A Mark to Bear

Born with a facial birthmark that quite simply makes her “different”, as a young child her parents tried all sorts of treatment for it. From traditional Chinese medicine to western-based procedures, it simply wouldn’t go away.

In the conservative Japan of her youth it was not an easy mark to bear and was even described by her best friend as being a “handicap”. When she was teased she would fight back because, as she says, “I may not

be beautiful, but I don’t want to lose, don’t want to be inferior to anyone else.”

That all changed when she went to high school in America.

“My mother always told me that I needed to be financially and spiritually independent,” she says. “And I was asking my mother to go and study in the US from when I was eight.”

Despite last minute protests from her homeroom teacher, she finally made it to a high school just outside Milwaukee when she was 17. Although, “when I arrived my English was terrible.”

Three months later she had improved enough to be able to express herself and understand what was going on around her and had to give a talk in class. Stood up in front of the other students suddenly someone piped up, “Your birthmark, it’s beautiful!”

“Everyone went quiet,” she remembers, “and I was upset, thinking that this girl was being nasty. But after the class all my friends came up to me and told me it was true. My birthmark was unique, they said, and it really made me stand out.”

Returning to Japan her mother offered her laser treatment, but she refused. By now she felt that the birthmark was part of her.

But that sense of being different remained.

And it was this that caused her to take Vietnamese at university.

“There were lots of popular Asian languages being studied in Japan at the time,” she says, “but I wanted to do something different. I read about Vietnam and found it to be chaotic but full of energy.

So I went with it.”

Now in her early 30s, out of the chaos of Vietnam she has helped create her own personal stability. Unsure of how long she will stay in this country, but absolutely sure she will continue editing, she also remains very much herself — unusual, charming and unique. “[The title] ‘editor’ is like a passport to meeting anyone I'd like to and learning a lot from them... How can anyone let go of that?”

December 2011 The Word | 39

ALLEY TALK: HEM 197 With its close proximity to Districts 1 and 3, Cao Dat in District 5 is worth a visit says Jonathan Rebours.

Photos by EJ Chung

SITUATED JUST OFF TRAN HUNG DAO, Cao Dat has the usual bakery, banh mi and the handy FamilyMart nearby, but half way down the street however, is a strand of bustling energy that provides a more interesting accompaniment to these conveniences.

Hem 197 stretches from Cao Dat to Vo Van Kiet, a road that rubs shoulders with the canal separating District 5 and District 8.

Every morning as the dawn breaks and the shutters slide open, fresh deliveries of fish are laid onto giant silver platters. The daily catch writhes, flicks and gasps in the warming air as women squat to weigh them out and haggle on prices. A vast array of sea creatures slither and slide, left out on show for the prospective buyers beginning to fill the alley.

Cleavers smash onto butcher’s blocks and birds hang from hooks on metal railings.

The light glistens over all the moisture that arises from these activities, creating a channel of various odorous fluids that sparkle in the early morning sun. As the market materialises, taking shape on either side of the hem, signs go up warning scooters from entering. With all the hustle and surrounding noise, the ban on the ever-present motorbike splutter is a welcome relief.

Wandering down the alley, stepping intermittently over the steady central stream, you realise there are numerous offshoot alleys full of houses with balconies,

40 | The Word December 2011

hanging baskets, bird cages and even a foot bridge overhead. Most of the living areas seem to be fairly lavishly decorated with either plants or framed pictures, yet only the odd person remains in their home as the majority are either flogging their wares or bartering for a bargain outside.

Hung Diamond Hair Salon (197/109) graces a corner, advertising VND30,000 cuts for men, and slighter higher priced versions for women (VND50,000). The hairdresser reclines on a chair in the centre of the small room, scanning TV channels as his assistant devours a bowl of hot soup to his side.

Trade doesn’t seem to be booming.

A small boy disregards the no-scooter rule and trundles along on his plastic bike, weaving between busy legs and puddles.

He rolls past a book seller, squatting with a small selection of Buddhist texts, right outside the wide open doors of Temple Chua Tien My (197/20), which roughly translates to ‘my entire’. They are open every day for prayer and sell a range of Vietnamese language books.

Near to the sedate temple is an oldstyle Pharmacy (197/22) with wooden cabinets and tiny apothecary drawers. The old pharmacist hobbles slowly between cupboards, tilting his glasses to read the minute writing on the bottles he gently uses to dish out medicine. Customers drift from store to store, walking past the modest

billboard at Kim Minh Chau (197/24), brightly flashing the day’s prices of varying quality gold.

Everything Has a Price

The seated salesperson at the counter surveys the jewellery and trinkets brought in before sending them primitively, with a basket and string, to the upstairs mezzanine.

A man with more intricate equipment then assesses the items and, if he feels they are worthwhile, will lower the basket again with a price. Waiting patiently as their jewellery is scrutinised the women chat and laugh, rushing to help as a large cat fish flops to the ground in a desperate bid to escape from the fishmonger next door.

Zipping past is a lone scooter, motorised this time, flouncing the signs. The alley brims with activity, the stalls seem to have no depletion of stock even though they are constantly selling. A late parent in a hurry drops their child off at the kindergarten and primary school Nam Non 1, a typical garishly painted school echoing with the sounds of play. The children are oblivious to the life going on outside, the trade and the socialising, that one day they may also engage in.

A roar of gaggling laughter erupts from the salon at the other end from Hung Diamond where two women sit being pampered with a small army tending to

their needs. Nails, hair in rollers and face mask, the shop is more no frills than its competition up the alley, but these women are having a great time gossiping.

Some fashionable vests and skirts hang limply on railings next to stacks of brightly coloured net curtains, the type that hang from dusty tea rooms from the 1960s in England, and are largely ignored in favour of the latter. Hem 197 is very much part of the old school, and delightfully so.

At the onset of evening, all the stalls are packed away and the shutters drawn, the odd bike trundling home. People chat over cigarettes. Off one small alley lies a single source of vibrancy, a church emitting bright yellow light along with the sound of recited hymns. The modest congregation grows steadily, although the service has been underway for some time. The smartly dressed helper, guiding motorbikes to be parked, doesn’t seem bothered at the tardiness.

“The people here are very traditional, they come when they are ready!” he says.

Standing under the rose motif and the Virgin Mary, hearing the soothing chanting and singing from inside, the alley has transformed from its earlier chaos. The people who live and use this alley clearly set their own pace of life, fast as it is. In a city where so much time is spent being chased or hurried along by someone else, it’s reassuring to see.

December 2011 The Word | 41

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC / CARSTEN PETER

42 | The Word December 2011

of

December 2011 The Word | 43

BEST NEW RESTAURANTS OF 2011

REMEMBER

FOUR P'S IN PIZZA Rarely has a new restaurant opened to such overwhelming and unanimous fanfare quite like Pizza 4P’s. Serving up over a dozen classic, contemporary and downright bizarre pizzas, this non-smoking Japanese-Italian fusion joint, which launched last February, has gotten tongues wagging all over Saigon despite its obscure location and lack of advertising and marketing.

“The most adventurous gourmet pizzas I’ve tried anywhere in the world,” one British-Vietnamese businessman was overheard enthusing, while hundreds of people, from local chefs and fellow restaurateurs to common pie lovers from Vietnam and abroad, have taken to TripAdviser and Pizza 4P’s Facebook page to post a torrent of superlative comments.

Inspired by traditional Naples-style pizza pies, the Japanese owner spent three months experimenting with a multitude of topping combinations before finalising the menu. The result, a mixture of idiosyncratic creations that includes the tuna curry pizza, calamari seaweed pizza and teriyaki chicken pizza, and more rustic types such as the quattro formaggi, prusshuo (parma ham) and marinara.

Also helping Pizza 4P’s to stand out from the crowd are the less obvious touches. The restaurant imports its tomatoes directly from

44 | The Word December 2011

Italy and makes it’s own mozzarella cheese from local buffalo and cow’s milk. The contemporary and minimalist Japanese dining areas have been left unspoiled by the building’s old and unsightly airconditioning units, which have been innovatively concealed behind hand-made wooden shutter boxes that match the colour of the walls.

Pizza 4P’s, which stands for Platform of Personal Pizza for Peace, is also taking customer interaction up a notch. Diners are encouraged to sit around the wood fired oven where they can watch a pair of chefs cook their pizzas from start to finish, while the restaurant also invites people to take part in their monthly ‘selection parties’. Held on their Facebook page, budding pizza chefs get the chance to create their own pizzas, from the ingredients used and the cooking procedure to the name of the dish. Voted by the public, the winning pizza is placed on the menu with the creator receiving a four percent share of their item’s monthly sales. The first, the salted mackerel margherita pizza, is already available.

This restaurant’s unique slant on Italy’s archetypal dish appears to be paying dividends. Fully booked most nights of the week, advanced reservations are already essential.

Pizza 4P’s is located at 8/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1. Tel: 3822 9838. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11.30am to 11pm.

PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

PHOTOS BY QUINN RYAN MATTINGLY

The make-it-at-the-table dining experience at 4P

PROVIDED BY EL GAUCHO

A plethora of new dining spots are set to open at the end of 2011, but before that happens we choose three that by early November were for us the best of the new breed entering this city

Steak, the sleek Argentinean way...

The taste of the Portuguese sea

DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA

ATLANTIC FLAIR

When it comes to international cuisine, Saigon has always struggled with the concept of simple food done well. There are numerous instances of restaurateurs and chefs trying to overcomplicate what should be easy cuisine, while others have done standard food badly — mid-range casual European and American fare is typically an uncomplicated affair. And then of course is the problem of consistency. How many times has everyone eaten out here to have one good meal followed by a bad one at the same restaurant?

When El Gaucho opened in March it achieved the unachievable — it hit the ground running. Not only was the service already more than passable, but the grill menu and quality of cuisine ticked all the right boxes. Cooking a good, barbecued steak, hamburger, skewer, potato gratin side, mixed salad or lamb chop doesn’t require the presence of a Michelin-star chef — indeed, you only need to watch the chefs on the grill here to see how simple it all is.

The key is the quality of the ingredients — good beef as they say begets a good steak.

Of course, it’s not just the quality of the steak and the other cuisine that fills up this downtown restaurant almost every night (try the 250g ribeye for VND590,000 — it’s to die for). The contemporary but relaxed décor helps, too — bare red-brick walls with large framed black and white Argentinean-influenced photos.

Then there’s the low lighting and typically Latino music. And the service — aided by a number of European and Filipino waiting and bar staff — is detailed, friendly and efficient.

To quote an overused cliché. It’s not rocket science. But it does require hard work.

El Gaucho, 5D Nguyen Sieu, Q1. Tel: 3825 1879. Open 4pm to late.

If ever there is a restaurant that has made mistakes, it is Lisboa Café. And yet for all its errors — its location on Cong Quynh at the end of Bui Vien rather than on Bui Vien itself and the lack of aircon — the cuisine makes this nondescript venue excel. This writer has eaten in this simply designed eatery twice, both on the airy top-floor terrace and downstairs street-side, noise and all. And both times the dishes have brought back memories of trips to Portugal.

If you know Portugal then you’ll understand the similarities of its cuisine to its larger neighbour, Spain — tapas and simply constructed dishes with lots of meat and vegetables, all full of flavour and character. The great contrast is the focus on seafood.

Straddling the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the mouth of the Mediterranean in the south, products from the sea run through the whole cuisine. If you’ve ever savoured barbecued fish on a Portuguese beach, you’ll both know and remember the experience.

Concrete metropolis Saigon is hardly going to fulfill the same sensual pleasures, but Lisboa Café has got its cuisine right. The cod fishcakes, served with a simple salad doused in balsamic vinegar, are crispy on the outside yet soft inside, and ooze taste. The octopus salad is piquant yet light on the palate. And the simple but tasty rojoes — a claypot dish of fried pork kebabs and diced sautéed potatoes — is nicely spiced and wholesome.

We need restaurants like Lisboa Café in Saigon — it adds to the spice. And the prices here are reasonable, too. So, please try and support it. If you don’t mind the location and the lack of air-con, you’ll be happy that you did.

Lisboa Café, 119 Cong Quynh, Q1. Tel: 3920 9182 / 01664 055675.

Open 9am to 10pm

December 2011 The Word | 45

Best New restoBArs of 2011

none

When anyone new sets up shop in this city, the criticism starts. We choose three restobars that have opened this year and which, in our opinion, have stood out from the rest

Photo by nick ross

Hog's Breath founder Don Algie his outlet in The Bitexco Financial Tower

smokin’ PiGs

Photo by nick ross

Chill's breathtaking outdoor terrace

Photo by EJ chUnG

If you want to talk about a place with balls, then Hog’s Breath has got it in bucket loads. When they threw back the construction curtains in the Bitexco Financial Tower during the summer, they were the only non-office tenants in Vietnam’s much lauded and yet heavily criticized tallest building. It takes bravery to go it alone to such a backdrop, but this Australian-style sports bar and steakhouse has crunched the hard yards and the customers have responded.

The key to this well-known Australian chain is the cuisine. A self-styled saloon and grill established by restaurateur Don Algie, the focus is on the steaks. All the grain-fed beef is imported and then slow-cooked and aged prior to being chargrilled. It’s a formula which works. The resulting 200g ribeye is tender and succulent, well worthy of its VND620,000 price tag. Then of course there is the other comfort

the sky’s the Limit In a town that is gaining an increasing mass of top-end bars, it’s easy to become desensitised to it all. However, a visit to Chill is enough to leave mouths agape and remind even the fussiest and most jaded of social butterflies that Saigon’s bar scene still possesses the ability to leave one in a state of shock and awe.

Designed by DWP Thailand, the team behind Bangkok’s iconic Sirocco rooftop restaurant, it’s no wonder Chill has drawn comparisons with this Thai landmark and with similar top-end Southeast Asian sky-bound establishments such as Kuala Lumpur’s Luna Bar and SEVVA in Hong Kong.

Fitted out over the 26th and 27th floors of the A&B Tower, a grand staircase cascades from an elevated platform onto the main open-air plateau. A 360-degree circular bar that glows a myriad of colours is stationed at the apex of the terrace, and serves an array of excellent

46 | The Word December 2011

though expensive signature cocktails while an expertly curated dance and lounge music playlist emits through a set of top-quality sounding speakers. Having just opened in October, Chill is not yet impervious to small service faults, however, given time, such shortcomings should be eradicated.

As its main attraction, the views offered from Chill’s lofty perch are simply stunning, the best since Shri opened atop Centec Tower last year, and provide a breathtaking and unique vantage point from which to survey and appreciate Ho Chi Minh City’s perennially evolving skyline and city-wide ground-level development.

Though certainly not a place to while away too many hours (unless your wallet is of the bottomless variety), Chill is a must-see destination on the bar scene. Think of it the next time you’re looking to impress.

Chill Skybar, 26th Floor, AB Tower, Cnr. Le Lai and Nguyen Thai Hoc, Q1

Blanchy's third floor terrace bar

GrowinG the tash

It’s relatively early on a Tuesday evening — by relatively we’re talking about before 9pm. And it’s the first time this writer has been into Blanchy’s Tash and seen it with less than 100 customers. It’s a revelation. For once the lights aren’t low and there is a full view of the image of old, colonial era Saigon on the bar’s grey walls. Without the darkness and all the bodies blocking the way, it’s finally possible to get

food fare — from ribs and fish and chips through to burgers, wraps, salads and pizza.

But it is the non-smoking indoor saloon area and its ability to grab the crowds during the recent Rugby World Cup that has really led to Hog’s Breath’s growing popularity. A long, dark wooden, beer drinkers’-style bar with high tables and cushioned stools, the daily happy hour hooks the punters, and the atmosphere and TV screens keep them here. The outdoor, street-side terrace showing the live sport has also been a draw.

Hog’s Breath provides a slice of Australian sports bar culture with tasty comfort food to match. A good addition to this city.

Hog’s Breath, Ground Floor, Bitexco Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1. Tel: 3915 6066 a proper sense of the space. This place is big.

Reborn out of the ashes of Sandals and with the building next door thrown in, too, Blanchy’s exploded onto the scene in time for Halloween in late October. Named after the first mayor of colonial Saigon, facial hairs and all, the downstairs is decked out in grey with a rectangular bar in its centre. Head up two flights and you hit the openair terrace bar with its beige and grey décor replete with terracottastyle tiling. In between is the uncompleted middle floor, which in January will become a restaurant serving up Japanese South American fusion cuisine. The chef who will be behind the kitchen is Australian Martin Brito, who has just completed a six-year stint at the famed Nobu Berkeley in London.

That Blanchy’s has already proved so popular is due to filling a gap in the market. The atmosphere here is distinctly international, allowing it to attract a mix of business and younger, party-going clientele. It’s upscale but casual, too, mirroring the kind of bar you’d expect to find in every major city in the world. And pricewise it avoids extortion.

Then there is the music — DJs nightly playing the type of tunes you want to hear rather than the same old cheese and anthems you’re forced to endure elsewhere. It makes a change.

It’s early days and Blanchy’s has yet to be completed. Some of the service staff are struggling, too. But the kick off has received huge, all-round positive feedback — a rarity in a city so riddled with gripes.

So, for the sake of nightlife in Saigon, let’s hope this bar and restaurant goes from strength to strength.

Blanchy’s Tash, 95 Hai Ba Trung, Q1. Open daily until 3am

December 2011 The Word | 47

Best events of 2011

year

Germany's Thomas Dold sprints to the finishing line

sTairway To heaveN

provided by saigon sound system / fred wissink

Bob Dylan and his band getting down to business

The Never eNdiNg Tour This had to top the list. After nearly a decade of constant rumours and hushed water cooler speculation, all the will-he-won’t-he discussions were laid to rest when legendary American folk-singer Bob Dylan performed in Vietnam for the very first time on Apr. 10.

Having played in Beijing and Shanghai days before, just under 6,000 people (a mix of both Vietnamese and foreigners) turned out at Ho Chi Minh City’s RMIT University in District 7 on a warm Sunday evening to witness the ever-reluctant ‘voice of a generation’ rasp his way through such hits as It Ain't Me Babe, Highway 61 Revisited, Like a Rolling Stone, All Along the Watchtower and A Simple Twist of Fate.

Dressed in a single-breasted blue suit, a purple shirt and a dinky tie, the jazz-hatted singer moved effortlessly from guitar back to keyboards and then onto the harmonica with a surprisingly fluid mobility that belied his 70 years and supposed debilitative arthritis.

And though a vocal proportion bemoaned the lack of audience interaction (apart from a brief and comically unintelligible

48 | The Word December 2011

moment to introduce the members of his superb backing band), 1960s-era mega hits (Blowin’ in the Wind, The Times They Are a-Changin were among the most notable exclusions), and complained about Dylan’s vocal incoherence and unrecognisably bluesy compositional re-workings, this was still very much a historical event.

Those who based the quality of their Dylan experience by expecting a pitch-perfect greatest hits set missed the point and set themselves up for a huge and inevitable disappointment. Dylan hasn’t been that guy for a long, long time and to have expected anything different was perhaps, in hindsight, a little naïve.

What was crucial to enjoying a 70-year-old Bob Dylan perform in Vietnam in 2011 was giving appropriate consideration to the show’s cultural, social and historical significances. This was more than just a gig. For many, what Dylan’s long-awaited physical presence in Vietnam represented, albeit 40+ years after it really mattered, was enough to justify the admission.

Though the thought of several hundred people running up a dark, hot and un-air-conditioned staircase doesn’t seem particularly thrilling, Sporting Republic proved the opposite to be true when it organised Vietnam’s first ever vertical run at the Bitexco Financial Tower two months ago.

Unbelievably, around 500 men, women and children (including this writer!) of multiple nationalities came together on one Sunday morning in late October in an attempt to overcome 1,002 steps of pure physical hell over 49 agonising floors and 178 metres at Ho Chi Minh City’s tallest building.

With various cash prises totalling US$5,000, and other awards such as Niken televisions and Adidas running shoes and goody bags up for grabs, there were more than enough incentives for competitors. Many were also taking part to raise funds for charity, improve their fitness, or for the simple fun and challenge of it.

In any case, the event proved to be a complete success, especially for the Bitexco Financial Tower itself, which had surely never hosted so many people in one day, let alone one morning.

In the end, reigning vertical world champion Thomas Dold of Germany won the elite men’s division, setting the overall fastest time of four minutes and 51 seconds to take home the winning prize of US$1,500, while in the women’s division, Italy’s Valentina Belotti climbed to her third win of the year, finishing in six minutes 19 seconds, beating reigning world champion, New Zealand’s Melissa Moon, by 15 seconds.

And though this unfit and slightly overweight deskbound journalist recorded a respectable effort of 12 minutes and 22 seconds, the most amazing and heartwarming story of the event belonged to Dwayne Fernandes. In spite of having both his legs amputated due to a birth defect, an unwavering determination saw the Australian double amputee, who flew in especially for the event, complete the run in the remarkable time of just 14 minutes and 31 seconds.

This positivity and sense of collective achievement was felt throughout the entire building, from the lobby where runners limbered up with sets of pre-race stretches, all the way up to the viewing deck on the 49th floor where sweaty, heaving victors celebrated with bottles of water, interviews with local media, and a stunning panoramic vista of the city they’d left below moments ago.

The Word certainly hopes to see the Bitexco Vertical Run return in 2012.

A laugh a Victorian minute: The Importance of Being Earnest

The imporTaNce of TheaTre

Last December, The Word made a wish list of things we hoped to see more of in Ho Chi Minh City in 2011. One of the entries on that list included an increase in performance arts.

Luckily, our hopeful cries failed to fall upon deaf or idol ears, as a subsequently well-received joint Vietnamese-Japanese multimedia theatre project took place in the middle of September, followed one month later by the debut production of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House, courtesy of the UK’s roaming independent The New Theatre (TNT) group.

Yet as wonderful as those two productions were, it was the Dragonfly Theatre Group’s innovative stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated play, The Importance of Being Earnest, at the Youth Cultural Theatre in October, that most got our inner theatregoers stirring.

The farcical comedy classic, set in Victorian-era southern England, managed to pull off the tricky dilemna of staying true to the original’s roots while making the story accessible to the local modern audience.

This was achieved by projecting Vietnamese subtitles onto a screen above the stage, which enabled everyone to fully enjoy and understand exactly what Aaron Toronto’s excellent Algernon Moncrieff meant when he used ridiculous terms such as ‘Bunbury’. The incorporation of a couple of universal, contemporary pop-culture references into the script also updated the infamous Irish playwright’s most celebrated play for the 21st Century, without tarnishing the legacy of it’s original creator’s vision.

Also, by being bold enough to cast two young Vietnamese actresses in the female lead roles of Gwendolin Fairfax and Cecily Cardew, director Jamie Zuniga was able to provide the audience with an intriguing culture clash that in turn brought about an unexpectedly refreshing twist on this extremely ye-olde-English-style play.

Admittedly, the acting and overall delivery wasn’t without its flaws, but kudos must go to Zuniga for his bravery, and to Lan Phuong and Dinh Ngoc Diep for more than adequately getting to grips with Wilde’s received pronunciation-addled script – a hard enough task for native English-language speakers, let alone for those that count it as their second tongue.

December 2011 The Word | 49

photos by niCk ross

photo provided by sporting repubLiC

We look back at three events that were the first of their kind in 2011

Best new live music venues of 2011

kickin

Photos by charles barnes

Saigon isn’t known for its ground breaking, original live music. But two new music bars have added momentum to a growing scene

Giao Chi perform at the opening of RockFanClub Bar in April

A rammed evening at Thi Cafe as Saigon's local talent (below) take to the stage

RockFanclub baR

Photos by quinn ryan mattingly

Emerging from the ruins of the prematurely defunct Tadao Café Bar (incidentally, named as one of The Word’s best new cafes in 2010), RockFanClub Bar opened in its place at the start of the year. Located along Tu Xuong, RFC Bar has helped to reinforce District 3’s longstanding reputation as a bastion for fostering local, independent live music, alongside the likes of Acoustic, Yoko and Cacophony.

Sporting a hand-painted, wall-sized mural of Ben E. King and a brilliantly designed floor-to-ceiling faux speaker stack installation behind a small stage, this miniature venue prides itself on providing a platform night after night for both up-andcoming and established home-grown Vietnamese hard rock and metal bands such as Microwave, Coconuts and Hornets to perform from.

Yet such is the owners’ passion for all things rock that international acts like British alt. rock quartet The Lost Souls Club and Australian avant-metal trio Contrive have also headlined at RFC Bar to packed-out and appreciative Saigonese audiences.

And having cultivated a devoted underground following that reaches into the thousands, it’s no surprise that RFC Bar has enjoyed such a prosperous and fruitful opening year.

RockFanClub Bar is located at 25C Tu Xuong, Q3. Tel: 6290 7489

50 | The Word December 2011

Thi caFé

Another snug and cosy live music spot that emerged seemingly out of nowhere earlier this year, the bare-brick walled Thi Café has almost singlehandedly rejuvenated local and foreign residents’ interest in the oft-dismissed tourist-centric Pham.

With an assortment of ad hoc local and foreign musicians, including the likes of rapper GlenSKii, bluesman Gregory Wilson, jazz pianist Tim Tiger and acoustic duo Maeve & Dave having performed nightly throughout the year, evening revellers looking for good tunes and a lively atmosphere have suddenly had a dependable extra option to consider on an otherwise normal night out.

Upstairs also acts as a chilledout daytime hangout spot with its Bohemianesque décor, decent food menu and reliable Wi-Fi. Thi Café is located at 224 De Tham, Q1. Tel: 2210 2929

December 2011 The Word | 51

BEST TRAVEL DESTINATIONS 2011

AND DON’T FORGET… KHANH HOA AND PHU YEN Nha Trang has it all — nightlife, seafood, top-draw accommodation, amusement parts and eco resorts. And if you’re prepared to travel, the countryside and coastline, particularly to the north and in Phu Yen, is full of great beaches, uninhabited coves and natural wonders.

BUST While the north-south Highway 1 routing continues to dictate Vietnam’s tourism trail, a number of other less well-known destinations are making headway. Here are our pick of the top travel destinations this year

DONG VAN HIGHLANDS It’s a trek to get there and facilities are limited, but this UNESCO-recognised geological site in northern Ha Giang contains probably the best scenery in Vietnam. Over 20 ethnic minorities live in the area, too, making for an interesting trip.

But be prepared to rough it. The bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang City takes six hours. From there it’s a further 150km drive by bike to Dong Van. PHOTO BY AARON JOEL SANTOS

MAI CHAU A four to five-hour drive from Hanoi, stilt houses, infinite trekking options and ethnic minority villages make Mai Chau valley one of the easiest highlands spots to access from the capital. It’s ravishingly beautiful, too, especially as you progress further out of Mai Chau town. Just don’t expect creature comforts.

The restored old town in Hoi An

WORLD HERITAGE TOWN PHOTO PROVIDED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC / CARSTEN PETER

Outside of Vietnam’s two major cities, Hoi An remains the country’s most visited tourist site, and for good reason. The only town that has been properly restored in the whole of Vietnam, when it comes to aesthetics, culture, clothes shopping, the beach and nightlife, Hoi An stands out from the crowd. While so much of the architecture in Vietnam is of the modern age, so Hoi An has glorified its overseasinfluenced, seafaring past. It was once the most important trading port on the eastern seaboard.

That close-by Danang can now add itself to the tourist itinerary of those visiting Hoi An says much for the development of the past five years. The road system here is orderly and well planned. Despite the

FANTASY ISLAND

PHOTO BY AARON JOEL SANTOS

THE BIGGEST CAVE IN THE WORLD

In 2010, National Geographic photographer Carsten Peter together with a joint team of British and Vietnamese explorers journeyed into the depths of Hang Son Doong to capture images of what is now recognised as both the largest and longest cave in the world. Located in the jungle remoteness of Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park in Quang Binh, portions of this cave are so extensive that they could fit a New York City-style block of skyscrapers and an airplane.

As of yet, Vietnam has been unable to exploit the tourism potential of this site. Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, whose limestone karsts resemble a Halong Bay on land, is already open, with thousands of tourists annually taking the riverboat trip down the Son River into the depths of Hang Tien (Tien Cave).

There are also a range of side treks and staring-at-ethnic-minority style tours available. But Hang Son Doong is presently off the itinerary.

So, we are making Phong Nha-Ke Bang one of our top travel destinations in Vietnam for two reasons.

First because of the area’s natural, jaw-dropping beauty. But more importantly, because of the place’s potential. It’s not easy to get to — the park is about three hours north of Hue — but it’s a worthwhile trip, even if you can’t pothole your way into the largest underground grotto in the world.

destruction and reconstruction, the beach, stretching from Son Tra peninsular in the north all the way to Cua Dai in Hoi An in the south, still has great sand and even better sea. And the resorts that now reside on this patch of sand are among the best in Vietnam.

Danang itself — a mainly French-built port town that rose to prominence in the late 19th century — still has that laid back, slightly dusty old-world feel. But even that has started to change with more dining, drinking and clubbing options springing up. And then there is the cuisine. Combining the more gritty, blander tastes of the north with the sweetness and spice of the south, the Vietnamese fare here is among the tastiest in Vietnam.

The unspoiled nature in Con Dao sets it apart

Con Dao is not new to tourism. For well over a decade its location in the middle of the East Sea inspired travellers to board the twice weekly, tiny, twin-engine turboprop planes for the 45-minute journey into the unknown. The hardier would take another route, the overnight ferry from Vung Tau. But it is only in the past year, and in particular since the opening of the five-star, Six Senses Con Dao, that the former prison colony has really opened up to temporary inmates from both Vietnam and overseas.

The charm of the island is its inherent remoteness. On the one hand its buildings have history — a rarity in a country so ravaged by war.

Once French Indochina’s penal colony equivalent of Devil’s Island, Con Dao retains its colonial-built prisons and houses.

Then there is the nature. With so much of the archipelago protected from human encroachment, this one-road outpost remains wild. Except for the occasional former battlement, army base, fishing port or fort, there is nothing here — even people are scarce. The national park — both on land and on water — encompasses most of the islands. The beaches out of the main town and fishing port area are clean and untouched. There are at least three known diveable shipwrecks, over 50 dive sites, numerous walking trails, dugong, turtles, macaques, masked boobies, Nicobar pigeons and more.

December 2011 The Word | 53

Christmas in the City Aluminium wallpaper, 39 degree Celsius temperatures, styrofoam snow and plastic trees. This may not sound a lot like Christmas, but it’s that time of year again and Saigon is doing its best to get everyone into the yuletide mood. For those forfeiting the long-haul and expensive flights home to stay in town, we’ve prepared a special Christmas guide with plenty of stocking and stomach fillers to make you feel like you’re on Santa’s ‘nice’ list

Feast of the

Seven Fishes

E

veryone is familiar with roast turkey, stuffing and ham at Christmas time, but there are other traditions that fly under the radar. The Feast of the Seven Fishes is one of them.

Originating in Southern Italy, this dinner honours the Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat and dairy products on certain holy days. It includes seven different seafood dishes but can sometimes include as many as 13, and consists of combinations of squid, octopus, clams, mussels, crabs and many other types of shellfish. It is served with pasta and vegetables.

Tony Fox, the proprietor of Blu, recently opened his New York-style Italian restaurant, Ciao Bella, in District 1. Living in Saigon for seven years, he was baptised into the restaurant business at the tender age of 13 where he started by peeling vegetables in a hotel. He’s since worked in Los Angeles, New York and the UK. Ciao Bella is his take on an Italian bistro and offers up a scrumptious swordfish recipe for those who wish to do Christmas the Southern Italian style.

Ciao Bella is located at 11 Dong Du, Q1

PHOTOS BY QUINN RYAN MATTINGLY

SWORDFISH WITH PUTTANESCA SAUCE INGREDIENTS: The Sauce Extra virgin olive oil 2 anchovies 1 clove of garlic sliced 1 chilli pepper sliced 4 kalamata olives pitted and halved 4 green olives pitted and halved ½ cup basic tomato sauce (onions, garlic, seeded tinned tomatoes, fresh basil) Teaspoon of capers Pinch of dried pepper flakes Salt and pepper 200 gm of fresh swordfish steak Olive oil and fresh thyme

DIRECTIONS (THE SAUCE): 1) Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the chilli pepper, sliced garlic and anchovies, and sweat until the anchovies have broken down 2) Add the olives and sauté for a couple of minutes 3) Add two tablespoons of basic tomato sauce and thicken slightly 4) Add the dried pepper flakes and capers, and cook for one minute more 5) Keep warm DIRECTIONS (THE SWORDFISH): 1) Preheat your grill 2) Marinate the swordfish in the olive oil and thyme for at least 20 mins 3) When the grill is hot ,remove your swordfish from the marinade, season with salt and pepper 3) Place the steak on the grill and cook for five minutes on one side 4) Turn steak over and cook for two minutes more

December 2011 The Word | 55

A Smashing

Pumpkin

P

apaya, a small family-run Vietnamese restaurant in Binh Thanh is anything but ordinary.

Chi Nghia, the chef and matriarch of the place, has over 20 years of experience and has worked at the Sofitel Metropole and has also been invited to Melbourne to share her considerable knowledge and experience of Asian food. Now she heads up Papaya, where she spends every day with her family serving home-cooked food.

So, who better than Chi Nghia to take the traditional Christmas dinner and put her own inimitable twist on it?

Keeping festive favourites like game poultry and the rich flavours of pumpkin and caramel around, but injecting them with new life, her easy to follow recipes are perfect for a bit of do-it-yourself Christmas cuisine.

Visit Papaya at 68 Pham Viet Chanh, Binh Thanh. Tel: 6258 1508

BBQ DUCK WRAPPED IN GRAPEFRUIT LEAVES

CARAMEL C ARAMEL P PUMPKIN UMPKIN N (Serves 10) (Se

(Serves 5)

INGREDIENTS: 12 grapefruit leaves 120gr duck meat 1/2tsp ginger juice 1tsp chopped garlic 1tsp chopped onion pinch of salt and pepper 1 lime INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Cut duck meat into 0.5cm thick, 4cm x 4cm

56 | The Word December 2011

pieces 2) Mix duck with the chopped onion, garlic and ginger 3) Wrap each duck piece in one washed grapefruit leaf, securing with a cocktail stick if necessary 4) In the absence of a charcoal grill, place duck parcels on a very hot skillet pan or griddle 5) Cook until duck is cooked through or to your personal taste 6) Serve with traditional Vietnamese salt, pepper and lime mix

INGR IEN INGREDIENTS: INGRED NTS TS: S: S: medium pumpkin 1 medi m ed um sized sized p um u umpk mpki p n 300ml milk 3300 00ml fre fresh sh mil m mi illk sugar 60grr ccaster 60g aster ast er sug gaarr 3 eeggs ggs THE CARAMEL FO FOR OR TH EC ARAM ARA MEL MEL 5tbsp caster 5tb bsp p cas aste te sugar ter sugar

INSTRUCTIONS: IN INS NSTRU TRU RUCTI CT ONS CTI ONS:: 1) Wash de-seed pumpkin Wassh aand nd de d deseed see d the the pum umpki um p n pk pki 2) milk, eggs until 2) Put ut the the fresh fres fres esh hm ilk il lk, suga ssugar ugarr aand uga nd egg gs toge ttogether, ogeeth oget the the her, h r, r, mix x un u til il al alll ingredients combined sugar dissolved. ing in ingred ngred ed diien ents are are combi co om mbi mb b ned d an aand d tthe he ssug he ug ugar ar has ar haass di ha d disso iss ssolve lv d. d Pou Pourr the into pumpkin the resulting resul re sulttin sul tin ng liqu lliquid iquid iqu id in iint ntto the the pum p pu u pki kin in 3) Place onto big Place c pumpkin pumpki pumpk pum kin ki no ntt a steaming nto ste t am ng rack iin teami nab bi g pan and steam steam for 1 hour hour 4) While Whille Whi le pumpkin pumpki pum pkin n is is cooking, cooking cook ing,, place placee sugar plac sugarr into suga into a pan and an nd melt melt until until it’ss caramel unti caram caramel el brown brown in col colour our 5) serve caramel 5) Allow Allo All ow pumpkin to cool and d serv servee cold cold d with with car cara amel mel sauce sau aucce

December 2011 The Word | 57

Eggnog

T

here is some debate over where Eggnog originated and how its name came about, but it has become a holiday tradition in the US and Canada. It’s a dairy-based beverage made with milk, cream and eggs and fueled with alcohol. Older recipes used to use brandy and rum, but bourbon has become the staple in America. Eggnog recipes are as varied as the regions of North America that enjoy it. Families who have drunk this concoction for generations guard their recipes jealously.

Tristan Ngo, chef and proprietor of Skewers and Elbow Room, shares his recipe for this Yule Tide favourite that he brought with him from his native Los Angeles nearly a decade ago.

You can visit Tristan’s restaurants at 52 Pasteur, Q1 (Elbow Room) and 9A Thai Van Lung, Q1 (Skewers)

INGREDIENTS: 12 eggs (separated egg yolks & egg whites) 2 cups heavy cream 6 cups milk 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups bourbon 3/4 cup brandy 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg INSTRUCTIONS: 1) In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar for

58 | The Word December 2011

approximately 10 minutes. The mixture should be firm and buttery looking 2) Slowly add in the bourbon and brandy to the egg yolk mixture 3) Allow the mixture to cool in the fridge (4 to 6 hours) 4) 30 minutes before serving, stir the milk into the chilled yolk mixture. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg 5) In a separate bowl, beat the cream with a mixer on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks 6) In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form 7) Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture 8) Gently fold the cream into the egg mixture 9) Garnish with the remainder of the ground nutmeg and serve

December 2011 The Word | 59

That Turkey Fix For anyone looking to take advantage of the culinary delights available this Christmas in Saigon, here’s a rundown of what to expect THE DECK For an Asian-European fusion Christmas dinner by Saigon River, head to The Deck.

The set menu includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options with dishes such as smoked salmon and Phu Quoc prawn blinis, foie gras terrine with Hennessy marinated figs, grilled salmon morrel with butter sauce and stuffed turkey breast and leg with cranberry gravy, not to mention the desserts.

PRICES: Dinner is VND1,250,000 per person.

NEW WORLD HOTEL The holiday dinner buffet at Parkview Restaurant includes seasonal favourites such as roasted Christmas turkey, pan-fried lobster, a seafood buffet and a range of Christmas cakes. All is served up with free-flow champagne, draft beer and soft drinks.

PRICES: Christmas Eve dinner — VND1,872,000++ Christmas Day brunch — VND1,352,000++ Christmas Day dinner — VND1,456,000++ CARAVELLE HOTEL The Caravelle is running Christmas meals in both its restaurants — Reflections and Nineteen. While Nineteen focuses on all things buffet, the Christmas Eve set dinner at Reflections includes foie gras and duck confit, butter poached turkey and leg wonton crip Parma ham, roasted parsnips and potato, baby onions and turkey tarragon jus or crisp skinned salmon fillet with potatoes and shellfish and capsicum soup. A tantalising meal!

PRICES: Nineteen Christmas Eve dinner (early dining) — VND1,290,000++ Nineteen Christmas Eve dinner (7.30pm to late ) — VND1,980,000++ Reflections Christmas Eve set dinner — VND 1,980,000++

Nineteen Christmas Day lunch buffet — VND1,848,000++ Nineteen Christmas Day dinner buffet — VND1,480,000++ SKEWERS AND ELBOW ROOM Come nestle into the cozy confines of either of Tristan Ngo’s eateries to enjoy a scrumptious Christmas Eve dinner that will include eggnog, clam chowder, spinach salad, and your choice of grilled ribeye steak with creamy spinach and potato Parmentier or grilled salmon with Nicoise salad or a lamb shank with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. And for dessert there will be Death

by Chocolate and coffee or tea.

PRICES: Dinner is VND1,000,000 including VAT and service.

BLU For a Christmas Day by Saigon River in the leafy confines of the Riverside, head to Blu. Including a welcome eggnog or glass of Harvey’s Bristol Crème, the dinner includes an all-you-can-eat salad bar and a choice of roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing, bacon wrapped chipolatas, drippings gravy, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, pan-fried sea bass in lemon caper butter or vegetable lasagna. All the dishes are served with roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts, green beans and Vichy carrots.

PRICES: The Christmas meal costs VND580,000 BONSAI CHRISTMAS CRUISE The Bonsai is putting on a Christmas Eve cruise from 7.30pm to 10.30pm that will see live music and entertainment mixed with a Christmas buffet designed for the holiday period. Advance booking is required and vegetarians are catered for.

PRICES: VND900,000 and including one drink MOVENPICK HOTEL Café Saigon on Christmas Eve will host a special Christmas Eve Gala Dinner buffet that will include free-flow wine, beer and soft drinks. On Christmas Day there will be both a brunch and dinner buffet, also with free-flow drinks.

For an alternative Christmas meal, don’t forget to check out the property’s Japanese and Chinese restaurants. IKI, for example, will be serving a special festive bento box for VND199,000 per person while Lotus Court is doing an all-you-can-eat Christmas Day dim sum brunch for VND350,000++.

PRICES: Christmas Eve gala dinner — VND1,500,000++ Christmas Day brunch — VND999,000++ Christmas Day dinner — VND1,350,000++

TURKEY TO FLY The Park View restaurant at the New World Hotel offers a Turkey to Fly for people who are too busy to cook or wish to cater their holiday parties.

Your beautifully roasted turkey will come with gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberries, green beans and a bottle of red wine.

The turkeys are available from Nov. 23 to Dec. 26 and the cost is VND2,288,000+. Even better, the New World Hotel delivers.

Simply call 3829 4000 x2200 to place your order.

Bring on 2012

If you prefer free-flow champagne and a lavish dinner over a hedonistic night of partying, then checkout the following options for bringing in the New Year.

THE DECK The Deck is offering a festive New Year’s Eve dinner for anyone looking to relax and spend the final night of 2011 in comfort by Saigon River. Dinner costs VND1,500,000 per person and includes a selection of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices.

These include: — Fresh oyster yuzu jelly, date and chestnut sui mai — Seared beef tataki oyster and passion fruit dressing — Trio fish tartar (salmon, tuna, sea bass) — Lemongrass and chilli tofu and char grilled fresh water prawn with orange — Sautéed spinach in filo pastry with watercress dressing — White chocolate mousse And more…

NEW WORLD HOTEL The seafood buffet at Parkview will run from 6pm on New Year’s Eve to midnight.

For VND 2,184,000++ the meal includes free flow champagne, house wine, draft beer and soft drinks. Once dinner is over guests

6600 | TTh The he W Wo Word ord d Dece D De December ece cemb mber mbe er 22011 011 01 011

can go head to the hotel’s ballroom for the countdown to 2012.

And if you’ve still got space or had one of those not-as-you-expected New Year’s Eves, then Parkview is doing a brunch buffet on New Year’s Day for VND1,456,000. Once again there will be a free-flow, but that this time with sparkling and mulled wine and rather than champagne.

MOVENPICK HOTEL With a New Year’s Eve countdown party organised at Slate, the Movenpick offers a good option for those who want to start in a restaurant and end their night in a bar.

Café Saigon will offer a New Year’s Eve gala dinner buffet for VND1,500,000++ that includes free-flow wine, beer and soft drinks. Elsewhere in this hotel complex, The Lotus Court Chinese restaurant is putting on a New Year’s Eve set menu for a minimum of 10 guests — prices start from VND9,888,000++ for 10 people.

With the countdown over, guests will then be ushered up to the 7th floor to watch the fireworks.

CARAVELLE HOTEL Restaurant Nineteen’s New Year’s Eve dinner affords guests two options: early dining from 5.30pm to 8pm for VND1,290,000++ and then the gala dinner from 8pm to late for VND2,680,000++. The menu will include a fresh seafood station that will stock everything from lobster to caviar, as well as starters, soups, cheeses and main courses that will include freshly sliced meats and fowl. And of course there will be a dessert station to delight the sweet tooth.

For the white table-cloth option, Reflections offers a New Year’s Eve set dinner for VND2,680,000. The menu will include: — Roasted duck liver on black currant coulis — Poached Asian pear petite salad with yogurt dressing — A duo of US beef including seared tenderloin with creamy spinach, slow cooked baby onions and crispy shallot rings — Braised short ribs with roasted garlic and smoked potato puree And more…

December 2011 The Word | 61

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

1

2

Finding the right present can be stressful, so our elves have been hard at work scouring the stores for a selection of cool gifts to line any stocking this Christmas.

Compiled by James Allen

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4

1. RATTAN ORNAMENTS Mekong Creations VND84,000

7. METAL HEART Diabolo VND50,000

13. CHRISTMAS HAMPER Annam Gourmet Market VND2,256,000

2. VIETNAMESE WOMAN ORNAMENT Mekong Quilts VND52,500

8. UNDER TREE QUILT Mekong Quilts VND1,155,000

14. BAMBOO AVIATORS Villa Anupa VND4,800,000

3. STUFFED RED STAR Mekong Quilts VND42,000

9. SPROCKET HOLE CAMERA Stocked at L’usine VND3,450,000

15. CHESS SET Villa Anupa VND4,500,000

4. MINI POUCHONS Mekong Creations VND31,500

10. IPAD COVER IN GOLDEN BATIK Mekong Creations VND252,000

16. RATTAN TREE Mekong Creations VND84,000

5. CINNAMON WOOD STAR Diabolo VND40,000

11. GIANT HARE Stocked at L’usine VND1,950,000

17. JUNGLE BANGLE Loani stocked at Villa Anupa VND2,400,000

6. METAL REINDEER Diabolo VND50,000

12. JOY CHRISTMAS CARD Mekong Quilts VND42,000

18. LAPTOP BAG IN GOLD BATIK Mekong Creations VND441,000

13

6 5

WHERE TO BUY

11

ANNAM GOURMET MARKET 16-18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 41A Thao Dien, Q2

12

DIABOLO 13 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1

16 18

L’USINE 151 Dong Khoi, Q1

17

MEKONG CREATIONS 141 Bui Vien, Q1

10 14

MEKONG QUILTS 64 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1

9

VILLA ANUPA 17/27 Le Thanh Ton, Q1

7

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December 2011 The Word | 63

24 HOURS IN HANOI DOMINIC BLEWETT

Forget what you’re told about the capital by people in Ho Chi Minh City, says Ian Paynton, do Hanoi — but be sure to do it well. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

START EARLY. 5AM

Like many capitals, Hanoi is at its most peaceful as it stirs from sleep.

It goes to bed early — 10pm–12pm everyday thanks to curfews — and wakes up with the sun. Elders enjoy aerobics and laughing yoga by the lakes. The quirk of morning, along with the smell of street food, will put a smile on your face and make for a good start to a busy day.

Hanoi is one of those cities — if you haven’t seen it, then you haven’t seen Vietnam. But simply follow the tourist trail or get snared by scammers and you may vow never to leave Ho Chi Minh City for the weekend again. Or, use your time in the 1001-year-old city wisely, and you’ll come back again and again, hooked by its people, its charm and the addictive hunt for that bowl of something you haven’t yet tried.

64 | The Word December 2011

AN DIE! 9AM

Do like the locals and squat on a stool to eat beef or chicken noodle soup (pho Mai Anh, 32 Le Van Huu). Or head to Mr Chi’s Café Kinh Do 252 to sample his homemade sour yoghurt with honey, which Catherine Deneuve ate daily while shooting the film Indochine. Also for breakfast, eat banh cuon (14 Hang Ga) or banh cuon phu ly (half banh cuon half bun cha at 39 Dao Duy Tu).

GO TO THE MAUSOLEUM. 6AM

Head to Ba Dinh Square, where Ho Chi Minh gave his declaration of independence in 1945, to watch the raising of the flag parade. Once it’s done, head to the mausoleum to see the revered revolutionary lying embalmed with his beard still long. Arrive before it closes at 11am and don’t wear shorts or smiles.

SAMPLE STREET LIFE. 10AM

Get lost in the city’s Old Quarter before lunch. Look down narrow alleys for hidden cafes (Hanoi House, 47a Ly Quoc Su/Hanoi Social Club, 6 Hoi Vu) or join business types and teens sipping strong coffee with condensed milk at St Joseph’s Cathedral on Nha Tho. Grab a cyclo for a pre-agreed rate. Don’t take a taxi — it will cost more than it should and will distance you from life on the Old Quarter’s frantic streets.

December 2011 The Word | 65

EAT MORE. 12PM

Lunch options are endless. So for a bit of everything head to Quan An Ngon (18 Pham Boi Chau). In this French villa and courtyard, locals and foreigners enjoy restaurant renditions of street food staples from all over the country. But for something exclusively Hanoian, find a grilled pork patty with rice noodles stand — bun cha Ha Noi — and swill it down it with iced tea from the northern hills.

TICK THE BOXES. 2PM

See the sites, like Vietnam’s first university, The Temple of Literature.

Photograph the Opera House, which was once the flagship of French architecture in Indochina, along with the illustrious Metropole Legend Hotel nearby. Walk Long Bien Bridge, or the horizontal Eiffel Tower, which once symbolized French power. After surviving Nixon’s operation Rolling Thunder it now represents Vietnamese solidarity.

And beneath the bridge, sits “Middle Warp”, or Long Bien Island, a vast cross-section of rural life and the ideal teleport from the bustle of Hanoi. Visit the Museum of Ethnology to see how Vietnam has evolved and enter the gardens for a glimpse of life in ethnic minority housing from all over the country.

FILL UP. 9PM

HIT THE STRIP. 12AM

Experience fine dining from chef Didier Corlou at La Vertical in the French Quarter, or relax in the new and trendy resto-bar, Southgate, on the city’s only 24-hour food street, which almost by default became the replacement hang out for those that suffered at the hands of Tadioto’s closure. For 360 degree views of the city’s climbing skyline, take a lift up to the Sofitel Plaza Hotel’s new Summit Lounge. Or to relax, visit OChao Teahouse and sample Vietnam’s best teas while overlooking Hanoi’s largest lake. Check the fliers for events happening at Hanoi Rock City, Hanoi’s largest dedicated music venue on To Ngoc Van. It could be local, it could be international, it could be rock, it could be rap, dubstep or folk. Either way, there is usually some type of talent on show in the vast venue popular with the early morning massive.

The bars in the Old Quarter’s party strip look more closed than they are. Ta Hien in particular is famed for it’s after-hours with Cheeky Quarter, Tet Bar, Funky Buddha, Mao’s Red Lounge, and Link Hanoi’s Fat Cat all residing in the space of about 50m. Around the corner on Hang Buom, pop music at Dragonfly gets the 9X teenyboppers throwing peace signs for pictures and just across the road, Temple Bar hits a slightly more mature crowd with pop-house mash ups. Other city nightclubs, mainly geared toward the local, tableservice-loving crowd, are the old Apocalypse Now, T-Bar, New Square, Face Club, and Hanoi Club.

PHOTO BY IAN PAYNTON

PHOTO PROVIDED BY LINK HANOI

PLAN AHEAD. 5PM

Book excursions for the next day — the mystical limestone islands of Halong Bay and the peaceful rice valleys of Mai Chau are worth a visit. For something different join a microfinance tour with Bloom Microventures, which uses trip fees to fund low interest loans to help women entrepreneurs flourish in rural Hanoi.

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DOWN IN ONE? 6PM

Start early with Bia Hoi (the corner of Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien for a tourist experience, or 19C Ngoc Ha for a more authentic take), the local, light and extremely cheap Pilsner brought to Hanoi by way of Czechoslovakia. Nothing fancy here; it’s consumed on the street and often served with local nibbles. Expect to make some new friends, and prepare for lots of ‘down in ones’ — just like in the south.

ALL NIGHT DIVES. 2AM

For uninterrupted messiness, head to the city’s famed all night hole — Phuc Tan, over two floors. Reminiscent of a grungy, east London warehouse party, you can expect bass lines, cheap drinks, plenty of space to dance and a outdoor BBQ, not to mention the sunrise views of the Red River and Long Bien Bridge. An alternative is Solace, also on the Red River Bank, but its reputation has declined in recent months and few people now include it as a stop over on their all night party bus.

TO MARKET. 4AM

If you’re wide awake or in need of some late night munch, head to the frenetic night markets where everything is bought in bulk by street vendors for the next day; fruit and veg goes from under Long Bien Bridge while Vietnam’s best smelling market, the flower market (Au Co Street), is brimming with the scents that will grace Hanoi’s streets from 6am onwards.

December 2011 The Word | 67

Highway4

MYSTERY DINER Charner Café

101 Vo Van Tan, Q3. Tel: 3602 2069

98 Nguyen Hue, Q1. Tel: 3823 6065

French fare and local cuisine are the orders of the month for our critic’s discerning palate.

Photos by Quinn Ryan Mattingly

TAKING ITS TITLE FROM THE FORMER name of the boulevard on which the restaurant is situated, Charner Café aims to bring a touch of refined Parisian gentility to Saigon’s downtown dining scene.

Located above a small art gallery where Nguyen Hue meets Le Loi, we enter a pristinely whitewashed open-plan dining hall. Elegantly furnished with sophisticated French provincial dining tables and upholstered chairs, carved sofas, chandeliers, and heavy, tasselled beige curtains, an aristocratic and bourgeoisie atmosphere pervades.

Having taken to our large regal sofa chairs, a peruse through the menu reveals a much more pan-European and Asianfriendly direction than expected. And it’s pricey too. At least in parts. Starters such as homemade foie gras served with garlic bread and salad, (VND345,000) and fresh smoked salmon served with olive oil toast (VND185,000) actually cost more than many of the mains.

We opt for the three Toulouse sausages served with onion jam, button mushrooms and grilled baby potatoes to start, followed by the broiled crispy duck breast on risotto with honey and ginger sauce.

The waitress, dressed in a flowery yet conservative rural French chambermaid outfit, serves the meaty starter and the portion is jaw-droppingly huge. In total, four (one extra?) grilled sausages lay heaped on top of each other. Bizarrely, none look or tastes like a Toulouse sausage.

I see two small chipolatas and two large sausages that resemble a German Bratwurst and quite possibly a Frankfurt Rindwurst.

Perplexed but ravenously hungry, I

68 | The Word December 2011

tuck in regardless. The sausages are thick, juicy and delicious, heavy on the meat and lean on the gristle. The sweetness of the onion jam and the robust tang of the Dijon mustard complement the mildness of the sausages, while the delicately seasoned potatoes and mushrooms crumble and melt in the mouth with ease.

Having waited a little longer than usual for the main course, the staff is genuinely apologetic upon its arrival. In any case, the dish is worth the wait. I count nine generously sized duck breast medallions smothered in the sweet, brown honey and ginger sauce — an unthinkable amount considering the price.

Not too fatty or gamey in taste, and cooked somewhere between medium-rare and medium, the duck is tender enough for my knife to slide through unabated.

And though carrying enough meat to satisfy the biggest of carnivores, I’m left slightly disappointed by the skin’s lack of crispiness.

The risotto and side vegetables, however, are a delight all round. Creamy and congealed, though not dry like so many risottos, the mound of rice is savoury (countering the sweetness of the meat and sauce) and moist, with strands of spinach running through its core. Of the assorted veggies garnishing the plate (carrots, courgettes, green beans) it’s the cauliflower that makes the biggest impact with an unbelievably potent and fresh taste. In a city that seldom gets vegetables right, these are the best I’ve experienced.

We end the evening ordering the chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream.

However, what we’re presented with

resembles a slice of chocolate mud pie. And though excellent (the cake is rich, solid and moist), I’m left bemused by Charner Café’s misleading advertising. Regardless of the high quality of the food and service overall, they’d be best off working out the kinks in the menu before really disappointing any expectant or fussy customers. To paraphrase the old saying, the proof is in the pudding (and the sausages).

THE PRICES Three Toulouse sausages

VND165,000

Broiled crispy duck breast on risotto

VND275,000

Chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream

VND115,000

THE VERDICT Food: 11 Décor : 9 Service: 12.5

HAVING ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS ONE of Hanoi’s most popular restaurants since the opening of its flagship eatery in 2003, Highway4 has expanded into a successful franchise with five outlets now scattered across the capital, one in Ho Chi Minh City, and another due to open soon in Hoi An. And though the Ho Chi Minh City restaurant may have opened only five months ago, its menu of northern traditional and contemporary Vietnamese cuisine already appears to be proving a hit with the southern city’s foodies.

This seems to be the case when we rock up on a non-descript Monday evening only to discover that the top two levels of the three-storey building are completely full with customers, leaving us to grab a table on the ground floor.

Having heard all about the communal sushi-style dining quarters, where diners sit sunken into the ground, I feel pangs of regret while sat at my regular four-legged table for having not made a reservation in advance.

Still, it’s the food we’re here for, not the seating arrangements, and the amount of choice the menu presents is staggering.

From salads, tapas and numerous spring rolls, to hot pots (or steamboats as they’re called here), and multiple rice, noodle, seafood, vegetarian and meat dishes, it’s hard to know where to begin.

On the recommendation of a fellow food writer up north, we order one of Highway4’s most loved specialities, nem ca xa lo4 (catfish spring rolls) and a selection of the restaurant’s award-winning Son Tinh rice wine. Beyond that, we’re left open to the suggestions of our ao dai-clad waitress. Not being the most adventurous of eaters, we sheepishly decline such delicacies as crickets roasted in pig fat and locusts roasted with lemon leaves in favour of chim cau rang muoi (pigeon roasted in salt) and bo nuong la chuoi (strips of beef grilled in banana leaves).

First out is the liquor, specifically four

small sampler glasses of tao meo (rose apple), man do (red plum), mo vang (apricot) and chanh leo (passion fruit) and two ominously named Devil’s Fart shooters.

Each of the former is smooth, sweet and easy on the tongue, while the latter packs a spicier wallop. Made from minh mang liquor and chilli syrup, the Devil’s Fart is surprisingly palatable, with hints of celery found between the initial sugary burst and hellishly hot after burn. For those looking for an alternative to beer or wine, the Son Tinh liquor selection is a winner.

Brought out in a large bowl garnished with lettuce and several colourful vegetables and edible flowers, the pigeon comes in winged form, and in a light, floury batter among roasted lemongrass strands, deep fried onion bits and large slices of chilli. It smells and tastes great; the fragrance of the lemongrass is subtle but long lasting while the saltiness of the batter and gamey texture of the dark and slightly chewy meat combine wonderfully. Dipped into the obligatory side bowl of lime, chilli, salt and pepper, this dish becomes utterly addictive. Best of all, there’s lots of it, too.

As soon as the bo nuong la chuoi is placed on our table a sweetly perfumed aroma emits from the large, unfolded banana leaf parcel, filling the nostrils instantly.

The strips of grilled beef are tender and plentiful, and come swimming in their own juices among a dozen or so soft banana flowers.

About half way through, the famous catfish spring rolls arrive. Simply put, they’re phenomenal, and really do steal the show. Without meaning to lessen this dish’s reputation, these six heavenly rolls taste like the best fish finger sandwiches ever. Wrapped in semi-transparent crispy rice paper, the fluffy catfish fillet comes encased in a light batter that’s simply topped off with mayonnaise and dill.

Personally, I’m not overly fond of the dark brown wasabi side sauce and am more

than happy to devour the spring rolls on their own.

The food tastes great and authentically Vietnamese without alienating foreign taste buds. The portions are huge and the prices are surprisingly affordable, even when tax and service is heaped on. Get down there before the entire restaurant fills out.

THE PRICES Son Tinh sampler set

VND75,000

Devil’s Fart shooter

VND30,000

Pigeon roasted in salt

VND99,000

Strips of beef grilled in banana leaves

VND95,000

Catfish spring rolls

VND84,000

THE VERDICT Food: 12.5 Décor : 11 Service: 10 FOOD, DECOR AND SERVICE ARE EACH RATED ON A SCALE OF 0 TO 15 13 – 15 extraordinary to perfection 10 – 12.5 very good to excellent 8 – 9.5 good to very good 5 – 7.5 fair to good 0 – 4.5 poor to fair The Word reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for all meals December 2011 The Word | 69

Putting on the Bails Like other sports here, cricket is thriving among the city's foreign residents. But making it sustainable and creating local interest is a challenge.Words byNick Ross. Photos by EJ Chung

WHEN THE CRICKET PITCH WAS FIRST built at RMIT, according to players in the Saigon Cricket League (now called The Pepsico Challenge), instead of measuring 22 yards from stump to stump, it came out to 22 metres.

“We tried bowling on it and said to ourselves, ‘this is a bit far isn’t it?’” laughs one member of the Australian cricket team.

It was only after they brought out the tape measure that they realised the error.

The mistake is indicative of this village green-like sport’s problems getting itself established in this tiny slice of Asia. With British colonialism in Singapore, Malaysia and the Indian Subcontinent, cricket became part of the culture. But in French Indochina no such roots were established and cricket in Vietnam remains an alien pursuit.

Head out to RMIT on a Sunday, though, and you’ll notice a wide range of spectators following the proceedings. At a recent practice match between Sri Lanka and Australia, in the stands sat members of the league’s other teams as well as a splattering of fans. Behind the stumps in a makeshift pavilion were the scorers, two British women

70 | The Word December 2011

and a Sri Lankan. And on shaded benches or on the grass, other team members and supporters sat on by. Together with the sportsmen there were maybe 60 or 70 people out here. Not bad for a friendly in a cricketing community that boasts only about 500 people.

But except for three young students from RMIT and the odd wife or girlfriend of one of the players, none of the people here were Vietnamese. And in the league itself, only one player can claim Vietnamese roots and these are via Australia. For the Vietnamese, cricket is not a sport that they play.

Grass Roots

Speak to people involved in the cricket league or the Vietnam Cricket Association (VCA) and they allude to a number of reasons for the game not being ‘sustainable’. Perhaps the most cited, and for this writer the least valid, is the heat.

The Vietnamese don’t like standing out in the glaring sun for two or three hours.

India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are also hot countries and cricket is the national sport. The heat is not an issue. Likewise, even though matches tend to be played late

in the afternoon, in Vietnam people don’t mind playing football (soccer) regardless of how hot it is. This then moves onto the second and more reasonable excuse. As one person retorted, “football is the national sport in Vietnam! And anyway, learning the rules of cricket is complicated.”

Yes, understanding the nuances of field placings such as silly mid off, gulley and point may take years, as does the understanding of the leg before wicket rule and how to bat against the different type of bowling techniques. But as in football and rugby, learning the basics is easy, and right now like in next-door Cambodia, Vietnamese sportsmen and women are starting to take up rugby.

For this writer the issue runs far deeper — roots. Cricket is one of those sports that if you play from when you are young you tend to love for the rest of your life. And the only places where cricket is likely to be played in Vietnam at a young age is at the international schools. It is here that the work needs to be done if sports such as cricket, rugby, baseball and Australian Rules are going to get established in this country.

Squaring the Leg

But even then there are problems. One is the lack of facilities for cricket in the international schools in this city. Even though there are cricket clubs operating outside school hours at the likes of the British International School (BIS) and the Australian International School (AIS), the sport is not on the curriculum. Then there is the culture. Faced with a choice, Vietnamese parents are likely to get their kids to opt for another sport or extra-curricular activity over cricket. Indeed, when this writer’s wife once asked how long a cricket match lasted — it was during a test series between England and India — the response created an argument.

“Five days?” she shouted. “Why are you lying to me?” It took a lot of persuasion to make her realise I was telling the truth. But it does raise a potential stumbling block — the nature and speed of cricket itself can put people off.

A recent six-a-side kids’ football tournament displayed another shortcoming in the way sport is coordinated in Vietnam.

Organised by the Arsenal Training School, it

brought together teams from around the city to play in under-12, under-10 and under-8 competitions. Besides Arsenal themselves, Saigon Sporting Academy and a good selection of local Vietnamese club sides, the only school to put up any teams was AIS. As the tournament began to progress, there was a realisation — this was the only competition of its kind for non-high school kids’ football in Ho Chi Minh City.

If Vietnam wants to develop sport, then such a lack of competitive events is a disaster. And if football is getting such short thrift, then the likes of cricket don’t have a chance, right?

The Long Distance Run

Back at RMIT lunch has been served. A paper bag picnic of wraps and sandwiches from Juice and pies from Crumbs. The drinks are also flowing. Some spectators and not-so-serious players are on the beer while others are sticking to energy drinks and water. With the breeze whispering through the trees, the chatter of the spectators and the shouts, sounds and blurred sights of the cricket being played

in the background, here you feel very much the age-old English summer culture of this endearing sport, one that has been adopted by other parts of the world. There’s a homely, warm atmosphere out here. And despite the highway next door, the sound of the city is far off in the background.

Maybe one day Vietnamese players will come to the game, as have the Singaporeans and Malaysians elsewhere in this region. But for this to happen a group or a number of individuals needs to work with the international schools to promote it. At AIS, the most successful team at the Arsenal Football Tournament was coached by an Australian parent who has been running Saturday morning sessions on the school astro pitch. Cricket needs someone with similar dedication because for now it’s a sport sustained in this country only by its fans. And all are from overseas.

For more information on the Vietnam Cricket Association go to www.vietnamcricket. com. The individual teams in the league can be found listed in our Leisure and Wellness listings section.

December 2011 The Word | 71

Just the Tip Julian Ajello exchanges his writing pen for a sword in his first attempt at fencing. Photos by Charles Barnes

“BEING ABLE TO RAISE IT ABOVE YOUR head and swing it at another person makes it the most emotional of the weapons,” says fencing teacher Rina Guzman of her favourite weapon, the sabre.

Among the many martial arts are dueling arts, including fencing, which employ the use of various types of swords — the foil, the épée and the sabre. The foil and épée are thrusting blades that may only score points with the tip. When fencing with the foil only the torso may be targeted while the épée may strike any part of the body. The sabre may attack any part above the waist save the hands.

Additionally, the sabre may score with the edge as well as the point.

When she started training in her hometown, she began, as most students of fencing do, with the foil. It provides a sound foundation for the blade work needed to master the sport and is, according to Rina, a more technically precise weapon than the other two.

Footwork is another necessary component that requires a great deal of practice. When the basics are met the student can begin to learn tactics and strategy.

When Rina moved to Saigon from the Philippines she brought her love of fencing with her and now works with the Saigon Fencing Club. In addition to fencing with the club she has an arrangement with RMIT to use space in one of their gymnasiums to instruct groups. Her classes

72 | The Word December 2011

focus on basic moves and footwork as well as terminology and are open to all ages and levels.

Now with some of that explained, it was time for my first fencing lesson. I put on a mask and glove and picked up a foil.

After acclimating to its strange grip we began by going over the footwork. The move into attack positions, retreat from an attack, and the lunges require precision, balance and more than a bit of grace. Sadly, I think I was shortchanged at birth. I never viewed fencing as a strenuous sport, but after spending a good deal of time in a semi-crouched position and moving back and forth continuously, the calves and hamstrings are the first muscles to start stinging.

Foot Loose

Once the footwork was understood it was time to move on to blade movements.

I think most of my generation secretly wanted a light sabre growing up. While a foil isn’t quite the same thing, it was a good deal of fun. The mask concealed the smile that crawled across my face as I heard the metal of the blades collide. Learning the basics of swordplay and how to parry, block and counter an opponent was highly entertaining.

With the fundamentals out of the way Rina and I began to fence. Practicing either footwork or blade work on its own is challenging. Using them together with

strategy and tactics is overwhelming.

Trying to remember how to counter and parry while maintaining my balance kept my head swimming. So I did the one thing I remembered best, I lunged.

Rina mentioned that oftentimes students are reluctant to hit other people in the beginning. That wasn’t a problem for me.

Striking someone with a metal sword felt freakishly good. The part that temporarily escaped my attention was that I wasn’t the only one with a sword.

The area in which the matches occur is two metres by fourteen metres. It’s a constant back and forth in a narrow alley that allows for no lateral movement. Just how tight the quarters are becomes readily apparent when attacked by a superior opponent. After becoming comfortable enough to have fun, Rina reminded me just how little I knew. If it weren’t for the mask my jaw might have hit the ground in response to how quickly and efficiently she was able to counter an attack and put the tip of her blade anywhere she wished.

“I have an innate warrior spirit that wants to hit people,” she explains. For her it is that drives her to succeed. As for her belief that an innate desire to hit people lies at the heart of her success in fencing, I for one believe it.

For those interested in fencing lessons or the Saigon Fencing Club please contact Rina on 0908 750840 or email her at rina. marie.s.guzman@intel.com.

December 2011 The Word | 73

Own the

STREETS The cit ccity ity ccan an be be a to ttough ough p lace ffor or th tthe he The place uninitiated, uniniti un tiate ted, so so step sste tep out out in in style style and sty an and stomp sto tomp the the mean th mean an streets str treets ts until until you un you ou own own them. ow tth hem.

PHOT PH PHOTOS HOTOS OT OS B BY Y EJJ C CHU CHUNG HUNG HU UNG G STYLING ST TYL YLIN IN ING NG BY Y JJAMES AMES AM ES A ALL ALLEN LL EN LLEN N GREGORIO MODE MO MODELS: O DELS DE L LS: INN LS: IINNA NNA GREG NNA G GR EG EGOR G ORIO OR RIO I a and nd JJACKIE JAC ACKIE ACKI KI E KEHO K KE KEHOE HO HOE OE

Dres Dr Dress ess es s

M MAN MANGO GO ― VND1,539,000 VND1,5 VN VND 1 39, 1,5 3 000 39

Hair piece Hair pie p iece ie ce

SO G ― VND SON SONG VND1,1 VN VND1,183,000 1,183, 1,1 83 000 83,

Bang Ba Bangle ngle ng le

TYLER HO ― VND TYLER VND400 VN VND400,000 400,00 400 ,00 0000

LEFT Top

SONG ― VND2,043,000

Skinny Jeans

MANGO ― VND1,969,000

Necklace

TYLER HO ― CONTACT STORE FOR PRICE

RIGHT Vest

FRENCH CONNECTION ― VND1,950,000

Leggings

FRENCH CONNECTION ― VND1,950,000

Shoes

NINE WEST ― VND3,167,000

THIS PAGE TYLER HO ― VND1,500,000

Skirt

TYLER HO ― VND2,700,000

Shoes

NINE WEST ― VND3,417,000

RIGHT TYLER HO ― VND9,000,000

city guide Business Listings 80 Destination Listings 088 Out & About Listings 100 Sound & Vision Listings 115 Leisure & Wellness Listings 121 Lifestyle Listings 130 Tyler Ho

84 LY TU TRONG, Q1

Mango

SAIGON CENTER, LEVEL ONE, 65 LE LOI, Q1

French Connection

LEVEL ONE, VINCOM CENTER, 70-72 LE THANH TON, Q1.

Song

SAIGON CENTER, LEVEL ONE, 65 LE LOI, Q1.

Nine West

LEVEL ONE, VINCOM CENTER, 70-72 LE THANH TON, Q1

Generation V Listings 137

business

business

Business Listings ACCOUNTING & AUDITING 080 ADVERTISING & MARKETING 080 BUSINESS CONSULTING 082 BUSINESS GROUPS 083 CONSUMER GIFTS 083 EVENT MANAGEMENT 083 EXPAT SERVICES 083 HOUSING & REAL ESTATE 083 INSURANCE 084 INVESTMENT & FINANCE 084

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS 084 LAUNDRY 084 LEGAL SERVICES 084 MANAGEMENT TRAINING 084 MARKET RESEARCH 085 PUBLIC RELATIONS 086 RECRUITMENT & HR 086 RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS 086 SERVICED APARTMENTS 087

ADVERTISING & MARKETING ADMAKER

Unit 2.4, 2nd Floor, 12M Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1. Tel: 3910 3500 www.admaker.com.vn A local full service agency run by advertising professionals dedicated to providing clients with results orientated marketing communications via strong advertising concepts and excellent customer service.

BATES 141 VIETNAM

Level 7, Vietnam Business Center, 57-59 Ho Tung Mao, Q1. Tel: 3821 8632 www.bates141.com A full service marketing communications company that is part of the WPP Group.

Focuses exclusively on the growing demands of Asian business, helping to build sustainable brands with global ambition.

BBDO VIETNAM ACCOUNTING & AUDITING BUREAU VERITAS

E-Town Building, #4.4B & 4.5A 364 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh. Tel: 3812 2196 www.bureauveritas.com Auditing, technical services and solutions firm working in all the major industrial service sectors. Provides management system certification and related training for IS0 9001, ISO 14001, SA 8000, OSHAS 18001, HACCP, ISO 22000 and BRC. Has over 900 offices worldwide in 140 countries.

DELOITTE VIETNAM

11th Floor, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1. Tel: 3910 0751 www.deloitte.com/vietnam A member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohatsu. Provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries.

GLOBALEYE FINANCIAL ADVISORS

4th Floor, Unit 17, Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, Q1 Tel: 3827 0220. www.globaleye.com A financial advisory company that advises on everything from investments, offshore banking and education planning to life protection wills, pensions and more. Globaleye provide an invaluable resource for expats living in Vietnam who want to maintain tax efficient savings while having access to major fund houses such as Fidelity & JP Morgan from only VND3 million a month, and also to have the right insurance protection for families living on foreign soil.

KPMG

10th Floor, Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3821 9266. www.kpmg.com Worldwide firm specialising in auditing, accounting, tax and management consulting services. Also provides executive search and selection.

80 | The Word December 2011

ODYSSEY RESOURCES LIMITED

7th Floor, E-Town Building, 364 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh Tel: 3812 5562 www.odyssey–resources.com One of the leading mid-tier accounting services firms in Vietnam. Odyssey provides accounting and management consulting services, along with tax advice and Australian tax agent services.

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: 3823 0796 www.pwc.com Provides business services including auditing, business and technology solutions, as well as tax and legal consulting.

Has more than ten years of experience in Vietnam and works in all major industry sectors throughout the country.

SAIGON-EXPAT TAX SERVICES

6th Floor, Me Linh Point Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1 Tel: 0938 220 255 vivianwcooper@gmail.com Specialising in U.S. personal income tax returns preparation, this firm is IRS Enrolled Agent qualified with big 4 experience. Also provides Vietnam tax and business legal consulting.

TMF GROUP

Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3910 2262 TMF is headquartered in the Netherlands, with over 100 offices in 75 countries. Provides accounting, tax and payroll services.

Also specialises in helping international investors establish a presence in Vietnam.

This includes services such as incorporation of companies and representative offices, opening of bank accounts, licensing and tax stamps.

74/3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1. Tel: 3822 6662 www.bbdoasia.com BBDO is an award-winning global advertising and communications company. Accolades include Network of the Year honours at Cannes four years running.

COWAN – STRATEGIC BRAND DESIGN

16th Floor, Bitexco Office Tower, 19–25 Nguyen Hue, Q1. Tel: 3821 3064 www.cowandesign.com Specialising in brand strategy and brand design for both local and international consumer and corporate companies.

Wholly owned with seven global offices — three of which are in Asia and working extensively across India, Southeast Asia and North Asia.

DRAFTFCB VIETNAM

13D Phan Chu Trinh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3551 2202. clientservice@draftfcb.vn Draftfcb is one of the largest global advertising agency networks with headquarters in both Chicago and New York. Has more than 190 offices serving clients in 102 countries including many in the region.

EDGE MARKETING

1Bis Ngo Van Nam, Q1. Tel: 3911 1191 www.edge–asia.com A creative marketing company that matches the results–driven requirements of modern business with the needs of the consumer. Embraces a wide range of modern technology and concepts to help provide a full–service marketing package to their clients.

GREY GROUP

404 Vo Van Tan, Q3. Tel: 3929 1450 www.grey.com/vietnam A full spectrum marketing communications company, Grey Group’s work includes PR, retail management, events and database marketing. Has offices in nearly

100 countries and major clients include Proctor & Gamble, SmithKline, Beecham, BAT and Mars.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ASIA

Villa B,12A Duong So 12, Tran Nao, Q2 Tel: 3740 6388 www.industrialdesignasia.com Offers (re)design, design engineering (3D CAD) and innovation consultancy for all products; plastics, consumer products, electronics, metal parts. Dutch industrial designers with over 10 years of working experience in Asia. Contact them to get a free quotation.

MARKETEERS VIETNAM

113 Nguyen Thai Binh, Q1. Tel: 3914 3615 www.marketeersvietnam.com Managing successful marketing campaigns since 2002 with four full-service offices and project management available nationwide. Marketeers Vietnam have designed and implemented campaigns that have been selected as global best practice by both international and local clients.

OGILVY & MATHER

12th Floor, Centec Tower, 72–74, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1. Tel: 3821 9529 www.ogilvy.com Well–known marketing communications company that leverages the brands of multinational clients by combining local know–how with a worldwide network.

Works to create powerful campaigns that address local market needs while still reinforcing universal brand identity.

PHIBIOUS

7th Floor, 11bis Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3 Tel: 3930 6777. www.phibious.com An independent, creative–led communications company growing fast throughout Indochina. Now with offices in Saigon, Phnom Penh and an association in Vientiane, Phibious employs over 70 staff that are driven towards helping brands connect and grow in this dynamic region.

Clients include The Coca–Cola Company, Asia Pacific Breweries, Piaggio and UPI.

PSDESIGN

www.psdesign.asia. Tel: 0933 244270 A multidisciplinary Dutch design studio specialising in graphic & web design, architecture & interior design, and photography. Offers a total brand experience ranging from providing a visual identity to an office interior and everything in between.

PURPLE ASIA

Melody Tower, 422-424 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh. Tel: 3898 1005 www.purpleasia.com A leading independent creative communications company. Offers a wide range of services such as graphic design, branding, interactive media, video, photography and production.

December 2011 The Word | 81

business

business RED | BRAND BUILDERS

10 Phan Ngu, Q1. Tel: 3820 0169 www.red.vn An independent, full–service branding and marketing agency focused on communications and brand building. The team, established in Vietnam for many years, is a blend of international expertise and local know–how capable of giving marketers clever ways to connect their brands with consumers for winning results.

RIVER ORCHID

Tel: 3925 2538. www.riverorchid.com The only communications network specialising in Indochina including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar for over a decade. Riverorchid specialises in advertising, design, activation, digital, media, PR, research, training, premiums and production.

SAATCHI & SAATCHI

3 Phan Van Dat, Q1. Tel: 3824 1207 www.saatchi.com 60th among the top 100 global advertising agencies, the company has worked with over half of the 50 best–known brands in the world. Services include advertisement planning, direct marketing, marketing consulting, graphic design and advertising.

TBWA\VIETNAM

Unit 603, Rosana Tower, 60 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1 Tel: 3824 5315, www.tbwa.com TBWA is a Top-Ten worldwide advertising agency, named Advertising Age’s “Best International Network of the Decade” in 2010 and ranked 24th on Fast Company’s 2009 list of “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies”. Marketing services include strategic consultancy, creative development, events and activation, direct mail, shopper marketing and public relations.

XONE FM

100 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7. Tel: 5413 5341 www.xonefm.com The first independently run radio station in Vietnam, Xone FM provides the latest and hottest songs in both English and Vietnamese. Has 10 channels throughout the country, in Ho Chi Minh City on 104.5 FM and Hanoi on 102.7 FM. The schedule runs from Monday to Friday from 6am to 9am, 4pm to 11pm and at the weekends between 1pm and 11pm.

XPR BRAND COMMUNICATIONS

37 Dang Thi Nhu, Q1. Tel: 3821 0779 www.xpr.com.vn A complete range of services and facilities for advertisement campaigns and public relations in Vietnam.

business consulting BDG VIETNAM

11th Floor, Capital Place, 6 Thai Van Lung, Q1 Tel: 3823 7858. www.bdg–vietnam.com BDG is one of the leading business

82 | The Word December 2011

development and consulting company in Vietnam active in the areas of sourcing & production, strategic marketing and Project Management. Partners with clients in all sectors and regions to open new perspectives, address critical challenges and drive business activities to success in Vietnam. BDG is a private company with four offices in three countries.

CONCETTI

33 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1. Tel: 3911 1480 www.concetti–vn.com Consulting and research firm with a range of clients including the government, global US consumer products companies, infrastructure developers, oil companies and the World Bank.

ERNST & YOUNG

8th Floor, Saigon Riverside Office Center, 2A–4A Ton Duc Thang, Q1. Tel: 3824 5252 www.ey.com Provides a broad spectrum of services to help businesses capitalise on opportunities for growth, improve financial performance and manage risk. Works with a range of firms including private, state–owned and foreign.

GOLDEN SPEED SEO

www.goldenspeedseo.com info@goldenspeedseo.com Get maximum exposure for your website by improving your rankings in search engines like Google. A steady flow of potential clients will visit your site every day once you have achieved a good position on search engines' results pages. Contact Golden Speed SEO for a free session regarding your online project.

GRANT THORNTON

28th Floor, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1. Tel: 3910 9100 www.gt.com.vn Chartered accountants and management consultants working in a range of fields including Audit, Tax Advice, Corporate Finance and Advisory Services, Business Risk Services, Valuations and Due Diligence, Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions.

INSPIRED IMAGE

Villa 15, Duong 58, Phu Nhuan Compound, Thao Dien, Q2. Tel: 0916 352573 www.inspiredimage.co.uk Huong Nguyen is a professional Image Consultant based in Ho Chi Minh City and the UK. An internationally accredited Master in Image Consulting, Huong offers personal consultations and corporate workshops on developing a professional and confident image, modern etiquette and business behaviour skills.

PRISM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (VIETNAM) COMPANY LIMITED

8th Floor, YOCO Building, 41 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1, Tel: 3829 6416 www.prism.com.vn A professional information technology

services company offering technical expertise in the areas of data security, email, document management, web hosting, information and communication technology (ICT) relocation services and a full-range of other IT solutions.

centres, team building, corporate training, HRM audits and HR systems design.

ROUSE

New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1 Tel: 3824 3562. www.amchamvietnam.com An independent association of American and international businesses, the objective of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam is to promote trade and investment between the United States and Vietnam.

6th Floor, Abacus Tower, 58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Tel: 3823 6770, www.iprights.com Specialist intellectual property consultancy service providing the full range of IP services. From the implementation of global investigation and enforcement strategies, to the provision of commercial IP services, include IP filing and management services.

STAR CORPORATE VIETNAM

161A/1 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1 Tel: 3911 0965 www.starcorpvn.com Incorporation of offshore and foreign– owned Vietnamese companies. Opening of representative offices and offshore bank accounts, providing licenses and tax stamps, business and marketing plans, reports and English-language editing.

Also provides, investment strategies and administration services for foreign-owned companies based in Vietnam.

business groups AMCHAM

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Ho Chi Minh Chapter, Suite 1A, 1st Floor, TV Building, 31A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1 Tel: 3911 0272/ 73/ 74 www.auschamvn.org A licensed foreign business group in Vietnam established to represent and promote the interests of Australian businesses operating here. AusCham co–ordinates topical breakfast seminars, social networking functions, governmental relations, and promotes profile charity events in Vietnam.

BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF STRASOL GROUP INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM Fideco Riverview Building, Mezzanine Floor 14, Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 0904 410884 www.strasol.com Powered by Haines Centre for Strategic Management, STRASOL is a strategic solutions provider serving as a long-term strategic partner with senior leaders and organisations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Focuses on the future, striving to deliver superior results, customer value and sustained competitive advantage through the application of strategic solutions, derived from a combination of researchbased best-practice, consulting and learning with a focus on change, people, strategy and leadership.

TRACTUS ASIA LTD

164 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1 Tel: 6291 2205 www.tractus-asia.com Tractus is a management consulting company that focuses on helping foreign investors gain success in Asia. Their core strengths are corporate strategy development and implementation, site selection, trade promotion, and market research.

Offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Thailand, China and India.

XAGE CONSULTANCY

35A-1-2 Grandview, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 5412 3402 www.xageconsulting.com An international human resource management consultancy specialising in organisational and people development. Services include: assessment / development

25 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3829 8430 www.bbgv.org The first foreign business group to set up in Vietnam, BBGV’s goal is to both promote the interests of its members as well as the more general interests of British business. Organises business luncheons and seminars as well as regular social and networking events.

CANCHAM

Room 305, New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1 Tel: 3824 3754. www.canchamvietnam.org Open to all nationalities, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce aims to provide an effective network of business associates together with discussion forums about doing business in Vietnam. Offers an array of seminars as well as social and networking events.

NORDCHAM

12A Floor, Bitexco Building, 19–25 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3821 5423 www.nordcham.com Provides support to Nordic companies and individuals operating in Vietnam. A business and social network, members have the opportunity to meet, discuss, interact and share expertise and experience.

PHILIPPINES BUSINESS GROUP VIETNAM

C3 Floor 5, 21-Century Apartment, 326/1 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh www.pbgvn.com A non-profit, non-government, and non-political organisation that aims to promote and develop trade between the

Philippines and Vietnam, to foster interaction and understanding, to serve as the voice of Philippine business entities and establish relationships with other business associations in Vietnam.

SINGAPORE BUSINESS GROUP

and wedding catering. Combines excellent food, event management and exclusive venues to provide the ideal solution for any kind of event.

eXpat services

6th Floor, Unit 601, Tran Quy Building, 57 Le Thi Hong, Q1. Tel: 3823 3046 www.sbghcm.org A group with over 300 members who meet regularly to foster business relations with others in the community, as well as taking part in social, cultural, recreational, educational and charitable activities. Hosts regular networking functions and special events. Membership is VND200,000 per month and allows you access to a wide range of discounts around town.

CHUM’S HOUSE

SWISS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

HAPPY HOUSE

42 Giang Van Minh, Q2 . Tel: 3744 6996 www.swissvietnam.com The Swiss Business Association is a non-governmental, non-political, nonprofit organisation that strives to promote business, economic, cultural activities and other interests of common concern to the Swiss Business Association’s members and the Vietnamese authorities.

consumer gifts AMBRIj VIETNAM LTD.

14-16-18 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1. Tel: 3824 8364 manish@ambrij.com One-stop-shop for corporate gifts and merchandise ranging from shaped USB disks through to apparel, clocks, bags, golf products, wine accessories and much more.

event management GALA ROYALE EVENT HALL

63 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1. Tel: 3825 6048 www.galaroyale.com.vn This luxury event hall in the centre of District 1 has four different ballrooms and a rooftop terrace, professional banquet, catering, and event services. Gala Royale is the ideal place for events such as meetings, conferences, product launchings, cocktail parties, weddings, or anniversaries.

121/21 Bui Vien, Q1. Tel: 3920 7237 www.chumshouse.com A service dedicated to finding people a place to live. With an extensive list of properties that fit any price range and preference, they can have you moved into a new house within days. Help with motorbike rentals, visas and other information about living in Vietnam is also available. All services provided free of charge.

32-34 Ngo Duc Ke, Suite 701, Q1 Tel: 01659 419916, www.happy-house.vn Created by a team of Vietnamese and expat professionals, Happy House aims to make life in Saigon easier for everyone by offering practical solutions for a myriad of problems, including monthly bill payments, home repairs, motorbike rentals, visa applications, maid placements, plant watering, computer repair and pet transportation.

RESIDENT VIETNAM

Tel: 2226 8855, www.residentvietnam.com The first dedicated relocation company in Vietnam provides services from relocation and immigration to cross–cultural and business awareness training.

housing & real estate CBRE

Unit 1201, Me Linh Point Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1. Tel: 3824 6125 www.cbre.com Property developers and consultants with both private and commercial properties for sale, lease and rent. Issues a monthly newsletter with the latest property news.

Also does research and management services.

ONE WORLD TOURISM CO.,LTD

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM

THE CATERERS

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD VIETNAM

140B Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1. Tel: 6675 2620 www.vietnam-weddings.com One World Tourism’s wedding planning business offers comprehensive wedding planning services in Vietnam no matter what size or type of wedding. It is offered to couples seeking high quality, attention to detailed planning and resources, wanting to create the wedding of their dreams, no matter what size, style or location.

46D Vuon Lai, Tan Phu. Tel: 3812 6901 www.thecaterersvietnam.com.vn Offers everything from canapés and cocktails, buffets and set menus to barbeques

Suite 212, Seaprodex Building, 246 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 3823 3529 www.colliersmn.com/vietnam Represents property investors, developers and occupiers in all matters related to commercial and residential property. Services include leasing and sales, valuation and research, property management, and support services.

Level 2, Pathfinder Building, 52 Dong Du, Q1 Tel: 6291 4707. www.cwr.com.vn Global real estate consultants, specialising in commercial / residential sales and

December 2011 The Word | 83

business leasing, project management, valuation and research & consultancy. For further information email hcmc.info@ ap.cushwake.com.

EASY SAIGON

www.easysaigon.com The Easy Saigon website is a useful real estate website helping expats to find apartments in Ho Chi Minh City. Enquiries via their website are welcome.

KNIGHT FRANK

Suite A, 7/F, VTP Office Building, 8 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3822 6777 www.knightfrank.com.vn Founded in 1896 as a valuations, surveying and auctions business, Knight Frank has grown to become the world’s largest privately owned global property agency and consultancy. In Vietnam, they offer commercial, residential and residential development services.

NAMHOUSE CORPORATION

24 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, Q2 Hotline: 0989 00 77 00 www.namhouse.com.vn Expert in providing rental properties, constructions, decorations in HCM city especially in District 2. Supporting the professional services and after–sales.

PLATINUM1

Star Building, 33 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1 Tel: 3911 8193. www.platinum1corp.com This American–based company provides a range of comprehensive real estate services. Known for its efficient and dependable service, it has global connections and expertise in the Vietnam real estate market.

SAVILLS VIET NAM LTD.

Fideco Tower, 18th Floor, 81-85 Ham Nghi, Q1 Tel: 3823 9205. www.savills.com.vn Savills Vietnam is the leading property service provider in Vietnam since 1995, providing research, advisory services, residential sales, commercial leasing, asset management, retail advisory, valuation, investment advisory and many other services.

SNAP

www.snap.com.vn A simple, web–based real estate search service. Provides information on rental properties all around the city with full listings available online.

SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

Capital Place, 6 Thai Van Lung, Q1 Tel: 3520 2000. www.sothebysrealty.com.vn Vietnam Sotheby’s International Realty has access to residential real estate both for sale and for lease in Vietnam and around the world. Contact them to view high–end apartments, villas, resorts and island properties.

THE NEST

369/6 Do Xuan Hop, Phuoc Long B, Q9 Tel: 0903 198901 www.thenest–vietnam.com Well–known property search and real estate agency with a useful website listing properties available for rent and sale.

Service is orientated towards expats. Website is in English, French and Spanish.

TRANSPO PROPERTY (VIETNAM) Suite 501, Anh Kim Office Building, 43 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1 Tel: 3914 7003 http://vietnam.transpo-property.com Transpo Property specialises in finding a suitable residence for their clients, as well as offering a full range of relocation services including school search, preview trips, orientation tours, and whatever else one may need when moving to Vietnam.

Also provides a home search service to expats who are already living in Vietnam, specialising in finding high–end apartments and villas.

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business INSURANCE BAOVIET INSURANCE

BELL VIETNAM

Tel: 3825 8416, www.interglobalvn.com Offers full hospital costs paid up to VND40 billion with no hidden hospital sub–limits.

Also includes a routine heath check and dental care. Available for anyone up to 74 years of age. No claims discount available.

28C Mai Thi Luu, Q1 Tel: 3827 7991 www.bellvietnam.com A partner of Bell International, BVN provides high–quality language education and related services worldwide. Focuses exclusively on language training for adults using the best multimedia materials.

IF CONSULTING

ILA VIETNAM

1A Me Linh Square, Q1 Tel: 3827 7362 www.insuranceinvietnam.com Independent advisors that represent top reputable medical insurers to provide you with the best suitable medical cover for individual, family or company needs.

LIBERTY INSURANCE

15th Floor, Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3812 5125 www.libertyinsurance.com.vn Provides a quality range of insurance services to both commercial enterprises and individuals. Coverage includes property, liability, business interruption, marine cargo, automobile, home and travel as well as expat healthcare packages. Toll free hotline in Vietnam: 1800 599 998.

PRUDENTIAL

Unit 25F, Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3910 0999 www.prudential.com.vn Operating in Vietnam since 1995, has over 70 customer care centres throughout the country.

INVESTMENT & FINANCE DRAGON CAPITAL

1901 Me Linh Point, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1 Tel: 3823 9355. www.dragoncapital.com An integrated financial services provider with an exclusive focus on Vietnam’s capital markets. Established in 1994, the group is one of the largest and most experienced asset managers in Vietnam with total group assets in excess of US$2 billion. Has offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and the UK.

THE ETHICAL INVESTMENT GROUP

www.ethicalinvestmentgroup.co.uk The Ethical Investment Group is dedicated to offering ‘real’ alternative investments to investors looking to make quality, above-average returns, while simultaneously expressing a social conscience with meaningful, measurable and sustainable environmental benefits.

TOTAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3. Tel: 3820 0623 www.t–wm.com Personal financial planning for expatriates.

Portable retirement savings plans for individuals of all nationalities. Tax minimisation strategies. Asset allocation and money management. Debt and cash–flow planning. Life, disability and health insurance. Family wealth protection.

VINACAPITAL

17th Floor, Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3821 9930. www.vinacapital.com A leading investment fund management company with extensive experience in the emerging Vietnam market. Manages the Vietnam Opportunity Fund (VOF), which is a US$839 million investment fund currently listed on the London Stock Exchange.

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS APOLLO EDUCATION & TRAINING

26 Phung Khac Khoan, Q1. Tel: 3823 3597 www.apolloedutrain.com Established in 1994, Apollo offers high– quality and cost–effective English language classes including general English, English for teens, English for business communication and a pronunciation clinic.

51 Nguyen Cu Trinh, Q1 Tel: 3838 6788 www.ilavietnam.com A foreign owned education and training company that offers a broad range of educational programmes and services such as English language tuition, university pathway programmes, corporate training, teacher training, and overseas study consultancy and placement services.

L'ATELIER

33/19 Quoc Huong, Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 0908 381492 www.latelier-anphu.com L’Atelier is a French language centre offering classes in all forms to children and adults, and to French-speaking and foreign residents. Each course is offered in small groups of a maximum of four people or in private class. Classes include spelling and grammar tuition after school, monitoring for the French Education Programme, preparing for official tests (DEFL, DAFL, TFL, IB), and Vietnamese lessons, including extracurricular activities during the holidays.

VLS SAIGON

45 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1 Tel: 3910 0168 www.vlsstudies.com A leading professional institution specialising in teaching Vietnamese to international students. Courses range from basic conversational Vietnamese for beginners to upper elementary, intermediate and advanced levels, as well as a range of special courses that take in Vietnamese literature, composition and a crash-course 6-hour survival session. Courses range in intensity and classes take place on and off campus.

VUS

189 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1 Tel: 3925 9800 www.vus-etsc.edu.vn One of the largest and most respected non–governmental language institutions in Ho Chi Minh City. The English language training programmes are designed in cooperation with the City University of New York. Has a number of campuses throughout the city.

LAUNDRY COSMO LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING

Office: 80 Nguyen Khoa, Q4 Tel: 6261 6868 Valet shops: Circle K Store, 15B1 Le Thanh Ton, Q1; 139 Nguyen Trai, Q1; 36 Su Van Hanh, Q5; CRII, The Crescent, Q7; Shop & Go Store, RMIT University 702 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7 www.cosmolaundry.com Cosmo Laundry & Dry Cleaning offers professional and reliable laundry & dry cleaning services for executive officers, expatriates and business associations in Ho Chi Minh City.

MR CLEAN

16 Tran Khac Chan, Q1 Tel: 2218 8111 www.mrcleanvietnam.com Mr Clean offers dry cleaning and laundry services for everything from wedding and ball gowns, suede and leathers to suits, shirts and jackets, and handbags and luggage. Repairs and alterations and shoe cleaning are also available. Using an oil-based solvent to ensure longer lasting clean clothes, Mr Clean offers free pickup and delivery and same day service.

management, all the way through to the 12-month MBAs awarded by the Australian Institute of Business Administration.

knowledge management, developing marketing plans and business models, and assessing market opportunities.

Suite 605, Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3822 1717 www.vietnamlaws.com Australian law firm working in Asia for over 30 years. Besides providing the standard legal services to corporate clients, has an excellent website containing the Vietnam Laws Online Database English translations of over 3,000 Vietnamese laws. Also publishes a monthly Vietnam Legal Update.

G&H

EPINION

BAKER & MCKENZIE

RMIT

FRASERS INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS

XAGE CONSULTANCY

LEGAL SERVICES ALLENS ARTHUR ROBINSON

12th Floor, Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3829 5585 www.bakermckenzie.com Baker & McKenzie provide on–the–ground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating, negotiating and implementing projects in the country.

Unit 1501, 15th Floor, The Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3824 2733 www.frasersvn.com The first legal firm licensed as a foreign law company in Vietnam, Frasers provides legal advice on all areas of business and commerce within the country.

GIDE LOYRETTE NOUEL (GLN) A.A.R.P.I.

18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3823 8599 www.gide.com A leading international law firm with 19 offices worldwide including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam offices offer their clients (companies and international institutions) high quality services that combine legal expertise and a highly commercial approach to clients’ needs, across all sectors of business law.

6th Floor, Yoco Office Building, 41 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1 Tel: 3821 9919 www.ghmsglobal.com A 100% foreign–invested company focusing on management services and consulting with in–house programmes to meet the particular requirements of its clients.

Offers teambuilding and academic–based business and management programmes.

702 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7 Tel: 3776 1300 www.rmit.edu.vn A leading international provider of skills training and professional staff development. Well-known for their MBA programme which can be taken both part and full-time.

35A-1-2 Grandview, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 5412 3402 www.xageconsulting.com An international human resource management consultancy specialising in organisational and people development.

Services include: assessment / development centres, team building, corporate training, HRM audits and HR systems design.

MARKET RESEARCH CIMIGO

9 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3822 7727 www.cimigo.vn An independent marketing and brand research specialist operating in the Asia Pacific region. Services include auditing and optimising research programmes,

11th Floor, Dinh Le Building, 1 Dinh Le, Q4 Tel: 3826 8989 www.epinion.vn Epinion is a European market research and business intelligence company that operates the largest online panel in Vietnam and offers solutions in brand equity tracking, ad and TVC tests, retail feedback and employee satisfaction.

INDOCHINA RESEARCH

3rd Floor, 140 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1 Tel: 3823 6965 www.indochinaresearch.com Provides a regional perspective on consumer, retail and social research to a range of multinational organisations operating in Indochina.

MEKONG RESEARCH

91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 6258 6314 www.mekongresearch.com Providing business-to-business and industry market research since 1997. Clients include multinationals, investment funds and government commercial offices. Consulting services focus on market sizing, investment analysis, and trade promotion.

SYNOVATE VIETNAM

13th Floor, Room 1312, Khumho Asiana Plaza 39 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 6288 8785 www.synovate.com A global market research company that drives competitive brand, product and customer experience strategies.

With offices in 64 countries, Synovate combines global research capabilities with a personalised service, local knowledge and flexibility to meet clients’ specific requirements.

4th Floor, CMARD 2 Building 45 Dinh Tien Hoang, Ben Nghe Ward,District 1, HCMC Email: contact@vlstudies.com

INDOCHINE COUNSEL

Unit 4A2, 4th Floor, Han Nam Building, 65 Nguyen Du, Q1 Tel: 3823 9640 www.indochinecounsel.com A business law–focused practice established at the end of 2006, the firm assists both international and local clients in meeting the various legal needs related to their business and investment.

MAYER BROWN JSM

17th Floor, Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3822 8860 www.mayerbrownjsm.com Operating in Vietnam since 1994 with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the firm provides clients with the full range of legal services in all areas of business including corporate, real estate, banking and finance, and all forms of inward investment.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING BRAINBOX VIETNAM

5th & 6th Floor, Saigon Prime building, 107–109–111 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3 Tel: 6920 7405 www.brainboxvn.com An education and training firm with its HQ in Singapore that provides several business courses leading to internationally–recognised qualifications such as BAs, MBAs and doctorates.

ERC INSTITUTE VIETNAM

88 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan Tel: 6292 9288 www.erci.edu.vn Based in Singapore with campuses located throughout Southeast Asia, ERC offers a comprehensive range of business courses from soft skills development programmes and corporate training to bachelor programmes in finance, business management and tourism and hospitality

December 2011 The Word | 85

business NIELSEN

CentrePoint Building, Level 4, 106 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhan Tel: 3997 8088 http://vn.nielsen.com Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and related properties. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York and Diemen in the Netherlands.

TNS VIETNAM

105–107 Nguyen Cong Tru, Q1 Tel: 3821 5727 www.tnsglobal.com With over 11 years in the marketplace, TNS Vietnam offers all three major market research services — customised, access panels and media monitoring — to a range of local and international clients.

public relations MANDARIN MEDIA

www.mandarinmedia.net A public relations, marketing and IT company with offices in Saigon, Hue and Portland (USA). Led by a team of seasoned journalists, Mandarin Media generates news and features about your company in English–language newspapers and magazines worldwide.

MASS GROUP

30 Dang Tat, Q1 www.massogroup.com Provides professional marketing services and consulting for the Vietnamese market including integrated marketing communications, PR and brand–building consulting.

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business MATTERHORN COMMUNICATIONS

Level 5, 273-273B Ben Chuong Duong, Q1 Tel: 3838 5517 www.matterhorncommunications.com Providing public relations and communications support to international and local firms operating in Vietnam. Specialising in corporate communications, media relations, corporate social responsibility, and media and issues management and training.

tional, one of the world’s leading search groups, with over 30 offices worldwide.

recruitment & hr HR2B/TALENT RECRUITMENT JSC TOWERS WATSON VIETNAM 1st Floor, Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3. Tel: 3930 8800 www.hr2b.com Established in 2003, HR2B is currently one of the top three HR consulting firms in Vietnam, specialising in matching senior level professionals to top opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Other services include: payroll outsourcing, contract staffing and HR management consulting.

UNIVERSAL MANAGEMENT ASIA (UMA) MANPOWER VIETNAM 1201, Block A, Indochina Park Tower, 4 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1 Tel: 2220 2989 www.universalmanagementasia.com UMA is an Australian/Vietnamese promotional and representation company providing promotional marketing solutions for business products and services within Vietnam.

VERO PUBLIC RELATIONS

7th Floor, 5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 6291 0462 www.veropr.com Vero Public Relations helps clients expand their footprints in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand through effective public relations campaigns. Services offered include branding, media relations, event management, public affairs and issues/crisis management.

XPR BRAND COMMUNICATIONS

37 Dang Thi Nhu, Q1 el: 3821 0779 www.xpr.com.vn A complete range of services and facilities for advertisement campaigns and public relations in Vietnam.

8th Floor, Resco Building, 94-96 Nguyen Du, Q1 Tel: 3911 0950 www.manpower.com.vn Manpower is the first global recruitment company to set up locally. Offers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle.

MEKONG EMERALD TALENT

4th Floor, 8 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3820 3115. www.mekongem.com Provides a range of manpower services including executive search and selection, HR management and employment outsourcing. Works within a wide variety of industries.

NAVIGOS GROUP

130 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1. Tel: 3925 5000 www.navigosgroup.com Well–known human resources agency with a wide range of services including executive search and online recruitment.

OPUS VIETNAM RO

2A Rolanno Offices, 128 Nguyen Phi Khanh, Q1 Tel: 3827 8209. www.opusasia.net Established in Ho Chi Minh City in 2005, Opus services local and multinational companies seeking to recruit high quality personnel. An Associate of Horton Interna-

(formally Watson Wyatt and SMART HR) Suite 808, 8th Floor, Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3821 9488 www.towerwatson.com/vietnam The first and only global HR consulting firm fully operational in Vietnam. Services include executive compensation, talent management, employee rewards and surveys, HR effectiveness and technology, data services and total reward surveys.

VIETNAMWORKS.COM

130 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1 Tel: 5404 1373 www.vietnamworks.com Online jobsearch website with probably the best selection of jobs in Vietnam. Also contains sections with career tips, CV writing advice and information on training courses.

relocation & tracking agents ALLIED PICKFORDS 2nd Floor, 58 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3823 3454 www.alliedpickfords.com With more than 800 offices in over 45 countries, Allied Pickfords is one of the worldwide leaders in removal services.

In Vietnam, Allied also provides tailored relocation services.

ASIAN TIGERS TRANSPO INTERNATIONAL (VIETNAM) LTD.

2nd Floor, 216 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 Tel: 3930 9484 www.asiantigersgroup.com Asian Tigers are the largest regional move management specialists with partners all over the world, with services including door to door moving, housing and school

finding, local and office moves, and pet relocations.

CROWN RELOCATIONS

48A Huynh Man Dat, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 4237. www.crownrelo.com Crown Relocations services include expense management, policy consulting and programme administration, storage, transit protection and domestic and international transportation of household goods.

JVK INTERNATIONAL MOVERS

6th Floor, Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4, Tel: 3826 7655 www.jvkasia.com Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods, JVK is currently a leader in the field.

LOGICAL MOVES – VIETNAM

396/4 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4. Tel: 3941 5325 www.logicalmoves.net Specialists in international moves for household goods and used personal effects through our global partner network.

Also local, domestic and office moves.

Experts in exporting used scooters that do not have documentation. Email Chris Honor at chris@logicalmoves.net for further information.

RESIDENT VIETNAM

Tel: 2226 8855 www.residentvietnam.com Resident Vietnam is the first dedicated relocation company with 11 years of experience in Vietnam and provides full range of destination services, cross–cultural training and immigration management services.

tion services to, from and within Vietnam.

SEAL is also an accredited pet relocation agent.

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES 8th Floor, Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu, Q3 Tel: 3933 0065 www.santaferelo.com Santa Fe Relocation Services offers moving, home search, pet transport, orientation and immigration services. The only moving company to have ISO 9001 – 14001 certification in Vietnam.

serviced apartments CITYVIEW

12 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1 Tel: 3822 1111 www.cityview.com.vn Conveniently located only five minutes from downtown with 69 fully–furnished apartments. Facilities include a gym, a pool room, a kids playroom, restaurant and laundry.

JASMINE COURT

307/29 Nguyen Van Troi, Tan Binh www.jasminecourt.com.vn Located five minutes from Tan Son Nhat International Airport and 15 minutes from the city centre, Jasmine Court is a boutique property with only 12 apartments comprising one and two-bedroom suites of various sizes.

Amenities in each apartment include a 32” LCD TV, DVD player and audio system, in-room safe and wireless Internet with broadband connectivity, and a four-fixture en suite with shower.

SAIGON EXPRESS AGENCY LIMITED NORFOLK MANSION 7th Floor, 6-8 Doan Van Bo, Q4. Tel: 3826 8850 www.seal.com.vn SEAL offers a complete range of relocation services, including global and local reloca-

17–19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 3822 6111 www.norfolkmansion.com.vn Offers clients a wide choice of luxurious

December 2011 The Word | 87

destination

destination and modern furnished accommodation with attentive and discreet service.

Facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, sauna and steamroom, as well as two on-site restaurants — Shang Palace and Terrazzo Café.

Destination Listings dalat 088 hanoi 088 around hanoi 091 hcmc international 091 hcmc deluxe 092 hcmc mid-range 094 hcmc budget 094 hoi an & da nang 095 hue & quang binh 096 nha trang 096

RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS

53 Vo Truong Toan, Q2 Tel: 3744 4111 www.riverside–apartments.com Four–hectares of nature on the bank of the Saigon River where all can enjoy the lifestyle of a resort with all the luxury amenities of a fully serviced-apartment.

Located within minutes of the downtown area by high speed boat shuttle service.

SEDONA SUITES

65 Le Loi, Q1 Tel: 3822 9666 www.sedonahotels.com.sg Located in the centre of town above Saigon Center, 89 well–appointed one– to–three bedroom apartments come complete with full housekeeping services and fully–equipped kitchenettes. Have a range of residential facilities including a gym, squash court, business centre and Minimart.

SHERWOOD RESIDENCE

127 Pasteur, Q3 Tel: 3823 2288 www.sherwoodresidence.com Sherwood Residence is a luxurious serviced apartment property in Ho Chi Minh City and the first property certified by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Modern living spaces meet prime location, comfort and class with five–star facilities and service.

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LA SAPINETTE DALAT

TRUNG CANG HOTEL

$$$ 4 Phan Boi Chau, Dalat. Tel: 063 357 8888 www.bluemoonhotel.com.vn Ideally situated in the centre of Dalat, this hotel has 71 rooms, all with good views, and every modern amenity, including flatscreen TVs and DSL connections. Also has a heated swimming pool, gym, spa and reasonable prices to match.

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$$$$ 12 Tran Phu, Dalat. Tel: 063 382 5444 www.dalatpalace.vn Overlooking central Dalat, the Xuan Huong Lake and Liang Biang Mountain further afield, the city’s top and most classic

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HANOI BACKPACKERS’ HOSTEL

$ 48 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3828 5372 www.hanoibackpackershostel.com The cheapest European–style place in town, with bunk–style beds in mixed or single–sex dorms starting from VND120,000 a night plus a small selection of double and twin rooms for VND800,000. A place to meet like–minded travellers, also has a second hostel at 9 Ma May, Hoan Kiem (Tel: 04 3935 1890) close to all the latenight Old Quarter bars and eating spots.

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$$$$ 1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3933 0500 www.hilton.com Located next to the Opera House, this five–star is not to be confused with the famed “Hanoi Hilton” that once housed American POWs. Reproduction colonial architecture is matched by an elegant and spacious inside area. Has all the standard facilities of a top–end hotel as well as an attractive, courtyard pool area. Presently undergoing extensive renovation.

HONG NGOC HOTEL

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$$ 14 Luong Van Can, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 04 3826 7566 With four locations right in the Old Quarter, this is a good no–frills option close to Hoan Kiem Lake. Friendly staff can help you with any detail like renting a car, motorbike, or bicycle. Rooms are compact with small but clean bathrooms and all have the quality amenities of a proper hotel. Either ADSL or Wi–Fi connections available.

JOSEPH’S HOTEL

$$$ Lot X7, Le Duc Tho, My Dinh, Tu Liem, Hanoi Tel: 04 6270 6688 www.crowneplaza.com My Dinh’s first five-star property, this 24-storey, mixed use complex lies next to My Dinh National Stadium and close to the National Convention Centre. Boasting 393 guest rooms (including 40 suites), two swimming pools and a spa and fitness centre, Crowne Plaza also has some of the best meetings and conference facilities in town.

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$ 174 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat Tel: 063 3827 999 www.dalatgreencityhotel.com Located in the centre of town, the Dalat Green City Hotel is a no-frills budget option. Newly refurbished, the 12 guestrooms are basic but provide free Wi-Fi. A single room without breakfast barely dents the wallet at VND20,000 per night, while a double room is charged at VND250,000. Add breakfast and the rates are slightly higher. A coffee shop is located on the ground floor and the hotel offers airport pickup, bicycle rental, tour information, a laundry service and business centre. Guests also enjoy a 10 percent discount at V Café.

DALAT PALACE

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$ 4A Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat , Tel: 063 382 2663 www.thesinhtourist.vn You get door–to–door service from Saigon at this budget hotel – it has links with the Sinh Cafe people and this is where their bus stops. Apart from that convenience, it is a fairly basic place to rest those weary feet, but it’s right in the middle of town.

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$$$ 1 Phan Chu Trinh, Dalat, Tel: 3740 7512 www.lasapinette.com Situated in the centre of Dalat’s famous Liang Biang Plateau, La Sapinette is a first class hotel with traditional, French art nouveau-styled décor. Also has a modern commercial centre, complete with stateof-the art facilities, 91 rooms including one and two-bedroom apartments.

nal French colonial villas, rates start at just over VND 2 million++ and rise to over VND6 million++ per night. Top-notch services and facilities include a personal butler on call from 7am to 10pm, in-villa dining and the La Cochinchine Spa with a range of holistic and therapeutic treatments.

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151 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat , Tel: 063 383 3748 The excellent value at this small private hotel has made it justifiably popular.

You get a large room with cable TV, free breakfast and Internet access, starting from VND200,000 per night. The staff are friendly, too. Just round the corner are bike rentals (watch those hills) and other tour facilities.

artices destination Zero 090 travel notes 092 travel promos 094

$$$$ Le Lai, Dalat, Tel: 063 3555 888 www.anamandara-resort.com This luxurious and tranquil sanctuary of relaxation is nestled on the gentle and picturesque slopes of Vietnam’s rural highlands. Offering 65 rooms from 17 origi-

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5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3822 2098 www.thelandmarkvietnam.com 65 serviced apartmentsCREDIT located in the city centre overlooking the river. Also has a comprehensive health club for tenants and members, aCREDIT squash court and a 16th floor swimming pool.

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phan thiet & mui ne 097 phu quoc 098 sapa 098 vung tau, ho tram & con dao 099 travel services 099

dalat

$$$

8A Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1 Tel: 3822 8899 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1 Tel: 3822 9197 www.somerset.com Somerset Chancellor Court and Somerset Ho Chi Minh City serviced residences combine the space and privacy of an apartment with the services of a toprated hotel. They come with separate living and dining areas, as well as a fully equipped kitchen where guests can prepare a meal for themselves, their family CREDIT and friends.

hotel still maintains its original 1920s style and charm. Has 38 rooms and five suites, a gastronomic restaurant, a brasserie serving international and local cuisine, a piano bar, Larry’s Bar in the basement and five meeting rooms.

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$$ 5 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 04 3938 1048 info@josephshotel.com Just on the side of beautiful St. Joseph’s Ca-

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thedral, this is a good, comfortable mid–range hotel. Each of the 10 rooms is fitted with cable television, Wi–Fi and a mini bar. The staff is quite helpful and can arrange tours and tickets to many destinations surrounding Hanoi. With room fees starting at $40 a night, and topping out at $50, the small boutique– style hotel offers quite a deal.

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$$ 17A Pham Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh, Hanoi Tel: 3734 9988, www.marigoldhotelhanoi.com Located only 50 meters away from Hang Cot, the newly built Marigold Hotel Hanoi elegantly combines traditional Vietnamese architecture with a modernised classic facade. The Mimosa Wine Bar & Pub, an Irish bar complete with nightly live Irish music, is located on the top floor, providing excellent views of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

MAISON D’HANOI HANOVA HOTEL

$$$ 35-37 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 0999 www.hanovahotel.com Just a short walk from Hoan Kiem lake, Maison d’Hanoi provides an elegant respite from the traffic and noise of the city.

They have 33 comfortable guest rooms, 18 deluxe, and four luxurious suites. All rooms have Wi–Fi access, and the cozy lobby has both a gallery and a piano bar.

Prices range from VND2.4 million for a guest room to VND4.4 million for a suite.

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$$$$ 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 www.sofitel.com The finest hotel of the French colonial period is probably still the finest in today’s Hanoi. Anyone who is (or was) anyone has stayed at this elegant oasis of charm, where the service is impeccable and the luxurious facilities complement the ambience of a bygone era. Definitely the place to put the Comtessa up for a night.

TROPICAL HIDEAWAY

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$$$$ 51 Xuan Dieu, Quang An, Q Tay Ho Tel: 04 3719 8877, Fax: 04 3719 8811 www.hanoi.frasershospitality.com Strategically located in the Syrena Centre on Xuan Dieu, Fraser Suites is ideal for expatriates who desire a home close to work, and yet offers repose from the bustle of the city. The gold–standard serviced residence is in the Westlake district, an enclave preferred by foreign executives and their families and close to a good selection of quality restaurants, gourmet food shops and decent bars.

Tropical hideaway at Chen Sea Resort & Spa Phu Quoc starts from VND4.222.000++ Head to the island paradise of Phu Quoc and indulge in exotic luxury and absolute tranquillity right on a fantastic beach.

Be it a blissful experience at our heavenly spa, exquisite barefoot dining or a rather active holidays featuring water sports and great diving, couples and families will find what they are longing for.

Travel before 31 March 2012 to qualify for a special rate of VND4.222.000++ per night in a Sea View Villa* including daily breakfast and complimentary roundtrip airport transfer.

Mention this advertisement code at time of booking (CPV-S11-2) and enjoy a complimentary set dinner on us. * conditions apply

Please contact us at: T +84 8 38723 655, +84 773 995 895 F +84 773 995 896 E cpv@chr.co.th www.centarahotelsresorts.com

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destination AROUND HANOI BHAYA CRUISES, HALONG BAY

DESTINATION ZERO Manila Moments Meeting and eating in the capital of The Philippines — words and photos by Anemi Wick

corners of the country. That’s where we had grilled chicken bowel pierced on a skewer in squiggles.

While eating it, I had to laugh slightly at my thoughts about what exactly was inside the intestine. But they get cleaned and sometimes boiled before they are grilled.

They were a little chewy, similar to squid, but without that squid taste.

There are many more interesting types of street food to explore. Some with funny shapes, and some with funny names. Such as ‘adidas’, or chicken feet.

Grilled chicken heads are called ‘helmets’ and ‘betamax’ is curdled blood.

IF YOU LIKE CITIES, YOU’LL LOVE MANILA. It’s huge and colorful, rich and poor, chaotic, modern, religious and sinful.

Try to be reluctant and it will flirt with you until you give in.

I liked everyone I met. It started with the first smiley “good morning ma’am” from the customs officer at the airport.

But it’s not just the simple things — here are four more of my favourite Manila moments from my first visit.

EATING DUCK EMBRYOS They were once featured in the American stunt show Fear Factor but in The Philippines, they are just a snack: fertilised duck eggs, boiled on the 17th day, called ‘balut’. They are also found in Vietnam, known as hot vit lon.

But in the Philippines they seem to be somehow more obvious. On a late Saturday night I sat down at a tiny food stall on the always-busy Adriatico Street in Malate and saw a big styrofoam container with “balut” written on it. Alex, the vendor, looked at me,

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laughed, and said, “Never in ten years have I seen a westerner eating a balut”.

I cracked open the top, sprinkled in some salt and slurped out the juice, which tastes like chicken broth. Then I peeled it a little more. Ate the yolk, which is covered with dark pink veins. The embryo usually appears as a vague grayish chunk but sometimes, if you get one on the more mature side, also includes the beak, eyes, feet and the feathers. I could feel my heart beating faster when I took the first bite. Surprisingly, it didn’t have much of a consistency. It’s all soft and tastes like a hard-boiled egg.

“It’s good for your health, it makes you strong,” said Alex. “And it’s good for couples.” Balut is believed to be an aphrodisiac.

AND CHICKEN GUTS My friend Lawrence introduced me to ‘isaw’. He showed me the Tiendesitas complex — a place in Pasig that looks like a food fair and gives you a quick overview of culinary specialties from all

MEETING CARLOS But I was ready for a Manila experience that wouldn’t only involve eating stunts.

I rarely join organised city tours but the ‘Walk this Way’ tour sounded promising — you get to meet Carlos Celdran, a tour guide, performing artist, activist and reproductive health advocate who was once arrested for disrupting a Catholic mass; a celebrity among all who know.

I joined his ‘If these walls could talk’ tour. During the one-man-show, we followed him through Intramuros, the oldest district of the city. His breathtaking gallop through the country’s past turned out to be the most entertaining history lessons I’ve had yet. It’s not a tour, it’s a walking performance, with the historic walls becoming the scenery. Some minimal props are involved but the real special effect is Celdran himself. He turns the history of The Philippines into a comedy, a fast paced action cartoon and a compelling drama: the Spanish area with the friars ruling, the American area and the sad story of the Battle of Manila, when the city was bombed and destroyed during World War II. And in case it wasn’t there yet, Celdran talks his country right into your heart. You will

leave madly in love, vowing to come back again and again.

AND THE HOBBITS Likewise with the ‘Hobbit House’. Later on at night, in downtown Manila, when I stepped into the dark, candle-lit J.R.R. Tolkien themed bar on M.H. del Pilar Street, it was like diving into a fantasy world. A dream of peaceful happiness.

But then I woke up and found that this place was making a difference in the real world.

The live music bar that claims to have “the smallest waiters in the world” is run and staffed by little people. It has been there for a long time, since 1973, when former Peace Corps volunteer Jim Turner from Iowa opened its doors.

All he wanted was to hire two little people to work as doormen. But then little people from all over the country came and asked him for work. Now 15 hobbits run the bar, with the doorman being the smallest. In a country where there was no association for little people whatsoever, Turner gave them not only a job, but also a place that unites them and gives them something to be proud of. Some are second generation.

Jim Turner, now 71 years-old, gave the ownership of the bar to the hobbits — who, for the record, prefer to be called ‘hobbits’ over ‘midgets’ or ‘dwarfs’ — a long time ago. He still visits the venue as a guest and good friend, and every night he props up the bar joking with the staff.

“They’re like my children”, he said.

I stayed until the bar closed at 2am.

It was great fun, listening to their stories. If you ever make it to Manila, stop by and hang out with Jim and the hobbits. Say hello for me, and tell them that I miss them. And that I miss these Manila moments.

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$$$ 52 Hang Trong, Hanoi Tel: 04 3944 6777 (Sales Office) 194 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Q3 Tel: 3933 0077 (Sales Office) www.bhayacruises.com Bhaya combines oriental style with contemporary luxury, offering tours of beautiful Halong Bay aboard reproduction wooden junks. Two or three–night trips are available and customers have a wide range of cabin styles to choose from: standard, deluxe or royal.

CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK

$ Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh Binh Tel: 030 384 8006, www.cucphuongtourism.com Vietnam’s first national park and home to the well-known national primate centre, the accommodation here is in modern rooms, stilt houses or detached bungalows.

Includes basic amenities and comforts in proportion to prices, which range from VND100,000 to VND500,000 per night. Rooms are available at park headquarters, the park centre and on the road linking the two.

EMERAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES, HALONG BAY

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$$$$ Tel: 04 3934 0888, www.emeraude–cruises.com This comfortable yet accurate reproduction of a 19th–century paddle steamer trawls around Halong Bay in colonial style, with onboard overnight accommodation in small but impeccably maintained cabins.

They also offer transfers from Hanoi itself.

A great, classic experience.

LA FERME DU COLVERT

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$$ Cu Yen, Luong Son, Hoa Binh. Tel: 018 382 5662 www.vietnam–aventure.com This eco–village in Hoa Binh caters to visi-

tors in search of nature. 30 rooms of varying design in 10 houses are surrounded by rice fields, lakes and hills. Has its own spa and restaurant.

LA VIE VU LINH

$ Ngoi Tu Village, Vu Linh, Yen Bai Tel: 04 3926 2743 (Freewheelin’ Tours) info@freewheelin-tours.com www.lavievulinh.com Located 170km northwest of Hanoi and on the banks of Thac Ba Lake, this bambooconstructed eco lodge close to Yen Bai is situated in one of the most tranquil and visually stimulating areas in Vietnam. Set in a Dao Quan Trang ethnic minority village, accommodation is either in the main stilt-house area or in the rammed earth rooms and starts at VND250,000 per night.

Offers a whole host of activities including lake cruises, mountain biking, motorbike tours and walking trips into the surrounding mountains.

MAI CHAU LODGE

beachfront Novotel Ha Long Bay is in close proximity to major attractions such as bay cruises and local markets. Featuring 214 rooms, one restaurant, two bars and one professional spa with seven treatment rooms, Novotel Ha Long Bay enjoys impressive panoramic vistas, including the pool with swim-up bar overlooking the limestone bay. Ideal for business travel or family holidays.

HCMC INTERNATIONAL CARAVELLE HOTEL

floors up and Qi salon and spa.

DUXTON HOTEL

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$$$ 63 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: 3822 2999 www.duxtonhotels.com Right in the middle of town, the Duxton deserves its luxury appellation with all the features the tired business executive needs including pool, gym, spa, bar and fine dining. The rooms and suites are luxurious. Famous for its day–long rotating–menu buffets.

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$$$$ 19 Lam Son Square, Q1 www.caravellehotel.com The only hotel in Vietnam to make the Robb Report’s 2006 list of the world’s top 100 luxury hotels. Facilities include the popular ninth–floor Saigon Saigon bar, Nineteen and Reflections restaurants, Club Vegas for a flutter, a swimming pool seven

EQUATORIAL

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$$$ 242 Tran Binh Trong, Q5 ,Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm Only a ten-minute drive from downtown Saigon, this big and businesslike property boasts seven dining and entertainment outlets, a business centre, meeting and function rooms and a comprehensive fit-

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$$$ Mai Chau Town, Hoa Binh Tel: 0218 386 8959 www.maichaulodge.com Located in a lush valley home to indigenous Vietnamese minority groups, the Buffalo Tours-owned lodge is a luxurious alternative to the stilt house homestay accommodation offered close by. Has all the usual western amenities in a beautiful setting and every room has a view of either the mountain, lake, pool or valley.

NOVOTEL HA LONG BAY

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$$ Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Tel: 03 3384 8108 www.novotelhalong.com Located three hours from Hanoi, the

Viet Nam Phan Thiet - Mui Ne Bay Tel.: +(84) 62 384 71 11 / 2 Fax.: +(84) 62 384 71 15

paradise@cocobeach.net www.cocobeach.net

Joseph’s Hotel Foreign-run,boutique hotel Next to the cathedral

Free wi-fi, international breakfast, spacious and airy, lift, plasma TV, multi-shower, friendly service www.josephshotel.com 5, Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi | Phone: 04 3938 1048 | Mob: 0913 090 446

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TRAVEL NOTES The New Seven Wonders — Who Cares?

Photo and words by Tim Russell

ness centre and spa. Also has some of the biggest banquet facilities in the city and an on-site casino.

LEGEND HOTEL

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$$$$ 2A–4A Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: 3823 3333 www.legendsaigon.com You’ll notice the difference when you first enter the lobby here – the architect was in serious atrium mode when he drew up the design. There’s no shortage of space in the rooms, either, and a fine selection of dining, from buffets (the atrium again), to Chinese, Japanese and western.

MOEVENPICK HOTEL SAIGON

$$$$ 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222 www.movenpick-hotels.com Located a stone’s throw away from Tan Son Nhat International Airport, this tastefully decorated Swiss-run hotel possesses 278 well appointed rooms and suites, five restaurants and bars, meeting and banquet facilities. The shopping arcade, and popular e-gaming centre make this a preferred option for both business and leisure travellers.

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be on a list that isn’t even officially recognised. I wonder if Vietnam, with its annual tourism marketing budget of just US$1.5million, is going to shell out that kind of money? I hope not.

And what’s that about it not being officially recognised? Well, UNESCO certainly don’t think so and have distanced themselves from it, claiming it’s just about media hype rather than actual environmental protection. Will any of the above money be put back into infrastructure & preservation schemes? I doubt it.

Thirdly, Vietnam itself resorted to various shady tricks in order to get Halong Bay on the list, with one company in particular requiring its staff to send 100 SMS votes each, threatening them with the sack if they didn’t vote.

So, basically, who gives a damn? The campaign doesn’t seem to have generated that much publicity outside the participating countries, and clearly has very little credibility.

Vietnam would be better off spending its time, money and effort on cleaning up Halong Bay, educating its local people about business ethics, pollution and environmental preservation, and closely monitoring safety standards on its boats, rather than engaging in pointless cosmetic exercises like this.

PARK HYATT

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$$$$ 2 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com Fabulous–looking hotel in a prime location, with an attractive lobby bar and all the attention to detail you would expect from the Hyatt. But wait, there’s more. The Square One restaurant has garnered an excellent reputation as has the ground floor Italian-themed Opera, and Xuan Spa by the landscaped pool is unbeatable.

RENAISSANCE RIVERSIDE

$$$$ 8–15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: 3822 0033 www.renaissance–saigon.com If you’ve never swum in a pool 21 floors up, you could rectify that at this luxury hotel by the Saigon River. As you would expect from a Marriott property, there’s plenty more here to appreciate – the full range of fitness, spa and business facilities plus Kabin, one of the best–regarded Chinese restaurants in the city.

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$$$$ 76 Le Lai, Q1. Tel: 3822 8888 www.newworldsaigon.com Its list of former guests ranges from U.S. presidents – two Bushes, one Clinton – to Korean teeny bop sensation Bi Rain. If

THIS WEEK, VIETNAM’S MEDIA HAS been full of self-congratulatory articles about Halong Bay being named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. People genuinely seem to believe that the award will lead to a huge spurt in tourism and really put Vietnam as a whole on the world tourism map.

But some people, myself included, have smelled a rat.

Firstly, Halong Bay’s status on the list is only temporary, with the final list to be announced next year. Why? Well, if tourism officials in the Maldives are to be believed, the whole campaign is just a moneymaking scam for the organisers. Following their own nomination, the Maldives claim they were asked to cough up the following: • US$350,000 for a platinum level sponsorship licensing fee • Two US$210,000 requests for gold level licensing fees • A US$1million license fee to put the New 7 Wonders of Nature logo on planes • AUS$1million license fee for their national telecom operator to participate for allowing phone voting and • A request for a ‘World Tour’ stop in the Maldives for the New 7 Wonders delegates to party and enjoy the country at a cost of US$500,000 That’s over US$3million, just to

Knut the polar bear came to town, he’d probably stay here. It’s an ongoing event as well as a hotel. Fends off newer, glitzier competitors to hold its place as one of the best luxury stops in town

ECO-LODGES Looking to increase your greenness and lessen your carbon footprint when travelling through Vietnam? These eco-lodges offer environmentally friendly alternatives to standard hotels and resorts

BLOOM MICROVENTURES Soc Son Tel: 0164 3876 594 (Lain) www.bloom-microventures.org/vietnam

REX HOTEL

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$$$$ 141 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: 3829 2185 www.rexhotelvietnam.com Brimming with history and still possessing a certain fading charm, the Rex is now mainly populated by tour groups, while for the independent traveller it has been comprehensively overtaken in value terms. But its open–air fifth–floor bar is still one of the must–do experiences of the city, and there is now a great gym and spa area on the sixth floor as well.

A recent renovation and the addition of the new wing has seen the entry of the top-end designer brands to the shopping arcade of this now five-star property.

SHERATON

Nha Trang Tel: 05 8362 2384 www.junglebeachvietnam.com

LA VIE VU LINH

SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA

FOREST FLOOR LODGE

JUNGLE BEACH

Ong lang Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 07 7398 1693 www.mangobayphuquoc.com

$$$$ 17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: 3824 1555 www.sofitel.com The Sofitel Saigon Plaza is the ultimate in French lifestyle, comfort and convenience.

This 20–story building in downtown Saigon caters to upscale business and leisure travellers seeking a classic yet contemporary stay in Saigon.

MEKONG LODGE

WINDSOR PLAZA

Yen Bai Tel: 04 3926 2743 www.lavievulinh.com

MANGO BAY

An Hoa, Dong Hoa Hiep, Cai Be, Tien Giang Tel: 3811 4863 www.mekonglodge.com

MIA NHA TRANG Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong, Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa Tel: 0918 821 633 www.mianhatrang.com

PAN HOU ECO LODGE VILLAGE RESORT Ha Giang Tel: 0219 38 33 3565 www.panhou-village.com

SIX SENSES NINH VAN BAY Ninh Van bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa Tel: 05 8372 8222 www.sixsenses.com

marks, shops, restaurants and international companies, Norfolk Hotel is a good choice for buisness and leisure travellers.

Recently renovated the sleek new design is reflected in the lobby space and in their ground floor bar and steakhouse, Corso.

MA MAISON BOUTIQUE HOTEL

$$$ 323 Le Van Sy, Q3, Tel: 3843 9999 reservation@ramanasaigon.com www.ramanasaigon.com A four–star business class hotel, The Ramana boasts 293 guestrooms and suites and offers a complete range of service facilities including a business centre, a well–equipped fitness room, an outdoor swimming pool and the Sawasdee Health Club. The hotel is situated in District 3 – an area of Ho Chi Minh City only 2km from the city centre and 3km from the airport.

$$$ 648/65 Cach Mang Thang 8, Q3 Tel: 3846 0263 hotel@mamaison.vn Just a short alley from the Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Ma Maison Boutique Hotel caters to demanding clients of both long–term expats and French art aficionados. The hotel features 12 luxurious rooms designed to capture the warmth of the French countryside. Little Bistro Restaurant serves Asian and European signature dishes for in–house guests on a French farmhouse wood table surrounded by modern leather and ladder–back chairs.

Ma Maison provides full services– business centre, internet, housekeeping, laundry, room service and limousine.

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$$$ 1 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 3829 5517 www.majesticsaigon.com.vn This hotel makes you think of words like classic, traditional, vintage and colonial.

Overlooking the Saigon River, and recently renovated to international standard, it retains a unique atmosphere which makes it especially memorable for newcomers to the city. The rest of us just take advantage of its cheap buffet lunches.

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$$$ 117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3829 5368 info@norfolkhotel.com.vn www.norfolkhotel.com.vn Located minutes away from famous land-

RAMANA HOTEL

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$$$ R3–60 Hung Gia 4, Phu My Hung, Q7 Tel: 5416 1000 www.sabena.vn Located on a quiet, tree–lined street in Phu My Hung, the brand–new rooms at Sabena are equipped with all the latest in–room technology perfect for making your room a combined office and home away from home. A good choice for anyone seeking accommodation away from downtown Saigon.

STAR CITY SAIGON HOTEL

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$$$ 144 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3999 8888 www.starcitysaigon.vn A brand new hotel located near Tan Son Nhat International Airport with 185 guest rooms each with city views and comfortably designed outdoor swimming pool, spa, fitness centre, restaurant, bars and meeting rooms that cater to 400 people.

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$$$$ 88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: 3827 2828 www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton has bagged one of the best locations in town and made the most of it, with its usual mix of luxurious rooms and first–class facilities topped by an open–air restaurant 23 floors above the city and a live music venue on the same floor. The conference and business facilities are unmatched – the enormous ballroom is just one of 17 meeting venues.

Cat Tien National Park, Tan Phu, Dong Nai Tel: 06 1366 9890 www.vietnamforesthotel.com

hotel with huge old rooms stands at the absolute centre of town and is the most classic of the Saigon Tourist chain. Hard to beat on charm, and a favourite with tour groups, this would be one of your first choices if you wanted to impress a newcomer to the city.

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$$$ 18 An Duong Vuong, Q5, Tel: 3833 6688 services@windsorplazahotel.com www.windsorplazahotel.com Definitely the hotel with the most – its own shopping hub (including a bank), the city’s second biggest discotheque, several restaurants, a sauna, health club and business facilities, and superb panoramic views over the city when you take time off from all the other activities and make it back to your room.

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$$$ 132–134 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: 3829 9201 www.continental–saigon.com Fêted in literature and film, this huge old

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destination HCMC MID-RANGE Kim Do Royal CiTy HoTel

travel PrOMOS SUNRISE NHA TRANG BEACH HOTEL & SPA Enjoy Christmas at the Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa with their ‘Delightful Christmas Package’ which includes a two-night stay for a couple or family in a range of accommodation, a Christmas Eve dinner, a bottle of champagne and gift delivered to your room, as well as a free daily buffet breakfast, WiFi, round-trip airport transfer, and a 10 percent discount on the hotel’s spa services. The package price ranges from VND8,358,000++/Superior Room, to VND8,988,000++/Deuxe Room and VND10,248,000++/Sunrise Club Suite, and the promotion is valid until Dec. 28. Additional nights will be discounted by 10 percent against the internet rate.

For more information, call 058 382 0999 or email info@sunrisenhatrang. com.vn

bookings of a 2-night minimum stay in a superior room only at Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa, until Dec. 22.

Also, at Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa, guests can enjoy a cool getaway to the Alps of Tonkin at only VND5,460,000++ person. The package includes a roundtrip ticket on the Victoria Express NOVOTEL NHA TRANG Train in a superior cabin (4-berth, The resort’s Vous Spa is offering a sharing with others, 2 nights on the Christmas promotion this month. train), one night at Victoria Sapa Buy one package, including a full Resort & Spa in a superior room with body massage and facial with herbal daily buffet breakfast for two, one compress, and receive either a body scrub, foot reflexology or scalp massage complimentary 60-minute Victoria massage for two, and one set lunch for for free. Priced at VND1,400,000 per two. Rates are valid until Dec. 31. package, this offer is valid from Dec. For more information, visit www.

1 to Dec. 31. Also, specifically for this victoriahotels-asia.com month only, guests of Vous Spa will receive a Christmas gift.

STAR CITY For more information, visit www.

The Christmas time special novotel-nhatrang.com promotion includes a deluxe room at VND1,890,000++ per room per night BUFFALO TOURS and a junior suite at VND2,100,000++ Need some inspiration on planning per room per night. Benefits such as your Christmas break or New Year one night luxury accommodation with celebrations? Why not visit New York breakfast, cocktail of the night at Vino and watch the famous ball drop in Veritas bar and late checkout until Times Square or immerse yourself 3pm (upon availability). This offer is in the lush tropical islands of the valid from Dec. 1 to Dec. 25.

Philippines and witness spectacular Their last-minute weekend coral and marine life. Let Buffalo Tours Agency help you celebrate the festive package includes a deluxe room priced at VND1,533,000++ (single/ season and ring in the New Year! For double) and an executive deluxe room more information and to find out at VND1,890,000++ (single/double). about their flight deals, visit Buffalo Complimentary WiFi or broadband Tours Agency at 81 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1. access in room or business centre, Tel: 3827 9170 free parking, discounts on spa and lifestyle salon, and free 10-minute VICTORIA HOTELS & RESORTS foot massage included. Executive floor Enjoy a 10 percent discount on any

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$$ 133 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: 3822 5914 www.kimdohotel.com You’ll never have trouble finding your way back here at night – perched on one of the city’s major boulevards, the exterior is brightly lit and the interior follows suit.

A quality venue where no amenities are lacking – we’re talking executive Jacuzzis here. Use internet bookings to slash the cost of your room.

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benefits also include a welcome fruit basket and all-day refreshments and evening snacks at the Piano Lounge.

The offer is valid for arrivals from Sat to Sun and for new bookings only, up to Dec. 31.

For more information, call 3999 8888 or visit www.starcitysaigon.vn

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CARAVELLE The hotel is offering a festive room package of VND2,630,000++ (single/ double) per deluxe room per night, valid from Dec. 16, to Jan. 2, 2012.

Indulge in a sumptuous treat of Christmas goodies and join in the festivities at the lobby as the voices of Saigon Children’s Charity Choir sing Christmas Carols from Dec. 20 to Dec. 25 from 3pm to 5pm. The hotel’s festive afternoon high tea menu, which runs from Dec. 3 to Dec. 23, at the Lobby Lounge from 2.30pm to 5.30pm, includes orange scones with whipped cream and strawberry preserves, traditional English baked minced beef pie in golden crust, Dresdner Christmas stollen, assorted Christmas cookies and Christmas fruit cake.

From Dec. 24 to Dec. 31, the hotel’s Saigon Saigon Bar is taking on Cuban street festival vibe with a week-long party to celebrate the end of the year, complete with potent cocktails, feathered costumes, samba dancers and non-stop music. The Carnival Party will so feature music by Cuban bands Luna Negra and Warapo.

For more information, call 3824 7155 or email fbd@caravellehotel.vnn.vn.

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$$$$ 68 Ho Xuan Huong, Danang Tel: 3821 1888 (HCMC office) www.furamavietnam.com Among the first resorts to open in the country, this venue still scores highly because of its stunning beachside location allied to some indulgent touches – the smallest room measures 40 square metres – and a general air of refined luxury, as typified by the Cafe Indochine restaurant and the Lagoon poolside bar.

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le Domaine De Tam Hai

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$$$ Tam Hai Island, Thon 4, Nui Thanh, Quang Nam Tel: 0510 354 5105 www.domainedetamhai.com Located to the south of Hoi An, if you’re looking for something a bit different, the secluded sand island of Tam Hai, with just a dozen traditional–looking (but modern) villas with private gardens and true tropical ambience may be the answer. There is an endless beach, a swimming pool, and a restaurant to take advantage of the fresh seafood.

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$$$$ Truong Sa, Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang Tel: 511 3958 888 www.lifestyle-resort-danang.com Located on Bac My An Beach, Lifestyle Resort Da Nang is family-friendly resort.

The design of the guest rooms and amenities, quality of the food, ambience of the bar and restaurant and the dedication of service of the resort’s staff has all been carefully designed to immerse guests in luxury and seclusion.

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For starters, diners can choose Pan-Roasted Foie Gras with Salad, Red Capsicum Sauce and Baked Dark Chocolate, or King Prawns and Avocado Salad tossed with American Cocktail Sauce. Main dishes ranging from Traditional roasted Tom Turkey Breast… to Australian Beef Sirloin Steak with Ruby Wine Sauce… are favorite with those who have already enjoyed this mouthwatering spread.

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$ 185/28 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Tel: 3836 1915 It’s always hard to get a room here without booking, and no wonder, since this tucked–away little venue is on a par with anything else in the area – attractive, comfortable, friendly and more. Plus there is free Internet access.

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Christmas and New Year dining at Corso Steakhouse & Bar is also a dazzling experience as we present glorious 5-course menu of festive especially prepared by our experienced executive chef Nguyen Quoc Dung.

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$ 171A Co Bac, Q1 Tel: 3837 8885 A place for exchanging views as well as sleeping, with its communal kitchen and TV room, this venue ticks all the right boxes when it comes to comfort, cleanliness and amenities. A stay here will make you appreciate the pleasure of being a guest rather than just a customer.

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$$$$ Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang Tel: 0511 398 1234 www.danang.regency.hyatt.com Located 15 minutes by car from Da Nang International Airport, the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa is situated on a stretch of beach with a view of the ocean and the Marble Mountains. Has 200 guestrooms featuring modern designs with oversized balconies and floor to ceiling windows. There are 182 luxurious residences and 27 private Ocean Villas, each with a private pool.

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$ 167 Pham Ngu Lao Q1 Tel: 8373 699 A place for exchanging views as well as sleeping, with its communal kitchen and TV room, this venue ticks all the right boxes when it comes to comfort, cleanliness and amenities. A stay here will make you appreciate the pleasure of being a guest rather than just a customer.

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$ 73 Phan Boi Chau, Hoi An, Tel: 0510 386 1453 Boasts that it is just 0.025km from the city centre, which translates into being an excellent base for exploring the old town.

Added to that, you get simple and com-

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$ 195 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3920 6992 www.ducvuonghotel.com You’ll need your laptop to take advantage of the free Wi–Fi offered in every room and you’ll probably be impressed with the low price, friendly welcome and well–appointed, clean rooms. A modern oasis just a few steps from the street–level mayhem of the backpacker area.

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$$ 195 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2, Tel: 3744 2222 www.thaodienvillage.com A colonial–style boutique hotel and spa with fine dining and spacious gardens on the bank of the Saigon River. Located in Thao Dien Village, also has a number of restaurants on hand including an Italian, Thai and Japanese.

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$$$ Son Tra – Dien Ngoc, Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son, Danang Tel: 0511 3961 800 www.danangbeachresort.com.vn This resort, 20 minutes away from the airport in Danang, comprises six areas of villas with beachfront, golf and mountain views, a 33–floor twin tower, three five–star hotels, a convention and commercial centre, a 36– hole golf course and a culture village.

$$$ 46 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1, Tel: 3822 7926 www.lanlanhotel.com.vn You can’t get much more central than Ben Thanh Market and this modern hotel (one of many in the area) offers every amenity you would expect from a mid–range hotel while keeping its prices close to budget level. The staff are friendly and helpful.

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$ 18A Cua Dai, Hoi An Tel: 0510 386 2231 Pleasant, small, family–run hotel with a spacious and faintly colonial air located between the town and the beach, with comfortable air–conditioned rooms and amiable staff.

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fortable rooms for around VND400,000.

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$ 157 Nguyen Du Q1, Tel: 3827 4648 Take advantage of the free WiFi offered in every room at this venue where you’ll be impressed with the low prices, friendly welcome and well–appointed, clean rooms. A modern oasis just a few minutes from the street–level mayhem of the Backpackers’ area.

Dining at Corso Steakhouse & Bar with the view of romantic candle lights in a relaxing atmosphere will bring you a memorable experience on this special occasion.

Ground Floor - NORFOLK HOTEL 117 Le Thanh To T n St, Dist. 1, HCMC, Vietnam TTel: (84-8) 3829 5368 Ext. 6614 - Fax: (84-8) 3829 3415 Email: corso@norfolkhotel.com.vn Website: www.norfolkhotel.com.vn Managed by Norfolk Group

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AIRLINES An Phu

LIFE RESORT HOI AN

$$$ 1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 391 4555 www.life–resorts.com Recently refurbished, this award–winning leafy and well-appointed resort is located close to the charm and bustle of the Old Town and maintains an emphasis on wellness and pampering. Its spa combines the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, tai chi, touch and hot stone therapies.

THE NAM HAI AIR ASIA www.airasia.com

AIR FRANCE 130 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3825 8583 www.airfrance.com.vn

AIR MEKONG 1st Floor, Centre Point Building, 106 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3846 3999 www.airmekong.com.vn

AMERICAN AIRLINES 194 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 Tel: 3933 0330. www.aa.com

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$$$$ Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village, Quang Nam Tel: 0510 394 0000. www.ghmhotels.com Setting the standard for luxury resorts in Vietnam, The Nam Hai is the ultimate relaxation space. Includes three massive swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant spa on a lotus pond. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Each massive room comes with its own espresso machine, pre–programmed iPod and both indoor and outdoor showers. Entire villas, spa villas and pool villas complexes are also available for rent and each villa has a view of the sea. A great place to forget about the city.

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Cua Dai Beach Tel: 0510 392 7040 .www.victoriahotels.asia Pull up some (private) beach and relax at

this unique and charming resort, which has been laid out to replicate a traditional fishing village with small streets, ponds and village houses. The Annam Asian restaurant overlooks the sea, there’s also a spa, Thai or Swedish massage, and fitness centre.

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$$ 10 Pham Ngu Lao, Hue, Tel: 054 382 6567 www.hanoibackpackershostel.com Housed in a breezy, colonial villa, this is the cheapest European–style place in town. Has bunk–style beds in mixed or single–sex dorms starting from VND120,000 a night plus a small selection of double and twin rooms for VND800,000. A place to meet like–minded travellers.

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$$$ 10 Hung Vuong, Hue Tel: 054 388 2222 www.imperial–hotel.com.vn One of the best hotels in the city, and certainly in the most convenient downtown location, this high–rise hotel has luxurious rooms with great city views, a selection of restaurants, a piano bar and the sumptuous Royal Spa. You can even hire your own butler. Internet rates start at VND2.4 million++ for a deluxe city view room.

LA RESIDENCE

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37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3911 1591 www.china-airlines.com

$$$$ 5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: 054 383 7475 www.la–residence–hue.com Built around a core of the former colonial governor’s mansion, and maintained in a nautical modern style, this is one of Hue’s unique experiences.

With ceiling fans and dark–stained wood furnishings, this is traditional art deco Indochine at its best. Throw in an excellent restaurant with river views and you have a heady mix.

EVA AIRWAYS

PHUONG HOANG HOTEL

CATHAY PACIFIC 5th Floor, Centec Tower, 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 Tel: 3822 3203 www.cathaypacific.com/vn

BIKE RENTALS

CHINA AIRLINES

4th Floor, 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3822 4488. www.evaair.com

JAPAN AIRLINES

CHI’S CAFÉ

3rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3821 9098. www.vn.jal.com

40/27 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 0903 643446

JETSTAR PACIFIC www.jetstar.com/vn

KOREAN AIR 34 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3824 2878 www.koreanair.com

On offer are automatic bikes for VND1,575,000/month and standard bikes for VND1,050,000/month.

Bikes are well-maintained and staff helps with any difficulties bike may encounter.

NATALIE’S BIKE RENTALS Tel: 0979 992983

LAO AIRLINES 93 Pasteur. Tel: 3822 6990 www.laoairlines.com

MALAYSIA AIRLINES Ground Floor, Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Đuc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3829 2529 www.malaysiaairlines.com

SINGAPORE AIRLINES Saigon Tower Bulding, Room 101, 29 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3823 1588 www.singaporeair.com

THAI AIRWAYS 29 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3822 3365 www.thaiairways.com.vn

TIGER AIRWAYS www.tigerairways.com

VIETNAM AIRLINES 27B Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1. Tel: 3832 0320 www.vietnamairlines.com

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Good selection of standard and automatic bikes. Bike delivery available for drop-off and pick-up.

SAIGON MOTORBIKE 203 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 2244 4466 www.saigonmotorbike.com

Where foreign residents in the know go for long-term bike rentals. Operating in the backpacker area for almost 10 years, Saigon Motorbike stocks a large variety of motorbikes and scooters (including Vespas) at prices that are hard to beat.

SAIGON SCOOTER CENTRE 25/7 Cuu Long, Tan Binh Tel: 3848 7816 info@saigonscootercentre. com www.saigonscootercentre.com

Saigon Scooter Centre stocks a selection of high-end well maintained bikes and classic scooters for short and long term rentals. Vietnam’s only 100% foreign-owned scooter business also offers a one way drop-off service for their bikes and includes helmets, locks and travel packs.

$ 48/3 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: 054 382 6736 A budget option which offers a reliable and acceptable level of comfort for the sub–VND400,000 price with the additional benefit of being near the Perfume River and having attentive service.

beachside garden to get lost in here, and much to marvel at, with villa–style accommodation furnished in traditional native woods, verandah dining, pool bar and the signature Six Senses Spa.

JUNGLE BEACH RESORT

$ Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa (40km north of Nha Trang) Tel: 058 362 2384 www.junglebeachvietnam.com On a secluded – almost deserted – promontory north of Nha Trang, with accommodation ranging from comfortable guest rooms to basic outdoor bamboo shelters, this budget place is all about hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature – certainly a change from mainstream tourism. The owners arrange pick–up from Nha Trang and the down–to–earth resort maintains a deliberate, family atmosphere. A real gem.

MIA RESORT NHA TRANG

$$$$ Bai Dong, Cam Hai Dong, Cam Lam, Khanh Hoa Tel: 0918 821 633 www.mianhatrang.com Nestled in the mountain pass between Cam Ranh Airport and Nha Trang, this sanctuary of rest and relaxation is set on its own private beach. Based on ecofriendly principles, Mia boasts rooftops studded with manicured grass and shrubs instead of tiles or differing roof coverings, enhancing the environmental appeal.

The 50-seaview rooms are split between luxurious villas and condominiums that blend contemporary living with slight Indochina influences.

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$$$ 50 Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 625 6900 rsvn@novotel-nhatrang.com www.novotel-nhatrang.com This attractive four-star hotel is centrally located with 154 guestrooms, each with terrace and sea view, offering a pool, spa and restaurant, bar and meeting room that caters for up to 200 delegates. One of the best run hotels in town.

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the heart, Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa is ideal for the medium to higher end individual leisure and corporate travellers. All rooms have a view of the sea.

WHALE ISLAND RESORT

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$$ Tel: 058 384 0501, www.whaleislandresort.com This remote and unspoiled island some 60km north of Nha Trang has been made into a stylish getaway, with traditional bamboo bungalows on the beach and plenty of opportunity for serious nature watching, with abundant marine life and an array of birds. On-site seafood restaurant and bar.

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$$$ Dong Cat, Ninh Hai, Ninh Hoa District Tel: 058 3670 670 www.whitesandresort.com.vn Overlooking the ocean and a 600–metre beach front, this four–star resort has 54 rooms, four restaurants including one where you can pick fresh seafood and then have it cooked, a swimming pool and a spa. Service is both professional and friendly.

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$$$$ 8 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3743 777, www.allezboo.com This resort offers exotic and luxurious accommodation including two Bali–style, thatched roof “honeymoon” villas and 55 spacious suites and deluxe rooms. Fresh seafood, Vietnamese specialities, Thai food and international cuisine are served in their many dining areas. The resort also offers outdoor activities including kitesurfing and parasailing.

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$$$$ 54 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7322 www.blueoceanresort.com After renovation in 2007, Blue Ocean Resort is now under the management of Life Resorts. Its new luxury makeover includes a large swimming pool and swim–up pool bar as well as a children’s activity playground. Another new addition is an Irish bar.

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$$$$ 58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7111 www.cocobeach.net The place that put Phan Thiet on the map is still one of the best options for a stay, with charming wooden bungalows, a private beach, a swimming pool (both with attached bars) and a French restaurant.

Coco Beach is continues to be run by the European management team that began it all in 1995.

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$$$ 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne Tel: 062 384 7440/2 www.miamuine.com Set on one acre of manicured lawns and lush gardens, this luxurious haven of rest and tranquillity offers four different accommodation types, all featuring en suite bathrooms, cable TV, IDD telephone, safe box and air conditioning. Choose between bungalows with either open-air bathrooms or enclosed gardens, or beachfront bungalows looking out to the South China Sea. The resort’s Xuan Day spa offers a selection of therapeutic body treatments while the beachfront Sandals restaurant serves a blend of dishes from the Mediterranean and Pacific Rim.

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RUSTIC CHAY LAP

$ Chay Lap Village, Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Quang Binh, www.chaylap.org Situated on a peanut and maize farm on the doorstep of Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park, this eco lodge and farm offers homestay-style accommodation in the middle of a rural, ethnic minority Vietnamese environment. Activities include biking, kayaking, trekking, caving and chilling out in the shadow of some of the most spectacular limestone karst scenery that this country has to offer. Booking needs to be made through tour operators - email chaylap@gmail.com for details or check out the website.

SUN SPA RESORT

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$$ My Canh, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Tel: 052 384 2999 www.sunsparesortvietnam.com Three hours north of Hue, this top–end resort offers elegant, comfortable pool villas and bungalows, and is the only luxury accommodation in Quang Binh. An ideal base for trips to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Phong Nha caves.

NHA TRANG EVASON ANA MANDARA AND SIX SENSES SPA CREDIT

$$$$ Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 352 2222 www.sixsenses.com/evason–anamandara–nhatrang There’s a generous 2.6 hectares of private

$$$$ Van Dang Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa Tel: 058 372 8222 www.sixsenses.com/Six–Senses–Hideaway– Ninh–Van–Bay The upmarket Tatler magazine voted this its top hotel of 2006, and it’s not hard to see why. The location is stunning, on a bay which can only be reached by boat, and all the accommodation, amenities and facilities are top–drawer. So, naturally, is the price. Internet rates start at around VND15 million for a beach pool villa.

SHERATON NHA TRANG HOTEL & SPA CREDIT

$$$$ 26 – 28 Tran Phu, Tel: 058 388 0000 www.sheraton.com/nhatrang A sleek beach-front hotel with 284 sea view rooms and suites, complimented by six restaurants and bars. The hotel also has a Sheraton Club Lounge with spectacular views, Shine Spa with nine treatment rooms, an outdoor swimming pool with infinity edge and reflection pool area, a fitness centre, a kid’s club, a business centre and a cooking school. For great view of the city, head up on high to the rooftop bar.

SUNRISE BEACH HOTEL & SPA

$$$ 12–14 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: 058 382 0999 www.sunrisenhatrang.com.vn With various awards, including being listed in the World’s Top one percent of hotels 2009 by Expedia, and in view of the current facilities, location and its anticipated strong branding and service from CREDIT

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destination

destination NOVOTEL PHAN THIET OCEAN DUNES & GOLF RESORT

$$$ 1 Ton Duc Thang, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3822 393 www.novotel.com/2067 This resort offers access to a first–class international golf course designed by golf legend Nick Faldo. Great food and service is offered in this 123–room escape destination featuring private balconies with ocean or golf view.

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PRINCESS D’ANNAM RESORT & SPA

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$$$$ Khu Hon Lan, Xa Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan, Tel: 062 368 2222 www.princessannam.com One of the few all–villa luxury boutique resorts in Vietnam, Princess d’Annam is set on Ke Ga Bay, about a four–hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City and 35km south of Phan Thiet. With a sumptuous spa, original architecture, eight swimming pools and 24–hour butler service, this is one of the most well-appointed resorts in the country.

It’s definitely one of the most exclusive.

SHADES APARTMENTS

$$$ Khu 1, Ham Tien, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 374 3237, www.shadesmuine.com Top quality resort offering a small selection of luxury and attractively designed apartments and studios right on the beach with fully equipped and modern units. Entertainment options include windsurfing, kitesurfing, antique sidecars, bike tours and dune buggy rides. Has a decent pool and good dining options.

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THE SAILING CLUB

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$$$ 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7440 www.sailingclubvietnam.com Much more than its name suggests, with

beautiful landscaped tropical gardens leading onto a stretch of pristine beach and an outdoor bar, well–positioned to make the best of the scenery. Has a mix of comfortable rooms and bungalows.

Offers quad–biking, kitesurfing, paragliding and sailing.

VICTORIA PHAN THIET RESORT & SPA CREDIT

$$$$ Mui Ne Beach, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 381 3000 www.victoriahotels.asia Part of the Victoria chain which has properties in Vietnam and Cambodia, this high–end resort with thatched–roof bungalows and family villas is set in exotic gardens with an infinity swimming pool, a top–end seafood restaurant, and a spa, beauty salon and Jacuzzi right on the private beach. An excellent place to stay located just before you reach the main stretch of resorts in Mui Ne.

PHU QUOC BO RESORT

$$ Ong Lang Bay, Phu Quoc Island Tel: 077 398 6142 www.boresort.com booking@boresort.com Conceived and operated by a French–Vietnamese couple, BO Resort lies on the west of Phu Quoc and is quiet, low–key and secluded. An eco–lodge concept, there are no televisions or air–con and future plans include hot water by solar panels. 18 bungalows offer views of the beach and bay.

Bathrooms are tropical, open–air style. The beachside restaurant is well–known and includes traditional Vietnamese cuisine based on fresh seafood and products, prepared with an unmistakable classic ‘French touch.’

CHEN SEA RESORT AND SPA

$$$$ Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua Duong, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang , Tel: 0773 995895 reservation@chenla–resort.com Open since November 2008, this Italian-run, 37–bungalow boutique resort provides a serene atmosphere along with first–class spa treatment and a Mediterranean–themed restaurant. One of the few top-end properties on Phu Quoc.

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LA VERANDA

$$$$ Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0773982988 contact@laverandaresort.com Boutique luxury among exotic greenery and a white sand beach, the M Gallery branded La Veranda has beautifully–designed rooms with cool tiles in traditional designs and dark woods, a stunning swimming pool, an all–natural spa, a beach grill and a fine fusion restaurant overlooking the beach.

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MANGO BAY

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$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 090 338 2207 www.mangobayphuquoc.com A getaway in the true sense, combining an eco–friendly approach with a gorgeous beachside location. Wildlife abounds on land and in the sea, the bungalows are made of rammed earth, and there are no TVs and telephones around (although Wi-Fi is available). Excellent sunsets from the beach bar, which also serves up tasty, home-cooked Vietnamese food in the restaurant on the edge of the sea.

PHU QUOC RESORT THANG LOI

$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0918 073 494 / 0773 985002 Secluded budget bungalow–style resort

which lies in a beachside coconut palm plantation with small basic bungalows adding to the castaway effect. The restaurant serves fresh seafood. It’s laid–back and simple. And cheap.

SAPA CAT CAT GUESTHOUSE

$$ Cat Cat Road Tel: 020 387 1218 Notable for having probably the best view in town from its bar restaurant, Cat Cat Guesthouse has plain rooms at very reasonable rates. A fairly steep set of steps leads to the block of rooms, most of which have big windows and balconies, and, for the cold winter, log fireplaces.

TOPAS ECOLODGE

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$$ 24 Muong Hoa, Sapa Tel: 020 387 2404 www.topas–eco–lodge.com For the environmentally conscientious, the only place to stay in Sapa is the Topas Ecolodge. 25 individual lodges are located on the hills overlooking the valleys. Employing solar technology and a wastewater facility give it eco–cred. Topas also organises treks and bicycle tours. It takes over an hour to get from Sapa to the lodge; transportation is provided.

VICTORIA SAPA

VUNG TAU, HO TRAM & CON DAO BINH AN VILLAGE CREDIT

$$$$ 1 Tran Phu, Vung Tau, Tel: 064 335 1553 www.binhanvillage.com Perched on a cliff face, this glamorous, Imperial Vietnam-styled resort has a calming and elegant boutique atmosphere.

Has traditionally designed and furnished rooms and villas, seaside pools, fine dining and a bar strategically located on the cliff to watch the sunset.

CON DAO RESORT

$$ Nguyen Duc Thuan, Con Dao, Vung Tau Tel: 064 3830 939 www.condaoresort.vn Seated at the heart of Con Son Island on the edge of the main town, this beachfront resort is a good option thanks to its reasonable pricing and coconut-shaded sand.

Has the standard range of mod cons.

GRAND HOTEL

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$$$ 2 Nguyen Du, Vung Tau. Tel: 064 385 6888 www.grand.oscvn.com This four-star iconic property stands proudly along the tree–lined seafront and has added modern amenities to its spacious rooms, along with a large restaurant, first–floor bar, fitness centre and business facilities.

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$$$ Tel: 020 387 1522 www.victoriahotels.asia Topping the list of Sapa resorts, the Victoria is not priced for the backpacker (rooms range from VND2.8 million per night).

The many amenities include satellite TV, in–room coffeemakers and safes, and a hilltop health club, tennis court and pool.

The entire resort is tastefully decorated with panoramic views of the town below.

HO TRAM BEACH RESORT & SPA $$$$ Tel: 064 378 1525 info@hotramresort.com www.hotramresort.com Located along the coastal road in Ba Ria– Vung Tau Province, this attractive, Hoi Anstyled property is the ideal getaway from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City.

The resort is highlighted by a selection of 63 uniquely designed Indochine CREDIT

bungalows and villas that promise a local experience with international–standard accommodation. Also has an excellent spa facility and two swimming pools.

HO TRAM SANCTUARY

$$$$ Ho Tram, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Tel: 064 3781 631 www.sanctuary.com.vn Just 45 minutes north of Vung Tau, the classical but contemporary elegance and refined atmosphere of this leafy villa complex provides guests with a home away from home. Perfect for renting with groups of friends or as an extended family, the spacious villas each come with their own pool and many have direct access to the beach. Facilities include tennis courts, water sports, a mini supermarket, and cycling and motorbike tours.

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REX HOTEL

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$$ 1 Le Quy Don, Vung Tau, Tel: 064 385 2135 www.rexhotelvungtau.com Built in 1972, this popular seafront hotel still maintains its 1970s–style architecture and room fittings. Amenities include a pool, two bars, a massage parlour and a karaoke lounge. Rooms start at VND900,000.

SIX SENSES CON DAO

$$$$ Dat Doc Beach, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Tel : 064 3831 222 www.sixsenses.com/sixsensescondao/ The first five-star resort on the Con Dao archipelago, this unique property pays homage to the remoteness of its natural environment by being deliberately sandwiched between the sea, beach, mangrove and mountains behind. 50 wooden-framed bamboo pool villas stretch along the curved bay here, each with an unencumbered view of the sea. Also has a fitness centre, two restaurants, diving facilities and free bicycle usage.

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Coming to this month, Shang Palace is delighted to welcome our new Hong Kong roasting chef Cheng Yiu Kwong and his special dish of the month that surely tempts BBQ lovers.

Chef Cheng Yiu Kwong, bringing 30 years of culinary experience in Hong Kong and Philippine, will prepare one of his favorite “BBQ Roasted Goose”, which is suitable for family and friend reunion events.

Gourmets also enjoy “Stewed Goat Rib in Casserole”enclosed in December set menu as a great addition to renew your taste buds.

Come and try Shang Palace special dishes of the month for your unforgettable experience.

1 Floor , 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, District 1, HCMC, Vietnam Tel: (84 8) 3823 2221 - (84 8) 3822 6111 Ext: 164 - Fax: (84 8) 3822 6116 Email: reservation@shangpalace.com.vn - Website: www.shangpalace.com.vn st

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out & about TRAVEL SERVICES ACCOR ADVANTAGE PLUS

7th floor 28 Nguyen Thi Dieu, Q3. Tel: 3933 1000 The number one hotel loyalty membership in Asia Pacific. Members enjoy fantastic savings on dining and the best accommodation rates at over 340 Accor Hotels throughout Asia Pacific. Join now and save.

AZA ADVENTURE TOURS AND TRAVEL

S67-1 Rock Climbing Gym, Sky Garden 3, Q7 Tel: 5410 5523. www.azaadventuretours.com AZA Adventure Tours and Travel specialises in adventure and education tourism, providing consulting and custom travel arrangements and packages to the Philippines and other countries in Asia. AZA seeks to connect adventure travel newcomers and veterans with service providers, adventure activities, and accommodations that fit the client’s desires, budget and skill level.

BUDGET RENT–A–CAR

www.budget.com.vn Chauffeur–driven and self–drive vehicles (for local license holders) from one of the world’s best–known car rental companies.

With a kiosk at the airport and drivers trained in a range of driving, cultural and language skills, mileage–free car hire starts at VND1.2 million.

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY

81 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: 3827 9170 travelagency@buffalotours.com www.buffalotours.com.vn This premium travel agency helps travellers select their destinations and organise their trips, customises leisure and corporate travel plans around the world and in Vietnam while offering a selected range of small group tours.

COME & GO VIETNAM

195/14, D1, Q Binh Thanh. Tel: 6258 3281 hello@comeandgovietnam.com Friendly, responsive British–run tour operator offering high–quality, innovative tailor made tours in and around Vietnam to suit most budgets. Come & Go pride themselves on originality so if you’re tired of the usual Vietnam products, they’re definitely worth a try. They also offer a fast and efficient flight ticketing service.

DALAT EASY RIDER

70 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat vndalateasyrider@yahoo.com www.dalat–easyrider.com.vn Bespoke motorbike tours from the original Easy Rider group based in Dalat. With over 70 guides, all speaking English, tourists can either ride on the back of a bike with their guide or can hire their own bikes. Tours include Dalat, the Central Highlands and you can even venture as far as Phan Thiet and Nha Trang. Email for further information. Note: insurance is not included. Price is generally VND800,000 to VND1 million per day depending on how far you travel.

EXOTISSIMO

64 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: 3827 2911 dongdu@exotissimo.com SC4-1 My Khanh 3, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 5412 2761 - Ext 113. pmh@exotissimo.com 41 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 3 5194 111 - Ext 17 I anphu@exotissimo.com. www.exotissimo.com Everything you could wish for under one roof from this professional agency. An upmarket operation operating through Southeast Asia, which aims to bring you up close to the cultures of the area through personalised tours across the region, which may include insights into culinary customs, handicrafts and humanitarian initiatives. Excellent service. Travel desks at Sofitel Plaza Saigon and New World Hotel open from 7.30am to 9pm every day.

FLIGHT TRAVEL COMPANY

121 Hai Ba Trung, Q1. Tel: 3824 7744 info@flightravelco.com. www.flightravelco.com Flight travel is an associated partner of

100 | The Word December 2011

out & about Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) in Vietnam providing a range of travel services, including global travel management, domestic and international air booking and travel insurance, to corporate companies, family and individual travelers.

FLIPPER DIVING CLUB

60 Tran Hung Dao, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc Tel: 0939 402 872 www.flipperdiving.com A PADI 5-star dive resort with fully experienced and certified scuba diving staff that speak English, French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian and Vietnamese. Established in 2009, Flipper Diving Club offers international scuba diving insurance for all customers and each instructor carries additional scuba diving insurance. Contact them now to learn more about diving in Phu Quoc.

KIM TRAVEL

270 De Tham, Q1 One of the first tourist companies to set up shop in De Tham, Kim Travel has bussed hundreds of thousands of tourists up and down Vietnam. Destinations include Hanoi, Nha Trang, Hoi An and Hue along with other tours.

INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM

149/42 Le Thi Rieng, Q1. Tel: 0904 193308 www.intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales An international travel company operating in Vietnam since 1992, offering day tours, short breaks and small group excursions throughout Vietnam and beyond.

MANTA SAIL TRAINING CENTRE

108 Huynh Thuc Khang, Mui Ne Tel: 0908 400 108 www.mantasailing.org Vietnam’s first and only sailing school offers individually tailored training programmes with national and international guidelines for individual clients and groups.

Services include recreational sailing, supervised dinghy rental, sail training, racing, wake boarding and beachside accommodation. Group rates and corporate event packages are also available.

ONE WORLD

28/4 Do Quang Dau, Q1. Tel: 6675 2620 A local inbound tour operator specialising in boutique tours around Vietnam. We provide economy, luxury, packages and Taylor–made tours, including flexibility to allow our customers to explore at their pace and will.

TERRAVERDE

91/10 Tran Quoc Hoan, Tan Binh. Tel: 3984 4754 info@terraverdetravel.com If cycling through the Mekong Delta, trekking in the highlands, or lazing in a junk on Halong Bay is your kind of thing, then this company’s range of customised cultural and soft adventure tours might suit. It caters to travellers interested in making a positive impact on the lives of the people whose regions they visit.

GOSSIP

Out & About Listings BAR & NIGHTCLUBS 100 CAFES 101 RESTAURANTS - CHINESE 103 RESTAURANTS - FRENCH 103 RESTAURANTS - INDIAN 104 RESTAURANTS - INTERNATIONAL 105 RESTAURANTS - ITALIAN 108 RESTAURANTS - JAPANESE & KOREAN 108

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS 2 LAM SON

TOP-END INTERNATIONAL Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son, Q1, Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com 4pm to 1am. Fridays and Saturday until 2am.

Contemporary international décor blends seamlessly with local themes to create the most lavish but tastefully designed bar in the city. It may mean you have to pay five-star prices – the cocktails here go for over VND200,000 – but the monied-up punters still come in their droves. Easy listening, dance-style music plays over the sound system while drinks go from a range of Martini-base cocktails through to spirits by the bottle and 15 wines by the glass.

AMBER ROOM

AMERICA DISCOTHEQUE

TECHNO / HIP HOP Windsor Plaza Hotel, 18 An Duong Vuong, Q5 Tel: 3833 6688 9pm to late Once the largest nightclub in Vietnam, this 2000-capacity venue is located in the An Dong Plaza complex in District 5. Pumping out 30,000 watts of sound, this club also possesses one of the loudest nightclub sound systems in the city. A popular night-

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TU TRANG TRAVEL

AIRCONDITIONING

60 Hai Ba Trung, Can Tho City Tel: 071 3752 436 www.tutrangtravel-mekongfeeling.vn Tu Trang Travel offers services such as trips to the Mekong Feeling floating hotel, cruises along the Mekong Delta, and speedboats between Chau Doc and Phnom Penh, and between Saigon, Cantho and Chau Doc. Email: sales@ tutrangtravel.com.

VIETNAM VESPA ADVENTURE

www.vietnamvespaadventure.com From the people behind Zoom Café, Vietnam Vespa Adventure offers multi–day tours of southern and coastal Vietnam on the back of a luxury motorbike powered by clean, renewable biodiesel. English speaking tour leaders lead the way, contact shawn@vietnamvespaadventure.com for more details.

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LOUNGE BAR First Floor, 59 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: 6291 3686 www.theamberoom.com 3pm to midnight A small but atmospheric, living-room style London meets New York lounge opposite the Sheraton Hotel. Has chilled out tunes during the late afternoon and more funky vibes at night. A pleasant meeting place for the latest cocktails, a good coffee and a glass of wine. Also has an extensive champagne list with probably the largest offering of champagnes by the glass available in town. Holds regular events.

WI-FI NON-SMOKING AREA DELIVERY

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HAPPY HOUR LIVE MUSIC DJ

RESTAURANTS - SOUTHEAST ASIAN 109 RESTAURANTS - VIETNAMESE 110 RESTOBARS 112 ARTICLES FOODIE CORNER 104 CAFE CRITIQUE 110 FOOD PROMOS 112

APOCALYPSE NOW

MIXED POP MUSIC / NIGHTCLUB 2C Thi Sach, Q1, Tel: 3825 6124 7pm to 2am One of the oldest nightclubs in Saigon, the foreigner orientated Apo nonetheless draws in a healthy mix of tourists, expats and locals who intermingle on the club’s two floors and outdoor terrace every night of the week. Now charging a VND150,000 entrance fee on Fridays and Saturdays (which includes a free drink), the DJs here cater to the more populist side of music.

Cue mainstream hits by the Black Eyed Peas, Usher and golden oldies by Wham!, Bon Jovi and even The Smiths (on occasion!). A place for singles to meet singles and lonely hearts to get less lonely. +

AUSTRALIAN / SPORT 31 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: 3824 3483 www.bluegeckosaigon.com 4.30pm to midnight Although run by a Vietnamese couple, this boozy, outback-themed sports pub just off the main drag is quintessentially Australian.

The down-to-earth atmosphere is added to by a great pool table, darts and all the live sports, with a particular focus (not surprisingly) on Aussie Rules and Rugby.

Also shows the Premier League. One of the longest running watering holes in town.

CLOUD 9

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LOUNGE BAR & TERRACE 6th & 7th Floor, 2bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, Q3 Tel: 0948 343399 5.30pm to late Set above Gloria Jean’s just behind Diamond Plaza, this two-floor venue with an upstairs terrace and garden space comes from the same people who created Velvet.

It marks the latest trend in Vietnamese bars — stylish, comfortable decor, an extensive wine menu to complement the cocktails and top-shelf spirits, and music played at a volume still conducive to conversation. A place to be seen.

FUSE

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ICE BLUE

spot for the local and Viet Kieu crowd, with resident and guest DJs playing thumping dance and techno tunes and a separate room for those who prefer hip hop and R&B. Expect to pay the usual nightclub prices for drinks, but look out for the regular specials on bottles of spirits.

BLUE GECKO

HARD TECHNO 79 Tran Hung Dao, Q1, Tel: 3824 2525 8.30pm to 2.30am This Singaporean-run super club, located in the Dai Nam hotel, is just as popular with the locals as it is with the foreigners.

A friendly, communal atmosphere and attentive service helps Gossip to stand out from its contemporaries. As expected, tinnitus-inducing levels of techno and house music blare throughout the twotiered club with a large, raised dancefloor that fills out instantly. ‘Dress to impress’ is the nature of the clientele here so don’t turn up in shorts and flip-flops. The entrance fee is VND120,000.

TECHNO / DANCE / HIP-HOP 3A Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: 0919 206461 fuse.club@yahoo.com 7pm to late One of the smaller nightclubs to grace Saigon, the neon-lit Fuse is popular with the young, fashionable and affluent Vietnamese set. Blaring techno and dance music envelopes the dance floor as large fruit platters and bottles of whiskey and cognac are consumed. A lack of space means this place gets packed easily, especially on the weekends, so look to arrive relatively early to grab a table. Even better, book in advance.

EXPAT BAR / DART 54 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: 3822 2664 3pm to 1am Despite its slightly run down veneer and smoky but lively atmosphere, Ice Blue remains a popular haunt for many of the city’s older expats as well as a not–so–regular crowd of tourists. Known for its amicable service and lively, beer-drinking ambience, this long-running waterhole is also famed for its darting prowess, with two well set-up dart boards claiming pride of place. +

LA HABANA

CUBAN/SPANISH 6 Cao Ba Quat, Q1 Tel: 3829 5180 www.lahabana–saigon.com 10am to 1am If it's mojitos and well-mixed cocktails you want, spiced up with nightly live music and a Latin atmosphere, La Habana is the place. Run by a Chinese-German couple, this attractive, long-running Cuban bar and restaurant is one of the few watering holes in the Thai Van Lung / Le Thanh Ton area to serve up a regular dose of all things live. Also has HB beer on tap, an excellent food menu and weekly salsa classes. +

LAVISH

DANCE / HIP-HOP 5/8 Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: 0933 998389 9pm to late With its illusory and decorative style, shisha pipes, eye-catching laser displays, and impressive DJ sets, Lavish is a prime place to both unwind and live it up on the weekends. The hanging chandeliers and red velvet curtains exude a luxurious vibe that’s also reflected in the drinks prices. However, on Ladies’ Night every Tuesday from 8.30pm to 11pm, ladies can enjoy two free drinks such as cocktails, beers and soft drinks.

LUSH

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PROGRESSIVE / MAINSTREAM 2 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 5pm to late With its downstairs tear-shaped bar and lounge-style seating running right up to the bar space, Lush may not have a dedicated dance floor. But when it comes to all things progressive, this often controversial venue remains one of the city’s leading lights. Overseas DJs, ladies’ nights on Tuesdays and a cosmopolitan clientele merge seamlessly with the red velvet and cartoon-style decor to create one of the city’s iconic bars. Also has a more chilled bar space out back.

OCEAN CLUB

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TECHNO / VIETNAMESE POP Nha Rong Port Area, 5-7 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Q4 Tel: 6269 6999. www.oceanclub.com.vn/club 9pm to late Following the demise of the now nearmythical Starwars, Ocean Club has filled the void with a sensory overload of neon lighting, outlandish décor and a booming soundsystem that tests the limitations of what the human can take. A couple of thousand people can easily squeeze into the huge club hall with dozens of tables, booths and VIP areas dotted throughout. The solar system print on the ceiling and futuristic designs will have your eyes darting every which way whilst a relentless playlist of trance, techno

and house is mixed by Vietnamese DJs. Then there’s the live Vietnamese music, too. Make sure to dress the part for the catwalk, this is Vietnamese clubbing at its most contemporary and luxurious.

SLATE

3rd Floor, Moevenpick Hotel, 253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan. Tel: 3844 9222 www.moevenpick-hotels.com 5pm to 1am Located opposite Centrepoint, Slate takes its name from the dark grey tiling covering the floor. Merging black and silver with turquoise, and with touches like semi-private sofa beds, the offerings here include over 30 martini cocktails, a barbecue menu and perhaps one of the most contemporary yet tasteful watering holes in town

THE DRUNKEN DUCK

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SPORT / SHOOTER BAR 58 Ton That Thiep, Q1. Tel: 3915 2853 4pm to late A shooter bar, with over 15 down–in– one cocktails on the menu boasting names like Aquackalypse Now and The Duckinator, this striking, subtly lit space has a downstairs pool table, a long wooden bar and an upstairs lounge with a large, pull-down projector screen. The watering hole also shows live sport on the weekends courtesy of three flatscreen TVs. Try the shooter challenge and get a t-shirt and your name and time engraved on the wall. Also has a reasonable bar menu. +

VASCO’S

EVENT / PARTY VENUE The Square, 74/7D Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3824 2888 4pm to 12pm (weekdays). Open late on weekends.

A paragon downtown party venue popular with expats and tourists that showcases a range of events from DJ nights through to cover bands and live music from overseas. Has a downstairs terrace area with a separate aircon room and two upstairs bars together with a stage for gigs and much more. Snack menu includes burgers, sandwiches, skewers and some of the best pizzas in town.

VELVET

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DANCE / HIP-HOP 26 Ho Huan Nghiep, Q1. Tel: 3822 2262 velvet.bar.saigon@gmail.com 8.30pm to midnight You will be hard pressed to find another club as extravagantly furnished and uber trendy as Velvet. It’s of no wonder then that most of its clientele are exceptionally well-dressed socialites, celebrities and fashionistas. As a result this venue has carved itself a reputation as being the place to be and to be seen. Has a ladies night every Wednesday.

CAFES AIRPLANE CAFE (CAFE MAY BAY)

OUTDOOR VIETNAMESE 117 Hong Ha, Tan Binh 7am to 10pm Located on the L-shaped road behind the Parkson Centre opposite the airport, a disused war-era passenger plane sets the scene for one the city’s most unique outdoor, plastic deck chair seating cafes.

So unique, in fact, that the wings act as shade from the sun, the wheels play home to a set of speakers, pot plants and fans hang from the metal casing of the aircraft while the tail has had a mini house built around it. Not surprisingly this museum of a place can get pretty crowded with families and kids awestruck by the novelty. It’s a decent cafe, too.

AN’S INTERIOR CAFE

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 40C Tran Cao Van, Q3, Tel: 3823 3398 www.anscafe.com 7am to 11pm Located down alleyway 38, this sumptuous

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out & about cafe just off Turtle Lake Circle is chintz, kitsch, bling and contemporary baroque decor all combined into an eye-catching one. That this place is so pleasing on the eye is added to by the silvery finished sofa seating and the iPad menus. Simply swipe the menu, zoom in or zoom out to choose from a contemporary range of coffees, teas, drinks and cocktails as well as Vietnamese and pan-western cuisine.

AU PARC

EUROPEAN / MEDITERRANEAN 23 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: 3829 2772 7am to 10.30pm, Sunday 8am to 5pm Classic but eye-catching cream and greentiled decor runs through this cafe and deli-style restaurant housed in a colonial building opposite Le Duan park. Good coffee, juices and herbal teas make up the holistic mix together with a Mediterranean and European cafe fare food menu that includes creative sandwiches and salads as well as kebabs, bagels, mains and mezzos, all at prices that go easy on the wallet. Good wine list and an excellent delivery service.

BOBBY BREWER’S

INTERNATIONAL 45 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3920 4090 www.bobbybrewers.com 6.30am to 11pm Now with eight locations in town, this slightly synthetic, Starbucks-style airport lounge of a place continues to knock out large and tasty espresso-based coffees together with a full range of smoothies, frappuccinos, juices and much more. Also has a fast-food style western food menu and an upstairs movie lounge showing the latest Hollywood hits with Vietnamese subtitles. Check their website for the movie schedule. Movie lounges are at 45 Bui Vien, Q1, 86 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3, 306/8 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 and 400B Le Van Sy, Q3.

CACOPHONY

LIVE MUSIC / THEMED CAFE 57H Tu Xuong, Q3, Tel: 3932 2797 www.cacophonycafe.com 7.30am to 11pm Set in a villa in a colonial era courtyard alongside two other cafes dedicated to live music, the four floors of Cacophony are all devoted to the beauty of sound, but in a different way. Take level 3, for example. An acoustic guitar and sound system sits in one corner while the room is decorated like a Hanoi urban street corner, sign, lamppost, tree, doorways and all, with the seating on cushions on the floor. Has live music in the basement space five nights a week (not Monday and Tuesday). Also has a small food menu.

CENTRO

ITALIAN 11-13 Cong Truong Lam Son, Q1Tel: 3827 5946 7.30am to 11.30pm The home of Caffe Vergnano, a recent

makeover has added a bar area to this popular downtown cafe that serves up all things coffee - anything from ristrettos, macchiattos and lattes through to frappuccinis, mochas and spirit-infused coffees. Has a decent, mid-range Italian food menu to match that includes a large selection of panini, crostini, Italian rice dishes, salads, soups, home made pasta and more wholesome meat-based mains.

Has a second cafe at 6 Thai Van Lung, Q1.

service led to Java losing its niche. Those days are now gone and this brown and grey modish venue boasts smiling staff, an attractive downstairs cafe area and a first-floor, comfort-friendly lounge. The food menu has also been revamped with bruschettas, creative open cut sandwiches, pasta, risotto and gourmet pizza mains making an appearance. Then of course are the excellent, health-conscious smoothies and good coffee.

COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF

JUICE

INTERNATIONAL Metropolitan Building, 235 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3508 7825. www.coffeebean.com.vn 7am to 11pm weekdays. 7.30am to 11.30pm weekends.

Great, large servings of coffee have to be the biggest pull of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, an international chain of pleasant Starbuckslike work, meet and play cafes that is gradually spreading around the city. Now with five stores around town including 94 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3, 12-14 Thai Van Lung, Q1 and further afield, comfortable seating and a contemporary but generic atmosphere are bolstered by a menu of cakes, cookies, sandwiches, pastries and more.

GLORIA JEAN’S

INTERNATIONAL 49 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: 3829 6900 7.30am to 11pm Lime green, olive, orange, innovative sofaseating and contemporary artwork stretch across the three floors and mezzanine level of Juice, one of downtown’s most pleasant, while-the-time-away cafes. A huge selection of smoothies and shakes together with both local and espresso-based coffee is complemented by an international cafe fare menu that takes in salads, hot and cold sandwiches, wraps, pittas, bagels, burgers and a small selection of international mains. Excellent delivery service.

KITA COFFEE

INTERNATIONAL 131 - 133 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 3827 6309 www.gloriajeanscoffees.com.vn 7am to midnight Wooden table seating mixed with more comfortable armchairs, subtle lighting and a serve yourself buffet-style ordering counter are some of the key components of this coffee chain that succeeded in Australia where Starbucks failed. It’s not surprising, really.

The coffee is good as are its various renditions - cinamocha, chai tea chiller, Turkish delight, mango chiller, Irish nut creme and more. Has a number of locations around town including 2BIS Cong Truong Quoc Te, Q3 and 106 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3.

INTERNATIONAL / MEDITERRANEAN 39-41 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3821 6799 kitacoffee@gmail.com 7.30am to 10pm Set in a colonial-era building still replete with original tiling, this self-styled cafe and restaurant mixes traditional French bistro-style and Old Saigon photo decor with a more contemporary but nonetheless classic feel. Besides the good selection of teas, juices, cakes and espresso-based coffees, does Mediterranean cafe-style fare including sandwiches, salads and pastas as well as a selection of mains and healthy desserts. Has a good wine list and an efficient delivery service.

I’M YOURS

L’AN MIEN DINING CAFE

MUSIC CAFE / VIETNAMESE 29/27 Doan Thi Diem, Phu Nhuan. Tel: 0909 682927 9am to 10.30pm Tucked away just behind Nga Tu Phu Nhuan (The Phu Nhuan Intersection), this tiny gem of a rustic cafe combines nightly live music from 8.30pm with brown velvet upholstered sofa seating, treated dark wooden bench tables, cushions and striking wall decor. So small is this venue that there is an upstairs mezzanine level reached by old Mekong Delta-style ladder stairs and when the music starts, the place not only fills to the open rafters but gets local bus-style cramped, too. A great find.

JAVA CAFE

MEDITERRANEAN / CONTEMPORARY 38 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: 3823 0187 7.30am to 11.30pm Once the most popular contemporary cafe in town, an image-changing renovation coupled by a period of disinterested

INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE 76A Le Lai, Q1 Tel: 3821 2718 7am to 10pm An outdoor, well-aired terrace on a corner location is the centerpiece of this fairly new but ever-popular contemporary coffee shop just behind New World Hotel. Wickerchair seating, lightbox lighting, browns, blacks and creams make up the effect, with a menu selling both Vietnamese and espresso-based coffees, smoothies, cocktails, beers and a mix of well-priced pan-international and Vietnamese fare.

Live music on the weekends.

L’USINE

CONTEMPORARY / FRENCH First Floor, 151 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 6674 3565 www.lusinespace.com Plaudits galore as well as overseas TV coverage seem to have followed this spacious, first floor bistro-style cafe above

the Art Arcade. Pitting 1930s Frenchstyle wooden decor against a spacious, whitewashed contemporary interior, a simple but creative cafe menu including sandwiches, salads, mains and cakes combines with reasonably priced coffee and good WiFi. Out back is a fashion store stocking modern, street-style brands, and an art gallery.

PETITE NOTE

MUSIC CAFE 351/4A le Van Sy, Q3, Tel: 3931 6312 8am to 11pm A jungle of a place with vines wrapping round stairwells, water features, pot plants and fairy lights at night, the aircon indoors transforms into a living room-style cafe obsessed by music — images of famous musicians and bands adorn the walls while the playlist is all American.

Live piano enters the fray on Saturday and Sunday nights while the menu is typical Vietnamese cafe style together with fast food and a good selection of ice cream.

SOHO COFFEE LOUNGE

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 92 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: 3915 3606 www.soho.vn What started out as a sleek but comfortable, black and white futuristic affair on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai has now spread to five cafes around town and a restaurant at 327 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3. It’s a nice formula. Comfortable but not flamboyant sofa-style seating, suave lines, curves and surfaces, a non-smoking section, good WiFi and surprisingly cheap coffee, all making a place to work, eat, rest and play. Check out their website for a list of locations.

STELLA CAFFE

ITALIAN / INTERNATIONAL 119 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3836 9220 www.stellacaffe.com 7am to 11.30pm Despite its Italian restaurant veneer in a Backpacker area location, this pleasant, mid-range venue is best known for its coffee — its lattes and cappuccinos are among the best available in town. Has both indoor and outdoor spaces as well as an additional dining area upstairs.

Although, the service is questionable.

THI CAFÉ

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RETRO / VIETNAMESE 224 De Tham, Q1 Tel: 2210 2929 www.thicafe.com 8am to late A gem in an area of rough diamonds, this slightly retro, bookish but lounge-style Vietnamese café and bar brings the best of local coffee shop creativity to Backpackerville, a collection of streets more associated with the brash and the not very beautiful. Decent iced coffee and juices mix with cocktails, beer and a pan-Asian food menu that also has a selection of Mexican fare. Has live acoustic music five nights a week and a downstairs bar area.

TRUNG NGUYEN

50 Ho Tung Mau, Q1, Tel: 3914 6911 www.trungnguyen.com.vn 6.30am to 10.30pm A downtown location of the ever-expanding Trung Nguyen chain, this pleasant two-storey cafe opposite the Bitexco Tower mixes the creams, browns and comfort seating of this international homegrown brand with the Trung Nguyen menu — six types of mixed robusta and arabica Vietnamese-style coffees together with smoothies, juices and a small range of easy food options. The best place in town to taste locally produced coffee in all its tempting guises. Also has a store at 349 Hai Ba Trung, Q3 and numerous locations around town selling their coffee.

UP CAFE

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 269 Nguyen Trung Tuyen, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3845 2155 7am to 11pm Even the logo is shaped like an upside down house at this funky, spacious cafe close to the Moevenpick and the airport.

With whole sets of upside down tables and chairs, shelves, light fittings, mantlepieces and even a grand piano hanging from the ceiling, Up is one of the new brand of cafes spreading its wings across the city. Sells the typical range of cafe drinks and simple Vietnamese cuisine as well as cocktails, beer and more. A great place to chill.

RESTAURANTS - CHINESE BUDGET HU TIEU MI ANH KY

MI NOODLE SOUP / WANTON 80 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1 Tel: 3821 5518 6.30am to 12pm daily Take freshly made mi noodles, put them in a pork broth, add equally fresh wantons (hoanh thanh), maybe add in some dried hu tieu noodles and put banh quay (bread sticks) and a range of sauces on the side. Et voila, you have one of the best Chinese-style Vietnamese noodle soups in Saigon. The service may be a touch slow and you’ll have to get used to an on-the-street, back to basics atmosphere, but worth every penny (and bite).

TIEM COM GA HAI NAM

CHINESE / VIETNAMESE BINH DAN 67 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1 Tel: 3821 7751 / 3821 8759 www.comgahainam.vn The popularity of Hainanese-style chicken rice is unsurprising considering this city’s large Chinese population. But few places do this iconic dish as well as this multi-storey eatery. Prepared downstairs out front, choose from ga luoc (chicken), xa xiu (sweet-roasted pork), vit quay (roasted duck), heo quay (roasted pork) and a range of other options. Also serves up binh dan-style Vietnamese fare, all cooked up with home cooking flair.

MID-RANGE SHANG PALACE RESTAURANT

PAN-CHINESE / CANTONESE 1st Floor, Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 3823 2221 (Ext: 164) www.shangpalace.com.vn Located just off the Central Business District, the dark intricate wooden tables and chairs of this well-respected Chinese restaurant contrast well with the white linen and deep red carpeting. Featuring over 200 dishes including over 50 kinds of dim sum for lunch, the cuisine here is prepared by chefs from Hong Kong. Has nine private dining rooms and a main dining area seating over 300 and is a good venue for events, business functions and family get-togethers.

TAN HAI VAN

PAN-CHINESE / NOODLES 162 Nguyen Trai, Q1, Tel: 3925 0824 Open 24 hours If ever a restaurant could be said to start a trend, then Tan Hai Van fits into the mould. The first of the late-night restaurants to populate the District 1 end of Nguyen Trai, this long-running bustling venue offers the full range of Chinese fare, from dim sum and homemade noodle soup through to rice dishes, seafood and the likes of abalone. One of the best– known restaurants in town and perfect if you have an attack of midnight munchies.

MID TO TOP DYNASTY

CANTONESE / PAN-CHINESE New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: 3822 8888 www.saigon.newworldhotels.com 11.30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm Elegant surroundings, top quality ingredients, attentive service and comfortable, roundtable dining makes Dynasty one of the top Chinese restaurants in town. The classic dim sum menu is reliably appetizing – check out their Sunday morning dim sum brunch. Also has a selection of set menus, both private and semi-private dining rooms and a highly rated chef hailing from Hong Kong.

KABIN

CANTONESE Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 8–15 Ton Duc Thang. Q1, Tel: 3822 0033 www.marriott.com 12pm to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm Offers authentic, gourmet Cantonese cuisine in an elegant, classic setting, with striking décor and the bonus of views over the Saigon River. The menus for both lunch and dinner are extensive, and this is without doubt one of the city’s finest restaurants both for dim sum and classic Chinese fare. Dim sum goes for between VND30,000 and VND50,000 per dish.

RESTAURANTS – FRENCH MID-RANGE LE JARDIN

31 Thai Van Lung, Q1, Tel: 3825 8465 11am to 1.30pm, 6pm to 8.20pm. Closed Sundays Unpretentious, tasty but simple French fare in a relaxed garden setting around the back of the French Cultural Centre, Idecaf.

Although don’t expect much intimacy here – Le Jardin gets so crowded and the tables are so close together that private conversations are best had elsewhere. The robust, bistro-style cuisine is classically Gallic and it’s well-priced, too. Excellent, cheap house wine served by the carafe.

Booking advised.

are part of the offering here, as is a rooftop terrace area, perfect for good weather.

TOP-END LA CAMARGUE

FRENCH / MEDITERRANEAN 191 Hai Ba Trung, Q3, Tel: 3520 4888 6pm to 10.30pm A romantic, leafy, French villa setting creates the atmosphere at this longrunning white tablecloth Saigon mainstay.

Serving a mixture of French-influenced Mediterranean cuisine with the occasional addition of Camargue region spices, the menu has a timeless feel to it but with a welcome modern slant. Excellent range of desserts and a great old and new world wine list.

LA CUISINE

FRENCH / MEDITERRANEAN 48 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 2229 8882 www.lacuisine.com.vn 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm. Closed Sundays Recently relocated from its spot on Ngo Van Nam, this decidedly intimate, whitewashed, open-kitchened restaurant with sandalwood tables and seating specializes in a creative mix of contemporary Mediterranean cuisine with a French twist. With an extensive old and new world wine list — 75 at present count — and a small but well-thought out menu, despite its small size this is a place to wine and dine with both friends and loved ones.

TROIS GOURMANDS

CLASSIC FRENCH 18 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2. Tel: 3744 4585 6.30pm to 10pm. Closed Monday Deliberately off the radar, Trois Gourmands is the successor of the once legendary Le Toit Gourmand in Tan Binh. Despite its new District 2 location in a colonial-style bungalow, the enigmatic Gils remains at the helm of this self-styled table d'hôte,

Cafe fare made with American flair

MID TO TOP LA FOURCHETTE

PAN-FRENCH 9 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1, Tel: 3829 8143 12pm to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm A cramped but comfortable, two-storey eatery popular with the French community. Classic fare from goats cheese salad through to seared magret duck, escargot, charcuterie plates and much more. Has a reasonable but mainly French wine list and a cosy, amiable atmosphere aided by the almost constant presence of the owner. Booking recommended.

TY COZ

CLASSIC FRENCH 178/4 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: 3822 2457 11am to 1pm, 6pm to 9.30pm (9pm on Sunday). Closed Monday Run by two brothers, this unassuming space boasting views of the cathedral is set down an alleyway in a colonial villa. And, for many aficionados, it serves up some of the best, classic French cuisine in town.

A daily carte du jour specials board, set business lunches and desserts to die for

Burgers Panini Baguettes American Breakfasts Tex-Mex Asian Specialties

Rooftop 23rd Floor, Centec Tower

169a De Tham

@ Tran Hung Dao Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 7am-2am daily

72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City Just next to Diamond Plaza Tel: (08) 3827 9631 | Fax: (08) 3827 9632

102 | The Word December 2011

out & about and as of old he continues to serve up some of the best, classic Gallic fare in town. As ever, the standard seven-course meal remains surprisingly cheap — presently at VND900,000 a head. The bread and even the cheese here are home made — quite a feat.

FOODIE CORNER Chow Fun

RESTAURANTS – INDIAN BUDGET

Photo by EJ Chung

BOMBAY INDIAN

INDIAN MALAY 35 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: 0903 863114 11am to 10pm Daily Long running hole-in-the-wall halal restaurant opposite the Mosque selling a selection of Malaysian-style Indian cuisine as well as roti paratha, muttapa (murtabak) and both vegetarian and meat-based mains. Like its menu, the fan-cooled dining area is simplicity personified and the prices here are cheap, too, with all the dishes costing well under VND100,000.

THE PUNJABI

NORTH INDIAN 40/3 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3508 3777 11am to 11pm daily Don’t be duped by the backpacker eatery veneer, The Punjabi knocks out some seriously good North Indian fare at budget prices. Located on the same hem as Chi’s Cafe, Vegetarian dishes go for around VND40,000 while the chicken and mutton mains hit VND70,000 to VND85,000.

Portions are big, too, and don’t forget to check out the fare from this eatery’s selfmade tandoor oven. Excellent.

MID-RANGE BABA’S KITCHEN

As you travel down Tran Hung Dao into District 5, the growing Chinese influence becomes evident with shop signs beginning to display Chinese calligraphy. Following the one way system at Nguyen Tri Phuong you arrive at Cat Tuong’s (105 Tran Hung Dao) impressive imperial archway.

Between the columns lie well-presented tables, some inside, most out, yet only a couple are occupied. The friendly staff sit us right next to one of the seven television screens and wait patiently as we sift through the weighty menu.

Helpfully, all the dishes are available and priced for two people, four to six, or eight to ten, which makes catering for large groups easy. Our modest foursome could not justify the whole suckling pig at VND900,000 or even the Beijing Duck at VND400,000, although it did come highly recommended by the waiter. We opted instead for a range of dishes, most evoking memories from back home in the UK. The first to arrive was a dish of stir-fried fish with vegetables

(VND48,000). Beautiful white fish in a sauce with all the flavours that we love from Chinese takeaway at home, but without the stodginess that sometimes ocurs from the time of the order to when it's delivered to the door. The recommended capital fried pork ribs (VND48,000) were a highlight due to their hand-to-mouth stickiness, slight sweetness, spice and the amount of flesh on the bones.

Our waiter, who had been attentive all evening, informed us that two of our choices actually contained the same thing, sautéed internal organs and mixed meat

combination (both VND45,000).

Strange that they were the same dish, though we welcome being informed. A plate arrived as a rather dry pork loin over-powered with five spice mix, sharing a plate with some mystery organs that, rather than internal, seemed to be a chopped pigs snout. Lacking in flavour or texture they left little impression except disappointment.

Opting to avoid intestines for our final dish, we finished off the night with sweet and sour pork (VND45,000) and were pleasantly surprised. The pork was succulent and provided a lovely ending to a good meal. — Jonathan Rebours.

NORTH & SOUTH INDIAN 164 Bui Vien, Q1. Tel: 3838 6661 www.babaskitchen.in 11am to 10.30pm Run by the enigmatic Robin of former Mumtaz fame, this recently opened, pleasant, airy Indian does the full range of fare from all ends of the subcontinent.

From dosas and vadas through to chicken tikka masala, kormas, kebabs and the fiery vindaloo, the cuisine and hospitable service at this friendly eatery are already drawing in the customers. Good delivery service.

GANESH

NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN 15B4 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: 3822 3017 ganesh.restaurant.vn@hotmail.com 5.30pm to 10.30pm A place where the ubiquitous mint sauce is thick and creamy and the curries are both authentic and fresh, the three-storey Ganesh is rated by many as the best Indian in town. The subtle flavours of the northern menu are complemented by spicier more fragrant South Indian curries, roti paratha, dosas, vadas and uthapams.

Has a second Phu My Hung Restaurant at S28 Sky Garden 1 (Tel: 5410 1627).

INDUS INDIAN

INDIAN / MALAYSIAN 2G Thi Sach, Q1, Tel: 3521 0326 indusindiansaigon@gmail.com 11am to 11pm Just two doors away from nightspot icon Apocalypse Now, Indus Indian may not be the brightest in decor and ambience, but this is made up for by the tasty, hybrid Malay Indian fare. Run by Chef Logu, the former cook to the Consulate General of India to Vietnam, expect a Halal menu including the likes of roti canai, murtabak and Malay-styled curries as well as more traditional Indian cuisine.

MUMTAZ

NORTH / SOUTH INDIAN MUGHAL 226 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3837 1767 mumtazvn@gmail.com 11am to 11pm daily Impeccable presentation and bold décor

greet you as you enter one of the Backpacker Area’s longest running Indians, and pretty much the only one adding a Southern Indian menu to the North Indian standards served elsewhere — think dosas, vadas and more. Curries cost between VND80,000 and VND110,000 each while the tandoor fare is some of the best in town. Has a branch in Danang and a second Saigon restaurant in Phu My Hung.

TANDOOR

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NORTH & SOUTH INDIAN 74/6 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: 3930 4839 www.tandoorvietnam.com 11am to 2.30pm, 5pm to 10.30pm For its downtown location, prices at this pioneer of the city’s Indian dining scene remain surprisingly cheap. Three floors, with cream-coloured airport lounge décor and a deep maroon rangoli-patterned wall, are added to by an extensive menu taking in anything from the more creamy korma and rogan josh curries through to masala, vindaloo, dosa, kebabs and sambhar. Has a great range of vegetarian fare and an efficient delivery service.

RESTAURANTS – INTERNATIONAL BUDGET CHI’S CAFÉ

INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE 40/31 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3836 7622 7am to 11pm daily Run by the enigmatic Chi, this affable, long-running café with art-lined walls is probably one of the only places in town where you will regularly hear the likes of Bo b Dylan on the sound system.

Famed for its build-your-own breakfasts, the menu takes in anything from baked potatoes, sandwiches, toasties and salads through to pasta, Vietnamese fare and more. Has a visa and long-term motorbike rental service.

LAM’S CAFÉ

INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE 175 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3836 0308 The hole-in-the-wall frontage to this darling of the Backpacker’s Area dining scene is misleading. Lam’s serves up some genuinely tasty cuisine at rock bottom prices, especially when you hit the Vietnamese menu. The fare here is typical of local home cooking and the portions are big, too. Also does Tex-Mex, Thai, Singaporean and much more. The bar Chao Saigon (222/2 Bui Vien) opposite is owned and run by the same family.

MID-RANGE AL FRESCO’S

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INTERNATIONAL 27 Dong Du, Q1 Tel: 3823 8424 www.alfrescosgroup.com 8.30am to 11pm The downtown outlet of one of the country’s most successful restaurant chains, the multi-storey Al Fresco’s is international comfort fare in a pleasant environment with efficient, friendly service to match.

Famous for its jumbo ribs, also making the menu is Tex-Mex, burgers, pizzas, salads and an assortment of international mains. Does an excellent delivery service.

For a full list of restaurants check the website.

ASIA GRILL

PAN-ASIAN BBQ / INTERNATIONAL 41 Vo Truong Toan, Q2 Tel: 6280 6870 Located opposite the International School of Ho Chi Minh City, this well designed venue focuses on barbeque and grill cuisine, combining western-style fare with a number of Asian dishes. On offer are Korean-style BBQs, cafe-style breakfasts and lunches.

A number of Vietnamese dishes are also available. Decorated with Asian art, plays

music from the 1970s up to the 2000s. Has a relaxing upstairs terrace area.

AU PARC

EUROPEAN / CAFÉ 23 Han Thuyen, Q1, Tel: 3829 2772 7am to 10.30pm. Sunday 8am to 5pm Consistently tasty Mediterranean and European cafe fare — think deli-style sandwiches, salads, kebabs, bagels and mezzes — as well as prices that go easy on the wallet have been one source of Au Parc’s success. Then there is the park-side Le Duan location and the classic but eyecatching cream and green-tiled decor. Good coffee, juices and herbal teas make up the holistic mix. Excellent delivery service.

CASABLANCA MOROCCAN CUISINE PAN-NORTH AFRICAN 58/9 Thanh Thai, Q10, Tel: 3862 8859 6pm to midnight. Closed Monday The first Moroccan restaurant in Saigon’s history has an intimate, cozy setting. Couscous mains start at around VND100,000, while couscous with lamb, chicken and beef is just under VND200,000. Other Moroccan specialties such as slow–cooked lamb with almond and plums and roasted quail with sweet mrozia sauce are also on the menu. Chef Riahi’s home–made pastries such as baklava and “gazelle horns” filled with almond paste are a rarity in the city.

DOMINO'S PIZZA

AMERICAN PIZZA DELIVERY 117 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7; The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh, Tel: 3939 3030 www.dominos.vn 10am to 10pm Despite its delivery-only reputation, Domino's in Vietnam is also doing a roaring trade with eat in diners thanks to its upstairs restaurant space. It's all very casual, of course, with the pizzas served out of the box, but with a range of combos starting at VND70,000 for a small pizza and coke, and now with thin crust available, the Domino's taste and experience has successfully been imported to Vietnam. Check their website for full menu and specials.

ELBOW ROOM

AMERICAN 52 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: 3821 4327 www.elbowroom.com.vn 7.30am to 11pm daily Blackboards, diner-style advertising placards and black and white photography cover the bare brick walls at this striking but upmarket, two-storey US-style diner. The comfort food cuisine is an all American affair, with anything from meatball baguettes through to chilli burgers, pastas, pizzas, blackened chicken salads and a selection of more expensive, more international mains. Has an extensive wine list and an efficient delivery service.

IMPERIAL

RUSSIAN 6 Le Van Huu, Q1, Tel: 3829 4644 11am to late A larger than life-size Russian doll stands outside the entrance of this three-storey beautiful mismatch-of-styles, Russian-run venue. Filled with Eastern European imagery, red theatre-style curtains and Soviet propaganda art, the weekly changing Russian menu includes the likes of borsh, Russian salad, dumplings and cutlets, and can be adapted to your needs for party bookings. Located close to Basilico.

JUICE

INTERNATIONAL 49 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: 3829 6900 7.30am to 11pm Lime green, olive, orange, innovative sofaseating and contemporary artwork stretch across the three floors and mezzanine level of Juice, one of downtown’s most pleasant, while-the-time-away cafes and restaurants. The international cafe fare menu takes in salads, hot and cold sand-

wiches, wraps, pittas, bagels, burgers and a small selection of international mains, all complemented by a huge selection of smoothies and both local and espressobased coffee. Excellent delivery service.

KITA RESTAURANT

INTERNATIONAL / MEDITERRANEAN 39-41 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: 3821 6799 kitacoffee@gmail.com 7.30am to 10pm Set in a colonial-era building still replete with original tiling, this self-styled cafe and restaurant mixes traditional French bistro-style and Old Saigon photo decor with a more contemporary but nonetheless classic feel. Besides the good selection of teas, juices, cakes and espresso-based coffees, does Mediterranean cafe-style fare including sandwiches, salads and pastas as well as a selection of mains and healthy desserts. Has a good wine list and an efficient delivery service.

Hotline : 0939 286 608 7/7. 9am-9pm

LISBOA CAFÉ

PORTUGUESE 119 Cong Quynh, Q1. Tel: 3920 9182 11am to 11pm Go to the end of Bui Vien, turn right onto Cong Quynh and on the left hand side you’ll see the first Portuguese restaurant to open up in Vietnam. A simple affair with a downstairs open-air seating area and a top floor terrace, the cuisine is as Portuguese as it gets — tasty tapas, seafood and a range of typical Iberian dishes, made with a mixture of local and imported ingredients. Also has a small selection of Portuguese wines to match the cuisine.

Sandwiches

PIZZA 4P’S

EUROPEAN/ASIAN FUSION 8/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3822 9838 www.pizza4ps.com 11.30am to 11pm, Tue-Sun Italian tradition meets Japanese ingenuity at Pizza 4P’s. This quirky fusion pizza parlor serves whacky yet delicious pies such as tuna curry pizza, calamari seaweed pizza and teriyaki chicken pizza, as well as more traditional types such as quattro formaggi, marinara and the old faithful, margherita pizza. Those with an adventurous streak can also order their pizza half and half. Pan-European and Asian soups, salads and a la carte mains make up the rest of the menu.

Formula Box

REFINERY

FRENCH BISTRO The Square, 74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3823 0509 therefinerysaigon@gmail.com 11am to 10.30pm daily (11pm on Friday and Saturday) A slightly retro, Parisian influence pervades this popular French-style bistro named after the square once housing the city’s opium refinery. The first restaurant to open its doors in this space close to the Park Hyatt, a leafy outdoor terrace mixes with an indoor aircon space and bar area. The cuisine runs from creative salads through to pasta, a selection of Mediterranean influenced mains and sandwiches (served at lunch only). Has an extensive wine list.

Lunch Box

SNAP CAFE

INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE 32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2 Tel: 3519 4532 www.snap.com.vn 7.30am to 10.30pm (weekdays). 7.30am to 11.30pm (weekends) A huge banyan tree sits in the entrance of Snap Cafe, a rustic-themed airy cafe and retail space with thatched roofing, jungle-like foliage and a kiddy’s play area.

Breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, mains including Asian cuisine and weekly specials make up the cuisine mix, complemented by a range of benches and sofa seating that gives this venue a unique feel. Retail outlets include Oasis Deli, a furniture store and YB Designs jewellery.

Platters WINEMART FINGERFOODS With more than 25 kinds of freshly made platters available as well as sandwiches and lunchboxes, we can offer the best for your party or your lunchtime school or office needs Add to your event with a selection from our 250 different wines Delivery available to all of Ho Chi Minh City

104 | The Word December 2011

www.winemartsaigon.com

out & about

AN An PHU Phu

out & about SUBWAY

171 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1. Tel: 3836 4497 www.subway.com 7am to 10pm Selling the iconic selection of submarine sandwiches that has made this brand famous the world over, Vietnam’s first Subway store includes the likes of Buffalo Chicken and Italian BMT on its menu. All subs are made to order with the same choose-your-own toppings, breads and sauces selection available elsewhere.

Upgrade your six-inch to a footlong whopper for VND30,000 or go for a combo meal including potato chips or cookie and a drink from VND85,000.

WARDA

Focusing on barbeque and grill cuisine, Asia Grill combines western-style fare with a number of Asian dishes. On offer are Korean-style BBQs, cafe-style breakfasts and lunches.

A number of Vietnamese dishes are also available. Decorated with Asian art and plays music from the 1970s up to the 2000s.

MIDDLE-EASTERN 71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1. Tel: 3823 3822 info@wardavn.com 8am to midnight One of the first restaurants to open on a downtown alleyway now jam-packed with eateries, the deep colours, harem-style décor, arches, lightboxes, Arabic script and cushion-friendly outdoor terrace area gives this popular venue its unique touch.

The food is good, too, taking in anything from tabouleh, houmous, falafel and mutabbal through to shwarma, kofta and the kebab Istambouli.

BLU BAR & GRILL

ZOOM CAFÉ

Asia Grill

ASIA GRILL 41 Vo Truong Toan, Q2 Tel: 6280 6870

53 Vo Truong Toan, Riverside Apartments, Q2 Tel: 3744 4111 ext. 707

An easy, breezy light-filled space with a resort-like feel next to the river serves up comfort food and Asian standards. Also with a good range of more eclectic dishes and daily specials.

BOATHOUSE APSC Compound, 40 Lily Road, Q2 info@boathouse.com.vn

The menu is built around surf and turf.

Lunch comprises of a healthy selection of soups, salads and sandwiches while dinner concentrates on top–end beef, seafood and pastas.

BUDDHA BAR 7 Thao Dien, Q2

A large screen TV is the focus of this joint. The décor is pleasant and the menu draws from across Asia.

CAFÉ EVITA 230 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2

Pizzas, salads, burgers, pastas, ice cream and a whole lot more besides is on hand to keep the entire family full and happy at this bright, airy and well kitted–out eatery.

GOOD EATS

AMERICAN / TEX-MEX 169A Bui Vien, Q1. Tel: 3920 3897 vscooterguy@yahoo.com 7am to 2am daily Known for its excellent scooter-themed burgers, this Vespa-infatuated venue is a café and restaurant by day and a Vietnamese-style sidewalk drinking haunt by night. A corner location, friendly staff and American deli-style fare makes it a regular expat haunt. Also serves Tex-Mex and Vietnamese cuisine as well as running a Vespa tour service from within the café.

MID TO TOP BOOMERANG BISTRO SAIGON

INTERNATIONAL / GRILL CR-2 3-4 107 Ton Dat Tien, Phu My Hung, Q7 Tel: 5413 6592 www.boomerang.com.vn 7.30am to 11pm daily Take the Esplanades in Singapore, transport one of the Lion City’s seafront-style restaurants to Vietnam and you have Boomerang, a two-story, Australian-themed but Singapore-owned eatery and bar with great terraced seating specializing in international fare all set in a contemporary, spacious environment. The menu runs the gamut from pizzas (around VND220,000) through to grills, salads and burgers (around VND185,000).

NTFQ2 Fitness Centre, 34 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2

Connected to NTFQ2 Fitness Centre, the menu is based on the theme of maintaining a long and healthy life.

LESUDGAUDIR 4 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 3744 4722

A Spanish tapas restaurant decorated in the style of Spanish architect Gaudi. Italian dishes such as pizza, risotto and pasta are also on offer.

MEKONG MERCHANT 23 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 3744 6478

Superb dining space in leafy, shaded courtyard. Fresh Phu Quoc seafood is the speciality. Other staples are homemade pizzas, salads and daily specials.

SNAP CAFE 32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2

Chilled, rustic, open–air style cafe set in a large courtyard with comfortable wooden seating, banana–leaf roofing and an outdoor playground area for kids.

106 | The Word December 2011

BLU BAR & GRILL

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN 53 Vo Truong Toan, Riverside Apartments, Q2 Tel: 3744 4111 ext. 707 7am to 11pm An easy, breezy, light-filled space with a resort-like feel next to the river. Serves up international comfort food such as burgers and pizzas as well as tasty Asian standards. Also has a good range of more eclectic dishes and daily specials. Part of the Riverside Apartments complex.

Check for daily boat schedule between the complex and downtown Saigon.

CHARNER CAFÉ

EUROPEAN/ASIAN 98 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3823 6065 7am to 11pm Situated above a small art gallery where Nguyen Hue meets Le Loi, Charner Café offers pan-European and Asian cuisine despite its overtly mid-to-late 20th century Parisian-inspired interior. Excellent soups, salads, pizzas and pasta dishes are all available at reasonable prices ranging from VND120,000 to VND350,000, as are

Chinese and Thai-style Asian courses. Also serves breakfast, brunch and good coffee.

FLOW SAIGON

CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN 88 Ho Tung Mau, Q1 Tel: 3915 3691 www.flowsaigon.com 7.30am to midnight, Monday to Friday.

10am to midnight, Saturday. 10am to 3.30pm, Sunday Opening up onto an enormous first floor dining area with an outdoor terrace to boot, this black and white, artwork-clad space with touches of deep red is one of the latest international styled restaurants to descend on Saigon. Excellent service, an extensive wine menu and modern fusion European cuisine all combine to make this a great place for a quality meal.

Also puts on events and film screenings.

HOG’S BREATH CAFÉ

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL Ground Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1 Tel: 3915 6006 www.hogsbreath.com.au 11am to midnight The first Vietnam branch of the wellknown Australian chain, Hog’s Breath mixes hearty cuisine such as pizzas, burgers, salads and prime rib steaks with an Australian sports bar atmosphere.

Decked out in dark wooden furnishings with a long, easy-to-prop-yourself-up-at bar space, also has an outdoor on-thestreet terrace, a mainly new world wine list and a large selection of both local and imported beers. Good regular promotions and a 4pm to 7pm happy hour.

JASPA’S WINE & GRILL

INTERNATIONAL FUSION The Square, 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3827 0931 8.30am to 11pm daily An attractive outdoor terrace together and a smaller indoor aircon area are the draw at this well-known Australian-styled international fusion restaurant that is part of the Al Fresco’s Group. Although a chain restaurant, the offerings here are consistently good — the cuisine includes pasta, noodles and salads together with burgers, pizzas and an excellent selection of steaks and grill-style mains. Excellent service and a good kids menu. Second restaurant at 33 Dong Khoi, Q1.

LA HABANA

CUBAN / MUSIC BAR 6 Cao Ba Quat, Q1 Tel: 3829 5180 www.lahabana–saigon.com 10am to 1am Cuban–themed bar and restaurant selling a tasty range of Cuban and Spanish cuisine. The signature seafood–based paella goes for VND330,000 for two people and a big selection of tapas starts at VND40,000 each. Also has a small German menu featuring favourites such as curry wurst and Weiner schnitzel. Does excellent cocktails, and,three–course lunches, including a drink, for under VND200,000.

MEKONG MERCHANT

INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE / SEAFOOD 23 Thao Dien, An Phu, Q2 Tel: 3744 6478 info@mekongmerchant.com 8am to 10pm daily. MM Bistro 6.30am to 9pm daily.

The rustic looking, banana-leaf roofed Mekong Merchant has long been the place to go in An Phu. Set around a cobblestoned courtyard with a kids’ play area, a bar space, wicker-style seating and notice boards galore, the cuisine is a mixture of gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, salads, pasta and pizza interlaced with Gulf of Thailand seafood imported directly from Phu Quoc.

Also does a great breakfast. A recent addition is the aircon, bakery-style MM Bistro out front.

PASHA

TURKISH / INTERNATIONAL 25 Dong Du, Q1, Tel: 6291 3677 www.pasha.com.vn 10am to 2am A sumptuous but tasteful Turkish-themed restaurant close to the mosque with Islamic-style white dome décor and comfortable, cushioned seating. The cuisine here is authentically Turkish with a sprinkling of western fare thrown in, too. Think falafel, shish, doner and kofta kebabs, all served up with homemade breads as well as the likes of pizaa, moussaka, fish and chips and more.

SKEWERS

INTERNATIONAL / MEDITERRANEAN 9A Thai Van Lung, Q1. Tel: 3822 4798 www.skewers-restaurant.com 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 10.30pm daily Simple, unpretentious Mediterranean cuisine is served at this long-running, bare-brick restaurant in the heart of the foreign ghetto. With dishes ranging from the zucchini carpaccio through to the saganiki, a range of dips, pastas, risottos, mousaka, osso buco and lamb chop skewers, this is the only eatery in town serving Greek cuisine. Also has an extensive wine list and an excellent upstairs cigar room with a range of Cubans and more to match.

VASCO’S AT THE CRESCENT

MEDITERRANEAN / INTERNATIONAL 103 Ton Dat Tien, The Crescent, Q7 Tel: 5414 1717 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays A restaurant rather than a bar and events space, the District 7 incarnation of the iconic downtown bar Vasco’s offers up outdoor, terrace-style seating together with an attractive upstairs bar and lounge area. Also has a great selection of wines courtesy of Bacchus Corner, who have a mini store on the premises. The cuisine runs the gamut from the likes of beef carpaccio and goat’s cheese salad all the way through to the beef tenderloin, seabass in Serrano ham and excellent pizzas.

mented by a no-smoking dining space upstairs replete with a bar and an outdoor terrace. Add to this bar-brick wall decor, light-wood tables and Argentinian themed photography on the walls and you have a well-rounded, popular restaurant only a stone’s throw from the Opera House.

NEW YORK STEAKHOUSE & WINERY

AMERICAN / FRENCH 25–27 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1 Tel: 3823 7373, www.steakhouse.com.vn 11am to midnight Evoking a retro, black and white Hollywood movie star environment, NYSW is known for serving up formidable prime signature cuts of New York strip steak, rib eye, table-carved double strip loins and chateaubriands. Side dishes include black truffle cream spinach, potato dauphinois and fresh mushrooms, while the extensive wine list adds to the overall dining experience, which is enhanced by the all red and grey diner-style décor. Has an upstairs cigar room.

NINETEEN

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN Ground floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com 6am to 10am, 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm Great buffets draw daily crowds to this downtown hotel restaurant. Streamlined décor and clean lines create a modern ambience that makes an excellent backdrop for the extensive range of cuisine.

Often puts on specials and brings in overseas chefs. Presently regarded as one of the best buffet restaurants in town.

PARKVIEW

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: 3822 8888 www.saigon.newworldhotels.com 6am to 10pm The ground floor, flagship restaurant of The New World Hotel, the minimalist yet

slightly kitsch décor here is designed to bring out the colours and ambiance of the restaurant’s lavish buffets. Served three times a day, with a number of alternative cooking stations, the cuisine runs the gamut from Chinese to Italian, sushi and seafood to creative salads, cold cuts and cheese plates to a range of desserts. Also does an excellent range of promotions.

Check their website for details.

REFLECTIONS

INTERNATIONAL / FINE DINING 3rd floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, Q1 Tel: 3823 4999 6pm to 11pm Pan-Mediterranean and European dishes make up the bulk of the offerings at the refined but surprisingly fresh Reflections.

The Caravelle Hotel’s signature restaurant, old images of the city grace the walls while a pianist plays nightly in the separate bar area. And yet the fare is surprisingly contemporary. Cosy yet elegant, a well–sourced wine list and a pre-bookable private dining room make this a good choice for that special meal or to entertain people who need to be entertained.

RIVERSIDE CAFÉ

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN Renaissance Riverside 8–15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: 3822 0033 6am to 11pm Offers versatile all–day dining of international quality, with the bonus of being able to watch the action on the river sidewalk. Features western, Asian and Vietnamese buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus an ongoing roster of themed lunches in a fresh, elegant setting.

SHRI

CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN 23rd Floor, Centec Tower, 72–74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3, Tel: 3827 9631 11am to midnight. 10.30pm last order A well-thought out and romantic venue up

TOP-END AU LAC DO BRAZIL

BRAZILIAN / BUFFET 238 Pasteur, Q3, Tel: 3820 7157 www.aulacdobrazil.com 5pm to 10.30pm Au Lac Do mixes a Latino ambiance with great meat dishes and attractive, spacious décor. Heading up the menu is the churrasco, the Brazilian barbecue, with 12 cuts of smoked, barbecued and cured meats plus unlimited salad, all hand carved quite theatrically at your table. Not surprisingly the place can get a little busy, so best to book. Has a second restaurant at 36/19–21 Ground floor, Sky Garden 2, Pham Van Nghi, Q7.

CORSO

STEAKHOUSE / INTERNATIONAL 117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: 3829 5368 www.norfolkhotel.com.vn 6am to 11pm The sleek, contemporary brown and cream decor at this street level steakhouse in the Norfolk Hotel plays host to a gem of a place close to Ben Thanh Market. Although a hotel restaurant, the enticing range US or Australian steaks as well as the great grill and comfort food menu makes this a good option for a quality bite. Steaks start at VND390,000 for a decent sized cut. Does a nightly, competitively priced wine buffet.

EL GAUCHO

ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE 5D Nguyen Sieu, Q1, Tel: 3825 1879 www.elgaucho.com.vn 4pm to late A pleasant downtown eatery mixing the Argentinian steakhouse theme with pork, chicken, lamb, homemade spicy sausage, skewers, burger dishes and everything that can come off a grill. The smaller downstairs and kitchen area is comple-

December 2011 The Word | 107

out & about

DISTRICT 7 Café Terrace

on high with sweeping views over central Saigon. A breezy lounge–style outdoor terrace, an indoor bar area and a separate dining room with 270–degree views of the city make up this enormous, no-comfortspared space. The excellent food menu mixes contemporary international–style grill and modern European fare such as contemporary pasta and risotto dishes.

THE DECK

CAFÉ TERRACE Grand View Building, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 5412 2178 CREMONA 55 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Italian–style cake shop and café that serves excellent coffees and tasty sweets.

GLORIA JEAN’S COFFEE Grand View Building, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 5412 2289 International–style coffee house with the usual range of cappucinos, frappucinos and mochaccions to drink or take away.

JUJAEGEUM Grand View Building, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Enormous bakery, patisserie and chocolatier.

LA PIZZA ITALIANA SF 19-1 Canh Vien 1 Duong Pho Tieu Nam, Q7 Tel: 08 5417 0511/2 - for deliveries Selling authentic Italian thin-crust pizzas & a selection of pasta dishes.

LOVE NOODLE HOUSE D002 Nguyen Binh, Q7 Singaporean noodle house.

NATHALIE’S THAI RESTAURANT S9–HV3 Bui Bang Doan, Q7 Tel: 5410 0822 A strong neighbourhood vibe at this pleasantly decorated Thai eatery–cum–café.

OHAN S1 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Quality Japanese fare in a stylish atmosphere.

Prices are higher but so is quality.

ONE MORE SA9–1 My Khanh III, Ha Huy Tap, Q7 An everybody–knows–your–name type atmosphere at this local bar.

PARIS DELI Grand View Building, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 PIZZA INN 4 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 5412 1196 SARPINO’S PIZZA GrandView Building, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 5412 2480 SURASANG 1417 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7 Korean deli displaying bowl after bowl of various types of kim chi and other traditional fare.

THE TAVERN R2–24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, Phu My Hung, Q7 Tel: 5410 3900 Cold beer, friendly service, a convivial atmosphere and a pavement terrace make this a perfect place for a pit stop any time of the day.

TIB Broadway Building, 100 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7 Tel: 5413 6868 TOKYO DELI SC6–1 Parkview Building, Q7 Tel: 5410 1166 WRAP & ROLL SA1–1 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7 Tel: 5412 0461 YEEBO Broadway Building, Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7 Flashy hotpot joint great for large parties.

108 | The Word December 2011

MODERN ASIAN FUSION 38 Nguyen U Di, An Phu, Q2. Tel: 3744 6632 www.thedecksaigon.com 8am to late daily. Last order 10pm.

Set on the banks of Saigon River across from Thanh Da Island, the soothing riverside location provides the perfect setting for this innovative restaurant. Serving up European-influenced Asian fusion cuisine in both an airy indoor and roof-covered outdoor space, the menu is complemented by great cocktails, a wine list of over 100 wines and a new bar in the front garden area replete with designer furniture.

STELLA CAFFE

ITALIAN / VIETNAMESE 119-121 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3836 9220 www.stellacaffe.com 7am to 11.30pm daily Besides serving up one of the best lattes in town, the tasteful, two-storey Caffe Stella has become one of the main expat haunts in the Backpackers’ Area thanks to its friendly staff, decent WiFi, reasonable Italian cuisine and indoor aircon space. Although there are a number of Vietnamese dishes on offer, the cuisine here is all Italian – think antipasti, pasta, pizza, insalata and Italianstyle mains – all sold at decent prices.

PENDOLASCO

BUDGET

PAN-ITALIAN 36 Tong Huu Dinh, Q2 Tel: 6253 2828 www.pendolasco.vn 10am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm Opening out into a large, leafy terracotta-tiled garden area surrounded by an L-shaped indoor dining space, this Trattoria-style Italian has been serving up quality cuisine for years. Homemade pasta, risotto, gnocchi, excellent pizza and a range of grilled mains make up the menu. The wine list takes in Italian as well as new and old world.

MARGHERITA

MID TO TOP

RESTAURANTS – ITALIAN

ITALIAN, TEX-MEX, INTERNATIONAL 175/1 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Tel: 3837 0760 8am to 11pm daily This family-run restaurant has been on of the Backpackers’ Area mainstays for well over a decade, selling excellent pizzas, salads and pastas all mixed in with panwestern cuisine, tasty Vietnamese fare and a few Tex-Mex dishes. Amiable owners, a pleasant atmosphere, reasonable pricing and an efficient delivery service make up the mix.

SALT AND PEPPER

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN 103 Ton Dat Tien, The Crescent, Phu My Hung, Q7. Tel: 5412 4848 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 11pm Located in the modern confines of The Crescent, this contemporary-styled Italian restaurant and pizzeria has an open kitchen and a relaxing outdoor terrace area. Serving up a range of pan-Italian cuisine, the menu includes a nice selection of salads, pastas, main courses, pizzas and desserts, all at affordable prices. At night the cozy atmosphere creates the ideal ambience for a dinner accompanied by a bottle of wine.

MID-RANGE CENTRO

BASILICO

CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN Cnr. Nguyen Du & Le Van Huu, Q1 Tel: 3520 9099, www.icasianasaigon.com 6.30am to 10.30pm A sleek, modern-styled trattoria attached to the back of the Intercontinental, the professionally designed, international Italian fare encompasses anything from carne and pesce dishes through to pizza, pasta, baguettes, focaccia and panini. Has a breezy, tree-shaded outdoor street terrace area and is often packed at mealtimes.

For being part of a five-star, prices here are very reasonable.

CASA ITALIA

CLASSIC ITALIAN 86 Le Loi, Q1, Tel: 3824 4286 www.casaitalia.com.vn 10am to midnight Pompeii ceiling tiling, Roman arches and a classic Italian feel pervade this restaurant close to Ben Thanh Market. The fare mixes international Italian cuisine such carbonara, Bolognese and Arrabiata dishes with regional specialities such as the linguine sfiziose and excellent wood-fire oven pizzas. Has a good selection of mains as well as an intimate wine cellar-style dining space upstairs.

CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN 11-13 Cong Truong Lam Son, Q1 Tel: 3827 5946 7.30am to 11.30pm A contemporary Italian-themed cafe and restaurant mixing the best of the peninsular’s coffee — anything from ristrettos and macchiattos to frappuccinis — with a decent cafe-based food menu that also includes a more extensive selection of mains. As well as a substantial range of meat and vegetarian panini and crostini, there are also Italian rice dishes, creative salads, soups, home made pasta and more wholesome meat or seafood-based mains.

LA HOSTARIA

JAVA

PAN-ITALIAN 79 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3823 8998 www.pomodoro-vietnam.com 10am to 10pm Recently expanded, this neat, spacious, brick-walled Italian favourite has long been serving up top-calibre fare within a minute’s walk of the Opera House.

The menu is typical of the boot-shaped peninsula, with insalate, primi patti, pesce, carni, pasta, dolci and pizza lining its pages. A refreshing selection of vegetarian fare is also available taking in

PAN-MEDITERRANEAN 38 Dong Du, Q1. Tel: 3823 0187 7.30am to 11.30pm A modish, brown and grey contemporary cafe venue selling Italian-influenced, pan-Mediterranean cuisine. Think ricotta pancakes, bruschettas, Roman salads, creative open cut sandwiches, linguine, risotto, pesto dishes and gourmet pizzas mains and you get the idea. Portions are big, too. Then of course are the excellent, health-conscious smoothies, good coffee and a great upstairs lounge area to boot.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN 17B Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3823 1080 www.lahostaria.com 9.30am to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm This downtown hideaway with tasteful, rustic–style decor trawls the various regions of Italy for inspiration and the result is traditional cuisine with a light, fresh touch. Try the carpaccio misto di pesce and agnello d’antico. Also does excellent homemade pasta and some of the best pizzas in town courtesy of their hand-built wood-fired oven.

POMODORO

ravioli, caponatra, risotto and cannelloni.

This is a solid restaurant serving up solid cuisine.

TOP-END LA BRACERIA

PIZZA & GRILL 11 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3824 7446 www.labraceria.com.vn The pastel-coloured, Roman arch brickwork of this airy, three-storey restaurant provides the setting for a more unusual variation on the Italian theme — the grill. Cooked over lava stones (think Mount Etna) or in the wood-fired pizza oven, dishes include steaks, lamb chops, Andouillette sausage, skewers and a range of seafood, all marinated with a selection of Mediterranean spices. Also does a range of pasta, pizza and traditional starters.

OPERA

CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN 1st floor Park Hyatt Hotel 2 Lam Son Square, Q1. Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com 6am to 11pm Unpretentious, casual but elegant bistro– style restaurant with a tried–and–tested Italian menu which starts with pasta and wood–fired pizza, and then moves on to an expertly crafted selection of gourmet fare. A terrace offers the chance to observe the city goings–on. The wine list is a compact selection from regions like Umbria, Toscana and Veneto. Regular specials and great open kitchens. Has a laid-back separate bar area, too.

RESTAURANTS – JAPANESE & KOREAN BUDGET ASIAN KITCHEN

PAN-ASIAN / JAPANESE 185/22 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Tel: 3836 7397 7am to midnight daily While standard Japanese day-to-day fare is the focus of this long-running, bambooclad eatery close to Chi’s Café, the menu here also includes Vietnamese, Indian, western and vegetarian options. With prices remaining at rock bottom – VND45,000 to VND65,000 for a mains — Asian Kitchen is a favourite with budget tourists and is highly rated on Trip Advisor.

TOKYO BBQ

JAPANESE BARBECUE 15A6 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3822 2527 9.30am to 2pm, 4.30pm to midnight The wooden and charcoal panelling together with the open downstairs kitchen and upstairs swathed-in-red dining area give this contemporary Japanese eatery a casual but comfortable ambience. Specialising in all things barbecue, the charcoalgrilled beef cooked at the table is to die for, while the various other meat and vegetable options are also an excellent choice. Does a great lunch set starting at under VND100,000, rising to just under VND300,000 for the barbecue set.

MID-RANGE DRAGON NOODLE

JAPANESE NOODLES 29 Dong Du, Q1 Tel: 3521 0008 www.ramen.vn 11am to 1am Bright, airy and spacious with sake bottles hung across the wall, the defining feature of this decidedly Japanese eatery is the black and white sketch of old Saigon stretching the whole length of the righthand wall. Bar-table as well as standard seating adds to the atmosphere while the menu focuses on ramen noodles, starting at around VND100,000 a dish. Also has a number of stir-fried options and a rice

dish-based lunch menu.

MUS MUS

JAPANESE HOTPOT 117 Vo Van Tan, Q3 Tel: 3930 9185 www.musmus.net 11.30am to 2pm, 5.30pm to 10.30pm An excellent slither of a place specialising in Japanese-style hotpots, shabu-shabu and, in particular, the awesome steamed hotpot. Choose 12 ingredients (including meats and seafood) from the menu and steam over a broth on your table. Eat the remaining soup with rice or noodles. A great, tasty and remarkably healthy dish.

And it’s cheap, too.

OOO / MARUSAN

YAKITORI / CHICKEN RESTAURANT 37 Nguyen Van Thu, Q1 Tel: 3911 9000 www.yakitori-ooo.com 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm.

Closed Sundays Possibly one of the most eye-catching Japanese restaurants in town, this snug two-storey space mixes light wooden and bare industrial brick decor with a downstairs wooden topped bar area and upstairs cubby holes for semi-private dining. Serving all things chicken from hotpots and yakitori fare through to deep fried chicken on a huge bed of dried chillis, the trilingual menu also includes Korean soju, saki, a big selection of wine and imported Japanese beer.

OSAKA RAMEN

JAPANESE NOODLES 18 Thai Van Lung, Q1; SD04, Lo H29-2, KP My Phat, Phu My Hung, Q7 11am to 3am Monday to Saturday, 11am to 10pm Sunday If you like your noodles in every possible form and prefer them to be Japanese, then this sleek, open-kitchened contemporary eatery may just be a little slice of heaven. Served in sets — the lunchtime offering goes for just over VND100,000 — or as individual dishes, the ramen are supplemented by a range of smaller, appetizing sides. The Phu My Hung branch is on Nguyen Duc Canh next to S’Cottage.

SEOUL HOUSE

KOREAN 33 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1, Tel: 3829 4297 seoul.house@yahoo.com.kr 7am to 10pm Now on its third location, the simply designed Seoul House was the first Korean restaurant in town and continues to be popular. Two floors with a mixture of standard and sit-on-the-floor seating cater for a cosmopolitan clientele. The cuisine takes on the full Korean food spreadsheet with everything from banchan starters, kim chi and bulgoggi through to barbecues, claypot mixed rice and awesome spicy tofu and minced pork soups.

YAMANEKO

JAPANESE / OKINAWA 13/1 Le Thanh Ton, Tel: 3823 8433 www.yamaneko–vn.com 11.30am to 2pm, 5pm to 1am Tucked away in an alley off Le Thanh Ton, the funky Yamaneko offers delicious, unpretentious Okinawan fare alongside mainland staples. Including dishes such as buta no syoga yaki tesuko (grilled pork marinated in ginger sauce) and rafute soba tesoku (Okinawa soba noodle with soft stewed pork). Standard Japanese fare is also on hand if you don’t want to dive into something a little different. Does a great set lunch deal

MID TO TOP INAHO

SUSHI / SASHIMI 4 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1, Tel: 3829 0326 11am to 2pm, 5.30pm to 10pm The restaurant of famed chef Ryoichi ‘Roy’

Iwashita. Originally from Osaka this old hand travelled the world prior to serving a stint at the former Omni Hotel (now Moevenpick). His present venture features diminutive downstairs bar seating and upstairs space together with some of the best sushi and sashimi in town. The key is not just in the cutting and preparation, but in the ingredients and presentation.

Here it is faultless.

URAETEI BBQ RESTAURANT

JAPANESE BBQ 2A Ngo Van Nam, Q1 Tel: 6673 9373 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm Cool and dark, this forest grotto of a restaurant deals in natural finishes and a sense of isolated calm, all added to by private booths and food prepared at the table. Dishes include salty fish/squid, fresh raw beef, smoked chicken, fried pork cutlet, seafood pizza, sukiyaki and shabu shabu hot pot. The speciality here, though, is yakiniku, traditional Japanese grilled meat. Delicious.

RESTAURANTS – SOUTHEAST ASIAN BUDGET CORIANDER

THAI / VIETNAMESE 185 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3837 1311 11.30am to 10.30pm daily Owned by a Thai-trained Vietnamese chef, the time spent in a real Thai kitchen shows at Coriander, one of the few eateries in town serving up decent pan-Thai cuisine. The egg-wrapped pad thai here is better than you often get in its country of origin, and the curries, som tam and tom yum goong are also good, with dishes generally going for between VND60,000 and VND70,000 for a main.

MID-RANGE BAAN THAI

PAN-THAI 55 Thao Dien, Q2, Tel: 3744 5453 www.baanthai-anphu.com 11am to 11pm, Sunday to Thursday. Open until midnight on Friday and Saturday Subtle lighting and comfortable sofa-like seating fill the restaurant and lounge bar area of this eatery on the main drag in An Phu. The menu focuses on a range of rice, noodle, fried and curry dishes with a mix of other fare including a whole page dedicated to tom yum soup as well as a selection of salads, including the likes of the firey larb moo and Laotian som tam.

GOLDEN ELEPHANT

CLASSIC THAI 34 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3822 8554 saigonssk@vnn.vn 11am to 10pm Whitewashed décor with a distinctly Thai theme – images of the Royal family, elephant embroidery and more – provide the atmosphere at this excellent, long-running restaurant. The fare runs from laab salads (from VND75,000) through to curries (from VND75,000), traditional Thai mains, som tam (VND70,000), fish cakes and dishes such as the deep-fried catfish with mango salad (VND75,000). Has three VIP rooms upstairs.

JASMINE THAI

PAN-THAI Tel: 3519 0038 Tues to Sun 5pm to 9.30pm A cosy, Thai-style garden dining area with a children’s playroom, this eatery off the main drag in An Phu provides soft, candlelit lighting, Thai music and a relaxed atmosphere. The cuisine runs the gamut from Bangkok Thai through to Laotian and Isaan cuisine, with anything from massaman and green curries through to lap ped and mains such as phad prew wan gai. Also does an efficient District 2 delivery service that includes The Manor and Saigon Pearl.

out & about

out & about LION CITY

CAFE CRITIQUE The Living Room Café and Lounge

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SINGAPOREAN 45 Le Anh Xuan, Q1 Tel: 3823 8371 www.lioncityrestaurant.com 7am to 3am Singaporean and Malaysian specialities fill the menu at this friendly, authentic fivestorey Lion City eatery. Think the likes of nasi lemak, mee rebus, mee Siam, roti prata, awesome chicken curry as well as the specialities of the house — frog porridge, chilli crab and fish head curry. Does an efficient delivery service and has more restaurants at 701 Ba Thang Hai, Q10, 141 Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 and 206 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh.

NATHALIE'S

PAN-THAI S9 Hung Vuong 3, Phu My Hung, Q7 Tel: 5410 0822 www.nathaliesrestaurant.com 7am to 10pm Both a cafe and a restaurant, its corner location on the opposite side of the highway from KFC has gained Nathalies's a reputation among Vietnamese, Asian expats and more. Claiming to serve up 'Thai Fine Cuisine', all cooked without MSG, and with a particular focus on seafood, mains on the pan-Thai menu go for between VND100,000 and VND200,000. Also has an outdoor Thai noodle stand.

MID-TO-TOP VICKI’S TEPPANYAKI & BBQ

AS YOU MAY HAVE GUESSED FROM the name, this café aspires to make you feel at home, if indeed your home is an uber-stylish homage to eclectic furniture and designer teas like Japan Classic, Irish Breakfast and Roiboosh Vanilla (VND65,000). Impressively named teas don’t come cheap, and nor does anything else in this newly opened cafe, a ca phe den will set you back VND55,000 and if that doesn’t make your jaw hit the coffee table, a plate of standard street fare - fried macaroni and beef with tomato sauce (nui xao bo sot ca) will set you back VND99,000.

Despite the pricing, this café, located smack bang in the middle of one of the most frequented area of District 1, has more to offer. The design is refreshing and the different décor between its two floors is dramatic, almost as if they were separate cafes - the ground floor is an airy parlor room with expansive patio doors leading out onto the street, and every effort has been made here to keep the space feeling open and plush. Clean white textured walls accented with rich purple satin seat covers and stark black marble flooring all hint towards an opulent source of inspiration.

The ‘living room’ is actually

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upstairs where contents of retro yet tasteful seating and oversized lamps, complete with the promising presence of a piano sitting in the corner. The colour scheme here hints more towards an evening venue atmosphere, which no doubt comes in handy when the sun goes down and the glowing yellow hue of the lamps are turned on to set a romantic mood.

So for all those in need of a place to impress prospective clients, first dates or even just your usual circle of friends, The Living Room might just be the place to take them.

The Living Room Café and Lounge is located at 40-42 Dong Du, Q1.

42 Le Anh Xuan, Q1 Tel: 3823 3232 www.vickis.com.vn 11am to 11pm Offering teppanyaki-style live cooking over seven floors, this completely non-smoking restaurant is fun for all the family. Headed up by Thailand’s No. 1 teppanyaki chef, the all-Thai cheffing team possess an arsenal of entertaining cooking skills, with each chef preparing the food in front of guests on a traditional teppanyaki-style grill. Offering fresh local and imported meats and seafood at market prices, customers can also choose from an extensive set menu ranging from around VND500,000 to VND1.2 million per person.

RESTAURANTS – VIETNAMESE BUDGET BANH XEO 46A

BANH XEO / HUE CUISINE 46A Dinh Cong Trang, Q1 Tel: 3824 1110 10am to 9pm Set down a side street around the back of Tan Dinh Market, this sterling testament to tasty Vietnamese cuisine continues to stake its claim as one of the best banh xeo joints in town. But don’t expect frills. The outdoor, covered bench seating is much as it was a decade ago and the fare is simple but amazingly tasty — the pork, beansprout and prawn pancake served up with roll-your-own salad leaves and fresh herbs. Also has a big range of Hue and pan-Vietnamese dishes.

BEEFSTEAK NAM SON

VIETNAMESE STEAKHOUSE 188 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3. Tel: 3930 3917 6am to 10pm Set down an alleyway in an outdoor courtyard with an additional indoor dining space, this well-known eatery specialises in tasty Vietnamese or Australian steak.

Served sizzling on a griddle with thick–cut fries, bread and salad, you can add pate or an egg, all for well under VND100,000.

Has a second restaurant at 200 Bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3. English menu available.

AMBIENCE & DÉCOR: THE DRINK:

BO NE LE HONG

STEAK / BANH CUON 489/27/39 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3990 5106 11.30am to 22.30pm Stuffed down an alleyway close to the

intersection of Huynh Van Banh and Le Van Sy, the bo ne offering at this fancooled, plastic stool eatery is one of the best in town. Served up sizzling with pate, fried egg, onions, chips and of course local beef, price-wise Le Hong remains very much a budget option. Is also known for its excellent banh cuon.

COM TAM THUAN KIEU

COM TAM (BITTY RICE) 26 Ton That Tung, Q1 TEL: 3925 0935 www.comtamthuankieu.com.vn The multi-storey, downtown branch of the famous budget Thuan Kieu eatery close to Cho Ray Hospital. Swathed in yellow and green and packed all day long, the fare here is everything com tam (bitty rice) think suon nuong (barbecued pork), xiu mai (meatballs), thit heo quay (roasted pork), canh kho qua (bitter gourd broth) and muc don thit (squid stuffed with pork). Prices are cheap, too with the standard meal going for around VND30,000.

Has an English menu.

NAM GIAO

HUE CUISINE 136/15 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3825 0261 www.namgiao.com 7.30am to 10pm Set down an alleyway opposite Ben Thanh market and surrounded by a bizarre plethora of hole-in-the-wall beauty salons, this pleasantly attired, long-running Huestyle eatery is known for its excellent bun bo-style soups and central Vietnamese cuisine. Think banh beo, bun thit nuong, com hen and much more. All the mains go for under VND50,000. Has a second eatery on Suong Nguyet Anh.

PAPAYA RESTAURANT

PAN-VIETNAMESE 68 Pham Viet Chanh, Binh Thanh Tel: 6258 1508 10am to 10pm The work of the eponymous owner and head chef Chi Nghia, Papaya is one of the city's unsung gems. Tucked down a tangle of streets near the canal on the edge of District 1, the cuisine here is presented simply but beautifully with an emphasis on top quality ingredients. Prices are cheap, too, with mains going for well under VND100,000, and portions are also on the large side. Well worth a visit

PHAP HOA

VEGETARIAN 200 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3839 5893 6am to 9pm If you desire service with a smile, avoid Phap Hoa. This vegetarian eatery is a truly functional place, with a well-stocked and enticing com binh dan buffet-style counter in the entrance. It’s a pick and choose affair, with faux meat such tomato stuffed with pork and meat-filled cabbage rolls sitting alongside mushroom, tomato and tofu fare. It tastes good, too. Just don’t expect the staff to bat you more than an eyelid.

PHO HOA

PHO EATERY 260C Pasteur, Q3 Tel: 3829 7943 6am to midnight Everything at this famous but strikingly traditional pho joint is largesse. From the size of the portions through to the plates of banh quay and fresh herbs as well as the myriad of other accoutrements, it’s all double-sized. Fortunately looks don’t deceive and this distinctly southern version of Vietnam’s national dish tastes good, too. Choose from a range of cuts of beef and spice to taste. Gets busy so expect to share tables.

PHO 99

PHO / STEAK 139 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3925 2791 6am to 2.30am Although essentially one the city's better pho restaurants, putting Vietnam's most iconic dish in a pleasant aircon setting, the two-storey, late-night Pho 99 is also known for its excellent filet mignon steaks made out of local beef bought in Cu Chi. Served up with mushrooms, onions and fries, the dish goes for well under VND100,000 a go, and is one of the best beefy bargains in town. It tastes good, too.

QUAN HO GUOM

HANOI STREET FOOD 177 Nguyen Cu Trinh, Q1 Tel: 3836 9185 This local, chrome table-topped eatery may not look like much, but except for the addition of Saigonese-style fresh herbs it does some pretty tasty and authentic Hanoi street fare. Dishes include the moreish bun cha (rice noodles with barbecue pork), nem ran cua bien (deepfried crab spring rolls), bun mang ga (rice noodle chicken and bamboo shoots soup) and banh cuon thanh tri (wet rice paper rolls), all at budget prices. Also sells decent com binh dan (rice plate dishes) at lunchtime. No English menu.

SAIGON VEGAN

VEGAN 378/3 Vo Van Tan, Q3 Tel: 3834 4473 7am to 2pm. 4pm to 10pm A pleasant, standalone eatery with the feel of a meditative retreat. Furnished with dark rustic wooden tables and chairs, Japanese-style wooden carvings and tropical foliage on the terrace area outdoors, the specialities here are the hotpots and the daily specials. But the vegan menu runs the gamut from faux meat through to noodle and rice dishes. Also has a range of sautéed fair.

TIN NGHIA

VEGAN 9 Tran Hung Dao, Q1 Tel: 3821 2538 7am to 2pm, 4pm to 9pm One of the city’s oldest eateries (it was established in 1925), this plain but charming holistic little venue located close to Ben Thanh Market also does some of the tastiest vegan cuisine in town. Cooked up without onions, garlic and MSG, the fare ranges from curry noodles and fried rice through to a tantalizing selection of non-faux méat tofu and mushroom dishes. It’s cheap, too, and the menu is also in English.

VIET CHAY

VEGAN Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3 Tel: 3848 3399 www.vietchay.vn 7am to 9.30pm Set inside the city’s largest pagoda, this eatery has received plaudits aplenty thanks to its contemporary Buddhist, feng shui-inspired setting, almost reverent ambience and interesting menu. With a regular buffet (check for details), eight specialities are also on show from salted tofu in claypot through to hundred flowers hotpot and Viet Chay spring rolls. Also sells a range of appetizers, vegetables, salads and creative mains.

MID-RANGE 3T QUAN NUONG

VIETNAMESE BBQ Top Floor, 29 Ton That Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3821 1631 5pm to 11pm A steamy, smoky rooftop homage to the art of barbequing and grilling, with

an expansive menu of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes on offer. Often packed to the brim, the barbecue experience takes place at the table with diners either barbecuing the pre-marinated ingredients by themselves or with the aid of the waiting staff. Best to book in advance.

BARBECUE GARDEN

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL BARBECUE 135A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 Tel: 3823 3340 www.barbecuegarden.com 11am to 11pm A charming, leafy outdoor terrace area lit up by fairy lights plays host to one of downtown’s most popular and alluring eateries. Specialising in all things barbecue, the menu goes from western and Vietnamese appetizers and salads through to combos, a la carte meats and seafood, vegetarian options, desserts and a kids menu. It’s a DIY barbecue on the table affair so expect smoke and lots of fun, too.

A great place for groups and parties.

CUC GACH QUAN

MODERN VIETNAMESE 10 Dang Tat, Q1, Tel: 3848 0144 www.ktstranbinh.com 9am to midnight A converted French villa, when it comes to a romantic timeless setting and a mixed Indochine, rustic Vietnamese décor, this café-cum-restaurant stands well-and-truly alone. The work of architect Tran Binh and his French-Vietnamese wife, the cuisine here is good, too, taking in a mixture of street food dishes done well with good ingredients together with a selection of more contemporary options.

HIGHWAY 4

101 Vo Van Tan, Q3 Tel: 3602 2069 www.highway4.com 10am to 11.30pm The first Saigon version of the well-known Hanoi restaurant chain, Highway 4 is named after the six-thronged mountain highway that skirts the Chinese-Vietnamese border to the north. Serves up authentic Vietnamese cuisine and drink that reflects the ambience of the north and wider Vietnam, all set in a pleasant environment — the upstairs area has Asianstyle, long-table, on the floor seating. Also does the excellent Son Tinh-branded rice wine liquors, with flavours ranging from plum to wild mountain apple.

more unusual offerings — scorpion, grubs, ostrich and crickets. Try if you dare!

NHA HANG NGON

STREET FOOD 160 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3827 7131 quananngon@hcm.vnn.vn 7am to 10pm A well-spruced, leafy courtyard in a converted colonial villa provides the setting and the old-world charm for one of the city’s most frequented and loved Vietnamese eateries. Specialising in pan-Vietnamese street food cooked up in a hygienic environment using quality ingredients, dishes cost between VND40,000 and VND100,000 each. Not surprisingly the place gets packed out with noisy diners, so best to book.

TEMPLE CLUB

PAN-VIETNAMESE 1st Floor, Ton That Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3829 9244 11.30am to 10.30pm Once a hotel for French Pondicherry Indian dignitaries visiting both old Saigon and the Hindu temple opposite, this converted floor of one of the city’s best-preserved buildings is home to the elegant, refined and atmospheric Temple Club. Serving quality cuisine from the three main regions of the country, impeccable presentation and the occasional modern twist makes this a great place to entertain. For the colonial setting, the prices are surprisingly reasonable.

TIB

HUE / VIETNAMESE 187ter Hai Ba Trung, Q3 Tel: 3829 7242 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm Formerly owned by composer Trinh Cong Son, the local equivalent of Bob Dylan,

this iconic, local institution mixes dark brown Hue-style, Indochine décor with sullen lighting, white tablecloths and a more casual and jovial atmosphere than other eateries of its ilk. The fare is all Imperial Hue — goi thanh tra, banh uot thit nuong, bun hen and much more. For the background and quality of cuisine, prices are very reasonable.

MID TO TOP BO LAC 3 (LOST COW 3)

STEAKHOUSE 71/3 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1 Tel: 3823 8023 www.lostartsaigon.com 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm If décor could have a voice of its own, here it would be loud, clear, sophisticated and very funky, such is the contemporary but very retro feel to this more recent addition to Alley Number 71. With a menu focusing on steaks, four cuts of either imported or locally produced beef are on offer, all served up with a range of sauces.

For additional vegetables and sides, order separately.

CAFÉ IF

38 Dang Dung, Q1 Tel: 3846 9853 6am to 10pm Located in the grounds of a beautifully restored Indochina-French colonial villa, Café IF is completely non-smoking and offers a concise array of MSG-free traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a French twist, cooked fresh to order. Dishes include noodle soup, steamed ravioli and beef stew for breakfast, while all lunch and dinner mains come with a choice of different meats and fish, cooked in various styles such as stir fry, hot pot and curry.

Has a comprehensive selection of wines, cocktails and fresh fruit juice, too.

HOA TUC

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE The Square, 74 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3825 1676 hoatuc@gmail.com 10.30am to 10.30pm daily The eye-catching flowery décor, purple velvet seating and outdoor tea garden at this well-known downtown restaurant is complemented by highly rated Vietnamese cuisine made using authentic, quality ingredients. Has a number of specialities including the pink pomelo squid and crab salad, the mustard leaf prawn rolls, the fishcake wraps and barbecue chicken in ginger, onions and a lime leaf marinade.

Also runs separate cooking classes.

LUONG SON

PAN-VIETNAMESE 31 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 3825 1330 lsq.reservation@gmail.com 10am to 10pm Open since 1995, a two-year hiatus preceded the recent return of this wellknown just-off-downtown eating haunt.

Famous for its signature dish, bo tung xeo — thin strips of marinated beef grilled at the table — this fan-cooled eatery is a pleasant step up from many of the city’s quan nhau. Also known for its slightly

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out & about nAM pHAn

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CORSO STEAKHOUSE During the festive season, Corso Steakhouse & Bar is introducing a new five-course menu specially prepared by the restaurant’s executive chef Nguyen Quoc Dung.

For starters, diners can choose panroasted foie gras with a bouquet of salad, red capsicum sauce and baked dark chocolate sabayon on pear, or king prawns and avocado salad tossed with American cocktail sauce.

Main dishes range from traditional roasted turkey breast with chestnut stuffing, giblet gravy and creamy mashed potato, to Australian beef sirloin steak with ruby wine sauce and young turn vegetables on baked field mushrooms and gratin potato.

For reservations and more information, call 3829 5368 (Ext 6614) or email corso@norfolkhotel. com.vn SHANG PALACE Shang Palace introduces its signature dish of the month this December. Prepared by the hotel’s new Hong Kong roasting chef Cheng Yiu Kwong, he will prepare his BBQ Roasted Goose, while diners can also enjoy dishes such as Stewed Goat Rib in Casserole.

For reservations and more information, call 3823 2221 or email reservation@shangpalace.com.vn RENAISSANCE RIVERSIDE Guests are invited to sample the

112 | The Word December 2011

creations of the resident chef, Hong Kong’s Yeung Loi Ming, at the “All You Can Eat” Dim Sum lunch and “All You Can Eat” dinner at Kabin this month. For lunch, choose from among 70 varieties of dim sum every day from 12pm to 2.30pm for VND399,000++. Four dine for the price of three with a maximum of 8 persons per visit. For dinner, more than 50 items will be available for VND462,000 from 6pm to 10pm, daily.

Diners can also enjoy the Seafood Extravaganza at the Riverside Café. Feast on an array of seafood from fresh oysters to mussels and lobsters. Prices vary from VND629,000++/person to VND754,000++/person (including free-flow wine, beer and soft drinks).

For more information, visit www. renaissancehotels.com NOVOTEL PHAN THIET Festive highlights at Novotel Phan Thiet include a Christmas Gala dinner on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 and a New Year’s Eve Gala dinner on Dec. 31.

Priced at VND1,091,000++/ adult and VND546,000++/teen (6-12 years), the Christmas Eve Gala dinner buffet will be served by the pool and includes a selection of Christmas delicacies, live music from a Philippino band, Christmas carols and traditional dance performances,

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PAN-VIETNAMESE 34 Vo Van Tan, Q3, HCMC Tel: 3933 3636 www.khaisilkcorp.com 11.30am to 2pm, 5.30pm to 9.30pm.

Closed Sunday lunch This purpose-built, four-storey building is coated in greys, browns and creams mixed in with the Imperial architecture of Hue, Chinese imagery and Terracotta Army-style columns. All helps to create the perfect, eloquent atmosphere for fine dining in a Vietnamese context. The cuisine mixes well-known dishes from the various regions of Vietnam, all served up with a contemporary and welcome twist.

Good wine list.

as well as an appearance by Santa Clause, Rudolf and his elves with presents for the children on Christmas Eve. The New Year’s Eve Gala dinner is priced at VND2,304,000++/adult and VND1,152,000++/teen (6-12 years) and includes a beach-themed party, an Asian buffet dinner, as well as traditional lion and dragon dance performances, live music, lucky draws and best-dressed competitions.

For reservation, call 062 382 2393 or email novotel.reservations@ phanthietresorts.com NOVOTEL NHA TRANG Welcome Christmas and the arrival of the New Year with a gala dinner and party celebration at Novotel Nha Trang. The party includes a special buffet that includes foie gras terrine, whole Spanish Serrano ham, grilled baby lobster and live music in the lobby and Bellevue room.

Santa Claus will be on hand to give gifts to children, and a lucky draw will take place for all guests. Prizes include the opportunity to stay at one of Accor’s hotels in Vietnam, enjoy a buffet dinner or relax at Vous Sp and more. The Christmas Gala dinner takes place on Dec. 14 at VND1,050,000++/person, while the New Year’s Eve event is priced at VND1,365,000++/person.

For more information, contact Novotel Nha Trang on 058 625 6900.

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MODERN VIETNAMESE First Floor, 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3824 8468 www.xusaigon.com 6pm to 11pm An elegant, contemporary restaurant whose unique décor has influenced the design of so many other eateries in town, five years of operation has seen Xu evolve into a venue at the forefront of modern Vietnamese cuisine. Pushing the Asian concept of shared-plate dining, the fare here ranges from the likes of banh cuon thit heo through to pork wanton, bun cha, seared beef crostini, bo luc lac and Xu-style chicken rice, all served up with a modern twist.

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10 Chu Minh Trinh, Q1 Tel: 6291 0447 alamezon.vn@gmail.com 11.30am to 1am A restobar where France meets Japan, this innovative and bold four-floor venue mixes Gallic flair with all the nuances of the Land of the Rising Sun. With lime green in the stairwells, maroon on the ground floor and orange moving up to the subtly lit top-floor terrace, the bar areas and dining spaces are complemented by two games rooms for playing board games, Wii and X-Box. The menu encompasses the same eclectic mix, with ika kappa maki sitting next to baked clams gratinee and beef carpaccio. A bit of something for everyone.

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INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR 195 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Tel: 6291 5424 info@allezboo.com 24 hours Summery, Ibiza-style beats rock through this recently refurbished Backpackers’ Area icon, mixing in with the bamboo-style décor, deep red walls and ethnic minority upholstery and place settings. Serving a mixture of Thai and western cuisine (from VND80,000 to VND140,000 a dish), the latenight party atmosphere is bolstered by the first-floor DJ pumping out tunes into the early hours.

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INTERNATIONAL / PAN-ASIAN FUSION 5 Nguyen Sieu, Q1 Tel: 3825 6257 www.alibi.vn 10am to late daily Swathed in deep red and with dark wooden lightbox panelling, the addition of black and white Saigon street-scene photos gives this three-storey restobar an atmosphere of an upscale, sleek equivalent in New York or London. Choose between the shared-table downstairs bar area or the more traditional upstairs seating and a menu that blends small fusion cuisine style plates with larger mains and excellent gourmet pizza.

homely, slightly rustic feel that is the only place in town pushing the excellent, Hue-brewed Huda beer, always served cold. A free book exchange, an everyoneknows-your-name kind of atmosphere and mains from tuna steak and bangers and mash through to burgers, schnitzels, burritos and sarnies make up the formula here. Does a popular roast from 5.30pm every Sunday.

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RESTOBAR AND CLUB 35-37 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1 11am to 3am Located in the heart of the city, AMOR’s two floors offers up a variety of choices: The first floor restobar is an open-plan casual dining and socializing venue with the kitchen and bar open from 11am till 2am. The menu dishes up a range of delights from snacks and bar food to gourmet grills at astonishingly good value.

On the second floor the nightclub pumps out hip hop and R&B beats with fabulous scratching from their resident DJs from 9pm - 3am. Pole Dancing, MCs, regular promotions and special offers keep the crowd buzzing and the atmosphere jumping until early in the morning!

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INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR 28/4 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 6656 6338 bostonpizzavn@gmail.com 24 hours This inviting, all-hours-god-sends multistorey restobar with its rectangular, bare-brick bar area is the only place in the Backpackers’ District showing all the live sport. And here we certainly mean the word ALL. TV screens are everywhere. Also in the mix is the coldest aircon in town, reasonable (although slightly pricey) pub food and friendly female staff.

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INTERNATIONAL 7 Thao Dien, Q2 3pm to 12am daily Tucked away in An Phu, this long-standing establishment provides great food and drinks at reasonable prices. With a long bar, pool table, darts, live sports, good music, and friendly staff, it’s easy to relax and have a good time. A variety of cuisine is offered, from beef pies and burgers to beef tenderloin, spare ribs and Swiss-style fondue. Quiz night on Wednesdays, ladies night on Tuesdays and live music every first Friday of the month.

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INTERNATIONAL / COMFORT FOOD 40/24 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3836 8452 11.30am to 2pm, 5pm to midnight. Closed Mondays.

A miniscule, two-floor restobar with a

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INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR 212 De Tham, Q1 Tel: 3836 9946 www.crazybuffalosaigon.com 24 hours This hard-to-miss Backpackers’ Area restobar, terrace and nightclub declares itself loud and bold with its massive, snorting buffalo signage, a symbol that has undoubtedly appeared in thousands of photos of Saigon. A daytime happy hour, pizza, pasta, Asian cuisine and international mains make up the mix, with the beats pumping on the first floor until late.

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MINIMALIST CAFÉ BAR 9 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 0907 609202 dorutudose@gmail.com 9.30am to 1am Swathed in greys, cream and dull brown, this bar and café has the feel of an underground-style watering hole, the type you may find in London or New York. Run by a well-known, locally based DJ, the decks and mixing board take centre stage here, with a range of turntablists taking to the stand at night. Also a good place to hang out during the day — the Mediterranean-influenced food menu includes crostini, salads, pastas and a good selection of breakfast fare.

Does takeaway Lavazza coffee.

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26th & 27th Floor Rooftop, 76A Le Lai, Q1 Tel: 3827 2372 www.chillsaigon.com 5pm to 10pm (restaurant). 5pm to 2am (bar & lounge) Offering spectacular views of Ho Chi Minh City, Chill is located on the rooftop of A&B Tower in downtown District 1. DJ Kenzo Trinh provides a playlist of ambient dance tunes and up-tempo lounge tracks, while the open kitchen, headed up by chefs from Japan, Australia, Thailand and Vietnam, serves a mix of contemporary international and Asian cuisine. Signature drinks aplenty can also be ordered from the bar. Be sure to dress well as Chill operates a no shorts and no sandals dress code policy.

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL 40 Lily Road, An Phu Superior Compound, Thao Dien, Q2 7.30am to 11pm daily The river plays a big role in this spacious, slightly gentrified restobar in An Phu on the banks of Saigon’s largest waterway.

The cuisine here ranges from small plates through to salads, sandwiches (from VND95,000), premium burgers (from VND195,000), pizza, pasta, pan-Asian, seafood dishes and steaks (VND450,000 for the Australian premium rib-eye). Has an international wine list and Sunday afternoons play host to live music and the occasional mini festival.

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INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR 187 De Tham, Q1 Tel: 3836 9575 24 hours A corner location, retro, slightly grungy décor, banging indie and popular rock tunes downstairs, never ending drunkenness and late-night partying make Go2 one of the watering hole destinations in the Backpackers’ Area. Popular with tourists and expats searching for latenight drinking and dancing options, the food menu includes Thai, Vietnamese and western cuisine with mains costing between VND75,000 and VND110,000. DJs bang out the beats upstairs until late.

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AMERICAN / LIVE MUSIC Kumho Asiana Plaza, 39 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 6291 7595 www.hardrockcafe.vn 11am to midnight The rock memorabilia, cowboy-like, rockcentred American food menu and branded décor at the Saigon version of this international branded café provide for one of the city’s few, medium capacity downtown music venues. The nightly live music is accompanied by a pricey (for Saigon) food menu that includes burgers, hickorysmoked BBQ ribs, fajitas, sandwiches and salads. Puts on regular events – check their website for details.

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28Bis Mac Dinh Chi, Q1 Tel: 3829 0585 www.hoavien.vn 8am to midnight Set in the same building as the Czech Consulate and decorated in wood panelling and brass finishing, this enormous Czech-styled bierkeller popular with stout burghers from both the local and expatriate communities was the first microbrewery in town (1995) and remains one

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of the best. The excellent home–brewed Hoavener beer, which comes in dark, red or blonde, is served out of huge steins and is complemented by a food menu that mixes Vietnamese fare with Central European staples such as schnitzels, wurst and much more.

attracts a regular clientele made up of Gallic expats, tourists and more. An excellent food menu – think all things French – backs up the long bar area perfect for sipping on a Ricard or a beer or two.

Daily specials board and French sports live on TV.

HOG’S BREATH CAFÉ

MOGAMBO

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL Ground Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, Q1 Tel: 3915 6006 www.hogsbreath.com.au 11am to midnight The first Vietnam branch of the well-known Australian chain, Hog’s Breath mixes hearty cuisine such as pizzas, burgers, salads and prime rib steaks with a bar-like Australian sports atmosphere. Decked out in dark wooden furnishings with a long, easy-to-prop-yourself-up-at bar space, also has an outdoor on-the-street terrace, a mainly new world wine list and a large selection of both local and imported beers.

LA FENETRE SOLEIL

2nd Floor, 44 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 3824 5994 10am to midnight Bare brick walls, art-deco repro furniture and a parlour-like elegance that brings with it all the glamour of old Saigon puts La Fenetre Soleil in a class of its own.

Serving up a range of cocktails, imported beer, coffee and smoothies together with a Japanese-Vietnamese fusion menu, atmosphere and the slightly-off-the-maindrag location makes this a great spot to while away those afternoon hours or catch a night-time drink. Does a set lunch menu from 11.30am to 2pm.

LATIN CAFE BAR AND RESTAURANT

17 Dong Du, Q1 Tel: 3827 9095 10am to midnight This cozy slither of a two–storey venue is one of the few down-to-earth watering holes left in downtown Saigon. Offering a great dining area upstairs and easyon-the-eye bare brick décor throughout, the menu includes tapas, salads, pasta and sandwiches and mains such as roast chicken with pomery mustard and bangers and mash. Also has flatscreen TVs for the sport and a general, laid-back but amiable atmosphere.

LE PUB

INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR 175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Tel: 3837 7679 www.lepub.org 9am to 1am daily Swathed in deep red with dark wooden seating and attractive, art-themed décor, Le Pub remains one of the best restobars in the Backpackers’ Area thanks to its friendly service, good atmosphere and tasty international and Vietnamese cuisine.

Prices are reasonable, too. Shows the live sport, has a Tuesday night pub quiz and also runs daily specials on drinks.

LONG PHI

FRENCH / RESTOBAR #003 / 207 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3837 2704 6pm to very late, Tuesday to Sunday Now in its third incarnation, the Frenchrun Long Phi has been serving the Backpacker’s Area since the late 1990s and has swathes of mainly Gallic regulars to prop up the bar. Not to say that this place only caters for the French community – far from it. But Ricard and other similar fare including the excellent cuisine (sold until the early hours) are very much in evidence here. Occasional live music.

MINH KHA CAFÉ (K CAFÉ)

FRENCH BISTRO 28 Do Quang Dau, Q1 Tel: 0903 852956 (Paulo) kcafesaigon@yahoo.com A French-style bistro and restaurant all in one, this Backpacker Area mainstay

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PAN-AMERICAN / TEX-MEX 50 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3825 1311 mogambo@saigonnet.vn 9am to 11pm daily Known for their American-styled burgers, steaks and Tex-Mex, the two-storey Mogambo claims pride of place as one of the city’s longest running restobars.

A well-known expat meeting spot, Savannah-esque, bamboo décor and booth seating make up the mix together with a pleasant bar space. Dishes run from fajitas and burritos through to chicken cordon bleu, pies, the coronary bypass burger, salad, soup, gumbos and spare ribs.

MY PLACE

195 Dien Bien Phu, Q3 Tel: 3829 8301 www.myplace.com.vn 11am to late, Tue-Sun Renovated from an old French colonial-era villa, My Place is a sleek, high-end gastropub with private salons, an idyllic garden space and several bar areas. Serves both local and international fare including stews, clams, pasta dishes and finger food. Also does a BBQ every Saturday night, brunches on Sundays and offers various daily food and drinks promotions.

O BRIEN’S

IRISH BAR / INTERNATIONAL 74/A3 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3829 3198 11am to 1am. Sundays 4pm to 1am One the city’s longest serving bars, this well-ordered, two-storey Irish-themed watering hole sports a copper-topped bar area, bare-brick walls, dark wooden seating and good service to boot. Known for its excellent food menu, the international fare includes Irish stew, Cajun chicken, panini merguez, tasty pizzas, comfort pub grub and the to-die-for zesty beef roll-ups.

Also has a great selection of whiskeys and an upstairs pool table.

PACHARAN

SPANISH / EUROPEAN 97 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3825 6924 www.pacharan.com.vn Legs of Iberian ham hang from the ceiling in the downstairs bar at this multi-storey, Spanish-styled tapas and bodegas.

Decorated in tile-like, impressionist rounded reds, yellows and oranges, Pacharan’s location, regular live music and its ability to show its customers a good time have made it one of the mainstays of the downtown wining and dining scene.

The food menu includes tapas, paella, larger mains and an extensive, Iberian wine list.

PEACHES

S57-1 Sky Garden 2, Phu My Hung, Q7 Tel: 5410 0999 10am to 11pm A Saigon South favourite, Peaches is located in the square area between Sky Garden 2 and Sky Garden 3. A spacious, attractive restobar with comfortable, lounge-style seating and a bar area, this watering hole mixes three beers on tap and a large screen for the live sports with a pan-Asian curry menu. Including anything from Sri Lankan chicken curry through to beef rending, fish head curry and mutton vindaloo, the majority of the dishes cost under VND100,000. A perfect accompaniment to the beer.

PHATTY’S

46–48 Ton That Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3821 0796 www.phattysbar.com 9am to midnight Taking over from where the original Café Latin finally failed, the attractive Phatty’s has become the Australian-themed sports bar with its myriad of large screens and beer-guzzling but homely atmosphere.

Showing all the live sport — from international cricket through to Aussie Rules, Rugby and even the occasional soccer (football) game — the punters also have access to an excellent pub grub menu taking in anything from hot dogs, sandwiches and burgers through to excellent grill options, pizzas and international mains.

QING

WINE BAR / ASIAN FUSION CUISINE 110 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3915 2979 Saigon’s first wine bar, this slither of a place mixes dark brown and maroon décor with bar-style seating and comfortable dining areas out front and at the back.

An extensive new and old world wine list is, of course, part of the offering, as is an awesome pan-Asian fusion menu boasting Asian tapas (from VND85,000), international fusion mains (from VND185,000) and gourmet, creatively topped pizzas. Has a highly rated massage parlour upstairs.

SHERIDAN’S IRISH PUB

17/13 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3823 0793 8am to midnight All the charm of a traditional, booth-like, leather upholstered Irish pub with Celticthemed décor and old family photos to match. Has nightly live music from 8pm and also does some of the best home– style pub grub in town with Irish stew and Irish breakfasts making an appearance together with more international fare. Has a large upstairs space as well as a separate smoking room while Guinness and a good range of Irish whiskeys completing the Emerald Isle theme. Probably the only genuine pub in Saigon.

SPOTTED COW

INTERNATIONAL / RESTOBAR 111 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3920 7670 spottedcow@alfrescosgroup.com 11am to 12pm daily Part of the Al Fresco’s Group, the original Spotted Cow bar was on Hai Ba Trung in Hanoi, a few doors down from the country’s first Al Fresco’s. Now revived and transformed into a full-on sports bar with Friesian black and white spots to match, this friendly watering hole has a good food menu to match – think pasta, pizza, burgers, baguettes and international comfort food mains. A range of happy hours and darts make up the mix.

STORM P

DANISH / INTERNATIONAL 5B Nguyen Sieu, Q1. Tel: 3827 4738 www.stormp.vn 10am to late Named after a Danish cartoonist, this Saigon long-termer with its mural of Copenhagen taking up the length of one wall attracts a mix of Scandinavian and international punters, all enjoying the offerings from the well-stocked bar and the reasonably priced Danish-influenced pub grub menu. Dishes include Danishstyle fried pork and meatballs, frankfurt sausages, a range of grilled fare, burgers and much more. Has three screens for the live sport and seating areas out back and upstairs.

STREETPUB

43-45 Do Quang Dau, Q1. Tel: 3836 8310 www.streetpub.net 7am to 3am Swathed in deep red and yellow and with

armchair-style seating on the ground floor, Street Pub has an extensive western and Vietnamese food menu, all complemented by daily drinks specials. Has an upstairs pool table and lounge area, outdoor terrace seating and regular music and DJ events hosted in the main by local music collective Depskillz. Many of the staff here used to work at Le Pub.

TRADERS

NEW YORK/ INTERNATIONAL 76 Bis Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 Tel: 3821 3556 7am to midnight Located in the stock market area in between the canal and Ham Nghi, this funky, Wall Street-styled restobar takes the concept of its name and mixes it with an ever-changing set of deals on drinks and cuisine. With cash-obsessed, comic strip style American artwork lining the walls and a great, curved long bar, the French-influenced American food menu includes pizza, hotdogs, salads, tartines and bracket kebabs. Great concept and a good place for more than just a beer.

VIBE BILLARDS AND LOUNGE

102 Suong Nguyet Anh, Q1 Tel: 3925 2599 10am to 1am A departure from the Saigon norm, this comfortably decorated, two-floor pool and snooker lounge mixes the attractions of a lustrous contemporary lounge bar with all the mod cons together with some of the best, imported pool tables available in town. Rental is by the hour, the seven pool tables costing around VND100,000 while the upstairs, full-size snooker table costs a touch more. A great place to go simply for a drink or to shoot pool with friends.

VINO

WINE BAR / TAPAS The Square, 74/17 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 6299 1315 www.vinovietnam.com 10am to 10pm daily The terrace out front acts as a great after work drinking spot at this well-known downtown wine shop. Up to 10 wines by the glass, a range of imported beer and a selection of mini, tapas-like dishes such as albondigas, chorizo, cheese plates, antipasti, jumbo olives and garlic tiger prawns make up the selection here.

XU RESTAURANT LOUNGE

CAFÉ / LOUNGE BAR Ground Floor, 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3824 8468 www.xusaigon.com 11am to midnight The downstairs café-cum-lounge bar of this iconic downtown modern Vietnamese restaurant mixes subtle lighting with contemporary artwork ands design touches, a swathe of browns, cream, maroon, sofastyle seating and deep red upholstery.

Serving a range of international fare together with Vietnamese dishes throughout the day, nighttime turns this venue into an upmarket, downtown bar. Known for its cocktails and extensive wine list.

ZANZBAR

INTERNATIONAL FUSION 41 Dong Du, Q1 Tel: 3822 7375 info@saigongourmetgroup 7am to 1am daily Creative cocktails, an extensive wine list, a laid back atmosphere and a conversation-friendly bar area mix with a dining space out back and international fusion cuisine to make this one of downtown’s go-to destinations. Running the gamut from sake ‘n’ harissa marinated cod through to torchon of lamb, chicken souvlaki, a lemon pepper salmon salad, a chimichurri burger and a range of enticing desserts, the cuisine here is top-notch and the presentation excellent.

Sound & Vision Listings ARTS CLASSES 115 BOOKS & MAGAZINES 115 GALLERIES 115 LIVE MUSIC VENUES 119 PERFORMING ARTS 120

ARTS CLASSES BETTER DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

www.BDPworkshops.com 090 2208 813 Photographer Peter Stuckings (Lonely Planet Images, Insight Guides) runs a monthly intensive class on how to get the best out of your digital camera, as well as what to do on your computer when you bring the photos home. Workshops are run over a weekend, and involve classroom time in District 1 as well as shooting at locations around town. Cost is $195/person, with discounts for early and multiple bookings.

HELENE KLING OIL PAINTING

189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2 Tel: 0903 955780, www.helenekling.com French painter teaches beginners how to work with different mediums and techniques. For more advanced artists, she shows you how to release your creativity.

Daytime and evening courses available for children and adults. Has a permanent exhibition at Flow Saigon (88 Ho Tung Mau, Q1).

THE SAIGON WRITERS GROUP

Tel: 01642 078110 john_helden@hotmail.com A new creative group invites new members every second Tuesday in the evening for feedback on work in progress and creative writing exercises to inspire.

All levels are welcome from beginners to more experienced. Contact John by phone or e-mail.

VIN’S SPACE

4 Le Van Mien, Q2, Tel: 0983 377710 www.shyevin.com Vin’s Space is a cosy, intimate, light-filled space that offers artists of all kinds a quiet space to work individually and share ideas and perspectives. Runs various weekly classes, including oil painting, drawing, figurative drawing and painting, and arts and crafts classes for all ages.

BOOKS & MAGAZINES ARTBOOK

43 Dong Khoi , Q1, Tel: 3502 1559 www.artbook.com.vn Frequent overseas imports of the latest magazines and books makes Artbook a rarity in this city. Not only are the products current, but they also cover areas from art and architecture through to graphic design, fashion, cooking, interior design and landscaping. Magazine titles in stock include the likes of FutureArc, GA Houses and Landscape World. The back room doubles up as an art gallery.

FAHASA

40 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3822 5796 www.fahasasg.com.vn 8am to 10pm Although there are many branches of Fahasa dotted throughout the city, this is one of the largest, with three floors of books and related products in English, French, Chinese and Vietnamese. Interna-

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tional best sellers, children’s books and toys and educational and professional textbooks are all available. Think the Vietnamese version of Waterstone’s or Borders and you’re somewhat close to understanding what this quality bookstore chain is all about.

FRENCH BOOKSHOP NAM PHONG

94 Ho Tung Mau, Q1 Tel: 3914 7859 Set in a mixed colonial, Chinese shophouse building constructed in the early 20th century, this small Gallic-run bookshop specialises in mainly French language novels and non-fiction publications with a selection of second–hand Folio editions. Also stocks art books, coffee table books and French comics.

PHUONG NAM CORP (PNC)

2A Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3822 9650 www.pnc.com.vn Now with over 30 bookstores in Ho Chi Minh City as well as other outlets throughout the country, PNC is probably the leading book retailer in Vietnam.

Stocks the full range of Vietnamese fiction on non-fiction as well as over 2,000 English language titles from publishers such as HarperCollins, Random House and Penguin — the fiction available ranges from classic and modern literature through to detective novels, horror, thriller and children’s books. If you’re looking for bestseller-list titles from overseas, this is the place to start your search.

SAHABOOK

175/24 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Tel: 6290 6599 www.sahabook.com The authorised distributor of Lonely Planet in Vietnam, the travel titles here range from titles on Eastern Europe to East Timor and city guides through to maps.

Also stocks non-copied works of fiction in English (both new and second hand) as well as postcards, maps, stamp books, bills/coin collections and travel fiction.

TOM WAITS BAD AS ME (Limited Edition Deluxe)

TOM WAITS' FIRST ALBUM IN SEVEN years is, as you'd expect from the everevolving, gravelly-voiced musician, a dramatic departure from his last.

While Waits often makes the listener feel like a voyeur — from his stories about intriguingly deplorable ne'erdo-wells to his cacophonous, reeling shout-outs to drinking, loving, living and dying — the 16 tracks on Bad As Me (Limited Edition Deluxe) are as close to the enigmatic musician as we've ever been allowed. With an average track length of about three and a half minutes (quite short given his last several albums), the songs feel sparse but accessible and even familiar.

Bad As Me will deliver you unto a vicariously rapturous three-quarter hour tryst, covering all the highs and lows — screaming ecstatically through the peaks and lolling between weeping and sighing through the depths.

Listening to the album, you may find yourself asking what ultra-human sorts of deeds you've been piling up the last couple of years to deserve such an aural feast because there is a well-heeled list of guest artists, including David Hidalgo of Los Lobos,

Larry Taylor of Canned Heat, Charlie Musselwhite, Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Les Claypool of Primus and Keith Richards.

The stand-out tracks are the chugging, hopeful Chicago (There’s so much magic we have known/ On this sapphire we call home... Maybe things will be better in Chicago), the roaring, demented critical-of-war Hell Broke Luce (When I was over here I never got to vote/ I left my arm in my coat/ My mom she died and never wrote), the existential After You Die (Like a blue flame burnin'/ Like a new brain learnin'/ … Like a wild-ass paintin'/ What is it like, what is it like after we die?) and the bar room grime-caked Satisfied (I will have satisfaction/ I will be satisfied/ ...Take a left off the straight and the narrow/ Let the bullet go back into the barrel/ Before I’m gone).

If you're not afraid of the internet, there's a decent, not-hard-to-find video for Satisfied filmed by Bob Dylan's son, Jesse. And for those who aren’t, you can console yourself with the more-than-worth-it collection of photography and art by Waits himself that comprise the album cover and liner notes. — Charles Barnes.

GALLERIES BLUE SPACE CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER

97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1 Tel: 3821 3695 www.bluespacearts.com 9am to 5pm With its ochre walls and internal courtyard complete with a quaint bridge, the rambling colonial building that houses the Blue Space Contemporary Arts Center is an attraction unto itself. Inside the 120sqm space, local expert Tran Thi Nguyen Nga curates a collection featuring artists from throughout Southeast Asia, from sculptures and luridly coloured abstract paintings to contemporary representations of timeless Vietnamese themes: village scenes, willowy girls in ao dais and water buffaloes in fields.

CRAIG THOMAS GALLERY

27i Tran Nhat Duat, Q1 Tel: 0908 878 317 (Ms. Mai) www.cthomasgallery.com Located in a quiet corner on the outer

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sound & vision reaches of District 1, Craig Thomas Gallery (CTG) offers a compelling mix of up-andcoming and established local artists. CTG has been in operation since 2009 although its founder has been promoting Vietnamese art for a decade and has mentored a number of now well-known and highly regarded Vietnamese artists. CTG features primarily emerging and mid-career artists and has a regular schedule of exhibitions both at its main gallery space in District 1 and its satellite exhibition space in the Thao Dien Ward of District 2.

live in saigon

A DOSE OF FAME

Duc Minh Gallery

Thanh Da Island, Dec. 10, VND100,000 (before 8pm) dOSe celebrates its four-year anniversary this month with a massive all-day party extravaganza that’ll see quite possibly the biggest ever line-up of Saigon’s DJs, musicians and multi-media artists come together.

Held from dusk till dawn on Thanh Da Island, a dOSe of FAME will see fashion, art, music and entertainment (peep the acronym, folks!) from Vietnam, France, Germany, Romania, Canada, Thailand, Spain, the Philippines, the US and the UK, all colliding in one momentous event.

Expect a mash-up of hip-hop, house, funk, soul, electro, dub, indie, afro-Brazil and much more over two dancefloors, courtesy of Kamel Night, DJ Peanuts, Jan Hagenkoetter, DJ Drew, Nic Ford, Jordan Howard, Everyone’s A DJ, DJ Antoine, Scrambled Edge, and DJ Slide, as well as a very special headlining performance by the one and only Quantic.

For those unfamiliar, the UK’s Quantic is one of the most talented and prolific artists in the world of alternative dance music. Combining jazz sensibility with future dancefloor orientated grooves, deep funk, tough drums and tropical rhythms, Quantic is best known for his solo albums, The 5th Exotic, Apricot Morning and Mishaps Happening, as well as his work with live band and perennial festival favourites, the Quantic Soul Orchestra.

MICHELLE MANZO

Park Hyatt Saigon, Dec. 1 to Dec. 31, Free admission The Park Hyatt Saigon marks the end of 2011 with the arrival of accomplished vocalist, Michelle Manzo, this month. A dedicated jazz performer, Michelle’s exotic warm voice and four-octave range offer a unique, individual sound.

Born and raised in Miami, Michelle is a self-taught pianist raised on Cuban and African folkloric music with a love of syncopated rhythms and percussion as well as the classical stylings of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.

Having received a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts in music as a scholarship student at City College of New York, Michelle has received plenty of accolades for both her singing and song writing.

Michelle Manzo will perform every Wednesday through Sunday evening in the Park Lounge from Dec. 1 up until New Year’s Eve. The Park Hyatt Saigon is located at 2 Lam Son Square, Q1. For more information, call 3824 1234 or email saigon.park@hyatt.com

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Elsewhere on the bill, Vietnamese vocalist Thao Trang, winner of Vietnam Idol 2009, will perform live, as will French VJ Disco Cactus and prolific Filipino keyboardist, Jason Jazz. Known for manipulating keys into drums, horns, bass and anything that doesn’t sound like a typical piano, Jason should make for one of the more off-the-wall draws of the day.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, Spanish video graphics artist Alicia Billon, Canadian photographer Fred Wissink, Vietnamese fashionista Linda Mai Phung, Saigon Tattoo and independent film festival, Future Shorts, will all be contributing to the event with various interactive viewings, installations, demonstrations and live performances. a dOSe of FAME takes place at 1163 Xo Viet Nghe Trinh, Thanh Da Island, Binh An Village, Binh Thanh, on Dec. 10 from 4pm to 4am. Tickets cost VND100,000 before 8pm and include a free San Miguel beer and dOSe goody bag. A round-trip shuttle bus service departing from Alibi (5A Nguyen Sieu, Q1) will run every 60 minutes from 3.30pm to 12.30am, costing VND30,000 per person or VND100,000 including a free beer or cocktail. The return journey from Thanh Da will run on the hour from 9pm to 2am. Food and drink will be available. For further information, visit www.jazznotjazz.com

A Taste of Authenticity

31C Le Quy Don, Q3 Tel: 3933 0498 ducminh-art@hcm.vnn.vn 9am to 6pm Housing over 1,000 works of traditional and contemporary art, this mock colonial mansion constitutes the private museum and art gallery of Vietnamese business tycoon Bui Quoc Chi. Helpful and friendly English-speaking staff are on hand to guide you through the artists and styles of Vietnamese art on offer. Artists exclusive to the gallery include the twins Le Duc Hai and Le Ngoc Thanh plus Hoai Huong and Vu Thang. Prices start at VND2 million per painting and rise to something approaching astronomic.

Galerie Quynh

THE BEATS SAIGON 5TH ANNIVERSARY

Vasco’s, Dec. 10, Free Admission (Doshy) Vasco’s, Dec. 17, TBA (Goth-Trad & DJ Heru) The Beats Saigon celebrates its fifth anniversary this month with two weekends of superb international acts.

First up is German DJ and producer, Doshy, on Dec. 10. Influenced by sci-fi books and films, and 1980’s and 1990’s electro music, Doshy is currently leading the way in the Berlin postdubstep scene, inspired by the city’s vibrant club scene and pushing sounds beyond the city’s notorious minimal obsession.

One week later, experimental Japanese electronic artist, Goth-Trad, and Low End Theory’s DJ Heru will take to the decks on Dec. 17.

A unique producer with an idiosyncratic style, Goth-Trad has emerged from the Japanese electronic scene in the last few years as one of the most arresting artists from his generation. Freely playing samplers, keyboards and even self-made instruments, Goth-Trad creates remarkable dance music, from abstract electronica, noise and dub, to reggae, jungle, rave, grime and dubstep.

Originally from south Texas, DJ Heru was a drum n’ bass head in the mid-to-late 1990s before making the move to Los Angeles where he has become embroiled in hip-hop and dubstep, playing alongside the likes of Joker and Nosaj Thing as part of the ever-evolving Low End Theory collective.

Doshy, Goth-Trad and DJ Heru are presented by The Beats Saigon. Vasco’s is located at 74D Hai Ba Trung, Q1 and both shows will start around 9pm

65 De Tham, Q1 Tel: 3836 8019 www.galeriequynh.com 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Saturday Founded originally in 2000 by Viet Kieu Quynh Pham and partner Robert Cianchi as an online resource on the Vietnamese art scene. Initially providing nurture and promotion for the more abstract contemporary works of Vietnamese painters considered too self indulgent for normal exhibition, the gallery now follows a more international programme and helps to advance the works of a select group of locally based contemporary artists. Runs regular exhibitions. Check their website for details.

hiMiko Visual saloon

324 Bis Dien Bien Phu, Q10 Tel: 0958 881908 (Ms. Hoang) www.himikokoro.com 8am to 10.30pm Monday to Sunday A visit to Himiko’s Visual Saloon is never anything less than a feast for the eyes.

Open for five years, this cafe-cum-gallery, the brainchild of local artist Himiko Nguyen, has a reputation for showcasing the work of Saigon’s bright young creative things. Recent works include The Happening, a year-long project that sees a solo installation by a different artists showcased every fortnight until November 2011.

ho chi Minh ciTy Fine arTs MuseuM

97A Pho Duc Chinh, Q1 Tel: 3829 4441 9am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday Housed in a colonial-era building that also boasts the first elevator ever built in Saigon, the exhibition space here covers three levels. The first floor displays changing exhibits of contemporary art by local and international artists. Move one level up and the galleries display contemporary art from the museum’s permanent collection, featuring sketches, paintings and statues, many of which focus on the resistance to various colonial rulers. The third floor exhibits older works from the first century AD through to the early 20th century. There’s also a warren of galleries in the basement, accessed through the courtyard in the centre of the building.

ParTicular Gallery

Kim Do Business Center, 3rd Floor 123 Le Loi, Q1 Tel: 3821 8330 www.particulargallery.com 10am to 7pm Mon to Saturday Founded in 1999 with the objective of

36 Tong Huu Dinh Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, HCMC Tel: 08 6253 2828 |Fax: 08 6253 2888 Email: info@pendolasco.vn Delivery service available daily, from 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

87 Nguyen Hue St., District 1, HCMC Tel: (84.8) 3821 8181 Email: pendolasco3@hcm.vnn.vn Monday to Friday: 11.00 - 14.00, and 18.00 - 22.00 Saturday and Sunday: 11.30 - 22.00 www.pendolasco.vn

sound & vision

sound & vision promoting contemporary Vietnamese art and providing support to young, up-andcoming Vietnamese artists. Various types of art displayed on different media include oil on canvas, lacquer on wood and paper works. The gallery organises about three Vietnamese exhibitions every year and the entire inventory of works is available to purchase via their website. Specific paintings by Vietnamese artists can be acquired upon request.

DECKS, DRUMS & ROCK & ROLL Left to Right: Simon Jackson, James Freemantle, John Tufnell, Jon Lamont

PHOTO PROVIDED BY C-MANGEMENT

PHUONG MAI ART GALLERY

John Thornton sat down with British alt. rock quartet, The Lost Souls Club, over smoothies and ca phe da to discuss their return to Vietnam and stoke the flames of rock 'n roll banter It’s been 10 months since we last saw you, how does it feel to be back in Vietnam?

Jon T: It feels almost like coming home. The response we got the first time was completely unexpected as we’re a brand new band here, and so to come back and get the same response but better and see old friends and recognise faces in the crowd is amazing.

Where else are you touring and do you have any releases coming out soon?

Simon: We’re playing in Singapore for a show put on by Bulldog London Dry Gin, and then we’re all over Australia for six weeks to tour with The International Swingers, which is a band featuring former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock and Blondie drummer Clem Burke.

Jon T: It’s all in support of High Noon, our debut EP and first hardcopy release. We did everything ourselves, from the writing to the recording, down to the artwork, and it’s going to be available in Australia first, and then in UK in the New Year. Then I think at that point it’s going to go worldwide on iTunes.

This next question could lead to serious embarrassment and ridicule at the hands of your bandmates. Jon L, put your iPod on shuffle.

Honestly, what are the first five tracks that come up?

Jon L: 1. Muse – Hoodoo, 2. Led Zeppelin – Celebration Day, 3. My Bloody Valentine – Only Shallow, 4. Queen – The Miracle, 5. Electric Soft Parade – Red Balloon

118 | The Word December 2011

Committee.

Very credible! You’ve passed! Which actually means you’ve failed because that question was designed to expose your secret love of Madonna and the Pet Shop Boys. So, do any of you have any pre-gig rituals?

James: I normally just have a poo! [the band erupts in laughter]… and a bottle of water.

Who would you like to portray you in a rock biopic about The Lost Souls Club?

Jon T: I’d quite like Justin Beiber to portray me, once he’s moved into acting. I think he could do the slightly girly-guy thing quite well.

Jon L: Wynona Rider for James!

Jon T:… or Russell Brand because everywhere we went in China they all thought James was him. For Simon, it’s got to be the bloke that played Uncle Albert in Only Fools and Horses! [the band breaks out in laughter again] And I reckon I could play Jon L. So, Justin Beiber, Uncle Albert, Jon Tufnell and Wynona Rider or Russell Brand, that’s a pretty…. interesting rock & roll line-up! Speaking of rock, what was the first record you bought with your own money?

Simon: I bought two, actually. Bulls On Parade by Rage Against the Machine and Pantera’s The Great Southern Dream Kill.

Jon T: I bought Bad by Michael Jackson on tape from Vertigo Records in Winchester High Street for £6.01. It was £5.99 the week before I bought it so even though I’d saved up I had to borrow two pence from my dad! Does that still count?!

Jon L: Inevitably, I think mine was Queen’s Sheer Heart Attack. I’ve got it on cassette and remember opening the inlay, which was really long, reading the lyrics pages and thinking it was cool as f***.

James: Probably Nirvana, to be honest. I can’t remember which one but Cobain was dead by then so it could have been any of them!

213C Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3822 1366 129B Le Thanh Ton Q1 Tel: 3823 3181 www.phuongmaigallery.com 9am to 9pm Established in 2004, these two galleries focus on the contemporary art works of both fledgling and experienced Vietnamese artists from across the country. Works by the likes of La Hon, Ton That Bang and Le Xuan Chieu are displayed and an eclectic range of styles is featured, including abstracts, landscapes and impressionism. Mediums mainly feature lacquer on wood and oils on canvas, although some silk paintings are available.

SAN ART

3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 0898 www.san–art.org 9.30am to 5.30pm Mon-Sat San Art is an independent, artist-run exhibition space and reading room dedicated to the exchange and cultivation of contemporary art in Vietnam. It also aims to support the country’s artist community by creating opportunities that provide exhibition space, residency programmes for young artists, lecture series and an exchange programme that invites international artists/curators to organise or collaborate on exhibitions.

TUDO GALLERY

53 Ho Tung Mau, Q1 Tel: 3821 0966 www.tudogallery.com 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 7pm Opened in June 1989 as Vietnam’s first private art gallery, TuDo specialises in oils, silk paintings and lacquerware, and has over 1,000 pieces across its five showrooms of works by city artists. It aims to promote the works of contemporary Vietnamese artists to domestic and foreign art appreciators.

ZEROSTATION Name an album guaranteed to get someone laid...

Jon T: Maybe some of the Bristol trip-hop stuff, like Massive Attack’s Blue Lines or Portishead’s Dummy. Or The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails if it’s a goth bird, you can’t go wrong.

James: I actually did it to one of these guys’ old CDs! [hysterical laughter erupts] It suddenly came on when the stero changed CDs randomly and I thought, ‘hmmm, I know that voice’. It was a little distracting but I powered through.

What was the first concert you attended?

Jon L: Mine was Hole, Courtney Love’s band, at Brixton Academy, when I was very young. I got right into the mosh pit and nearly died. My mate who I went with got floored and when I picked him up he looked at me all dazed and said, “I just found 20 quid!” Jammy git.

288 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3 www.zerostationvn.org ZeroStation is a multi-complex studio space for young, experimental Vietnamese and foreign artists and long-term art project managed by visual artist, independent curator and art writer, Nguyen Nhu Huy. With a small installation room and two beds, artists can also participate in ZeroStation’s art residency programme.

LIVE MUSIC VENUES ACOUSTIC

6E Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Q3 Tel: 3930 2239 7pm until late Though only 1km from the heavily touristic downtown area, Acoustic is well off most foreigner’s radars. The allVietnamese house band performs every night, playing mostly western covers, and the space is perpetually jammed with young locals either bopping away in the crowd or getting up on stage. Known for being notoriously busy at the weekends, arrive by 7.30pm to stand any chance of getting a seat. Those with a love for

heartfelt rock balladry and heavy rock n’ roll should check this place out on Friday nights. Has occasional guest bands from overseas.

of hits by Linkin Pzzark, Iron Maiden, Metallica and Nirvana from Wednesday to Sunday at 9pm every week.

BAR BUI

8Bis Nguyen Van Trang, Q1 Tel: 6679 2406 9am to 11pm A quirky, French-style café with a subdued and relaxing atmosphere. Each evening from 8.30pm the self-titled ‘Garden of Love’ houses live music with different themes such as Tien Chien Night (pre-war Vietnamese music), International Covers Night and Lovers Night. The stage is a quaint miniature theatre-style set up with white picket fencing and a painted backdrop of a garden positioned next to a tiny raised balcony where a pianist serenades customers every Monday night. Romantic ballads can be heard every Tuesday and rock every Friday.

39/2 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3 Tel: 3824 1963 lodgebui@gmail.com 10am to 12am Also known as Dust Lodge, Bar Bui resembles Seventeen Saloon with its red and blue neon lighting, bricked walls, wooden roof, columns and beams. It hosts live flamenco and country music every night from 8.30pm courtesy of three Filipino house bands.

BOOTLEG DJ CAFÉ

9 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 8am to 1am This sleekly designed café morphs into a trendy live music nightspot with a selection of resident and guest DJs to be found behind the Sarato-programmed decks.

Expect a multitude of electronic sounds, from deep and liquid house to lounge, disco, chill out, hip-hop and a bevy of instrumentals you’ve heard before but can’t quite put your finger on.

CACOPHONY

57H Tu Xuong, Q3 Tel: 3932 2797 9am to 11pm This unique establishment sets itself apart from other live music venues in Saigon as the city’s first 3D-themed café. Each floor of this French-colonial three-storey villa has been designed as a homage to both Sagionese and Hanoian street café culture.

The ground floor is where the live music happens every Wednesday to Sunday from 9pm to 11pm with pop, rock and country sets performed by the growing plethora of local bands.

CARMEN

8 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 3829 7699 6pm to 1am The inspiration for Carmen is the popular opera named, naturally, Carmen. In place of European leads are the musical talents of a local band as well as Filipino and Vietnamese lead singers crooning to Latin beats. As if being a venue built on Flamenco music was not enough to stand out in Saigon, it further differentiates itself with a cabin-like exterior, steep stairs, a small cavernous-type entrance and an interior highlighted by rough rock walls, wood beams and candle-lit beer keg tables.

THE FACTORY

102 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1 Tel: 3823 8102 8pm until late Designed as a European industrial processing plant (huge fans, bright yellow pipes, road signs and metal drums), The Factory is the second offering from the team behind Acoustic. In the footsteps of its predecessor, The Factory churns out live music, albeit in a much clubbier environment with some of the city’s top hip-hop DJs also performing every night from 9pm to 2am.

HARD ROCK CAFÉ

39 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 6291 7505 www.hardrock.vn 11am to 12am The Saigon branch of this world famous franchise remains faithful to the Hard Rock aesthetic with a fascinating selection of rock memorabilia hanging on the walls as non-stop rock hits play on numerous LCD televisions.Filipino house band, Sound On Fire, deliver crushingly precise versions

JARDIN D’AMOUR

METALLIC BAR

41 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Q3 Tel: 3930 3154 www.metallicbar.com 9pm to 1am A popular destination for both locals and foreigners with a hankering for live rock music and a totally smokefree atmosphere, Metallic Bar is one of Saigon’s most established live music venues. Longtime house band, The Yellow, a host of Filipino singers and numerous local Vietnamese bands can be seen rocking out to ferocious covers of Metallica, Guns N Roses and CCR on a nightly basis between 9pm and 12am before a DJ takes to the decks to perform a selection of contemporary dance, hip hop and r n’ b tunes through to the early hours.

CINEMAS

NAPOLY BAR

7 Pham Ngoc Thanh, Q3 Tel: 3829 0583 www.napolybar.com 7pm until 12am Named after the famed southern Italian city, the ground floor seating of this popular and somewhat upscale café looks and feels like it came straight out of Italy itself. The upstairs bar in the back is the place to catch local Vietnamese band Quoc Anh play classic 1980s hits every night from 9pm to midnight.

NIGHTSPOT

23rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3827 2828 www.sheraton.com/saigon 7pm to midnight (weekdays). Open late on weekends.

One of the chicest venues in the city, this hotel bar offers nightly live music courtesy of the six-piece Transit band and Filipino group Sound On Fire. As the name implies, Transit play a range of Top 40 hits across the spectrum of popular music every Tuesday to Sunday from 8.45pm until 11.45pm (1am at weekends), while the usually heavy-rock inclined Sound On Fire tap into their Latin-dance side every Monday night from 8.45pm until just before midnight.

PACHARAN

97 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3825 6024 9am to midnight Wednesdays and Fridays are the nights to catch local favourites such as cover band circuit legend Juram, and latin pop group Warapo. Juram is known for his gravelvoiced versions of anthems by Nirvana, Pink Floyd and Metallica, while Warapo serve up a very physical offering live and exotic Cuban salsa music.

ROCKFANCLUB BAR

Showcasing the latest Hollywood blockbusters and 3D cinematic sensations, chains such as Megastar Media, Lotte and Galaxy Cinema offer the most up-to-date and modern cinema-going experiences in Saigon. For those partial to more esoteric and independent flicks, smaller outlets such as Cinebox 1 and Idecaf carry little known Vietnamese and European efforts.

25C Tu Xuong, Q3 Formerly Tadao Coffee Bar, the promoters behind RockFanClub, the long-running underground Vietnamese hard rock and metal night, have moved in, finally giving the city’s moshers a home of their own.

Local hard rock and metal bands can be found playing every night of the week from around 9pm at this tiny yet comfortable and cool venue.

CINEBOX 1

SAIGON SAIGON BAR

212 Ly Chinh Thang, Q3, Tel: 3935 0610 240 Duong 3/2, Q10, Tel: 3862 2425 www.cinebox.vn

LOTTE CINEMA IN DIAMOND PLAZA 13th floor, Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3822 7897 www.lottecinemavn.com

LOTTE MART CINEMA Level 3, Lotte Mart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, Q7 Tel: 3775 2521 www.lottecinemavn.com

9th Floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Som Square, Q1. Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com 11am to 2am Cuban bands are a mainstay at this outdoor bar with salsa band Warapo

ICONS 101 AIRCONDITIONING

GALAXY CINEMA 116 Nguyen Du, Q1 Tel: 3822 8533; 230 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3920 6688; 246 Hong Dao, Tan Binh Tel: 3849 4567 www.galaxycine.vn

IDECAF 31 Thai Van Lung, Q1 Tel: 3829 5451 www.idecaf.gov.vn

WI-FI NON-SMOKING AREA DELIVERY

MEGASTAR CINEMA 7th Floor, Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, Q5 Tel: 6222 0388 www.megastarmedia.net

PARAGON CINEMA Level 5, Saigon Paragon Building, 3 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7 Tel: 5416 0088 www.megastarmedia.net

HAPPY HOUR LIVE MUSIC DJ

December 2011 The Word | 119

leisure & wellness

sound & vision

BAND & DJ LISTINGS BAD NEIGHBOUR LATIN ROCK BAND Contact Claudio Duek on Facebook.

Bad Neighbour plays a combination of Latin and rock with some reggae and rap thrown into the mix. A multinational outfit with nine members.

BOB WITTENBACH (BONGO BOB) Tel: 0903 193241 Ex-professional rock, blues, jazz and pop drummer from London who has played with various artists including John Otway, The Breaks and The Scaffold. Has played many gigs in Saigon with Mike Belmes, Curtis King and Juram, among others. Looking to hook up with like-minded blues/rock musicians interested in bringing an Asian feel to Western themes.

CARMEN & BROTHERS LIVE ACOUSTIC BAND carmenandbrothers@yahoo.com facebook.com/lahabanasaigon La Habana’s famous Filipino house band captivates audiences most nights of the week with Carmen’s extraordinary vocal range and an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary pop, r&b, retro, latin, rock and ballads DEPSKILLZ www.depskillz.com A Saigon-based collective of bands, musicians, DJs and MCs who play weekly gigs at some of the best venues around town.

Also available for corporate events, mix & mingles, birthday bashes, bon soirees, weddings, funerals & bar mitzvahs. No karaoke or K-Pop. Call Pedro on 0943 200 495.

DJ AJAM Tel: 01203 077 882 Djajam@gmail.com http://djajam.podomatic.com Vasco’s resident DJ Ajam (UK) available for private parties, clubs, bars and versatile in any style of music. With 17 years of DJing experience, Ajam has played at venues worldwide including the worlds number one club brand Pacha. Now teaching private DJ classes to all ages.

DJ JORDAN HOWARD Tel: 01223 447721 whitfield@jordanhoward.net American DJ specialising in eclectic mixes of 1980s, pop, rock, and hip-hop to audiences of all ages and nationalities. A Vasco's veteran of three years, Jordan has played many balls and corporate events around Vietnam.

DJ SEIP Tel: 0934014091 www.djseip.com German DJ and Turntablist, DJ Seip, plays the hottest hip-hop, rn’b, dance and house tracks and can be seen playing at most of the prominent Saigon venues.

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DMA: DIGITAL MUSIC AGENCY 380/13B Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3 Tel: 3843 6459 (ask for Ms. Nhi) www.dma.vn DMA is the first international DJ training centre in Vietnam. Run by professional local and overseas DJs, DMA offers training programmes and job opportunities for those wanting to become professional DJs or looking to learn for pleasure. DMA uses the latest professional DJ equipment and software, and doubles up as an events company and talent agency.

GILLES SNOWCAT (FROM AWAKEN) www.awaken.be, awamail@hellokitty.com Awaken’s Gilles Snowcat is in Saigon looking to join forces with musicians who don’t want to play it safe in order to make his magnetic soul music caress the eared need apply.

MARK “MR. JOLLY” JOLLY Tel: 0918 119987 With over 20 years DJing experience and close to a decade playing in Vietnam, Mr Jolly can cover pretty much any musical situation from private parties to the largest club and corporate events. Can play a wide range of musical styles despite having very little hair.

RISKY RED rickreid@vnn.vn Either a three-piece acoustic light rock combo or a six piece full-on rock ‘n’ roll, blues and boogie, party Band. Regular around Saigon.

SNAKEBITE — MUSIC WITH VENOM! Tel: 0909 169 033 (Andy) andy@andysgraphics.com Looking for music with soul? Then call Snakebite the next time you’re planning a wedding, event or private party. Snakebite play music that is suitable for all ages and can even help with invitations.

THE CURTIS KING BAND www.curtiskinglive.com A funky, bluesy, travelling rock ‘n’ roll band with an east-meets-west sound. Founded in 1996, the band has performed over the world and has been featured on MTV, the BBC, China Central Television, XoneFM Radio and HTV. Having recorded four albums, the band can be caught playing throughout Vietnam and the region. Available for weddings, corporate, embassy, consulate or chamber of commerce events.

JENNY SANTIAGO & THE JOYRIDERS www.jennysantiagoonline.blogspot.com Fronted by Filipino singer Jenny Santiago, former resident-singer at Caravelle Hotel and collaborator with Bad Neighbour, The Gigatones, The Curtis King Band and Acoustic Band. The band can be found playing at venues around the city.

providing a musical melting pot of South American rhythms every Tuesday as part of the hotel’s Havana Ladies Night, while the six-piece Luna Negra like to mix it up with salsa, bachata and merengue on Wednesdays through to Mondays. Both bands start at 9pm. +

SAX N’ ART JAZZ CLUB

28 Le Loi, Q1 Tel: 3822 8472 www.saxnart.com 5pm to 12am Unique renditions of classic jazz compositions by the likes of Miles Davies, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker can be heard from 9pm until midnight daily at this non-smoking establishment.

Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan and the Sax N’ Art house band regularly performs a unique blend of contemporary jazz and blues mixed with central highlands Vietnamese influences in this cosy, brickwalled bohemian boîte.

SEVENTEEN SALOON

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103A Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Tel: 3914 0007 www.seventeensaloon.co.vn 7pm until late A favourite among both Vietnamese and foreigners alike, this Wild West-themed bar doubles up as a great live music venue with no less than three highly talented Filipino cover bands rocking out nightly. B & U, Wild West and Most Wanted impressively belt out like-for-like hits by rock staples such as Bon Jovi, U2 and Guns n’ Roses’ while pumping Vietnamese techno blasts out of the speakers in between sets.

SHERIDAN’S IRISH HOUSE

+ 17/13 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3823 0793 www.sheridansbarvn.com 9am to 12am Those in search for a sound of the familiar will find solace at one of Saigon’s longest running bars. A different cover band gets up every night of the week (except Mondays) at this pub-like Celtic establishment. Celtic Band knock out jovial Irish ditties on Tuesdays; the classic rock power of Risky Red and Mr. Bo can be heard on Wednesdays and Fridays; Wonderluster play pop hits on Thursdays, and rollicking Japanese blues group, 12 Bar Blues take over on the weekends.

VASCO’S

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74/7D Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3824 2888 4pm to 12am (weekdays). Open late on weekends.

With two rooms set up to cater to bands and DJs (Yellow Room & Blue Room), Vasco’s is one of Saigon’s most prominent live music venues. Catering mainly to the musical tastes of muso expats, the likes of DJ Premier, Free The Robots, Handsome Furs and Daedelus have headlined this former opium den. Local DJs such as Jordan Howard and DJ Jase regularly put on nights with hip-hop, dubstep, drum n’ bass, reggae and dance firmly on rotation. Local expat latin-punk band Bad Neighbour also plays on most Friday nights.

YOKO

22A Nguyen Thi Dieu, Q3 Tel: 3933 0577 8am until late As the name suggests, John Lennon’s infamous wife inspired the title of this excellent watering hole. Refurbished and expanded at the start of 2011, the ever-popular Yoko plays host to some of Saigon’s best local bands, including

funk-rockers 6789 every Wednesday, metallers Microwave every Saturday and the irrepressible chanteuse Ngoc Thy twice weekly. Proceedings tend to kick off around 9pm with a revolving door of local musicians performing nightly amongst the comfy surrounds and walls adorned with Vietnamese art and photos of John Lennon and Kurt Cobain.

PERFORMING ARTS HO CHI MINH CITY BALLET SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND OPERA The City Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square, Q1 Tel: 3823 7419 www.hbso.org.vn Ho Chi Minh City’s opera and ballet perform programmes of classical dance and music throughout the year. Shows feature both national and international stars, and take place in one of the most elegant buildings in the city. There are two annual seasons: Spring through summer (January to June) and autumn through winter (July to December), featuring performances every 9th and 19th monthly. Tickets start at just VND60,000 for the sky seats, with circle seats priced at VND150,000.

HO CHI MINH CITY CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC 112 Nguyen Du, Q1 Tel: 3824 3774 This colonial–era theatre is the perfect place for classic piano recitals and orchestral performances, and is closely connected to other performance groups in the city. Also provides music education in undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels for the southern region of Vietnam. There are two concert rooms (500 seats and 100 seats) with two performances weekly. To obtain a programme of events, visit the Opera House.

INTERNATIONAL CHOIR & ORCHESTRA OF HO CHI MINH CITY

Tel: 0903 930907 amauryleblan@hcm.vnn.vn www.hcmcchoir.com This well–established 40–strong choir and 21-piece orchestra holds both private and public performances, with rehearsals held every Monday from 7.30pm to 9pm at the British International School at 43 Tu Xuong St, Q3. The Choir’s repertoire includes classic works by Bach, Beethoven, Handel, and Verdi as well as songs from musicals, traditional songs from Britain, Christmas carols in many languages, gospel songs, and national and European Anthems.

ICONS 101 AIRCONDITIONING WI-FI NON-SMOKING AREA DELIVERY

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HAPPY HOUR

Leisure & Wellness Listings LEISURE AMUSEMENT 121 BASKETBALL 121 CLUBS & SOCIETIES 121 COOKING CLASSES 121 CRICKET 121 DANCING 121 FITNESS 122 FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY 123 GOLF 123 LEISURE - GENERAL 124 SPORTS CLASSES 124 TENNIS 124 VIETNAMESE CLASSES 125

DJ

WELLNESS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 126 COSMETIC SURGERY 126 DENTAL 126 HAIRDRESSERS 128 MEDICAL 128 PHARMACIES 129 SALONS 129 SPAS 129 ARTICLES HEALTH BUFF 124 KEEPING FIT 128

VIETNAM COOKERY CENTRE

362/8 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh Tel: 351 22 764, www.vietnamcookery.com Established in 1999, the Vietnam Cookery Centre offers a hands-on guide to local gastronomy. Located in a pretty colonialstyle villa 15 minutes from the city centre, the course caters to all skill levels. An introduction to a traditional Vietnamese kitchen and cooking utensils is an added bonus as well as a trip to a central food market. For VND800,000 per person you can attend their morning course from 9.30am to 1pm or the afternoon course from 3.30pm to 7.30pm. Meals included.

CRICKET SAIGON EXPATS

LEISURE AMUSEMENT DAI NAM THEME PARK

Binh Duong Highway, Phuong Hiep An, Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong Tel: 0650 384 5845 6:30am to 5:30pm A mammoth of a place, the superkitsch Dai Nam is Vietnam's answer to Disneyland. Just 50km from Ho Chi Minh City past Thu Dau Mot on Highway 13, the amusement park rides include two huge roller coasters, an excellent go kart track, dodgems, kiddy’s bouncy castles and much more. Then there's the well set-up water park, a non-cringe worthy zoo modeled on its counterpart in Singapore, a 5000 sqm temple and the cultural area.

Well worth the VND50,000 ticket price.

LASER TAG

5th floor, Alta Plaza, 91B2 Pham Van Hai, Tan Binh Take the glass elevator to the top floor of Alta Plaza and you’ll soon find yourself in a dark playground holding a laser gun.

Hand over VND40,000 and you’re in for 15 minutes of sci-fi style fun. The gaming area is a little on the small side but the equipment all functions well, and you’re provided with a fun and alternative leisure activity. A collection of arcade games can be found in foyer.

SAIGON ZOO AND BOTQANICAL GARDENS

2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1 Tel: 3829 3728, www.saigonzoo.net 7am to 5pm At less than VND10,000 for entry, Saigon’s Zoo and Botanical gardens is a great option for a day out in the city. Dating back to 1875, Saigon has one of the oldest zoos in the world, which makes it a famous site not only for the Vietnamese. You can get lost amongst the many rare orchids, ornamental plants in the garden or marvel at over one hundred species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Some of the enclosures don’t meet western standards so the wary should steer clear.

BASKETBALL PHAN DINH PHUNG CLUB

LIVE MUSIC

YOGA & MEDITATION 125

cuisine with local fine dining specialists Hoa Tuc. The three-hour lesson, conducted by an English-speaking Vietnamese chef, includes a trip around Ben Thanh Market to gather fresh ingredients and the preparation of three tasty local dishes.

Some tricks of the trade and the chance to sample the fruits of your labour afterwards also feature. A seasonal desert wraps things up nicely. Courses run from Tuesday to Sunday with two sessions per day from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.

The class is VND800,000 for adults and VND500,000 for children.

8 Vo Van Tan, Q3, Tel: 3829 6312 Home to the majority of hotshot Asian teams including Filipinos, South Koreans and Japanese. Mismo Ngayon, one of six Filipino teams, play there every Sunday morning.

kurtislaw@best.com.vn A basketball night at Saigon South International School every Thursday, open to anyone who wants to play or watch. Call Kurtis Law on 01265 638 486 to secure an invitation.

SAIGON CRICKET LEAGUE

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

The Saigon Cricket League includes teams from five nations – Australia, England, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – as well as a mixed–nationality team called United Cricket Club (UCC). New recruits are welcome. The teams play on weekends at RMIT and have regular practice sessions.

The season starts every October.

INTERNATIONAL LADIES IN VIETNAM

VCA (VIETNAM CRICKET ASSOCIATION)

www.ilvietnam.com This long–established social organisation fosters social contacts for women in the city and currently has a membership of 500 women from 42 nations. The group offers ladies a chance to socialise at their weekly coffee mornings and participate in many cultural, social and sporting activities. Meetings are held at 10am every Thursday at the Sherwood Residence 127 Pasteur, Q3. Membership for the first year costs VND700,000; annual renewal is VND500,000.

PARKLANDS COUNTRY CLUB

628A An Binh, An Phu, Q2. Tel: 3898 9000 www.parklandvn.com 6am to 10pm Opened in 2003 the Parkland Country Club offers a green retreat from the frenetic city with its 2-hectare space in An Phu. The club is able to organise a wide range of activities such as wine tasting and sports tournaments due to its extensive facilities, which include three different dining options, supervised children’s areas, a multiuse sports field, 3 tennis courts, squash courts, a lap and fun pool, spa and premier gyms.

Monthly memberships are VND3.5 million.

SAIGON TOWN CLUB

Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1. Tel: 3822 9666 www.sedonatownclub.com 6am to 10pm Up and running since May 1998, Sedona Town Club boasts two floors of modern facilities that provide private sanctuary from the busy streets. Amongst the attractions are the club’s recreational facilities, which include tennis courts, a sauna and Jacuzzi.

Members can benefit from the secretarial support service on offer as well as the alfresco dining option offered poolside at the ‘Coco Cabana’. The lush garden adjacent to this outside eatery provides a great option for kicking back with a cocktail. A 3-month membership will set you back VND4 million.

COOKING CLASSES

Manish Sogani. Tel: 0908 200 598 manish@ambrij.com

COUNTRY TEAMS: ECCS (THE ENGLISH CRICKET CLUB OF SAIGON) Richard Carrington. Tel: 0909 967 353 richard.carrington@market-edge.asia

ICCS (INDIAN CRICKET CLUB OF SAIGON) Deeptesh Gill. Tel: 01228 770 038 deepteshgill@gmail.com

ISCS (INDIAN SPORTS CLUB IN SAIGON) Munish Gupta. Tel: 0986 973 244 gmunish29@yahoo.co.in

PSSC (PAKISTAN SAIGON CRICKET CLUB)

Samie Cashmiri. Tel: 0976 469 090 Samie.cashmiri@gmail.com

SACC (SAIGON AUSTRALIA CRICKET CLUB)

Steve Treasure. Tel: 0903 998 824 sacccricket@gmail.com

SSC (SRI LANKA SPORTS CLUB)

Suhard Amit. Tel: 0988 571 010 Suhard.amit@yahoo.com

UCC (UNITED CRICKET CLUB) Asif Ali, Mobile: 0937 079 034 npasifali@hotmail.com

DANCING DANCENTER

53 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2. Tel: 3840 6974 www.dancentervn.com Jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop and many more styles for kids and adults of all levels are taught in this newly built dance studio.

Lessons cost between VND160,000 and VND280,000 per session, VND2.6 million for a block of 10, and VND5 million for a block of 20. The only dance school in town with professionally qualified foreign instructors. Schedule, news and events available online.

SAIGON COOKING CLASSES BY HOA TUC LATIN STREET DANCE 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, Q1, Tel: 3825 8485 www.saigoncookingclass.com Learn how to cook quality Vietnamese

Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and Reggaeton is taught every Sunday at Geisha's Coffee and Tea House (2nd Floor, 85 Pasteur, Q1).

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leisure & wellness It's individual dancing (no partnering) and you just need to buy a glass of wine or a cocktail to participate. Contact fred@ salsaaigon.com.

No 96, Street 2, Cu Xa Do Thanh, Q3 www.saigonbellydance.com To learn how to move your hips like Shakira, head over to their studio for courses in belly dancing and “sexy dancing�.

Scheduling information is available online.

SAIGON SWING CATS

L’APOTHIQUAIRE FITNESS CENTRE

www.saigonswingcats.com For lessons in the Lindy Hop, East & West Coast Swing, Shap and Jitterbug, visit the website for more information. Free introductory class every Wednesday at Caffe Molinari (Petrohouse Tower, 5 Le Duan, Q1).

VIETNAM

FITNESS AIS SPORTS CENTRE

Cherry Blossom 1 & Lotus Road 1 and 3 APSC Compound, 36 Thao Dien Road, Q2 Tel: 3744 2549 (Ms. Chi) www.aissportscentre.com With a 25m swimming pool, Astroturf play area, basketball court and outdoor gym equipment, AIS Sports Centre is a great venue to stay in shape. Memberships start at VND10 million per year and are payable in advance or semi–annual installments. Packages available for family members of students, couples and others.

CALIFORNIA FITNESS CENTRE

Queen Ann Building, 28–30–32 Le Lai, Q1 5F Hung Vuong Plaza and 126 Hung Vuong, Q5 Tel: 2222 0355 One of the leading fitness and yoga centres in Vietnam featuring state–of–the–art equipment with over 100 aerobic and yoga classes such as Hot Yoga, Indian Dance, Pole dance, Zumba, Body Balance, Body Combat and more.

CARAVELLE CLUB SPA

19 Lam Son Square, Q1, Tel: 3823 4999 This well–equipped gym has rows of cardiovascular machines and free weights, a massage parlour, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi, with a pleasant swimming pool.

Monthly membership costs VND3.2 million.

CYRIL AND YOU-BODY AND MIND CO LTD

BEYOND WELLNESS

Sweat, pump, workout and run. Gym should’nt be just as boring as these; which is why we are integrating our very own recipe of MOVE, SHAPE, BALANCE and POWER [V [YHUZMVYT [OL VYKPUHY` Ä[ULZZ L_WLYPLUJL into a remarkable one

TOTAL WELLNESS EXPERIENCE at the life-inspiring Crescent Wellness

Tel: 0947 771326. www.cyril-and-you.com Nutritional advice and personalised programmes for body toning. Fitness at the Boathouse in An Phu at 8.30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Evening sessions start at 6.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Riverside. Contact Cyril for more information

DIAMOND HEALTH CLUB

13th Floor, Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3825 7750 A well–equipped gym with steam room, Jacuzzi, massage parlour and swimming pool can be found at this leading department store. Off–peak membership from VND1.7 million per month.

JOHN HUY TRAN, FITNESS INSTRUCTOR Tel: 0983 789 318, jht_dancentre@hotmail.com This certified fitness professional offers tailored training for exercise programmes, weight loss, muscle gain and strength training based on 10 years experience in the fitness industry, dance and sports.

Services include fitness and nutrition assessment.

K1 FITNESS & FIGHT FACTORY

3RD FLOOR, CRESCENT PLAZA, 105 TON DAT TIEN ST., PHU MY HUNG, TAN PHU WARD, DIST. 7, HCMC, VIETNAM L_[

clubmgr@cswellness.vn

LA COCHINCHINE

Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3825 1812 www.lacochinchine.net This new colonial–themed gym is a large, open–plan space, situated on the top of the Rex Hotel. Includes a tennis court, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, loads of cardio and resistance machines, sauna and steam rooms. Also offers classes. Peak membership starts at VND2.2 million per month.

SAIGON BELLY DANCE

HO CHI MINH CITY

beginners to professionals.

14 Duong 38, Nguyen Thi Thap, Q7 A 750m2 space that offers martial arts, boxing, kick and Thai boxing, Krav–maga, grappling, MMA and kid’s basic martial art classes as well as private fitness, bodybuilding and cardio conditioning.

Come to get into shape, take out stress or learn a new sport with foreign instructors.

Open to everyone from kids to adults and

64A Truong Dinh, Q3, Tel: 3932 5181 www.lapothiquaire.com Classes in Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha and Vinyasa yoga, Power yoga, Pilates, Taebo, Centergy, aqua–aerobics and body sculpting are offered by internationally certified teachers. Membership to the small professional fitness studio costs VND1.8 million per month, or just VND1.3 million per month for a one–year membership. Drop– in sessions cost VND300,000. There’s also a swimming pool, sauna, and steam room to help you unwind after a work out.

NTFQ2

34 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2, Tel: 3744 6672 ntfq@nutrifort.com Has a strong focus on fitness classes and personal training. Besides an excellent weights and cardio area, the facility runs group classes including power yoga, Pilates, circuit training, martial arts and spinning. The centre also contains a spa and a restaurant serving up calorie–calibrated meals to help members stay in line with individual fitness programmes.

PAUL SIMOS

www.paulsimos.com paul@paulsimoshealthcoach.com Tel: 01286 305 982 Paul Simos creates a supportive environment that enables people to achieve all of their health goals. Paul has studied all major dietary theories and uses practical lifestyle coaching methods to guide clients in discovering which approach works best for them. Contact Paul for a free health history consultation.

SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS CENTRE

17 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3824 1555 Membership costs VND12 million for six months and VND21 million for a year at this small but well–equipped gym.

Equipment is modern and staff members are extremely helpful. Yoga classes are just one of a number of fitness classes offered.

STAR FITNESS GYM

Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0255 Steve Chipman, who had a hand in establishing gyms at the Sofitel hotels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is behind Star Fitness – Vietnam’s second largest gym.

Memberships gives free access to regular fitness classes and involves a one-time free entry, plus monthly subscription.

THE SAIGON RIVER CLUB

Ruby Towers - Saigon Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 9009 info@saigonriverclub.com Equipped with technologically advanced equipment, large cardiovascular, strength and free weight sections, this gym has spacious changing facilities with sauna and steam rooms, three group class studios offering Spinning, Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, Aerobics, Step Aerobics and Belly Dancing. Includes a large outdoor pool with Jacuzzi.

THE LANDMARK CLUB

The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3822 2098 ext. 176 www.thelandmarkvietnam.com In addition to the squash court, facilities include a fully–equipped gym room, a rooftop swimming pool and separate male and female saunas. Call for further information.

www.vietnamswans.com The Vietnam Swans play regular international footy matches around Asia.

Training sessions are held weekly in both Saigon (2.30pm Saturday, RMIT University, Q7) and Hanoi (midday, Saturday, UN International School, Ciputra). Social functions aplenty for everyone. Regardless of age, preferred sport or ability, all are warmly invited to become an active part of an inclusive Club. Contact Nick on 0937 683 230.

LES GAULOIS DE SAIGON

www.gauloisdesaigon.com This originally French team welcomes football enthusiasts looking for competition or conviviality both on and off the pitch.

OLYMPIQUE SAIGON

THE CRESCENT WELLNESS CLUB

3rd Floor, Crescent Plaza, 105 Ton Dat Tien, Phu My Hung. Tel: 5412 1277 clubgr@cswellness.vn Overlooking The Crescent complex’s lagoon, this multi-purpose and organically designed fitness and wellness centre offers an array of modern facilities. A state-of-the-art gym fitted out with the latest Technogym equipment allows users to track their progress with personalised keys, while other features include group fitness classes, yoga sessions, a squash court, swimming pool, steam bath and nutrition bar.

FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL

ZUMBA & NUTRITION HALL Fit & Fun Club, S62-1 Sky Garden 2, Pham Van Nghi, Phu My Hung Tel: 0934 060 735 www.zumba-nutrition-saigon.com

Nicole Le is a certified Zumba instructor and nutrition advisor with professional nutrition experience since 2004. Offering daily hour sessions at staggered times throughout the morning and early evening, Nicole can accommodate for various schedules. Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance fitness programme that mixes international music created by Grammy Award-winning producers and cardiovascular steps, and is ideal for people wanting to lose weight without tiresome and monotonous exercise.

astere@hotmail.fr This predominantly French side has been playing for over 10 years, winning the championship title for the last four years.

Contact Fred on 0919 709 024 or Viet Luu 0909 500 171.

SAIGON RAIDERS

jon.hoff@saigonraiders.com This team is part of the Saigon International Football League, with regular games against local teams in the nearby provinces. A sociable football team always on the hunt for enthusiastic new talent for weekly training sessions and matches.

Contact Jon Hoff.

SAIGON RUGBY CLUB

saigonrugbyfootballclub@yahoo.com Social touch rugby is played every Saturday afternoon for adults at RMIT University from 4pm. The Saigon Geckos welcome both men and women of all nationalities to join and enjoy a few beers

afterwards. Does regular tours of the region for tournaments, as well as inviting visiting teams for ladies’ touch rugby, contact rugby and men’s over–35 contact rugby. Beginners welcome.

SAIGON SAINTS

www.saigonsaints.com Players train weekly and tour across the region to play in local and international tournaments. New players are actively encouraged to join this SIFL expat football club, running since 1995.

GOLF LADIES’ FIRST GOLF

www.ladiesfirst–golf.com A non–profit association of women golfers in Ho Chi Minh City, organising monthly tournaments whose format varies from month to month, including single stroke play, individual stableford and two–ball scramble.

SAIGON SOUTH GOLF

Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phu, Q7. Tel: 5411 2001 Visitors’ green fees are VND400,000 for a round of golf at this mini nine–hole course behind FV hospital. Fees discounted by 40% on Wednesdays. On the driving range, a basket of 50 balls costs VND60,000.

Equipment hire is also available.

SONG BE GOLF RESORT

77 Binh Duong, Thuan An, Binh Duong Tel: 0650 756 660. www.songbegolf.com This resort incorporates tennis courts, a swimming pool and a gymnasium at its 18–hole, 6,384–metre course just 22km from the city. Individual memberships cost VND38 million or VND63 million per year.

VIETNAM GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB Long Thanh My Village, Q9. Tel: 6280 0101 www.vietnamgolfcc.com Also known as the Thu Duc Golf Course, this facility just off Highway 1 has two

PATRICK NGUYEN

Tel: 093 815 6865. www.corefitness.com.vn Personal fitness, yoga and mixed martial arts trainer with 14 years of fitness industry experience and over 10 years of experience as a kickboxing instructor at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California. Certified by the National Sports Academy Of Medicine and a certified Sivananda yoga instructor trained by Green Path Yoga.

RENAISSANCE HOTEL HEALTH CLUB

8–15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3822 0033 Exercise with an unsurpassed city view at this health club with gym, swimming pool, steam room and massage parlour. A good place to take time out at the pool–side bar. Costs VND400,000 a day or VND2.2 million a month.

SAIGON FITNESS CO.

New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1 Tel: 3829 4000 www.saigonnewworldhotels.com Medium–sized gym with new cardio equipment and spacious changing rooms with adjustable shower settings, Jacuzzi, steam bath and sauna. Also has an excellent guitar–shaped outdoor pool.

Standard monthly membership starts from VND4.5 million while a day pass goes for VND450,000. Special yearly memberships and family offers available.

SAWANO NEWELL, US CERTIFIED PILATES INSTRUCTOR

Tel: 01225 811 080. www.sawanopilates.com Sawano specializes in Fletcher Pilates and personal fitness, and emphasises core muscle development to strengthen and tone the body. Savano is qualified in mat work and Pilates equipment, and offers individual and group classes tailored to your needs and schedule.

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leisure & wellness

WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?

courses, one following a more Asian style, and one with distinctly modern touches.

Both 18–hole courses are complemented by other attractions such as tennis, boating and an on–site eatery.

LEISURE – GENERAL HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

www.saigonh3.com Balancing beer and exercise, this long– established running club goes to various out–of–town locations to tear up a few kilometres and burn some of the weekend’s calories. Also offers walking trails too. Bus leaves from the Caravelle Hotel at 2pm every Sunday.

PUSH CLIMBING

67/1 Nguyen Van Linh, Phu My Hung Tel: 01264 722 134. www.pushclimbing.com Push Climbing is Ho Chi Minh City’s and Vietnam’s first dedicated bouldering climbing gym and pro shop. Located in District 7, the gym is open seven days a week and there are facilities for storing bicycles and gear. Drinks and snacks are also available, as well as a comfy area for people to relax after tackling the various routes.

RAINBOW DIVERS

In this column, readers are invited to write in to clinical psychologist Tran Thi Hong Nhi (Ms) with their questions about health. Send your emails to nhi@wordhcmc.com

55 Nguyen Dang Giai, Q2. Tel: 3744 6825 www.divevietnam.com Diving courses & trips offered by the longest established PADI dive centres throughout Vietnam. All courses can be started at their state–of–the–art centre in An Phu. Operates PADI–National Geographic Dive Centres in Nha Trang, Whale Island, Hoi An and Phu Quoc.

RANGERS BASEBALL TEAM Dear Nhi, I recently watched a terrible film, The Human Centipede, that has been giving me nightmares and insomnia because of the graphic imagery in it, what should I do?

Sincerely, Fearful in Saigon Dear FiS , The movie industry invested a lot of effort into making their movies believable. It’s their job. You need to keep remembering those are actors and nothing horrible actually happened. Try to imagine the director suddenly yelling, “Cut!,” then the actors taking off their mask and asking, "What now?" It helps you to realise that it is all just made up. Also, here are some tips to help you get over your fear: 1. Remember that it's not real.

It's supposed to scare you, and remember that it's just a trick - it's not real! You're no less safe than you were before. Try to think of all the fake and non-scary things about the movie. If the movie is on DVD, try watching the behind-the-scenes special features. You will find that seeing how the movie was made will take a lot away from its scariness.

2. Do an activity to take your mind off of it.

124 | The Word December 2011

3. Talk about the movie, as it really does help. Try to point out how it is impossible, and if the scary things did exist, why would they target you in particular? Also when it seems creepy, make fun of the movie with a friend.

4. Imagine the scary scene over and over in your mind. Each time, make the scene less scary. Each time just make it funnier. Pretty soon it will be hilarious. You won't be scared at all. Do this with each scene that has left you scared.

Next time you watch the movie, you may be laughing your head off while everyone else is shaking in fear. Think of the psychological reasons why that particular film scared you. It'll remind you that it's all in your head.

5. To enjoy a good sleep again watch something peaceful, funny, nice or think of happy, fun things to do with family or friends. Look forward to something positive you will be doing the next day.

Tran Thi Hong Nhi is a clinical psychologist at FV Hospital. She can be reached for appointment at 5411 3333 orr nhi2. al. tran@fvhospital. com.

isao.shimokawaji@sapporobeer.co.jp A baseball team with over 25 members, including Japanese, American, Canadian and Taiwanese players. Practices and games are held on the weekends at RMIT and the Taiwanese Junior High School in District 7.

players or those without a partner, there is a squash instructor who gives private lessons. Racquets can be rented and balls are provided inclusive. Book in advance. Day rate is VND250,000 for use of all facilities.

You can rent one of several courts from VND40,000 per hour, and all gear (including a ball boy) is available for rent.

TORNADOS HOCKEY CLUB

PRIVATE VIETNAMESE CLASSES

ULTIMATE FRISBEE

VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE STUDEIS – SAIGON

Founded in Singapore, they train every Saturday morning from 10am to noon.

Everyone is welcome. For more information about games and the club in Vietnam contact James (Tornados HC) on 0938 889 899 or Rina at rinabakher@yahoo.com.

RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7 www.saigon–ultimate.com Pan–Asian competitions are often organised for the more experienced and everyone can join in this exciting modern sport held every Sunday afternoon in Saigon South from 3pm to 5pm. For information how to get involved call David Jensen on 0909 458 890 or Tino Tran on 0903 042 014.

X–ROCK CLIMBING

75 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3. Tel: 6210 9192 www.xrockclimbing.com Offers beginner and advanced mountain climbing routes, safety courses and training at its 26–metre purpose–built mountain in District 2. Prices start at VND170,000 for a group pass of four, with a two-hour safety course costing VND500,000.

SPORTS CLASSES CAPOEIRA

25 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1 capoeira.vietnam@gmail.com For a different form of training, try Capoeira, an Afro–Brazilian art form that involves movements from martial arts, games, and dance. Held near the zoo, lessons begin at 6.30pm on Tuesdays and at the same time on Fridays at DanCenter.

Admission is VND70,000 for one session or VND250,000 for four sessions.

SAIGON INTERNATIONAL DARTS LEAGUE SAIGON SPORTS ACADEMY www.thesidl.com There are some excellent players in this fun and popular international darts club, which runs a competitive league for 14 pub–based teams. Check out the website for details on how to get involved and to see the recent 180 scores.

SAIGON INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL LEAGUE

www.saigonsoftball.info The Saigon International Softball League invites you to play slo-pitch softball.

Teams with players from all over the world compete every Sunday.

SQUASH

The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3822 2098 ext 176 www.thelandmarkvietnam.com Membership is open to non–Landmark residents for use of the squash court. For new

Tel: 7303 1100 www.saigonsportsacademy.com Offers coaching for football, tennis, basketball and swimming for both children and adults. Private lessons are also available throughout the year.

TENNIS KY HOA II

796 Su Van Hanh, Q10. Tel: 3863 3706 Hourly hire for courts starts from VND80,000. Private coaching is available, and a small shop stocks all the equipment. Also has an excellent gym and swimming pool.

LAN ANH INTERNATIONAL TENNIS COURT

291 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q10 Tel: 3862 7144 Private coaching sessions and group lessons are available at this popular club.

Get one body massage, get one slimming extract belly massage free 23C Ton Duc Thang, District 1, HCMC Tel: (84-8) 3823 3777 rsv@rosablancavn.com www.rosablancavn.com Open: 9:30 - 19:00 (Closed Monday)

VIETNAMESE CLASSES Tel: 0908 604 753 Contact outgoing and experienced instructor Mr Hoang, who takes individuals or groups from beginner level up to fluency.

VND220,000 per hour.

45 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1 Tel: 3910 3175 This professional school has built a good reputation over 12 years. Offers set and tailor–made courses for all abilities in both northern & southern Vietnamese within high quality facilities. Private lessons are VND250,000 per hour, group classes for 3 or more people are VND160,000 per person.

VNC VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE TRAINING

37/54 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1 Tel: 3836 4344 vnccentre@gmail.com VNC Vietnamese Language Training and Translation provides Vietnamese language training by experienced and qualified teachers and certifies translation from experts for all kinds of materials and documents, from a page to a book.

YOGA & MEDITATION DR. SHIVA

shivaprakashyoga@yahoo.com A qualified yoga master from India who has been teaching in Ho Chi Minh City for the last two years in a variety of locations including L’Apothiquaire and Nutrifort. His yoga styles include Asthanga, Hatha, Dynamic, Vital and

Power yoga. Available to conduct personal, group sessions, health seminars and workshops.

MICHELLE LLOYD YOGA

Tel: 0909 648193 www.michellelloyd.com E-RYT200-certified yoga instructor offering Vinyasa yoga classes at various locations around the city. Private and corporate yoga programmes available.

MY YOGA EXERCISE

Tel: 0128 630 5982 www.myyogaexercise.com Paul Simos offers power yoga to build strength, flexibility, balance and endurance while at the same time imparting a feeling of calm and relaxation. Also offers tropical Hatha yoga. Private sessions and group classes available.

THE SAIGON RIVER CLUB

Ruby Towers - Saigon Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 35149009 info@saigonriverclub.com Saigon’s luxury state-of-the-art health club provides a number of Yoga classes held throughout the week at varied times in a specifically designed soft floored studio. A host of certified, experienced international and local practitioners whose styles include Ashtanga, Power Yoga, Hatha and also Pilates classes.

SAIGON YOGA

Tel: 090 835 2265 www.saigonyoga.com Founder Suzanne Vian, has two decades of experience and is a registered "Experienced Instructor" through Yoga Alliance.

Iyengar-influenced classes, specialising in Hatha, Flow, Hot, Pre and Post-natal Yoga, Restorative, Injury Rehabilitation, Retreats & Trainings.

leisure & wellness STAR FITNESS GYM

Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh. Tel: 3514 0255 www.starfitnessvn.com Yoga professionals teach regular yoga classes in three disciplines at this gym.

Members get free access. Contact Star Fitness directly for schedules and non– member prices.

SOHAM YOGA STUDIO AND BOUTIQUE

84T/4 Tran Dinh Xu, Q1 Tel: 3920 5813 www.soham.vn Soham Yoga Studio and Boutique specialises in high-quality yoga training and yoga retail products, offering Vinyasa Flow, Sivananda, Power yoga and other classes with Yoga Alliance-certified yoga instructors. Soham’s yoga shop also sells high quality yoga products from Manduka and Jade as well as locally produced yoga accessories and international yoga publications. Also offers 30 per cent off yoga class passes and memberships on first day of every month.

VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM MEDITATION GROUP

saigongompa@gmail.com www.saigon-gompa.org Meditation group using specializing in the methods of Tibetan Buddhism. Help the practitioners understand and experience the nature of their mind and the nature of all phenomena.

VIETNAM BUDDHIST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Van Hanh Pogoda, 750 Nguyen Kiem, Phu Nhuan Tel: 0913 985403 bodhgayavn@yahoo.com.vn Well-respected Dr Thich Tam Duc, secretary-general of the research institute, teaches Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist meditation classes, with the ultimate goal of attaining true happiness. Open to both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese speakers.

VIVACOLOUR

33/19 Quoc Huong, Q2. Tel: 090 3873 599 vivacolour@ymail.com Vivacolour offers tailored-made relaxation and meditation programmes combined with chromotherapy, essential oils and music. Laughter Yoga and a Colours Meditation group training workshop is also available. Contact Pascaline for more information.

YOGA & BODYWORK WITH DAPHNE – LEISURE

Tel: 01266 626467 www.daphnechua.com Daphne offers yoga classes, Reiki and Thai Yoga Massage across the city. Each session is unique and different, with a focus on breath and body awareness, combined with fluid movements to provide the perfect balance in nurturing the body and mind.

YOGA LIVING

Studio 1: 95 Pasteur, Q1 Studio 2: 5 Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 0905 735 833 (Thuy) www.yogaliving.com.vn Conducting over 150 commercial and private classes a month, daily offers are Ashtanga based Hath yoga, Vinyasa yoga and Sivananda and classical yoga classes. A larger second studio equipped with six classrooms and 14 shower rooms in the centre of the city provides a great space for a yoga workshop, training and healthcare and lifestyle events.

YMC – YOGA & MEDITATION CENTER

335/31 Dien Bien Phu, Q3 Tel: 3929 1707 www.ymc.org A place to get away from the city for

126 | The Word December 2011

quality yoga or meditation practice. They offer daily classes of different yoga styles — Ashtanga, Power, Yin, Vinyasa, Hatha, Slow Flow and Funky Flow. VND400,000 for a one-week trial.

WELLNESS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC VIETNAM

8 Truong Dinh, Q3 Tel: 3930 6667 www.vietnamchiropractic.com A modern clinic providing chiropractic, physiotherapy, and foot care, staffed by American-trained chiropractic physicians and an American-educated and licensed doctor of physical therapy speaking French, English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Includes treatment of back, neck, and knee pain, sports injury rehabilitation, and manufacture of medical grade foot orthotics.

DR CHANTEL GORTON, PT, DPT

American Chiropractic Clinic, 8 Truong Dinh, Q3 Tel: 3930 6667 chantel@vietnamchiropractic.com American-educated and licensed physical therapist with Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree in Vietnam practicing out of American Chiropractic Clinic.

Specialising in orthopedic injuries, joint pain, sports injuries and post-operative rehabilitation. Rehabilitation may include combination of hands on manual therapy, specific exercise prescription and other modalities.

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE

Care 1, The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Major medical centre that also offers acupuncture and traditional medicine services. The international doctors are highly qualified in their respective disciplines and speak English, Italian and French.

HAPPINESS (HANH PHUC) ORIENTAL MEDICINE CENTER

432 Pham Thai Buong, Q7 Tel: 0906 684 969 Dr Kim Sung Soo offers a range of alternative oriental treatments, including acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, physical therapy, and special treatment for fertility, chronic pain (headache, backache, arthritis, muscular etc), obesity, allergies and menopausal disorders. Dr Kim has studied TCM in Korea and China and speaks Korean, Chinese and some English. A Vietnamese translator is also available.

INSTITUTE OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

273–275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Q3 Tel: 3997 1146 Apart from standard treatments such as acupuncture and massage, this hospital and training centre places emphasis on physiotherapy – the use of herbs to stimulate and protect the immune system.

English–speaking Dr. Le Hung can address all your needs in these areas.

OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE / PHYSIOTHERAPY – DAVID TRUONG TAN Tel: 0903 098 124 www.osteopathy–vietnam.com French–trained osteopath and physiotherapist specialising in treating back pain and other muscular, ligaments and joint problems. Osteopathy relieves pain and other discomforts using a global approach and gentle manipulative techniques.

SARAH MARTIN

Tel: 0937 442 516 www.sarahmichaela.com Australian-trained Massage and Remedial Therapist offering Deep Tissue/Sports Massage, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage, Prenatal Massage and Reiki. Located in An Phu. Home visits available.

THETA HEALING

Tel: 0918 591 933 www.thetahealing.com A unique energy healing technique for mind, body and spirit. Jodie Eastwood is a UK qualified practioner based in Ho Chi Minh City. For more information or to book a session call or email Jodie on jodieastwood@gmail.com.

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE HOSPITAL

179 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3. Tel: 3932 6579 One of the city’s leading centres of traditional Chinese medicine infused with modern understanding. Up–to–date and clean with friendly staff, but you will need a translator.

VIVACOLOUR

Tel: 090 3873 599 vivacolour@ymail.com Vivacolour offers chromotherapy and chromopuncture - alternative fields of health care that focus on correcting energy misbalance by combining the energy of colour and acupuncture channels. Treatment is available for, but not limited to, muscular and joint pain, stress, sleep issues, jetlag, and tailormade programmes for body revitalization, mood boosting, and to stop smoking.

Other areas focus on treating asthma, ear infections, and general light children’s medical issues, as well as cosmetic problems such as skin wrinkling and sun spot removal. Contact Pascaline for more information.

COSMETIC SURGERY CAO THANG LASIK & AESTHETIC CLINIC

135B Tran Binh Trong, Q5. Tel: 3923 4419 A range of optical and aesthetic procedures are available at this modern clinic, which is home to a team of experienced and highly trained doctors. Apart from Lasik vision correction, procedures include Botox and restylane skin–filler treatments.

Hotline: 0919 590 866.

DR. TU’S COSMETIC & LASER SURGERY CLINIC

290 Tran Hung Dao, Q1. Tel: 3836 7685 www.bacsitu.com Modern treatments such as ultrasound–based fat elimination and body contouring, Botox, restylane, and surgical interventions such as hair transplants, eyebrow lifts, nose, eye and ear shaping.

The clinic director is a certified member of the International Board of Cosmetic Surgery.

FV HOSPITAL COSMETIC SURGERY

6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Saigon South Parkway, Q7. Tel: 5411 3366 www.fvhospital.com This international–standard hospital has a full cosmetic surgery department offering body contouring, breast augmentation, Botox, a range of facial surgery options, laser skin improvement, carried out with the best equipment by expert French and Vietnamese doctors.

FV SAIGON CLINIC AESTHETIC CARE 45 Vo Thi Sau, 2nd Floor, Citilight Tower, Q1 Tel: 6290 6167 saigonclinic@fvhospital.com Conveniently located downtown clinic providing modern, safe and fast treatments including Botox and restylane, by an experienced American doctor. Also provides cosmetic

surgery consultations with French and Vietnamese doctors.

SIAN SKINCARE CLINIC

Level 2, 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 3827 6999 www.sianclinic.com The Australian and Canadian managed SIAN Clinic offers a wide range of skincare medical therapies to treat problems such as sagging, dull skin, unwanted tattoos and acne by an experienced dermatologist and facial care team. The clinic has the latest therapies including laser hair removal, stem cell therapy, skin rejuvenation by IPL, Botox and filler hydrolifting, anti-aging and hair loss regrowth treatments.

STAMFORD SKIN CENTRE

254 Dien Bien Phu, Q3. Tel 3392 1080 www.stamfordclinic.com Stamford Skin Centre offers a broad range of medical and aesthetic skin treatments.

Their international dermatologists and doctors ensure accurate diagnosis and safe treatment procedures. It houses state-of-the-art equipment, including fractional CO2 laser, Q-Switch Nd:Yag laser, Fraxel laser, and is the only skin clinic in Vietnam offering Digital Dermoscopy for skin cancer evaluation. Other treatments include eczema, acne, psoriasis, laser treatments (wrinkles, melasma, freckles, scars, keloids); Botox, Restylane and Dysport.

DENTAL ACCADENT

Opera View Building, 161 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 822 8800. www.accadent.com Accadent Vietnam is supported by Accadent Germany and offers high quality standards, high–tech materials and equipment, German precision and hygiene standards for your teeth.

EUROPEAN DENTAL CLINIC

17-17A Le Van Mien, Thao Dien, Q2 Dentists from Japan and France providing total dental care. Open Mondays from 8.00am to 8.00pm and Saturdays from 8.00am to 5.00pm. Emergency hotline: 0909 551 916 / 0916 352 940.

FV HOSPITAL DENTAL

6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Saigon South Parkway, Q7 . Tel: 5411 3435 www.fvhospital.com Full–service dental clinic at this international–class hospital covers the entire spectrum from examinations and cleaning to braces and implants, all carried out to the highest standards.

INTERNATIONAL SOS DENTAL CLINIC 167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3. Tel: 3829 8424 www.internationalsos.com Globally–renowned provider of medical assistance and international healthcare offers full dental services in the new two–storey clinic minutes from downtown.

Foreign and Vietnamese doctors provide 24-hour emergency, medical and dental services. Access 90 languages via 24-hour Alarm Centre (call: 3829 8520) and 13 languages in the clinics in HCMC, Hanoi and Vung Tau.

SAKURA DENTAL CLINIC

90 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1. Tel: 3829 8453 96 Ha Huy Tap, Phu My Hung, Q7 Tel: 5415 6868. www.sakuradental.com.vn An international-standard private dental healthcare group established in the 1990s and led by a Vietnamese senior dentist graduated from Tokyo Medical & Dental University (Japan). Comprised of a team of local and foreign dental specialists, providing total dental care services from dental check-ups to specialist works like whitening, braces, implants, and sleep apnea mouth guards.

leisure & wellness

leisure & wellness

STARLIGHT DENTAL CLINIC

SO, FIGURING THAT YOU ARE ALL getting a little sick of hearing my theories on fitness by this point, I thought I may let the trainers do the talking. If there is one woman we could dub the honourary face of our gym, it would be Quyen, who, along with her two sisters, has been with us since the beginning.

“I never planned to become an instructor,” she said with her ever-ready laugh. “I started as a gym receptionist and teaching yoga part time in 2001. It was from here that my first fitness training opportunity came.”

“I love that I get to see people’s bodies change, and see them emotionally change as they develop more and more pride and confidence in their body image,” she said, while squeezing in three calf raises and a client call.

“When people first come to me they are often out of shape, in poor dietary routines, and looking to lose weight and feel better about themselves. I will typically prescribe some cardio work for them, but request that they do that on their own time, and see me three times a week, where we focus heavily on flexibility, core-work, agility and functional strength.

“I spend a lot of time ensuring correct technique, form and alignment throughout the motion of an exercise.

This is crucial in both the development of strength and the avoidance of injuries,” she stresses.

“I think the hips are the most important and most ignored part of the physique. It is the key junction between the upper and lower body, and these core muscles are called

128 | The Word December 2011

upon for just about everything that we do in our daily lives, and in a rush for bigger arms and smaller tummies, people can easily forget this.”

Quyen says it all boils down to attitude when it comes to gym-going.

“You need to be consistent, a day-in day-out commitment to setting and attaining new goals constantly.

Exercise needs to be like eating and breathing - worked into every day, so that when you wake up, you feel good about yourself physically and emotionally.”

“Otherwise, you reach the first goal…and then what? Slip into old habits and get fat all over again? No way. It’s about consistently applying yourself every time you come to the gym, and working hard. Dedication and discipline.”

“That’s when you see the most results. On the days when you have to work with your ‘inner trainer’ and commit 100 percent of your energy to the gym, that to me is what it is all bout. — Stevee Chipman about.”

2 Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, Q3. Tel: 3822 6222 www.starlightdental.net Long–established, state–of–the–art clinic with French, Canadian, Belgian & Vietnamese dentists. A favourite of the foreign residential community due to its modern and effective treatments allied with extremely reasonable prices.

WESTCOAST INT’L DENTAL CLINIC

Ben Thanh Clinic, 27 Nguyen Trung Truc, Q1 Tel: 3825 6999 The Practice, Level 1, 71-79 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3825 6777 www.wescoastinternational.com An international dental clinic equipped with the latest technology, the comfortable clinics offer cosmetic and implant dentistry with a focus on making each patient’s experience anxiety and pain free.

HAIRDRESSERS ANTHONY GEORGE FOR LONDON

HAIR & BEAUTY Fideco Riverview Building, 14 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 3744 6475 anthony@aglondonsalon.com.vn Top British stylist “George” brings his unique flair to hair in District 2. A modern and professional salon, the products used here are exclusively Dermalogica, Schwarzkopf and L’Oreal. Shampoo, cut & blow–dry for VND530,000. Mini facials from VND250,000.

ART HAIR

37B Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3 Tel: 3823 0908 A four–floor, one–stop hair salon for people who like highlights and a sharp– looking mane. Even the stylists here sport modern, funky styles. A cut above the rest.

COLOR HAUS

Steve Chipman is the managing director of Star Fitness Centers and has over 29 years of experience in the fitness industry. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in health science and is a certified personal trainer. Visit www.starfitnessvn.com for more information.

23 Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 3827 7700 www.colorhaus.com.vn A Singaporean–based salon specialising in hair colouring, treatments and styling. A team of local and foreign stylists will help you choose the hair colour and style that is right for you. A wash and cut starts at VND80,000 from a junior stylist. To cover grey hair, price starts at VND250,000 while a full colour and highlights range from VND350,000 to VND550,000. They also have a new nail care service.

JASMINE

45 Ton That Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3827 2737 Spa–related salon with a good reputation for quality and comfort offers washes and leisurely haircuts from VND330,000 plus a range of related services.

THE SALON

21–23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1. Tel: 3822 9660 65 Le Loi, Q1. Tel: 3821 6394 From the same chain as His Salon, these places have equally well–trained stylists offering simple haircuts starting from VND150,000.

VENUS

41 Nguyen Trung Ngan, Q1. Tel: 3829 6298 This salon can make you look naturally blond or help you to revamp your hairstyle. Using international brands like L’Oreal and Wella, your hair will be given that healthy, bouncier new look for a night out on the town.

YKC HAIR STUDIO

219 Dien Bien Phu, Q3. Tel: 3829 2791 www.ykcspa.com Run by Canadian hair stylist and cut and colour specialist Ky The Guy, a well-trained staff in an English-friendly environment attracts a loyal foreign clientele. Top industry products such as TIGI and GOLDWELLL are used and a cut and blow-dry starts at VND550,000. A second salon is located in the Park Hyatt Hotel.

MEDICAL AUSTRALIAN CLINIC & PATHOLOGY DIAGNOSTICS

273–275 Ly Thai To, Q10. Tel: 3834 9941 www.australianclinic.com.vn Services includes general outpatient healthcare, corporate / visa health– checks, X–ray, full laboratory and in–house pharmacy including specialist medical services covering cardiology, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, orthopedics and dermatology.

CARE 1

Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh. Tel: 3514 0757 www.care1.com.vn Sister clinic of the Family Medical Practice, Care 1 opened in 2007 and offers preventative healthcare checkups as well as a full range of corporate health services for international companies in Vietnam.

COLUMBIA ASIA SAIGON CLINIC

8 Alexandre de Rhodes, Q1. Tel: 3823 8888 Well–established and well–regarded, offers emergency and primary medical care with doctors (both overseas and Vietnamese) on call 24 hours a day. Prices are very reasonable, with a health check–up costing from VND400,000 to VND800,000.

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE HCMC

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3822 7848 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Full–service 24–hour healthcare provider whose highly–qualified foreign and Vietnamese doctors can handle anything from emergencies to lab tests and X–rays, in– patient and out–patient care, check–ups, travel medicine and medical evacuations.

FV HOSPITAL

6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Saigon South Parkway, Q7 Tel: 5411 3333 . Emergency: 5411 3500, www.fvhospital.com International hospital whose standard of health care matches that found anywhere, with 19 full–time French doctors and 58

IFC INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING HCMC

Smart Kids, 26 Street 10, Q2 Nutrifort, 281 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1 Tel: 0903 617 101 IFC provides therapy for a full range of issues including anxiety, depression, adjustment, divorce, cultural and ethnic challenges and more. Their eclectic approach is tailored to meet the therapeutic needs of each individual client with offices in districts 1 and 2. Call Annie Dolle, LCSWA or Marijke Schaminee, MA. or email IFCSaigon@gmail.com to arrange an appointment.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CENTRE (CMI) 1 Han Thuyen, Q1 Tel: 3827 2366 www.cmi–vietnam.com This French medical clinic provides general practice and a range of specialties including cardiology, OB–GYN, ophthalmology, paediatrics, and sports medicine. A non–profit medical centre, CMI sends its spare cash to the local Ho Chi Minh City Heart Institute to fund children’s operations.

INTERNATIONAL SOS

167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3 Tel: 3829 8424 ext. 297 www.internationalsos.com The world’s leading provider of medical assistance, international healthcare, security services and outsourced customer care. Provider of medical assistance and international healthcare, specialising in evacuation and repatriation. Foreign and Vietnamese doctors provide 24-hour emergency, medical and dental services in their new clinic.

THE STAMFORD MEDICAL CLINIC

254 Dien Bien Phu, Q3 Tel: 3932 1090 www.stamfordclinic.com Stamford Medical Clinic offers services in internal medicine, dermatology, aesthetic medicine, infectious diseases, and general medicine.

VICTORIA HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

135A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3997 4545 79 Dien Bien Phu, Q1 Tel: 3910 4545 Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations and specialising in pediatrics, digestive diseases, cardiology, women’s health and internal medicine. Offers a membership programme and cooperates with most insurance companies in Vietnam and abroad. Open & doctors on call 24/7.

PHARMACIES INTERNATIONAL SOS

167A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3. Tel: 3829 8424 The in–house pharmacy at this well–respected clinic provides an excellent range of all available medications, both over the counter and prescription–only. Pharmacist– managed and staffed by English speakers.

FAME NAILS SALON

3 Truong Dinh, Q1. Tel: 3521 0599 www.famenails.com A nail spa in Saigon with a modern ambiance. Services range from classic manicures and spa treatment to acrylic and gel enhancements.

JUST MEN

40 Ton That Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3914 1407 Grooming salon for men which, as well as its standard hairdressing services (starting from VND200,000), offers massages for the tired executive, with a head, shoulder and neck massage costing VND150,000. A good place to escape the hustle and bustle of Saigon.

L’APOTHIQUAIRE

64A Truong Dinh, Q3, 100 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1. Tel: 3822 1218 www.lapothiquaire.com Award–winning salon very highly rated by foreign visitors offers body massages (from VND550,000), facials (from VND500,000), sports fatigue massages, slimming wraps and waxing (around VND210,000). Also offers gentleman’s care.

ROSA BLANCA BEAUTY

23C Ton Duc Thang, Q1 In the heart of downtown and specialising in all forms of skincare, this is a well– designed and outfitted day spa offering body treatments as well as facials and foot treatments. Nice decor completes the atmosphere.

THANN SANCTUARY

Nguyen Du Villas, 111 Nguyen Du, Q1 Tel: 3822 0885 High–end spa set in the elegant grounds of one of the city’s most enviable addresses. The spa itself is intimate and beautifully decorated with furnishings brought in from Thailand. Guests can make use of the villa’s facilities including the pool area and bar. Treatments focus on relaxation therapies such as massages and body scrubs.

THE SPA

Saigon River Club, Saigon Pearl, Ruby 1 Tower, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 9006 The Manor, 1st Floor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0290 www.thespavietnam.com Located at two serviced apartment locations, The Spa offers foot massages, body massages and treatments, facial skin treatments and pampering packages.

THE SPA AT NEW WORLD HOTEL

New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1 Tel: 3829 4000 ext. 2235 www.saigon.newworldhotels.com Elegant facility offering relaxation at the highest level. Six treatment rooms for

THE SPA AT THE DUXTON HOTEL

Duxton Hotel, 63 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3822 2999 www.duxton.com Conveniently located in the very central Duxton Hotel, The Spa offers a full range of services including deluxe manicures and pedicures, aroma body massages, 60–minute foot massages, and the usual sauna and steam bath facilities.

XUAN SPA

Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son Square, Q1 Tel: 3824 1234 www.hyattpure.com Breathtaking luxury downtown spa noted for its tranquil atmosphere, Vichy shower room and range of high–quality massages (from VND900,000), facial, body and foot treatments, and overall spa packages complemented by the use of Comfort Zone products.

YKC SPA

219 Dien Bien Phu, Q3 Tel: 3829 2791 www.ykcspa.com Exceptional service and customer satisfaction for over a decade has firmly established YKC as a premier pampering destination for Saigon’s expats and visitors. Complimentary beverages are offered in addition to a complete range of professional spa services. Family owned since 1996, YKC operates with the utmost integrity and respect in regards to serving its clients.

SPAS AQUA DAY SPA

Sheraton Saigon, 88 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3827 2828 Natural and holistic treatments abound at this refurbished luxury hotel spa, from natural rainforest showers to the use of Harnn & Thann spa products.

GLOW SPA

129A Nguyen Hue, Q1Tel: 3823 8368 www.glowsaigon.com Modern and bright downtown spa, offers massages lasting from 30 minutes (VND400,000) to two-hour hot stone therapy (VND1.2 million), includes one suite with a Jacuzzi bath; offers hand and foot care as well as a hair styling area.

INDOCHINE SPA

69 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1 Tel: 3827 7188 www.indochine-spa.com Nestled in the heart of the city, Indochine Spa provides a peaceful and serene atmosphere with a range of aromatic scents and lulling melodies. Customers are pampered by fully qualified therapists using 100% natural French products in a clean and pleasant environment.

QING SPA

110 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 0907 589290 A new spa above the foot massage salon that offers services such as body massage, facial and hair treatments. The price list includes service and members get a 20 percent discount off foot & body massage as well as a 10 percent discount on other services.

e s.

A contemporary Japanese dental clinic that provides a full range of standard and specialised dental services and treatments, including a 20-minute teeth whitening using Brillica mouthpieces and LED lighting systems; general check-ups and cleaning (polishing & prevention), and a range of orthodontic work. Smile Dental Clinic is open Mon-Sat from 8.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 6.30pm, and on Sundays from 8.30am to 12pm. English - Vietnamese and Japanese are also available to call

Tim

www.smiledental-vn.com

45 Vo Thi Sau, 2nd Floor, Citilight Tower, Q1 Tel: 6290 6167 saigonclinic@fvhospital.com State–of–the–art medical centre conveniently located in District 1. Experienced American, French, and Vietnamese doctors provide the full spectrum health care. Plus sports medicine, cosmetic treatments, skin care and surgical consultations.

48 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 3519 4625 Hair stylist and colourist specialist Sandrine has relocated and rebranded her long-standing flagship salon Venus Coiffure to a designer villa in Thao Dien, Q2.

Open daily from 9am to 8pm, a full new range of services is now on offer, including a dedicated salon for kids: Concept Kids. Only top products such as Alfaparf and Natural Rendez-Vous are used.

79 2/1 Phan Ke Binh, Q1 Tel: 3910 5575 www.spatropic.com Spa Tropic is a stylish boutique spa housed in the refurbished former Chilean Consulate. Established since 2002, Spa Tropic has a long-standing reputation among expats and visitors alike for its professional quality service. Spa Tropic offers a complete range of spa services and an al fresco café with a healthy food and drinks menu crafted by a New York trained organic chef.

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SMILE DENTAL 173 Ton Dat Tien, Q7 Tel: 5413 6634

CONCEPT COIFFURE

SPA TROPIC

om

The Face of Fitness

FV SAIGON CLINIC

SALONS

women, four treatment rooms for men, one foot massage room and two VIP spa suites (couples’ treatment rooms) are available to deliver contemporary rejuvenation treatments. Spacious changing rooms with Jacuzzi, steam bath and sauna. Treatments start at VND400,000 and packages are available regularly.

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KEEPING FIT

23 Ton Duc Thang, Q1. Tel: 3911 0915 www.kimage.com.vn More high–end salon than school, this Singapore–based outlet provides hair treatments, from a simple wash and blow dry from a student (VND5,000) to multi–tonal highlights from a junior stylist (VND310,000). All services are monitored by highly qualified instructors. Appointments recommended. Open 9am to 9pm.

E Vietnam Award fo m 11 na r “Ex t 0 e i 2 cellen ce in Dentistry” by V

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KIMAGE ACADEMY OF HAIR & MAKEUP

Vietnamese doctors, providing expertise in 30 medical and surgical areas, with maternity care a specialty. Hotline (24– hour) 5411 3500.

Commitment, Integrity, Quality

02 Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, Dist. 3, HCM City (Ho Con Rua - Turtle Lake) Tel: 38 22 62 22 / 38 23 92 94 starlightdental@gmail.com www.starlightdental.net

December 2011 The Word | 129

style

style IPA-NIMA

Style Listings FASHION ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR 130 CLOTHING STORES 130 LINGERIE & SWIMSUITS 132 SPORTSWEAR 132 TAILORS 132

LIGHTING 134

INTERIORS ART 132 CRAFT 133 FURNITURE & HOMEWARES 133 KITCHEN & BATHROOM 134

GROCERIES BAKERIES 135 CATERING 136 GROCERIES 136 LIQUOR & WINE 135

FASHION ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR ACCESSORIZE

B1-37 Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3993 9308 9am to 10pm Despite its size, Accessorize is marred by its sloppy and disorganised displays.

The shoppers still come in their droves, though, attracted to the range of products that includes anything from beachwear and children’s clothes through to underwear, swimsuits, hats, bags, sandals, jewellery, sunglasses and much more.

Prices depend on types and designs, but generally start from VND200,000, with a normal bag costing from VND1 million.

BIRKENSTOCK

B-42, Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3936 9777 9am to 10pm Stands out from the crowd thanks to its wooden and neon-lit frontage and eyecatching wooden shelves and boxes used to display its Birkenstock brand products. Selling shoes, sandals and clogs imported from Germany made with various designs and colours, there are also similar products for kids. A pair of thong sandals starts at VND1.9 million for adults and VND1.6 million for kids.

BLUE DRAGON

1B Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 2210 2084 8am to 10.30pm It’s hard to ignore this store as its front-

ICONS 101 CASUAL WEAR FORMAL WEAR SHOES BAGS JEWELLERY ACCESSORIES SWIMWEAR UNDERWEAR

130 | The Word December 2011

ELECTRONICS CAMAERAS 135 COMPUTERS & ACCESSORIES 135 MOBILE PHONES 135

age is painted in a stark lemon yellow.

Well-known for its selection of recycled bags made from plastic feed sacks, coming in all designs and colours, the unique product selection includes colourful quilts, ethnic bags, jewellery, scrap metal animals and other such wares. Prices range from VND5,000 to VND2.1 million.

CHARLES & KEITH

18-20 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3925 1132 B1-62 Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3993 9306 9am to 10pm This airy, well-displayed and well-organised Singaporean store has two branches in town. An elegant beige frontage stands out thanks to three large hanging posters. Sells women’s shoes, bags and accessories with a wide range of products from boots, heels and sandals to bags and clutches. Prices are acceptable for an international brand with a pair of thong sandals costing VND775,000 and leather bags starting at VND1.1 million. There is also a selection of sunglasses from VND1.1 million and belts for VND600,000.

DR. MARTENS

127-129 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3832 3904 www.hoangphucvietnam.com 9am to 10pm Dr Martens has come a long way from the punk era of the late 1970s when its boots first gained popularity as a hard-man (or woman) accessory. Indeed, according to a recent consumer survey, eight out of 10 urban Vietnamese teenagers own a pair of sandals from this global shoe brand. Standing out thanks to its bright yellow signage, the street style and wooden-shelf decor of this shop displays a range of shoes, sandals and boots that contrast from the 15-hole lace-ups from the past. But then, with Dr Martens its all about the quality of the soles.

GALLERY VIVEKKEVIN

35 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 6291 8162 www.galleryvivekkevin.com 9.30am to 8pm Located next to Jaspa’s and run by jewellery and furniture designer Vivek Chaudhary, this retail-cum-gallery space is decked out in white giving it a sleek aura of elegance. Specialises in contemporary and exclusive arty jewellery including rings, bracelets, necklaces and medals all displayed in U-shaped cases. The products are handcrafted and made from handpicked gemstones and raw materials consisting of precious metals, plastic, zinc or fiberglass. There are also exhibitions and gallery talks every month and the gallery stocks the work of guest jewellery artists. Check the website for details.

77-79 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: 3822 3277 71 Pasteur, Q1, Tel: 3824 2701 www.ipa-nima-boutique.com 9am to 9pm Looking for fun, sexy, glamorous accessories? Look no further. Dubbed one of the most renowned brands for designer handbags and jewellery in Vietnam, Ipa-Nima is the brainchild Hong Kong-born designer Christina Yu. The flamboyant designs, unique twists and funky embellishments in great fashionable shapes definitely catch the eye. Also stocks shoes, dresses and hats. Prices range from for bags, VND1.2 million to VND2.1 million for shoes and from VND3 million for dresses.

JEMMA

174 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3926 0270 www.jemma.com.vn 9am to 10pm A branch of the Vietnamese SJC company, the elegance and luxury of this space provides instant temptation for the avid shopper. All products are made in Vietnam with imported rare stones that increase the value of each piece. A coral necklace costs around VND900,000 while a silver ring with an angel hair stone is stocked at around VND1.5 million. A selection of bags starts from VND1.4 million.

MAI O MAI

67 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1 Tel: 3829 4007 Mom_07_2003@hotmail.com 8am to 10pm This small two-storey shop contains a huge collection of cool and funky jewellery. There are also selections of ethnic bags, fabulous hand-made silver pieces and lacquer items. All products are from Vietnam. Prices begin at VND160,000 and intricate designs cost over VND2.1 million.

The staff is friendly and speak English.

SERGIO ROSSI

146AB Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3824 8382 10.30am to 8.30pm Located opposite Labella, the luxurious design and appearance of this quiet shop actually intimidates passers-by. Features upmarket shoes and bags made from highquality materials such as crocodile or python skin and garnished with a large variety of wooden, Swarovski crystal and Europeanstyle colourful beads. Prices vary but a normal pair of shoes starts from VND21 million.

Credit cards (of course) are accepted.

SKECHERS

115 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3925 9582 www.hoangphucvietnam.com 9am to 10pm The award-winning SKECHERS is one of the world’s most sought-after footwear brands. Now the number two footwear brand in the US with new and stylish designs for both genders from 5 to 70 years old, SKECHERS is fast becoming a popular choice with Vietnamese. The display is impressive with shoes in many designs and colours hanging on the walls. A pair of sports shoes starts at VND2 million.

TDC SWISS WATCHES

28 Mac Dinh Chi, Q1 Tel: 3823 3807 393 Dien Bien Phu, Q1 Tel: 3929 0685 www.tdcvn.com 8am to 9pm The wide signage on the front of the shop name checking a host of famous international timepiece brands means this shop is unmissable. Large and with in-your-face displays, TDC is the official dealer of Tissot, Swatch, Longines and Jacques Lemans. A funky plastic Swatch strap watch costs VND2 million while a classic gilded Longines strap starts at VND11 million. Also stocks high-end brands like Rolex, Cartier and Omega.

TIC TAC WATCHES

72 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3829 3519 www.tictacwatch.com 9am to 8pm The pleasant and steady sound of a watch

stays the same. However, its design has evolved along with mankind. So has the TicTac Company, growing from a family watch specialist store in Ho Chi Minh City in 1978 to an elegant black-and-gold designer watch showroom. Stocks luxurious brands such as Omega, Baume & Mercier, Maurice Lacroix, Armand Nicolet, Mido, Hirsch and Swiza. Also provides repairs and battery changes. Time seems to never stop at Tic Tac Watches.

THERESE JEWELRY

9 Nguyen Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3827 3756 www.theresejewelry.com 8am to 7.30pm A good place for luxury jewellery, this store is located on a tiny street in between Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi. However, it stands out thanks to its décor and design with a big wooden and glass door.

Products vary from pearl rings to sapphire earrings, an oval pink stone necklace, a gold plain daisy brooch, all displayed in a U-shaped wooden case. Prices start at VND10 million for a ring. Men can also find a selection of cufflinks here.

VESPA SHOP

Unit 66, Saigon Square, 7-9A Ton Duc Thang, Q1 11am to 8pm Located inside Saigon Square, this store is perfect for anyone looking to indulge in their obsession with classic scooters.

Stocking a wide range of Vespa-inspired tidbits and memorabilia from Saigon Scooter Centre, the wares include t-shirts, riding gear, Italian helmets, Respro face masks, DVDs, books, bags, magazines, posters and much more. Rental scooters and bikes are also available.

YB DESIGNS

32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Q2. Tel: 0907 168910 www.yimbaderjewelry.com Situated on the same site as Snap Café, YB is a small shop with simple décor, offering all kinds of jewellery including earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings.

Most of the products are handmade and crafted from various gemstones consisting of turquoise, quartz, jasper and hematite.

Prices are affordable, depending on the type of gemstone and design, but usually start from VND50,000. Also offers custom orders.

CLOTHING STORES BUDGET MARATHON

147 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3920 7442 123A Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3838 0019 9am to 10.30pm Even though their business card claims Marathon to be a sports fashion store, it’s actually a beachwear shop. With an orange frontage, this outlet quickly grabs the attention of passers by. Displays many products in a simple and accessible style, offering colourful beach pants, t-shirts and flip-flops for men and women, caps, and a small selection of sneakers and belts. Prices range from VND110,000 to VND190,000 for a t-shirt, and VND140,000 for a pair of flip-flops.

ORANGE

180 Bui Vien, Q1 238B Pasteur, Q3 Tel: 3820 2620 152 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3836 5028 9am to 10pm With three stores throughout town, this well-known clothing outlet is aimed at teenagers and young adults. Despite simple décor, Orange stands out thanks to the array of colourful products hanging on the wall including jeans, t-shirts, bags, sandals and belts. A selection of attractive hats and leather bracelets are also stocked. Prices are affordable with t-shirts selling for VND180,000 while bags go for between VND90,000 and VND600,000.

Shoes start at VND400,000 a pair.

MID-RANGE BAM SKATESHOP

174 Bui Vien, Q1; 148 Dien Bien Phu, Q3; 228 Vo Van Tan, Q3; 15H Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1; Tel: 0903 641826 9am to 10pm This hip-hop-cum-skate store has played a large role in the current rise of local, non K-Pop street fashion thanks to its branded mix of sneakers, tees, hoodies, jeans, oblique baseball caps, accessories and more. Naturally, there is also a range of skateboards on sale, with the board and wheels costing anywhere between VND1.5 million and VND2.5 million.

GINKGO

54-56 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 0905 493148 www.ginkgo-vietnam.com 9am to 10pm Quality, original, Vietnam-themed tees are the showpiece at this airy French-run clothing store that also has an outlet in Nha Trang. Designs are inspired by anything from the Vietnamese flag, local telecom wires and motorbikes to creative, Siddharta-style imagery. Has a permanent photo gallery upstairs exhibiting the works of Thiery Beyne.

MAXXSTYLE

52 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3833 4299 150-152 Hai Ba Trung, Q3 Tel: 3824 9534 8.30am to 10.30pm Located next to Zen Plaza, this Vietnamese brand is one of the best-known shops in town for unisex clothing. Contains a wide range of apparel including jeans, tees, shirts, jackets, khaki trousers and much more, all displayed in a huge retail space. Stocks many different designs, fabrics and colours, and prices are good. A pair of men’s jeans starts at VND500,000, and VND450,000 for women, while a female shirt costs about VND300,000 and VND279,000 for a printed male tee.

NINOMAXX

118-122 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3824 9689 www.ninomaxx.com.vn 8.30am to 10.30pm A brother of Maxxstyle, this brand is well-known locally for both its men’s and women’s clothing. Set in a large, two-floor space, Ninomax stands out thanks to its large white-painted Renaissance-style columns. Despite its size, a lack of adequate lighting gives the shop a slightly darker feel. Has the same prices as Maxxstyle and also stocks similar products.

MID TO TOP BOSSINI

22 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3839 2292 9am to 10pm This Hong Kong-brand retailer sells both male and female casual wear, including jeans, khaki trousers, tees and shirts.

Although carrying various designs, including plain, striped, V-neck and button-neck shirts, there are not many products.

Prices range from VND900,000 for a pair of women’s jeans and VND700,000 for a shirt.

Also stocks socks and belts.

ER-COUTURE

43 Thao Dien, Q1 Tel: 3744 2411 www.er-couture.com 9am to 8pm This Scandinavian outlet is situated on the first floor of An Phu market, stocking high-quality designer garments. Carries a full range of products, from floral dresses to tight tanks starting at VND1.8 million, as well as chiffon shorts and high-waist trousers for VND2 million. Shoes, bags, belts, scarves and hats are also carried as well as larger sizes.

D’BLANC

89A Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3925 5164 www.d-blanc.com 9am to 10pm Inspired by the modern woman with a youthful attitude, D’Blanc introduces an ageless brand that balances a feminine, sexy aesthetic with an electric, urban sensibility. A complete lifestyle collection that offers a broad range of stylish looks to take women from day to night and work to the weekend. Accessories are also available. A dress costs from VND1.5 million.

FRENCH CONNECTION

L1-08, Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3825 7493 www.8lions.com 9am to 10pm Located inconspicuously on a corner of the Vincom Center, customers have trouble finding this generically designed shop.

Stocks both casual and formal wear for

men and women, including jeans, tees, shirts, party dresses and working skirts.

Prices here are also surprisingly reasonable. A male tee starts at VND750,000 while a pair of men’s jeans goes for as little as VND1.8 million. There is also a small selection of bags and belts.

GAYA CLOTHING

Le Lai Corner, 1 Nguyen Van Trang, Q1 Tel: 3925 1495 Located on the 2nd floor of the Gaya, all the clothing here is designed and tailoredmade by renowned French-Cambodian designer Romyda Keth and concentrates mainly on women’s wear. There are plenty of colourful and sexy evening dresses, embroidered floral skirts and cute chiffon tops. If it doesn’t quite fit, alterations are available. Prices start at VND2 million for a normal party dress. Also stocks a small selection of men’s shirts.

GEISHA & GEISHA’S COFFEE AND TEA HOUSE

85 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3829 4004 8am to 10pm The products of this Australian fashion label are displayed on the basement floor with contemporary ranges of casual and eveningwear fused with Asian designs.

The work of proprieter Hellen Holani, the apparel includes sweet floral dresses, jean skirts, printed tees and street-style bags.

Worth a visit with friends so you can also enjoy a cup of coffee at the in-house cafe while waiting to pick up your clothes.

LABELLA

85-87 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3823 0172 9am to 9pm Located opposite Sergio Rossi, the decorative style and display of this Vietnamese fashion outlet is both impressive and endearing, using strong colours like orange and wood-brown to catch the eye.

Products include a comprehensive range of silk dresses, halters and skirts. A large selection of bags is displayed on colourful and eye-catching box-shaped shelves.

Also offers night and loungewear, scarves and belts.

LEVI’S

47 BC Nguyen Trai, Q1 315A-317 Ba Thang Hai, Q10 Tel: 3240 7460 225 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3 Tel: 3240 7461 9am to 9.30pm For cosmopolitans who love genuine Levi’s Jeans, there are numerous of the self-branded stores throughout the city.

Invented by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1873, the brand has become one of the most recognisable and imitated pieces of clothing throughout the world. The stores here offer a wide range of the latest jeans and accessories. Prices vary but normally start at VND2 million for a pair of woman’s jeans.

LITI

40D Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 3824 7114 10am to 7pm Located near the corner of Pasteur and Ly Tu Trong, Liti harks back to Vietnam’s French colonial era. Stocking simple but vintage embroidered and crocheted clothing for women and kids, other retro ware includes clocks, brooches, teapots, cups and other art deco-style products. A simple black blouse starts at VND820,000 while an old clock costs upwards of VND3 million.

LOLITA

61 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Parkson, Saigon Tourist Plaza, Level 2, 35 Bis 45, Le Thanh Ton, Q1 (opening Aug. 15) Parkson, Flemington, Level 2, 184 Le Dai Hanh, Q11 (opening Sep. 1) www.lolita.com.vn Tel: 3925 9993 Established in Punta Del Este, Uruguay in 1960, Lolita operates ladies fashion boutiques in 19 countries around the world, offering stylish and comfortable easy-towear clothing for work or play

L’USINE

First floor, 151 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 6674 3565 www.lusinespace.com 10am to 10pm A contemporary shopping experience can be enjoyed at this fashion boutique, café and art gallery. A spacious, elegant Indochina-themed image of a 1930’s French garment factory, L’Usine stocks exclusive labels from all over the world, elegant and sophisticated clothing and casual high-quality cottons tailored to the climate of Ho Chi Minh City. Lifestyle accessories include shoes, home-wares, nick-knacks, cameras, stationery and a range of vintage bicycles.

MAI’S

132–134 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3827 2733 9.30am to 9.30pm Based on the ground floor of the Continental Hotel, Mai’s feels more like an art space than a fashion shop. Run by designer Mai Lam, all products displayed are her own designs with a mixture of vintage and modernised traditional clothes and accessories. Her renowned signature pieces include velvet and cotton ao dai reworked for casual wear, as well as hand embroidered vintage US army and flak jackets. Also stocks a fine selection of artworks. Prices range from VND1 million to VND80 million for clothes, and VND600,000 to VND40 million depending on styles and materials.

MANGO

40-42 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3925 1136 www.maisonco.com 9am to 10pm This Spanish brand is located in an impressively designed two-storey building with

PAPAYA

171 Bui Vien, Q1 www.papaya-tshirt.com 9am to 10pm Specialises in 100 percent cotton t-shirts for both men and women, which are manufactured in Vietnam. Also offers a small selection of hats, safety pins and postcards. A part of the profit from each sale is given to two charity organizations, Poussieres de Vie and the Endangered Asian Species Trust. A t-shirt starts at VND189,000, a cap costs VND99,000 and a post card is only VND15,000.

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style a black-painted neon logo outside. The entire shop is well displayed with air-conditioning and professional staff, exuding a feeling of class but not luxury. Provides a full range of clothing including jeans, tees, skirts, trousers, cardigans, leggings and much more. There are also selections of bags, wallets, belts and scarves. A shirt costs from VND1.2 million, and a pair of jeans starts at VND1.4 million. Visit the website for more Mango outlets in town.

MR & MRS SMITH

43 Ton That Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3821 8019 9am to 9pm This designer fashion outlet, located in the same building as Dogma and Saigon Kitsch, sells a variety of men’s and women’s clothing and shoes produced in Vietnam for export markets in Europe, Japan and the US. All designs are brand new, delivered directly from the factory weekly and sold at factory outlet prices (VND100,000 to VND70,000).

NGAN

23 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: 6290 9391 www.nganasia.com 9am to 8pm Ngan has become a well-known brand due to their distinctive tailor-made clothing and designs. Stocks mainly women’s clothes, however, men are also suitably catered for. The entire shop is designed in a sleek and luxurious black with cozy lighting emanating from a pendant light fixture. Due to the elegant and sophisticated designs and high-quality fabrics, prices are more top-end, with a party dress ranging from VND6 million to VND10 million a piece, and a normal dress starting at VND3 million. There are selections of boots, belts, scarves and jewellery boxes. Also does bespoke orders.

RAZ GARNETT

137 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 01222 210008 9am to 10.30pm A fashion store with streetwear, t-shirts, bags, a wide range of sneakers and authentic Brazillian Havaianas flip-flops.

Crocs sandals are also displayed in the middle of the store. T-shirts range from VND400,000 to VND900,000, VND400,000 for a bag and VND700,000 for sneakers. Also stocks sunglasses starting at VND400,000.

Has European-sized t-shirts.

SONG

1st Floor, Saigon Centre, Q1 Tel: 3821 5292 76D Le Thanh Ton, Q1Tel: 3824 6986 This t-shaped and turquoise-painted store is located on the first floor of Saigon Center, stocking the clothing of French designer Valerie Gregori McKenzie. All the designs have a quaint, slightly Gallic feel and are made from a mixture of linen, silk and cotton. A simple white tank dress costs VND760,000 and a spandex shirt goes for VND1.5 million. Also stocks shoes, sandals and a small range of accessories.

THUY NGA DESIGN

19 Vo Thi Sau, Q1 Tel: 3820 3574 www.thuyngadesign.com 8am to 8pm With over 15 years in the trade, Thuy Nga is one of the best-known garment brands in Vietnam. This luxurious shop stocks both men’s and women’s clothing, including office attire, casual and evening wear. A longsleeved women’s shirt starts from VND1 million while a male striped shirt starts from VND1.3 million. Also stocks jewellery and accessories.

UMBRELLA

35 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 Tel: 6276 2730 www.umbrella-fashion.com 8am to 10pm Impressively designed with exposed brick walls, Umbrella is airy and well displayed with warm lighting exuding a comfortable atmosphere. Sells their own women’s cloth-

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style ing designs including dresses, trousers, skirts, jumpers and blouses. Prices are acceptable for tailor-made clothing, with a party dress starting from VND2.7 million. A blouse starts from VND990,000 and shoes, bags and belts are available. Also offers a small selection of imported funky jewellery ranging from VND1 million a piece.

underwear, sleepwear and sportswear.

Prices of imported clothing are slightly more expensive compared to domestically manufactured products. A sport tee ranges from VND150,000 to VND180,000, while a pair of long johns starts at VND200,000, with a sports outfit costing VND300,000.

TOP-END

139 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: 3823 3757 9.30am to 9.30pm One of the best local swimwear brands in Vietnam, La Ha caters for both men and women. The shop is small and simply decorated but contains a comprehensive range of products with many different designs and patterns. Prices start at VND175,000 for a bikini. Also stocks yoga and gym outfits.

CHLOE

155 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 6291 3582 10.30am to 8.30pm Located inside the Rex Hotel, this Parisian fashion house is one of the most popular international brands with local celebrities due to its well-tailored, traditional, feminine and fashionable products. Chloe Saigon stocks a range of Chloe products, from low-rider fitted jeans, satin dresses, crocodile skin shoes to Sakia bags. There is also a selection of glasses in many cool and contemporary styles and designs.

JUST CAVALLI

M-29, Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3993 9005 9am to 10pm Contemporary decor with large mirrors and leather sofas creates the setting for a range of products catering for both men and women. The apparel of this Italian brand varies in both design and fabric, helping shoppers identify with contrasting international fashion trends. A pair of floral shorts starts at VND9 million and a snake-patterned dress costs VND24 million. There is also a small selection of bags and scarves.

MARC JACOBS

155 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: 6291 3580 10.30am to 8.30pm Situated inside the Rex Hotel next door to Chloe, this urban American brand carries international-standard clothing and a wide range of sophisticated bags placed on wooden shelves, costing from around VND6 million. There is also a glass case in the middle of the store containing other accessories.

VERSACE

M-15, Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 9am to 10pm Spacious, well-displayed and stocking the designs of the iconic Italian fashion label, Versace is shopping at its most lavish.

The products come in many colours and fabrics, designed elegantly in a classic and sophisticated style with floral dresses, plain chiffon blouses and skinny trousers. Prices are expectedly expensive; a well-tailored floral dress will set you back VND40 million. There is also a small selection of shoes and bags.

LINGERIE & SWIMSUITS AQUAMARINE

211 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: 3827 5695 www.xuanthuswimsuit.com 8am to 8.30pm Situated on the corner of Truong Dinh and Ly Tu Trong, Aquamarine is a classy branch of Xuan Thu swimwear. A small shop full of colourful products, a step inside results in a sensory overload. Offering custom orders, the stock here runs the gamut from onepiece bikinis through to two-pieces as well as monokinis and various types of beachwear with different designs and patterns.

Prices start at VND790,000 for a bikini. Also stocks a small selection of scarves.

JOCKEY

Zen Plaza, 54-56 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3925 0339 9am to 10pm One of the most popular underwear brands in Vietnam, the American selfbranded shop stocks a full range of Vietnamese-manufactured or imported products for men and women, including

LA HA

LA SENZA

B1-45, Vincom Center, 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3993 9302 9am to 10pm Offers a huge range of bras and underpants designed in various styles and for different purposes. This American brand also offers a wide selection of sweet and seductive lingerie items and swimsuits. A normal bra starts at VND300,000 while a silicon brazier goes for VND900,000. There is also a selection of invisible bras stocking at between VND1.5 million for a normal type and VND2 million for special version.

SSUZI

127 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 0909 711312 9am to 10pm This brand is better known on Facebook than in The Backpackers’ Area. Sells women’s swimsuits in plain and floral styles, including one-piece and two-piece bikinis starting from VND250,000. The shop has been designed well making it easy to search for the right swimsuit. Also stocks maxim dresses at VND380,000 and beach sandals at VND110,000. A small selection of earrings and sunglasses is available.

Search on Facebook for ssuziswimwear for new designs and promotions.

TRIUMPH

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3824 5756 Saigon Tax Centre, 135 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3914 3202 9am to 9pm A well-known underwear brand in Vietnam, Triumph’s high-quality products make women look and feel good.

However, because of the form of the bra cup, this brand is considered to be more suitable for European women. The bras are plentiful and come in many different colours, styles and designs, while the pants look more classic and traditional compared to other brands. Prices vary but normally a bra starts at VND600,000 and a pair of knickers goes for VND200,000. Also stocks a small selection of bikinis.

WACOAL

94 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 6291 1099 232 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3820 3948 9.30am to 9.30pm One of the growing number of Japanese underwear brands for women in Ho Chi Minh City, Wacoal has more than 10 shops around town. However, there is a lack of product variety and the designs are quite classic. Compared to Triumph, prices are quite expensive with a bra ranging from VND400,000 to VND800,000, while pants start at VND250,000 per pair. No swimsuits. Staff are friendly, helpful and enthusiastic.

SPORTSWEAR SPORTS STREET

A large amount of fine and affordable sportswear can be found around town, however, there are two main streets stocking sportswear in the centre; Huyen Tran Cong Chua, between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Du in District 1; and Pham Hong Thai, between Cach Mang Thang Tam and Le Loi. You can find everything for sports on these streets, from local clothing

to imitations of famous brands like Adidas, Nike and Puma at ultra affordable prices through to the real thing.

printed tees and jackets for both men and women, stocking at around VND600,000. A small selection of jewellery is also available.

U.BEST HOUSE

GALLERY

163 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Q1 Tel: 3920 9187 9am to 11pm With its wooden frontage, this shop feels and looks like an army disposal store, with a comprehensive range of products, including flashlights, binoculars, climbing clothing, funky men and women’s casual outfits, bags and even underwear and cycling gear. If you’re after any products related to travelling, then this store is a must.

TAILORS HOANG DUNG

270 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 2240 5990 8am to 8pm Located on the corner of Bui Vien and Cong Quynh, this store offers a wide range of tailor-made clothing with all designs and styles, from vests to ao dais, and skirts and trousers. Customers can either bring their own fabric or ask the tailor to choose for them. A normal pair of shirts can be made in two days. Prices are acceptable, with a vest costing around VND700,000 and VND300,000 for an ao dai — not including the price of the fabrics. Guarantees that all tailor-made clothing will fit.

MANDARINA

171 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3827 5267 9am to 7pm One of the most difficult things for foreigners living in Vietnam is finding the correct shoes size. Mandarina is a good place for picking up a tailor-made pair of shoes.

They can even make shoes in 24 hours for around VND1 million. Simply choose the design and colour and they will take care of the rest. There is also a wide range of ready-to-wear shoes, from sandals and peep toes to slingbacks and boots. Stocks a small selection of bags, too. Prices range from VND300,000 to VND2,000,000 depending on style and materials.

244 Bis Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3838 9136 9am to 10pm Offers one of the most interesting types of local art: rice painting. Standing out with its neon-lit front sign, Gallery is small and simple with artwork adorning its walls. Takes custom orders and delivers after four days for the smallest sized paintings. Prices for bespoke work starts at VND600,000 a piece and the space also offers an international shipping service for customers living abroad.

GALERIE QUYNH

65 De Tham, Q1 Tel: 3836 8019 www.galeriequynh.com 10am to 6pm, Closed on Monday Although situated close to the canal in one of the poorer parts of District 1, this gallery retains it distinct character, providing visitors with an authentic artsy feel that avoids the jaded, Vietnamese-themed stereotypes available elsewhere in town.

Open from Tuesday to Saturday and run

by Viet Kieu Pham Quynh and her partner Robert Cianchi, the art and installations on display here are the work of both international and contemporary Vietnamese artists. The helpful local staff speak good English. Visit the website for information on up-coming exhibitions.

NHU Y

257 De Tham, Q1 Tel: 3836 7692 11am to 10pm Located opposite Highlands Coffee in Pham Ngu Lao, this small shop is decorated with lacquer paintings of Buddhist and Vietnamese landscapes and flowers.

Nhu Y takes custom orders and prices vary from VND150,000 for the smallest piece (20cm x 20cm) rising to VND1.1 million for a 40cm x 80cm painting.

PHUONG MAI

213C Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3822 3166 129B Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3823 3181 www.phuongmaigallery.com 9am to 8.30pm Located opposite the Vincom Center, this tiny white space displays selected contemporary artworks by Vietnamese artists.

Styles include abstract works, landscapes and modern day impressionism, focusing mainly on lacquer on wood, oils on canvas and silk paintings. More paintings are displayed at the Le Thanh Ton gallery in a four-floor building with each floor yielding a different style of art. Prices start from VND2.7 million. Credit cards are accepted.

REPRODUCTION STREET – BUI VIEN, Q1

Although available elsewhere in town, Bui Vien in the Backpackers’ Area is the best place to find reproductions of masterpieces by the likes of Van Gogh, Monet and Degas as well as Andy Warhol copies and the works of a whole host of other artists.

Depending on size, style and material, prices vary but generally start from VND1 million per painting. Shops include Truu Tuong (No. 158), Buddha Art (No. 230), Duc Tai (No. 155A), Hanh Dung (No. 210), Duc Anh (No. 136), Nam Phuong (No. 105) and The Sun 3 (No. 145).

TMG

234 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 3838 9542 9am to 10.30pm This airy, simple and well-organised space offers a comprehensive range of products.

An eye-catching selection of plastic Buddha images and statues start at VND2 million. Also stocks embroidered paintings from VND700,000, pottery, lacquerware, bamboo lamps and a selection of bags and scarves. Takes custom orders for embroidered painting.

CRAFT EM EM

38 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1 Tel: 3829 4408 8am to 9.30pm With its ancient-looking dark brown and tiled roof, many Japanese tourists favour this petite shop. Carries a full range of products including souvenirs, embroidered handkerchiefs, kitchenware, home décor and much more. There are also large selections of men’s shirts, ties and women’s dresses and skirts. Offers order-madeclothes to fit individual sizes and tastes.

MEKONG CREATIONS

141 Bui Vien, Q1 Tel: 2210 3110 www.mekong-creations.org 9am to 8pm Mekong Creations is a project of the NGO Mekong Plus, designed to support community development programmes in remote villages in Vietnam and Cambodia.

All products are locally produced, including paper mache, rattan and bamboo and hyacinth products, contained and displayed in a simple white-painted space. A bamboo vase costs VND1.3 million and a rag ranges from VND400,000 to VND430,000.

NGUYEN FRERES

2 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3823 9459 8am to 8pm The dark, musty décor gives Nguyen Freres the aura of a haunted house.

Strange, unique yet seductively attractive, this retail shop doesn’t stand out as much as other places in the same area but it is big and carries a wide range of products concentrating on northern and hill-tribe culture with ethnic clothing, hand-crafted décor items and antique furniture. Items costing as low as VND20,000 can be found here.

NINH KHUONG EMBROIDERY

83 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 3827 9079 www.ninhkhuong.vn 8am to 10pm With more than 10 stores around the city, this Vietnamese company is known for its hand-embroidered and crocheted products including bedding, tablecloths, napkins and placemats. This packed and slightly haphazard looking shop also stocks children’s and adult’s wear as well as souvenirs. All products are made from linen and cotton. Prices vary but normally start from VND110,000 per item.

SAPA

209 De Tham, Q1. Tel: 3838 9780 69 Dong Khoi, Q1 7am to 10.30pm Gorgeous tribally-inspired handbags, dresses and accessories on the ground floor combine with authentic tribal clothing on the floor above. Concerning itself mainly with the hand–woven clothing of the northern rural Vietnamese tribes such as the Hmong, there is also a cute line of ladies’ shoes, silk wraps and bags.

VIETNAM QUILTS

64 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1. Tel: 3914 2119 www.vietnam–quilts.org 9am to 7pm Located opposite the Bitexco Financial Tower, Vietnam Quilts is a charity organisation aiming to help poor women in rural areas. The products are hand-made and there is a wide range of quilts in many designs and fabrics. Special orders can be taken for delivery within five to six weeks and there is also a selection of accessories including aprons, sheets and tablecloths.

FURNITURE & HOMEWARES AUSTIN HOME

20 Thao Dien, Q2. Tel: 3519 0023 9am to 6.30pm Located in a villa-style building, this An Phu-

T&V TAILOR

39 Dong Du, Q1 Tel: 3824 4556 9am to 11pm Run by two Vietnamese sisters, Tricia and Verona, this shop offers tailor-made clothing for both men and women with the latest and trendiest designs and styles.

Stocks a wide range of fabrics, which is helpful for those that don’t know where to purchase it separately. Find something on the rack, get measured up then return a day or two later and pick up your custom-made garment. Alterations can be made upon request. An ao dai costs from VND1.6 million and a suit starts at VND4 million including fabric.

INTERIORS ART APRICOT GALLERY

50-52 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1 Tel: 3822 7962 www.apricotgallery.com.vn 8.30am to 8.30pm With a sister gallery in Hanoi, this airy and spacious place is ideal for people interested in Vietnamese-themed art. Displays and sells works by local leading artists, from past masters to new rising stars.

Think carefully before purchasing as the cheapest piece starts at VND40 million.

DOGMA

1st Floor, 43 Ton That Thiep, Q1 Tel: 3821 8272 www.dogmavietnam.com 9am to 8pm Located in the same building as Saigon Kitsch, Dogma stocks many cool and interesting tidbits, including propaganda art costing from VND450,000 per poster, Uncle Ho statues, books and themed postcards. If you want to wear these pieces of propaganda art, there is a wide range of propaganda-

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based shop stocks antique repro furniture.

All products are samples, so it’s limited and exclusive with only one or two pieces of each particular item. Also has a great range of imported fabrics up on the 2nd floor and an in-house sewing room for cushions, sofas and curtains. Offers custom-made furniture and delivery within four weeks.

Home décor orders are also available.

BoConcept shop stands out thanks to its black signage and glassy atrium. The shop carries a full range of furniture including sofas, beds, wardrobes, tables and chairs; all are imported from Denmark. Delivery of non-stock items takes up to two weeks.

Also has a range of furnishing accessories such as mirrors, rugs, paintings and lamps.

A&W FINE FURNITURE

53 Pham Ngoc Thach Q3 Tel: 3823 2213 207 Dien Bien Phu, Q3 Tel: 3827 3696 www.chilai.com 8am to 9pm This well-known Vietnamese furniture brand is a good choice for most families with its respected high-quality designs and competitive prices. Located on the corner of Pham Ngoc Thach and Dien Bien Phu, the spacious showroom specialises in sofas and other furniture such as table sets, shelves and kitchen cabinets. There is a large selection of carpets as well as numerous choices of curtains and accessories.

Km 11 + 300 Highway Hanoi, Q9 Tel: 3730 9856 www.awfinefurniture.com 8am to 4.30pm, closed on Sundays Produces high-end Danish design sofas and armchairs in contemporary and traditional styles. With imported materials, the brand provides a large amount of high quality products for the Vietnamese market and exports to Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore. Also offers to produce customers’ own designs.

Their products are stocked at AA Deco.

BELLAVITA

2nd Floor, Unit 7, Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, Q1 www.bellavitafurniture.com A branch of the AA Corporation, Bellavita specialises in the distribution of imported high-end furniture manufactured by wellknown brands such as Walter Knoll, Poltrona Frau, Minotti and Cassina. Most products displayed in this airy space include chairs, tables and other high quality glassware.

Orders are taken 10 to 12 weeks in advance before delivery. There is also a selection of home décor items such as pottery.

BOCONCEPT

68-70 Dong Du, Q1. Tel: 3824 6604 www.boconcept.vn Located next to Sheraton Hotel, the first

CHI LAI

CLIC CLAC SOFA

327F Luong Dinh Cua, Q2 Tel: 5402 7434 www.clicclacsofa.com This is a great place to pick up compact sofa beds for homes lacking large amounts of space. A wide range of stock includes many covers in various colours and fabrics. Purchases of all standard and deluxe products include a one-year warranty. Prices start at VND6.7 million and a free delivery and assembly service is offered to city residents. Visit the website for a quick demonstration.

ESTHETIC

126 Hung Vuong, Q5 Tel: 2222 0383 9.30am to 10pm

11 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 7371 www.estheticfurnishing.com.vn 9am to 7pm Having just moved to its new location, this large two-storey outlet specialises in interior and external designs. Products include beds, sofas, wardrobes and shelves made from high-quality woods. Also offers antique reproductions as well as made-toorder furniture such as sofas and home décor designs. Lamps, lampshades and other accessories are also stocked.

Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

FEELING TROPIC

SHOPPING MALLS DIAMOND PLAZA 34 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3825 7750 9am to10pm

Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

HUNG VUONG PLAZA

SAIGON SQUARE

51 Le Van Mien, Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 3744 2181 8am to 6pm, closed Sundays Specialising in interior designs and landscaping, this three-storey building is so packed full of items for sale that it doesn’t seem to have enough space for all of its products. The basement storey carries outdoor furniture such as bambooimitation and mosaic table sets, while the second level stocks all types of indoor furniture except beds. Accessories are found on the level above. Special orders are taken for delivery within three weeks.

Also offers a rental service.

77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 9am to 9pm

FURNITURE OUTLET

PARKSON PLAZA 35-45 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3827 7636 9.30am to 10pm

Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

SAIGON CENTRE 65 Le Loi, Q1 Tel: 3829 4888 9am to 9pm

Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

a reputation for chic and sophisticated indoor and outdoor sofas, pod seats, lamps and tableware, with all products both constructed and designed locally.

You can find a wide range of mirrors and lacquerware with bowls, vases and contemporary Asian-style boxes as well as a fantastic selection of linen-embroidered bedding in all colours and designs. Prices here match the quality of the products.

HAFELE SHOWROOM

46A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3997 7300 www.hafele.com.vn 8am to 8pm This giant glass showroom features a comprehensive range of products including exclusive kitchen and bathroom appliances, furniture, and light and locking systems.

This is also a good place to pick up sensor equipment and items such as rubbish bins, doors and lights. The selection of door handles is endless and all products are imported from Germany. Like Gaya, prices are top-end but the quality is beyond reproach.

VIVACOLOUR

LIVING & GIVING

CNR. PASTEUR & NGUYEN DINH CHIEU, Q1

59 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 7614 www.livinggiving.com 9am to 7pm This narrow four-storey building carries products ranging from sofas, chairs and tables to beds, bookshelves, cabinets, dressers and wardrobes. Accessories include ceramic pots, candles and mirrors. Special orders can be taken based on the catalogue or custom design and will be delivered within three weeks. Also stocks a range of bedding made from cotton, linen and silk.

NHA XINH

2nd Floor, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1 Tel: 3821 6115 nhaxinhcentre@aacorporation.com 8.30am to 9.30pm One of the most renowned Vietnamese furniture suppliers, this brand has over 15 years experience in the business, selling a wide range of furniture products made for the bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom. Custom orders are also accepted. Also sells a large selection of home decorations such as handmade flowers, statues and modern lamps. Offers a good design consultation service.

REMIX DECO

222 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 Tel: 3930 4190 www.remixdeco.com 9am to 9pm This white-painted building sells highly stylized, contemporary imported indoor furniture made from various materials.

From wood to plastic, and crystal to stainless steel, this shop stocks a large selection of sofas, tables and chairs.

Accessories include exclusive clocks and lamps. Paintings of Marilyn Monroe, Chairman Mao and other well-known characters are also stocked.

THE FURNITURE WAREHOUSE

Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

2C Nguyen Thanh Y, Q1 Tel: 3911 0104 8am to 6pm This two-storey shop carries all types of furniture, displayed simply so as to give clients a general idea of each product’s style and quality. Items for sale include chairs, tables, wardrobes, drawers and other furniture made from Kiwi pinewood and acacia. Custom orders are accepted and take about four weeks for delivery. Free shipping is included for orders costing more than VND10 million and within Ho Chi Minh City. As a general pricing gauge, a bed costs VND5.6 million and a wardrobe starts at VND6 million.

ZEN PLAZA

GAYA

THE LOST ART

Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics

SAIGON TAX TRADING CENTRE 135 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3821 3849 9am to 9.30pm Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Souvenirs, Restaurant

VINCOM CENTER 70-72 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3936 9999 9am to 10pm

54-56 Nguyen Trai, Q1 Tel: 3925 0339 9am to 10pm

Cosmetics, Perfume, Clothing, Accessories, Electronics, Café, Food Court

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1 Nguyen Van Trang, Q1. Tel: 3925 1495 www.gayavietnam.com 10am to 8pm Set in one of the most attractive postWorld War II buildings in the city, Gaya has

this old world, French colonial styled store has a reputation for restoring and reproducing antique furniture. Products include armchairs, sofas, tables, bookshelves, drawers, lamps, paintings, ceramics, lacquerware and much more. Also offers an exclusive interior design service package, from initial design to installation with natural wood imported from the US. Free consultation is provided via phone or email.

3B Ton Duc Thang, Q1 Tel: 6657 0788 www.thefurniturewarehouse.com.vn 9am to 7pm Specialises in high-end European-style furniture for outdoor and indoor design and home décor. Products include wardrobes, armchairs, sofas, tables and shelves made from pine, oak, acacia and hardwood. There is also a selection of antique furniture and décor items. Free shipping and made-to-order available for small quantities. Visit the website for more information and prices.

85 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 0955 000560 www.lostartsaigon.com 9am to 5pm With more than 10 years in the business,

Tel: 090 3873 599 vivacolour@gmail.com Vivacolour offers professional interior design services for your home that create a personalised ambience to express your style and personality, business colour consultations to build a tailor-made environment for your team and clients, visually expressing your brand and communicating your values to your customers. Contact Pascaline for more information.

KITCHEN & BATHROOM It’s easy to figure this area out with all the stainless steel goods hanging from the rows of shops. You can quite literally find everything for the bathroom and kitchen, from sinks to cups and dish shelves to buckets. Compared to other shops in the centre of town, prices tend to be cheaper here. However, prepare to bargain.

LIGHTING CAO DONG

Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, Q1 Tel: 3915 1778 www.caodongdesign.com.vn CaoDong Design is an official distributor of the award-winning TouchAble brand.

Stocks elegant and fashionable interiors, and a selection of souvenirs, leather boxes and luxury stationary. Includes table-standing lamps, pendant lights and hand-painted lampshades imported from Spain and the UK. Promises to deliver non in-stock orders within 30 to 45 days.

EGLO

51/2A Thanh Thai, Q10 Tel: 3866 9173 www.eglo.vn 8am to 8pm Features imported decorative lights from Austria including wall, track and outdoor lighting made of metal, glass and plastic resin. Stocks a full and varied range of lighting systems for the kitchen, bathroom, children’s room, garden and swimming pool. Also offers customised lighting system orders. Prices range from VND159,000 to VND27million. Visit the website for information and images of the products.

LIGHT HOUSE

92 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 Tel: 2210 3460 www.kimsa.vn 8am to 7pm Located opposite Saigon Square, this big store displays all types of lights from ceiling and wall lights to table and desk lamps with lampshades in all designs and styles. All products are self-produced and designed, and are made from a comprehensive selection of high-quality domestic and international materials.

Good customer service with enthusiastic staff. Customised orders are accepted.

MOSAIQUE

98 Mac Thi Buoi, Q1 Tel: 3823 4634 www.mosaiquedecoration.com 9am to 9pm This eye-popping lime green-painted boutique carries furniture, tableware and decorative home accessories. Also stocks

an exclusive selection of lights and lamps, including lotus lamps at VND300,000, lacquer lamps at VND400,000 and orchid lamps at VND650,000. All products are Vietnamese-themed and are made from bamboo. As well as selling locally, Mosaique exports to Europe, the US, Australia and Africa.

Art, Le Vu Nikon specializes mainly in Nikon products with a full range of cameras and accessories. A normal DSLR Nikon camera with a lens that can be disassembled is priced at VND12 million. Batteries cost between VND200,000 and VND300,000.

Also offers a maintenance service and part exchange.

ELECTRONICS

11 Le Cong Kieu, Q1, Tel: 3829 5888 Situated in one of the most beautiful antique-store streets in the city, this small shop restores and fixes all kinds of cameras from Nikon and Canon to Sony.

They will locate and identify the specific problem and quote a price before fixing the camera. Speak good English.

CAMERAS CAMERA STREET

Saigon’s photography lovers need look no further than Huynh Thuc Khang, Ho Tung Mau, Nguyen Hue and Le Loi to find dozens of stores stocking everything from digital to disposable cameras. Camera accessories, such as lenses and caps, digital image printing and other services are also available too as is a range of second-hand lenses and camera bodies.

CONG DANH

28 Ton That Thiep, Q1. Tel: 3821 8773 8.30am to 6.30pm Lying opposite Sun Wah Tower, this is a typical Vietnamese retail outlet without decoration and with products displayed in glass cases. Selling digital and video cameras of well-known brands such as Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, Sony and JVC, prices start at VND9 million for a professional camera and VND5.5 million for a standard video camera.

Also sells a range of accessories.

LE VU NIKON

85 Nguyen Hue, Q1. Tel: 3821 6503 9am to 8pm Located in the same building as The Lost

ELECTRONICS SUPERMARKETS Known as “electronics supermarkets”, the number of stores selling everything from TVs, refrigerators and air conditioners to washing machines, coffee makers and blenders seems to be increasing by the day. You’ll also be able to find vacuum cleaners and irons from popular brands such as Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, JVC, LG and Sanyo. In addition these stores stock a wide range of mobile phones from the likes of Nokia, Samsung, Motorola and Sony Ericsson. In order to attract the largest number of customers, most of these stores offer daily promotions with competitive prices. Visit their websites for promotions, online orders and more information.

CHO LON ELECTRONICS MARKET 590 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q3 Tel: 3846 4700 www.dienmaycholon.vn 8.30am to 9.30pm

GIA THANH 975 Tran Hung Dao, Q5 Tel: 3923 1536 www.giathanh.vn 8.30am to 9.30pm

IDEAS SHOPPING CENTRE 133–141AB Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q3 www.ideasshoppingcenter.com 8.30am to 9.30pm

NGUYEN KIM 63–65 Tran Hung Dao, Q1 Tel: 3821 1211 www.nguyenkim.com 8am to 10pm

THIEN HOA 277B Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q10 Tel: 3863 3733 www.dienmaythienhoa.vn 8am to 10pm

PHAM THE

COMPUTERS & ACCESSORIES COMPUTER STREETS

Bui Thi Xuan, Nguyen Cu Trinh and Ton That Tung streets are considered to be the places to shop for computers, selling everything from LCD monitors, RAM sticks, keyboards, webcams and internet phone cards through to speaker systems at reliable and affordable prices. Many of the stores also offer a computer maintenance service.

CARTRIDGE WORLD

81 Dien Bien Phu, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0999 www.cartridgeworld.com.vn 8am to 5pm This Australian company provides an impressive selection of printing solutions such as ink, lasers, faxes, photocopier cartridges and high-quality paper. Free pick-up and delivery service, and a refill service is available at reliable prices. With professional staff, the store offers an effective and quick restoration and maintenance service for printers of well-known brands such as HP, Epson, Canon, Xerox and Brother.

FPT ELEAD COMPUTER

236 Dien Bien Phu, Q3, Tel: 7300 6666 www.elead.com.vn 8am to 5pm A large internet service supplier, FPT is also known for being one of the biggest Vietnamese IT brands. Manufacturing IT products including deskstops, notebooks, servers and accessories, their stores are found nationwide. Prices start at VND5,7 million for a desktop without monitors, and a notebook costs from VND11 million.

Accessories vary, from flash memory cards and scandisks to USB bars. Visit the website for information and product prices.

HOAN LONG

Hoan Long Building, 244 Cong Quynh, Q1 Tel: 3925 8999 www.hoanlong.com.vn 8am to 9pm Located opposite Co-Op Mart, this glass building carries a full range of IT equipment and accessories, including laptops, desktops, Acer RAM and products by Dell and Sony. Also sells Apple’s iPad, starting at VND21.8 million for the 3G version and MacBooks for VND28 million. In addition has a small selection of digital video cameras. Offers an assembly service for both domestic and international orders. Good post-sale maintenance and customerservice.

LONG BINH COMPUTER

50 Nguyen Cu Trinh, Q1 Tel: 3836 0699 www.longbinh.com.vn 8am to 7.30pm This shop concentrates mainly on notebooks, stocking popular brands such as IBM, Dell, Acer, HP, Sony and Apple. Also stocks plus disk drivers, RAM and batteries, and offers cameras, pocket PCs, smart phones (HTC and 32GB iPhone 4 sold at VND23.6 million), projectors and printers.

Good customer service and quick delivery.

PHONG VU

125 Cach Mang Thang 8, Q1. Tel: 6290 8777 www.vitinhphongvu.com 9am to 9pm Known as one of the leading IT retailers in town and located at the corner of Cach Mang Thang 8 and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, the products for sale at Phong Vu include computers, laptops, office equipment, entertainment devices and accessories. Also provides internet and network solutions and systems. Good maintenance service for desktops, notebooks and printers. Visit the website for more information.

NGUYEN THI THANH TAM

42 Huynh Thuc Khang, Q1 Tel: 3822 2247 Upon arrival, this large store looks more like a stationary shop than a mere CD shop. Products include blank CDs and DVDs at VND25,000 for 10 Kachi CD-Rs and VND38,000 for 10 Maxell CD-RWs. The DVD selection is endless with the prices starting from VND5,000 for one DVD, depending on type and brand. Also stocks numerous music CDs and DVDs of international and Vietnamese singers.

THANH NHAN

428BIS Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 Tel: 3818 1188 www.tnc.com.vn 8.30am to 9.30pm This supermarket-esque shop is an official distributor of top brands including Intel, Asus, HP and Acer, stocking everything from laptops and desktops to monitors and keyboards, laptop fans and computer speakers. Office equipment, including photocopiers, fax machines and paper destroyers, is also sold here. Other entertainment devices, such as mobile phones and mp3 players are also stocked.

THUAN MY CO.

227 Tran Hung Dao, Q1. Tel: 3838 9164 www.thuanmy.com 8am to 5pm Devout fans of that new religion called ‘Apple’ will be satisfied at Thuan My, one of the growing number of Apple dealers in Saigon. Products include MacBooks, iMacs, iPods, iPhones and their numerous accessories. Remember to ask for software installation. Competitive market prices and service make this place stand out.

MOBILE PHONES GIA KIEN

352 Ba Thang Hai, Q10. Tel: 3868 3733 www.giakien.com 9am to 6.30pm Besides stocking the ubiquitous iPhone and iPad, this shop also sells mobile phones from the likes of HTC, LG, Dell, Nokia, Vertu, Blackberry and more. There is also an exclusive and unique selection of handsets from the likes of GoldVish Gold Le Million, Porsche P9521 and Tag Heuer. Prices are higher than other places but the after-sale customer service is excellent.

MOBILE PHONE STREETS

The following streets have dozens of stores selling major mobile brands such as Samsung, Nokia, LG, Apple, etc. New and second-hand handsets and extra accessories are also available. Ba Thang Hai between Ly Thuong Kiet and Ly Thai To, Q10; Hai Ba Trung between Le Duan & Dien Bien Phu, Q1 & Q3; Hung Vuong, Q5 (close to the end of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai).

THANH CONG MOBILE

382B – B1 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3 Tel: 3526 5838 www.thanhcongmobile.com 8am to 5.30pm One of the top five master dealers nationwide with popular mobile phone brands such as Nokia, SamSung, LG, Motorola, and Panasonic, this company is an official distributor of Philips in Vietnam. Produced

the first Vietnamese mobile phone, Bavapen, and also stocks the iPhone 4 at VND21.3 million. Accessories include phone wallets, earphones and batteries.

THE GIOI DI DONG

182A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 Tel: 1900 561 292. www.thegioididong.com.vn 8am to 10.30pm This well-known retail chain catches the attention of pedestrian shoppers due to the unmissable and striking yellow signboard with its long black logo. The website is efficient with adequate photos and information on phones and specifications.

The staff speaks English and the store offers online orders at cheaper prices.

Stocks everything mobile, from phones through to tablets and laptops.

VIENTHONG A

328-330 Ba Thang Hai, Q10. Tel: 3863 3333 www.vienthonga.com Has more than 65 stores nationwide and offers a comprehensive range of mobile phones from top brands such as Apple, HTC and Blackberry to the Chinese makes Cayon and Huawei. There is also a wide range of top laptops and mp3 and mp4 players. Recently opened a technology support centre called EBAR where customers check and test new products and software. Online orders with free shipping is available.

GROCERIES BAKERIES CAKEWALK

84 Nguyen Cong Tru, P. Nguyen Thai Binh, Q1 Tel: 6295 9087. www.cakewalkvn.com Specialising in freshly baked cupcakes such as the Ravishing Red Velvet, Foxy Banoffee, and Heavenly Honey, this boutique cupcake shop also offers coffees, teas and juices. Wi-Fi available.

CRUMBS

54 Truong Dinh, Q1. Tel: 3825 7199 www.crumbs.com.vn Dubbed “the local bakery”, Crumbs serves up a variety of baked goods including baguettes, muffins, cheese and garlic–based buns and loafs, meat–filled pastries, sweet pastries, health–conscious breads and more. There is also a breakfast menu and variety of sandwiches available.

FRESH DONUTS

33 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1. Tel: 5404 7777 The air of American donuts infuses this pleasant and popular venue, with a variety of the sweet circular treat complementing an excellent selection of coffees, teas and juices. Specials include the mixed fruits donut, ice cream donut, and ice cream & sauce/peanuts donut. The store is open from 7am to 10pm daily and offers free Wi-Fi and a non-smoking area.

HARVEST BAKING

30 Lam Son, Tan Binh. Tel: 3547 0577 harvestbaking@yahoo.com www.harvestbaking.net Made to order baking delivery specialists by phone or email. Scones, bagels, breads (everything from 12 grain loaves to Italian focaccia), muffins, cookies, buns, fudge cake and more, from upwards of VND45,000. Orders must be placed 48 hours in advance.

LA DORÉE

216 Ly Tu Trong, Q1 65 Pasteur, Q1. Tel: 3822 1718 Reminiscent of a Parisian bakery, La Dorée serves up a variety of colourful and traditional French breads baked with green, beige and brown buckwheat seeds, including baguettes, fougasse, and dieppois and montagnard sandwiches.

Desserts include passion cheese, tiramisu and chocolate mouse.

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SESAME BAKERY

153 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3518 0897 or 0918 445311 Located in the premises of the Hospitality School, Sesame Bakery provides practical experience to its students. Has a wide variety of French pastries, loaves, baguettes, cookies and cakes at good prices. Special order and delivery available.

TOUS LES JOURS

180 Hai Ba Trung, Q3 Tel: 3823 8302 59 Tran Hung Dao, Q1 Tel: 3914 4350 187 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q3 Although tailored to the local market, this Korean–owned bakery chain and café bakes a tasty range of pastries, bread and cakes all at very affordable prices. Excellent baguettes and sandwich bread. Also does a slightly sweet version of croque monsieur.

REX HOTEL CATERING

141 Nguyen Hue, Q1. Tel: 3829 2185 With the same team that feeds the guests at the Rex Hotel, prospective clients can be sure that the party they plan will be in good hands.

41 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q1 Tel: 3821 6057 Stocks a comprehensive range of fresh meat products imported directly from Australia. Beef and lamb make up the bulk of the selection, but some locally–sourced poultry and fish products are also on offer.

Also does pre–packaged prepared meat like chicken strips – perfect for the freezer.

Open seven days a week.

THE CATERERS

LE COCHON D’OR

46D Vuon Lai, Tan Phu Tel: 3812 6901 www.thecaterersvietnam.com.vn With extensive experience in menu design, The Caterers will come up with an original menu for your party or gathering, then prepare all the food and serve it to your guests. Also offers a venue for clients to use.

THE SAIGON CATERING COMPANY

84 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien Ward, Q2 Tel: 0913 981128 info@saigoncateringco.com SCC can create a menu to meet your exact requirements and budget.Theirchefs use the freshest ingredients to produce quality, perfectly cooked and beautifully presented food at reasonable prices.

YES! ICE–CREAM HOME DELIVERY SERVICE

Tel: 3844 6099 A delivery service offering banana–on a stick, Öla premium ice–cream & frozen yoghurt and I’sa ice–cream. All produced with European technology and imported ingredients.

GROCERIES

VOELKER

39 Thao Dien, Q2 www.voelker-vietnam.com French–run bakery selling probably the tastiest range of patisseries, breads, quiches and pies in town. The signature passion–fruit tart is a must try.

CATERING AU PARC CATERING

Available all year round for birthday cakes, BBQs, corporate events, private parties, wine tastings and more, Au Parc Catering provide a full service including drinks, glass rentals, waiters and crockery. For a quote, email auparc@gmail.com or call Mr. Loi on 3829 2772.

GASTRO’HOME

100 Xuan Thuy, Q2 Tel: 6281 9830 New delicatessen shop offering western– fusion French food. French Chef Stephane Courtin and his team will assist you in a Gastro’Home food experience. Visit the shop in An Phu or try the “at your home” catering service for a dinner, buffet or cocktail party.

LE REUNION DES MARMITES

MEALS ON HEELS

Tel:0903 109 431 info@mealsonheels.asia Meals On Heels is a weekly catering service providing healthy home cooked meals. A new menu is released every Monday, which includes vegetarian options and kids portions. Meals are delivered fresh (not hot/not frozen) and can be reheated or frozen.

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ANNAM GOURMET MARKET

16–18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1. Tel: 3822 9332 41A Thao Dien, Q2. Tel: 3744 2630 Attractive and spacious French–owned grocery shop stocking a large range of foods, organic fruit and vegetables, imported beers and wines. Also sells luxury branded products from the likes of Fauchon. The deli upstairs in the Hai Ba Trung branch serves tasty baguette rolls in a comfortable lounge area with free Wi–Fi, and offers probably the best selection of cheese and cured meats in town. Free delivery for Districts 1, 2 and 3.

AUSSIE–FRUITS

45 Mac Thi Buoi Street, Q1. Tel: 6291 8126 www.aussie–fruits.com Aussie Fruits are among the first in Vietnam to promote a full range of Australian seasonal fruits. Their mission is to bring the best quality fruits from Australia into Vietnam, with professionally trained customer support along with a state of the art facility that guarantees 100% freshness directly from Australian farms. Check their website to see what’s in season.

CLASSIC FINE FOODS

No. 17, Street 12 (perpendicular to Tran Nao street), Q2 Tel: 3740 7105/06/07/08 / 0903 814761 Fax: 3740 7109 www.classicfinefoods.com Supplier for the city’s five–star hotels, also distributing brands like San Pellegrino, Rougie foie gras, Galbani cheese, fresh poultries, meat, live seafood and vegetables. You can now find all the products at the gourmet shop on location.

KITCHEN – QUALITY FROZEN READY MEALS Tel: 0974 444 001 www.kitchen.net.vn Kitchen provides an alternative to takeaways with home-cooked frozen ready meals in biodegradable packaging. Beef,

32 Dong Du, Q1 Tel: 3829 3856 An international standard butchers with a solid selection of fresh meats, charcuterie products, a tasty selection of pates, sausages, cheeses and poultry. Sells both retail and wholesale.

PHUONG HA

58 Ham Nghi, Q1 Tel: 3914 1318 Mini supermarket stocking a large range of imported foods, cheese, meat, fresh fruit, vegetables and good wines. Friendly service and helpful staff, although the selection of products is slightly smaller than its next door neighbour, Thai Ha.

THAI HA

60 Ham Nghi, Q1 Supermarket that vies with its next door neighbour, Phuong Ha, for customers.

Excellent selection of imported goods including canned foods, dairy products, cereals and meat products. The staff here speak reasonable English although the service is better next door.

THE OASIS

32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien, Q2 (inside Snap Cafe) Tel: 3744 6432 3SK-23-1 Grandview 2, Nguyen Duc Canh, Phu My Hung, Q7 Tel: 5412 2449 The Oasis grocery store and gourmet shop was established in Hanoi three years ago and offers imported and local delicatessen such as cold cuts and cheeses from around the world, organic vegetables and many other homemade, artisanal readyto-eat food. Specialties include homemade lasagnas, soups, raviolis, pasta and sausages.

VEGGY’S

29A Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3823 8526 Packed from floor to ceiling with imported cereals, meats, cheeses, and almost anything else you can think of, this is a very popular choice for expats doing their weekly shop. The walk–in fridge at the back is a draw in itself.

LIQUOR & WINE ANNAM GOURMET SHOP

16–18 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3822 9332 www.annam–finefood.com Here you’ll find anything from Guinness to Leffe, with a whole lot of Belgian, Australian and German beers in between. Also has an excellent selection of imported wines and liquors.

BACCHUS CORNER

158D Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3829 3306 www.bacchuscorner.com A range of spirits, whiskies and wines at affordable prices. Wines come from all over the world with an especially good selection from France, Chile and South Africa. Also has an excellent range of single malts, top shelf tequilas and has an on– site wine tasting machine, the Enomatic, the first of its kind in Vietnam.

74E Hai Ba Trung,Q 1 Tel: 5404 3575 www.daloc.vn A premier importer/distributor of quality wines, spirits, non–alcohol drinks, representing over 400 wines, spirits and drinks from 12 countries since 1995.

JOHNNY’S WINE STOP

109 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 38234861 www.johnnyswinestop.com A small wine bar offering premium varietals at affordable prices. This wine bar, located on Dong Khoi, is open from 11am to 11pm daily and also offers tasting flights and a modest selection of imported beers.

KANGAROO INDOCHINE

6/7 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q1 Tel: 6210 2986 Wine wholesaler importing well–known Australian wines. Present portfolio includes Kangarilla Road, Zema Estate, Buller, Bethany and Chapel Hill.

LE TONNEAU

15D Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3824 6597 Overlooking the wine store on the first floor is the VIP room upstairs which caters to club members and those who take their wine seriously. Special wine–tasting every Friday. Call Patrick for more details (0903102418).

RED APRON

22 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1 Tel: 3823 0021 One of the largest distributors in town, stocks around 90,000 bottles from virtually every region in the world. Sells both retail and wholesale.

TAPAS WINE CO LTD

2/3A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1 Tel: 2201 0909 www.tapaswines.com An importer of Spanish wines, Tapas delivers directly to your door. A growing list of products includes wines from the northern and central regions of Spain such as Elciego and Rioja Alavesa. Their website features their full portfolio complete with reviews.

Generation V Listings BABY EQUIPMENT 137 CHILDREN'S BOOKS 137 CLASSES & SPORTS 137 CLOTHING 138

BABY EQUIPMENT BABY

66B Cach Mang Thang Tam, Q10, Tel: 2210 2775 Discounted car seats, buggies and more.

EDUCATION 138 ENTERTAIMENT 140 KIDS' PARTIES 140 MEDICAL 140

PHUONG NAM

1st Flr, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, Q1 Picture books for babies to stories and education books for older children can be found here.

CLASSES & SPORTS

CHILDREN’S SQUARE

270 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3, Tel: 3932 2841 Pampers and Huggies nappies, baby bottles, bibs, buggies and other necessities.

ME OI

1B Ton That Tung, Q1, Tel: 3925 5404 Near Phu San maternity hospital with reasonably priced clothing, bottles, nappy bags and toys.

MOM & BABY

230 Vo Thi Sau, Q3, Tel: 3932 1611 Closest this city has to Mothercare, stocking apparel, bottles and sterilisers.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS FAHASA

40 Nguyen Hue, Q1, Tel: 3822 5796 Good selection of imported books for all ages as well as cheap stationery, stickers and other odd ends.

ALPHA GALLERY

10 Chu Manh Trinh, Q1. Tel: 3822 4946 Swiss artist Bernadette Gruber runs six– week printmaking classes for children and adults, starting from the very beginning and working through to final prints made from copper plates. Other printing methods are also addressed.

HELENE KLING OIL PAINTING

189/C1 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2 (gallery and workshop), 88 Ho Tung Mau (FLOW – permanent exhibition), Tel: 0903 955780 hk.painter@gmail.com helenekling@yahoo.com www.helenekling.com French painter teaches beginners how to work with different mediums and techniques. For more advanced artists, she shows you how to release your creativity.

Daytime and evening courses available for children and adults.

KINDERMUSIK

Tel: 0907 099 480, goetz@LNTgoetz.com The world’s premier music & movement program for children from birth to 7– years–old taught by Ms Lauralynn, B.A. & M.M.Ed.. The courses nurture every facet of a child’s development – social, physical, cognitive, emotional and English language skills – through music & movement.

LIFETIME SPORTS

46/2 Nguyen Cuu Van, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 6974, www.dancentervn.com Children and teenagers can enjoy jazz, ballet, hip hop, funk, belly dancing, salsa and more classes of all levels at this modern dance studio.

Tel: 0909 269511 mb@michaelbelmes.com www.michaelbelmes.com Group swimming, tennis and golf lessons run by Michael Belmes, the former Head Coach of the Vietnam National Polo Team and the Phillipines Elite Development Group of Swimmers. Prices start from around VND120,000. A Saigon Masters Swim Club is also being formed. Visit the website for more info.

GUITAR AND PIANO CLASSES

MINH NGUYEN PIANO BOUTIQUE

DANCENTER

Mr Anh Vu Phi, another conservatory graduate now teaching at the International School, offers private tutoring in guitar and piano in Vietnamese and English for VND200,000 per 45–minute session. He has

82 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q1, Tel: 3823 7691 Former conservatory student Nguyen Trung Minh offers lessons in piano at Minh Nguyen piano boutique for all ages and levels for VND150,000 a session.

MONTESSORI SCHOOL

42/1 Ngo Quang Huy Street, Q2 Tel: 3744 2639 www.montessori.edu.vn Steffen Christophe teaches introduction to musical instruments for students aged four upwards at Montessori, as well as private and group lessons in guitar, keyboard, and voice. With a diploma in guitar and singing from 10 years spent at the Geneva Conservatory, lessons at his home come from 25 years experience playing – one hour private tuition cost VND500,000 for students aged four to 14, and VND550,000 for those over (scb_music77@hotmail.com).

PARKLANDS COUNTRY CLUB

628A An Binh, Q2, Tel: 3898 9788 pcc@parklandvn.com Provides a range of leisure activities including sports and movie nights for children of all ages. Participation requires membership of this well–known country club. Email for more details.

PIANO CLASSES

Tel: 0122 5636 682 morrissokoloff@hotmail.com Offers a full range of piano lessons, from basic to advanced ones such as Bach, Mozart and Chopin. Suitable for kids of all ages.

RUBBA DUCKIES SWIM SCHOOL

Tel: 01227 163844 rubbaduckiesswim@hotmail.com Infant water familiarisation classes for little ones from six months to three years at Somerset, Q1; AIS, Q2: APSC, Q2; Sherwood Residence, Q3 & classes now available in Q7. Run by Elizabeth Hollins.

SAIGON MOVEMENT

Tel: 0987 027722 saigonmovement@gmail.com Offering a variety of classes for movement development for ages two to 11 in An

THE WAREHOUSE

178 Pasteur, Q1 Tel: 3825 8826 One of the busiest wine retailers in town.

In addition to their excellent range of wines, they also stock imported beers, bottled mineral water and spirits.

VINE CELLAR – CASA HABANA

41 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 3822 2284 www.vine–group.com The wine store represents hundreds of award – winning wines from every part of the globe and stocks an exclusive collection of spirits. Also, Casa Habana – Cigar Shop provides 100% authentic Cuban cigars, and luxury cigar accessories.

VINIFERA

15C7 Thi Sach, Q1 Tel: 3822 1141 viniferavn@gmail.com Well–known and respected wine importer and distributor stocking a number of old and new world wines. Brands include Perrin & Fils, Pere & Fils, Dr Loosen, Kracher and William Fevre.

VINO WINE SHOP

74/17 Hai Ba Trung, Q1 Tel: 6299 1315 Corner of Thao Dien & Duong 2, Q2 Tel: 6281 9059 Professional advice on selecting and tasting wines. Also offers regular popular wine courses. The outdoor terrace area is the perfect spot to sample a new vintage.

classes tod or ay sf

free

!

Tel: 08 6274 0647 www.lareuniondesmarmites.com A French food delivery service that does cocktail parties, buffets and events specialising in salads, sandwiches, gratin, quiche, pies, desert, muffins and more.

Visit website for full menu.

KIM HAI BUTCHERS

DALOC

lass iew c prev n us! * o Br i .0

rs.

SL15-1 Grand View, Nguyen Duc Canh, Q7 Tel: 0908 828552 simrancakes@hotmail.com www.simrans.sg For anyone with a sweet tooth, this cake delivery service offers homebaked products using the finest ingredients including fresh fruit, imported butter and chocolate.

No preservatives or hydrogenated fats are used. All cakes and cookies are made to order and can be customised upon request. Free delivery is available. Place orders one day in advance.

Ground Floor, Norfolk Hotel, 117 Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3829 5368 / 0908 406 505 www.norfolkhotel.com.vn Delicious food and professional service for any special occasion including company functions, formal banquets, Christmas and New Year parties. Reasonably priced.

yea

SIMRANS

NORFOLK CATERING SERVICE

30 years experience teaching youngsters, and after a stint in Spanish city Seville now offers classes in flamenco, call him at 091 387 7884.

–5

64–68 Ham Nghi, Q1 Tel: 3829 2970 Selling baguette–style bread for VND5,000 and basic freshly made sandwiches for around VND15,000. Also has a range of Vietnamese pastries and savouries. Open 24 hours.

Join u

NHU LAN

pork, chicken and vegetarian meals cost between VND140,000-VND220,000 for 2-3 portions. Order online at www.kitchen.net. vn. Free delivery.

ng

in thi s o ffe

r

December 2011 The Word | 137

generation v Phu and Phu My Hung. Saigon Movement aims to improve children’s total body awareness through games and sports– based activities. Contact Abbie Klein for more info.

Saigon Seal Team

55 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, Q2 Tel: 3744 6825, keith@divevietnam.com www.divevietnam.com Scuba Diving Adventures in a Swimming Pool for 8 + 9 year olds. 15 week PADI programme conducted by Rainbow Divers, the leading PADI dive centres throughout Vietnam.

RmiT VieTnam

702 Nguyen Van Linh, Q7, Tel: 3776 1300 www.rmit.edu.vn The venue for a large number of sporting activities for children of all ages. Sports include baseball, softball, football (soccer) and more.

Saigon Pony Club

42 Le Van Thinh, Q2, Tel: 0903 930907 amauryleblan@hcm.vnn.vn An excellent way for children to escape the urban bustle is to ride one of the 16 ponies and learn the correct riding technique from the three part–time teachers. Half–hour lessons with the engaging Amaury cost VND200,000.

Saigon SPoRTS aCademy

Tel: 0862 819790 info@SaigonSportsAcademy.com www.SaigonSportsAcademy.com Saigon Sports Academy offer coaching for children aged 4–16 years and private lessons for children and adults. They currently offer soccer, basketball, tennis and swimming. They have a team of International coaches offering training for beginners all the way up to professional levels. Please check the website for details. Also offers a youth soccer league that runs on Sundays 2pm–6pm in District 7. Call 0932 153502.

STagemagiC

Tel: 0903 145087, www.stagemagic.biz The city’s first stage school, offering youngsters between seven and 19 the opportunity to develop their acting and singing skills. The ultimate aim is to put on public performances at the end of each term. Cost for a 10–week term begins at VND2.1 million.

Tae KWon do

BP Compound, 720K Thao Dien, Q2 Martial arts expert Mr. Phuc welcomes anyone over the age of five to take part

138 | The Word December 2011

generation v in his thrice–weekly classes. One class a week costs VND160,000 per week; two classes a week are VND800,000 and three classes a month are VND1 million. There’s an additional fee for non–members. Contact Mr. Phuc on 0903 918149.

clothing 123 baby CloThing

226 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Q3 Focuses on good–quality clothing for up to the one–year–old mark, with prices starting from just VND120,000. Also has a decent range of shoes and other accessories.

du lundi au Samedi

17/5 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: 3823 3853 The emphasis here is on attractive and unique designs for the very young, encompassing clothing, pyjamas and bedding. A great place to browse for some memorable items.

Thanh Thuy

93 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, Tel: 3822 4893 There are clothes for all ages in here, mostly made of cotton and reasonably– priced, with friendly English–speaking staff on hand to help.

Small iS beauTiful

227 Le Thanh Ton, Q1, www.smallisb.com With the belief that each child is a prince or princess, the store offers an exclusive selection of brand names in clothing, accessories and creative toys. Creative toy brand names such as Playmobil, Vilac and Trousselier are on display and clothes by international designers such as Sonia Rykiel, Petit Bateau, Baby Dior and Kiwi are also available. As an added touch, the shop has been designed especially for children so that they feel at home.

education abC inTeRnaTional SChool

2, 1E Street, KDC Trung Son, Binh Hung, Binh Chanh, Tel: 84 8 5431 1833 abcintschoolss@vnn.vn www.theabcis.com Founded in 1995, this international school of 800+ students drawn from 32 national backgrounds is served by 80+ UK expatriate teachers and 70+ support staff. It is the only international school in the city whose curriculum is wholly based on UK standards for all pupils from age two yrs (Playgroup) to 18yrs (Pre–University matriculation). Students graduate with IGCSE’s & A levels awarded by Cambridge University examinations board.

aCg inTeRnaTional SChool

East-West Highway, An Phu, D2, Tel: 3747 1234 www.acgedu.com Part of the Academic Colleges Group’s international network of schools, ACG offers comprehensive education from kindergarten to senior school and a range of extracurricular activities. The new campus provides exceptional learning and sports facilities. Offers international curricula (IB PYP and Cambridge International Examinations).

auSTRalian inTeRnaTional SChool

Early Childhood - Primary Campus - 36 Thao Dien, Q2 Tel: 3744 6960 Middle/Senior Campus – East -West Hwy | Q2 Tel: 3822 4992 www.aisvietnam.com A co-educational day school with dedicated early childhood, primary, middle and senior school campuses.

An IB World School, students follow the PYP and MYP curriculum. Senior students follow the IGCSE – Cambridge A Levels. AIS is the only school in Vietnam authorised to deliver the University of New South Wales Foundation Studies GRADE 12 Curriculum (UNSW). Focus on academic excellence, international student body, and exceptional facilities in quiet residential settings, qualified expatriate staff, range of co-curricular sport, creative, academic and musical activities and languages. Scholarships available.

bRiTiSh inTeRnaTional SChool

246 Nguyen Van Huong, Q2 Tel: 3744 2335 www.bisvietnam.com Three campuses offer a British–style education to moret than 1,500 children aged from two to 18. A centre for the UK Cambridge International Examinations boards, it is also an IB World School, delivering the IB Diploma Programme.

ComPaSS eduCaTion

15 Tran Doan Khanh, Q1, Tel: 3820 3302 / 3820 3202 information@compass.edu.vn www.compass.edu.vn Promoting and facilitating English language acquisition, Compass Education is a English language education company that offers a range of courses for teachers, students and managers, corporate and teacher training, nanny and teacher placements and career counseling.

geRman inTeRnaTional SChool

257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh Tel: 7300 7257 A bilingual school with native German and English teachers. A language programme is followed in both German and English, alongside the German curriculum. Extra curricular activities are available for all primary school students.

gymboRee Play & muSiC of VieTnam

Somerset Chancellor Court, 1st Floor, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Q1 Tel: 3827 7008/3827 7008 info@gymboreeclasses.com.vn www.gymboreeclasses.com.vn Gymboree Play & Music has been fostering creativity and confidence in children aged 0 - 5 for over 30 years. Today there are over 550 locations in over 30 countries, making them a leader in early childhood development programs. Recognized for their approach to parent involvement, their programmes encourage participation in, and understanding of, each child’s development.

inTeRnaTional SChool ho Chi minh CiTy

terhood with school in USA and uses same curriculum. It is the Kindergarten with the best facilities and environment compare to any similar size school in Vietnam

monTeSSoRi inTeRnaTional SChool

42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, Q2, Tel: 3744 2639 www.montessori.edu.vn School following the Montessori methodology for children from two to six years old, offering natural learning environments to complement the child’s natural sense of engagement with their surroundings.

Also offers extra–curricular activities for children from three to 12.

noah’S Club

3 Duong So 4, Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien Ward, Q2, Tel/Fax: 3744 4709 noahandmum@yahoo.com.vn Children’s club for toddlers and children from 18 months to 6 years old offering daycare, a toddlers’s club in the morning, an afterschool club in the afternoon for 3 to 6 year olds and art and swimming classes.

PeRfoming aRTS aCademy of hCmC

28 Vo Truong Toan, An Phu, Tel: 3898 9100 www.ishcmc.com Founded over 17 years ago and now with 850 students from Western and Asian countries, it offers a broad–based international education for children from two to 18 years, and is accredited by New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Recognized as an IB World School.

Tel: 0862819679 info@paa.com.vn, www.paa.com.vn Enrolling aspiring learners 6 and up for instruction in piano, guitar, drums, singing, flute, clarinet, and saxophone by real musicians and experienced teachers.

ABRSM Qualified. Group dance and drama sessions also available. Plus new vacancies in our popular Tiny Tots music enrichment & dance program for ages 3–5.

inTeRnaTional SChool Saigon PeaRl

RenaiSSanCe inTeRnaTional SChool Saigon

92 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 2222 7799 www.issp.edu.vn ISSP offers a rigorous American standardbased curriculum taught by certified North American teachers. ISSP started the academic year of 2010-2011 with more than 100 students enrolled from 20 different nationalities. A brand new single purpose-built campus and state-of-art facility caters for nursery through to grade 5 (sixth grade added in 2011). All passport holders, including Vietnamese are welcome. Unique features include Mandarin language classes, golf, home languages and an active extra-curricular programme.

74 Nguyen Thi Thap Street, Q7 Tel: 3773 3171 admission@rissaigon.edu.vn www.rissaigon.edu.vn RISS provides British/International educa-

tion with native English teachers and state–of–the–art facilities. Students from more than twenty–five nationalities from age two to 18. RISS is an IB World School, a member of CIS and IPC, and an approved centre for IGCSE.

Saigon KidS eduCaTional ChildCaRe CenTRe

104A Tran Quoc Toan, Q3, Tel: 3932 5579 www.saigonkidscentre.com Has evolved over 10 years to create a creative learning environment through play for children between the ages of two and six. There are 12 teachers, and the school limits numbers to 85 to ensure personal attention for all the children.

Saigon SouTh inTeRnaTional SChool

Saigon South Parkway, Q7 , Tel: 5413 0901 www.ssis.edu.vn Offers an American-style education (SAT, IB and AP) from elementary to high school, emphasising state–of–the–art facilities, a multi–cultural student environment, and a commitment to a well–rounded education at all levels.

Saigon STaR inTeRnaTional SChool

Residential Area No. 5, Thanh My Loi Ward, Q2 Tel: 3742 3222 www.saigonstarschool.edu.vn enroll@saigonstarschool.edu.vn The school offers a British primary curriculum, supported by the Cambridge International Primary Program, as well as an integrated Montessori programme for nursery and kindergarten. Experienced teachers and small class sizes cater to individual needs and abilities. The school focuses on providing a stimulating learning environment, and a value priced education. A brand new 8,000 sq. meter eco-friendly campus, the largest of any primary school in Ho Chi Minh City, includes a pool, running stream and more.

The liTTle geniuS inTeRnaTional KindeRgaRTen

102 My Kim 2, Phu My Hung, Q7, Tel: 5421 1052 Little Genius Kindergarten has joined Sis-

December 2011 The Word | 139

generation v SMARTKIDS

1172 Thao Dien Compound, Q2 Tel: 3744 6076 26, Street Nr. 10, Thao Dien Ward, Q2 Tel: 3898 9816 15 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien Ward, Q2 Tel: 3519 4236 www.smartkidsinfo.com An international childcare centre provides kindergarten and pre–school education for children between 18 months and six years old. A fun and friendly environment, the school focuses on learning through play.

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF VIETNAM

177A Nguyen Van Huong, Q2 Tel: 3519 2223. Fax: 3519 2224 www.theamericanschool.edu.vn info@tasvietnam.edu.vn A fully-licensed American school programme designed by administrators and educators experienced in the development and operation of American and international schools. An independent and private college preparatory school with an individualized programme, The American School of Vietnam offers a USbased curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.

TINIWORLD

218 Pasteur, Q3. Tel; 38241385 www.tiniworld.com tiNiWorld is a chain of EDUTAINMENT centres that combines education and entertainment in an exciting, safe and social environment for kids aged from 2 to 12 years old.

VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE STUDIES SAIGON (VLS)

45 Dinh Tien Hoang, Q1 Tel: 3910 3266 / 3910 0168 www.vlstudies.com This professional school has built a good

reputation over 16 years. VLS offers set and tailor-made courses of all levels at high quality with time flexibility. Lessons can be taken either at the school or at the learner’s office and home.

ENTERTAINMENT CIRCUS & FAIRGROUND

Pham Ngu Lao, Q1 Not stylish but fast paced and cheerful is the outdoor Circus and Fairground on Pham Ngu Lao. Shows on weekend nights at 7.45pm feature trapeze artists, fire eaters, dancing monkeys and other lively acts. Entrance is VND40,000 for adults and VND20,000 for children.

DIAMOND PLAZA

34 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3825 7750 Diamond Plaza features a top–floor bowling alley and video arcade as well as youth–oriented eating options, with KFC and Pizza Hut.

PARKSON PLAZA

35Bis Le Thanh Ton, Q1 Tel: 3827 7614 Over at Parkson Plaza there is a large selection of arcade games to choose from along with a bowling alley, with a food court one floor down where you can regroup after zapping millions of aliens.

WATER PUPPET THEATRE

History Museum, 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Q1 Tel: 3823 4582 Much more cultured than malls and a sure–fire winner with children, is the enchanting Water Puppet Theatre, devoted to this traditional art which the Vietnamese called mua roi nuoc.

X–ROCK CLIMBING

503A Nguyen Duy Trinh, Q2 Tel: 3402 2542 www.xrockclimbing.com.

X–Rock Climbing is the city’s first venture of this kind. The facilities for children are excellent (children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian) at this 26–metre–tall wall, where you (or they) can climb up or abseil down. A day pass costs VND200,000

KIDS’ PARTIES A2

196 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Q3 Tel: 3912 0161 Popular toy shop which also houses a large selection of partywear and costumes.

DOTS & CON

Tel: 0909 052502 dotsandcon@gmail.com Specialising in producing environmentally friendly handmade flaglines for any occasion including kids’ parties, picnics or school decorations.

THE BALLOON MAN

100/531B Thich Quang Duc, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3990 3560 For an unusual and special performer, contact the excellent Balloon Man, who has earned a reputation for dashing instantly to any party that needs balloon shapes.

THE CATERERS

46D Vuon Lai, Tan Phu Tel: 3812 6901 thecaterers@yahoo.com.vn www.thecaterersvietnam.com.vn If you don’t know how to cook jelly, never mind, because The Caterers do.

Although mainly focused on grown–up

events, they will cater for kids’ parties as well.

MEDICAL FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE

Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, Q1 Tel: 3822 7848 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Three paediatricians make up the childcare speciality at this well– equipped medical care centre. Also has obstetrics and gynaecology services for expectant mothers including pre–natal screening.

FV HOSPITAL

6 Nguyen Luong Bang, Q7, Tel: 5411 3333 www.fvhospital.com This international–standard hospital has a dedicated and fully equipped paediatric centre staffed by a team of international specialists. Also offers other maternity services.

STARLIGHT DENTAL

3 Han Thuyen, Q1 Tel: 3822 6222 www.starlightdental.net Up–to–date well–equipped clinic with both western and local dentists experienced in providing preventative care, alignment and reconstructive procedures for children of all ages.

VICTORIA HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL CLINIC

79 Dien Bien Phu, Q1, Tel: 3910 4545 info@victoriavn.com www.victoriavn.com Victoria Healthcare is especially committed to paediatrics, and its services for children include general examinations (vision and hearing checks, immunisation, growth and development assessment) as well as specialist consultations.

Saigon Kids Where children grow with love and care.

“Materials gather history as children play with them”

18 months – 6 years old.

Part-time and full-time attendance plans.

Enrolment throughout the year.

Saigon Kids Educational Childcare Centre 104A Tran Quoc Toan Street, D.3 Tel: (08) 39325579 | www.saigonkidscentre.com

140 | The Word December 2011

hanoi

the urban music artist the last path

the many faces of hanoi

The Urban Music Artist Words by Kaitlin Rees // Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

“OH, REALLY? YOU REALLY NEED ME TO answer this question,” replies Kim Kieu Ky, when we ask whether or not she considers herself a ‘typical Vietnamese woman’.

‘Typical’ she certainly is not. There isn’t a single personality package the 20-year-old R&B and hip-hop singer would seamlessly fit into.

“I follow my instinct and follow my feeling and do what I want to do. My lifestyle is free,” she says.

Like many in her generation, Kim looks beyond tradition to find her own way of doing things. But being an open and free individual is something that she realises has its own demands.

“Of course new generations are more open minded than the old school stuff. But they are somehow still lost and confused — even myself when I think about my path,” she says.

A tattoo on Kim’s right shoulder blade reads: “Fate.

Faith. Freedom”.

“Music,” she explains, “is my fate, faith and freedom” — something that gives her life ‘direction and purpose’. Which is not to say that the music she makes is unchanging or easily defined. Since she started her career at the age of 13, her sound has developed as a person might, with different outfits and attitudes marking the way.

“Back then I was a hardcore rapper. I wore baggy jeans, big t-shirts and baseball caps. Stuff like that…

I wanted people to think of me like a rapper when I was younger and so ignorant. I was like ‘no, I’m going to be a rapper’,” says Kim, who has never had a problem seeing through disingenuous façades in the entertainment industry. “Everyone has these masks on their faces when it comes to show business. Everybody looks the same — especially girls, they look so adorable and sexy but cannot show their real character.”

These days, Kim mainly belts her heart out to rhythm and blues. She makes beats too but insists, “it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how to rap”. Her songs are certainly not about romantic guys in white shirts walking on beaches or riding bicycles — the description of such scenes causes her face to screw up in disgust. One of her music videos, which she made when she was 17, deals with domestic violence.

“I saw a guy beating his wife and it reminded me of how often I’ve seen these things and how no one writes

142 | The Word December 2011

“Everyone has these masks on their faces when it comes to show business. Everybody looks the same — especially girls, they look so adorable and sexy but cannot show their real character” songs about them… That’s why I write songs like this, I even wrote something about teenage pregnancy. When it comes to my mind, I’ll write about it, I’m not limited to any subject in music,” she says.

From intermittent asides of “ah, sick” directed to her beat making buddies in the corner of the room, it is obvious that Kim is having a good time doing what she loves. She is seemingly focused and her list of upcoming projects is long. She is making a new single — something that ‘uniquely mixes hip-hop with dubstep’ and ‘maybe even samples the sounds of Trinh Cong Son’ — and is also preparing for a five-country tour of Eastern Europe with a group of other Vietnamese artists and singers.

And after that? A stint in Saigon.

“When I think about Saigon, I think about business,” says Kim. “I prefer to live in Hanoi because [it] is my hometown. I’m more connected to it than I am with Saigon. When I decided to go [south] and live, it was because of business.”

For this vocal artist, coming into her own in a time when fewer signposts than ever lead the way to adulthood, she is rooted to her career and loved ones.

When asked about the ‘haters’ getting in her way, Kim dismisses the negativity immediately.

“I don’t think haters exist. I’m too busy with my stuff right now… rather than staying home and crying because someone talked bad about me. The thing is, I don’t give a damn.”

December 2011 The Word | 143

PHOTO BY DOMINIC BLEWETT

THE LAST

PATCH DESPITE THE GOAL OF KEEPING 70 PERCENT OF EXTENDED HANOI OPEN AND NATURAL, THERE ARE FEARS THAT IT’S ONLY SO LONG BEFORE DEVELOPMENTS SWALLOW UP THE REMAINING GREEN SPACE OF CENTRAL MY DINH. WORDS BY NICK ROSS

A DECADE AGO WHERE THE alleyways and charmless concrete of Cau Giay came to an end, the paddy fields and swampy wastelands began. In the hazy distance the construction had already started — high rises and a soon-to-be national stadium began sprouting from a carpet of green.

Head back now and the fabled Keangnam Tower is close to completion.

The open space all around it has been swallowed without mercy into the vast colossus we now call My Dinh. It’s a dusty, precarious Bangkok-to-be of a place, full of Babel-like buildings, car washes, construction sites and empty shopping centres. Even the garden-like Me Tri area, with its mock colonial, greenshuttered buildings, has a film of dirt coating its already not-so-fresh veneer.

It’s a city in the making. But as unfinished as it is, it has a Wild West feel to it and is yet to find its soul.

Diagonally behind Keangnam, one area of swampy greenery has yet to be consumed — it’s the last patch of remaining farmland in central My Dinh.

A concrete-banked canal runs through its wild façade, as do unfinished gravel paths and a scattering of well and not-so-well trodden trails. Time, or rather unfettered construction, has forgotten this Central Park of a place. For now at least.

“It will go in a few years,” says

144 | The Word December 2011

50-year-old Son, one of the area’s settlers who lives in a semi-shanty, semi-brick collection of houses on the edge of the greenery. He works shifts on Keangnam, which is the country’s tallest building, and is proud of his role in constructing this monolith.

When this farmland disappears he will get compensation. “Not from the developers,” he explains, “but from the authorities”.

Hung Drawn And… Walking through the greenery, along the trails avoiding the marsh, butterflies flitter from plant to plant. Birds, invisible to the naked eye, warble among the trees, and a conical hatted, hoe-carrying woman takes advantage of the fertile soil found in these swamps. While in her shadow stand the new developments, she is cultivating water spinach and other edibles from out of the wasteland. It’s a living of sorts. Not much, but enough to make her efforts worthwhile. But unless she wins the lottery or gets ample compensation for the land she will soon lose, she will never find a roof over her head in the apartment blocks beyond.

A bridge appears down on the canal and a path leads through the undergrowth to a gated, barbed-fencedoff building with pagoda-yellow walls.

Built before the present construction

December 2011 The Word | 145

PHOTOs by nick rOss

boom it seems to act as a water storage facility, although there is no signage to confirm the guess. Back along the canal’s banks another bridge appears, this time with a muddy track running across it, dissecting the park. While the canal runs all the way through to Ton That Thuyet, the track divides this teardrop-shaped patch of greenery into quarters.

Down the path construction sites appear as do more collections of shanty and a wood mill. A woman, bicycle parked on the track, rummages through rubble looking for recyclables. “I live 10km away,” she says as she gropes through the dirt. If she’s lucky, from recycling she can make VND30,000 a day.

It’s a thankless task and “not enough to feed [her] family”.

Nearby groups of men lounge around in makeshift cafes hidden behind the trees smoking thuoc Lao, drinking coffee and downing rice wine. Their laughter breaks the silence. And then the roar of the traffic returns as the track ends, coming out on the main drag, Pham Hung. In the middle of this dusty highway the construction of the Sukhumvit-like train line is already in full flow.

My Dinh, for all its construction, has yet to furnish itself with a completed park. Keeping the new city green, it seems, will be a challenge. Holding the developers at arms length is not an easy task, especially in the atmosphere of a Wild West free-for-all. There has already been encroachment on the remaining green space but the hope here is that, despite statements to the contrary, the last patch of farmland next to Keangnam will become the new city’s Central Park. But only time will tell.

146 | The Word December 2011

Holding the developers at arms length is not an easy task, especially in the atmosphere of a Wild West free-for-all

December 2011 The Word | 147

Highway4

tiêng viêt THỰC KHÁCH BÍ ẨN

Thức ăn Pháp và ẩm thực địa phương là những lựa chọn trong tháng này bởi khẩu vị sành điệu của nhà phê bình của chúng tôi. Hình ảnh bởi Quinn Ryan Mattingly

Charner Café TÏN NHAÂ HAÂNG ÀÛÚÅC LÊËY DÛÅA THEO tïn cuä cuãa con àûúâng Nguyïîn Huïå núi maâ noá àang nùçm hiïån hûäu, muåc tiïu cuãa Charner Cafe laâ àem möåt chuát sûå tao nhaä tinh tïë cuãa Paris àïën khung caãnh ùn töëi cuãa trung têm Saâi Goân.

Nùçm phña trïn cuãa möåt phoâng tranh ngay goác ngaä tû Nguyïîn Huïå vaâ Lï Lúåi, chuáng töi bûúác vaâo möåt saãnh lúán vúái maâu trùæng tinh khöi phuã àêìy. Ðûúåc trang trñ thanh lõch tao nhaä vúái baân ùn phong caách Phaáp tinh tïë, ghïë tay võn boåc vaãi, sofa àûúåc chaåm khùæc, àeân chuâm, maân maâu be vúái tua rua kiïíu caách, traân ngêåp khöng khñ vûúng giaã quyá töåc.

Khi àaä yïn võ trïn chiïëc ghïë hoaâng gia, chuáng töi nghiïn cûáu thûåc àún nhaâ haâng vúái khaá nhiïìu moán Phaáp lêîn Chêu AÁ hún mong àúåi. Vaâ giaá caã cuäng khaá mùæc. Ñt nhêët laâ trong möåt söë moán. Moán khai vi nhû gan ngöîng ài cuâng baánh mò toãi vaâ rau salad (345,000 àöìng) vaâ caá höìi hun khoái vúái baánh mò nûúáng cuâng dêìu ö-liu (185,000 àöìng) thêåt sûå mùæc hún rêët nhiïìu so vúái nhûäng moán chñnh.

Chuáng töi bùæt àêìu vúái moán 3 thanh suácxñch Toulouse ùn cuâng mûác haânh, nêëm cuáp vaâ khoai têy bi nûúáng, tiïëp theo seä laâ moán ûác võt nûúáng ùn cuâng cúm risotto vúái tûúng gûâng mêåt ong.

Nûä nhên viïn phuåc vuå, trong trang phuåc hoa cuãa phuåc vuå nûä úã nöng thön Phaáp, doån moán khai võ àêìy thõt naây vaâ chuáng töi haá höëc miïång ngaåc nhiïn vò khêíu phêìn quaá to. Töíng cöång, coá 4 thanh xuác-xñch nûúáng àûúåc xïëp chöìng lïn nhau (möåt thanh àûúåc cho thïm chùng?). Laå luâng, chuáng khöng tröng giöëng hoùåc coá võ nhû xuác-xñch Toulouse. Töi thêëy coá hai miïëng xuác-xñch chipolata nhoã vaâ hai miïëng xuác-xñch lúán khaác tröng coá veã nhû möåt miïëng laâ loaåi German Bratwurst coân miïëng kia khaá giöëng loaåi Frankfurt Rindwurst.

Böëi röëi möåt chuát nhûng àoái kinh khuãng, nïn duâ sao ài nûäa thò töi cuäng seä ùn chuáng.

Nhûäng thanh xuác-xñch daây, xöëp vaâ ngon, àêìy thõt vaâ ñt gên suån. Võ ngoåt cuãa mûác haânh vaâ võ nöìng maånh meä cuãa muâ-taåt Dijon laâm tùng võ nheå nhaâng cuãa xuác-xñch, trong khi àoá

148 | The Word December 2011

98 Nguyễn Huệ, Q1. ĐT: 3823 6065

khoai têy àûúåc nûúáng àêåm àaâ vaâ nêëm cuáp mïìm dïî daâng tan chaãy trong miïång.

Chuáng töi àaä chúâ àúåi cho moán chñnh khaá lêu hún mûác bònh thûúâng, võ nhên viïn tiïën laåi thaânh thêåt caáo löîi chuáng töi khi moán chñnh àûúåc mang ra. Cho duâ trong bêët cûá trûúâng húåp naâo, chúâ àúåi moán ùn luön xûáng àaáng. Töi àïëm thêëy coá chñn miïëng ûác võt lúán cúä mùåt huy chûúng phuã àêìy nûúác söët gûâng vaâ mêåt ong maâu nêu vaâ ngoåt ngaâo – möåt lûúång thûác ùn khöng thïí tûúãng tûúång nöíi xeát vïì mùåt giaá caã.

Võ khöng quaá beáo hay quaá nöìng, vaâ àûúåc nêëu chñn vûâa, thõt võt mïìm vûâa phaãi, lûúäi dao töi lûúát ngoåt trïn nhûäng miïëng thõt. Vaâ mùåc duâ moán naây thoãa maän sûå haáu ùn cuãa töi, nhûng töi vêîn thêëy húi tiïëc möåt chuát khi thêëy da võt khöng àûúåc doân cho lùæm.

Tuy nhiïn, cúm risotto vaâ rau cuã laâ nhûäng thaânh phêìn laâm moán thïm tuyïåt vúâi nhêët.

Mùåc duâ khöng khö nhû nhûäng loaåi cúm risotto khaác, cúm úã àêy beáo, deão, ngoåt (traái ngûúåc laåi võ ngoåt cuãa thõt vaâ nûúác söët) vaâ mïìm, vúái nhûäng coång rau bina àûúåc àùåt phña trïn. Coá möåt höîn húåp rau cuã trang trñ phña trïn (göìm caâ-röët, bñ xanh vaâ àêåu xanh) nhûng xuêët sùæc nhêët vêîn laâ xuáp-lú trùæng àem laåi möåt võ tûúi vaâ maånh meä khöng tin àûúåc.

Trong möåt thaânh phöë maâ hiïëm khi kiïëm

àûúåc àuáng loaåi rau quaã, thò àêy laâ nhûäng thaânh phêìn rau quaã ngon nhêët maâ töi tûâng traãi nghiïåm.

Chuáng töi kïët thuác bûäa töëi bùçng moán keåo sö-cö-la mïìm vúái kem vani. Tuy nhiïn, nhûäng gò chuáng töi àûúåc giúái thiïåu laâ möåt miïëng baánh sö-cö-la mïìm mõn. Mùåc duâ moán traáng miïång naây xuêët sùæc (baánh thò beáo, deão vaâ mïìm mõn), töi ngaåc nhiïn vò sûå nhêìm lêîn cuãa Charner Cafe. Bêët kïí thûác ùn vaâ dõch vuå chêët lûúång cao nhû thïë naâo, hoå töët hún hïët laâ nïn laâm viïåc laåi vúái thûåc àún cuãa mònh trûúác khi thêåt sûå laâm nhûäng võ khaách khoá tñnh vaâ hay tröng àúåi thêët voång. Hay noái möåt caách khaác, caái baánh trïn laâ bùçng chûáng cuãa sûå thêët voång (vaâ göìm caã nhûäng thanh xuác-xñch).

GIÁ Ba Thanh Xúc-xích Toulouse

VND165,000

Ức vịt nướng dòn với cơm risotto

VND275,000

Kẹo sô-cô-la mềm với kem vani

VND115,000

Thức ăn: 11 Không khí: 9 Phục vụ: 12.5

LAÂ MÖÅT NHAÂ HAÂNG CON KHAÁC CUÃA chuöîi nhaâ haâng Haâ Nöåi nöíi tiïëng nhêët àûúåc thaânh lêåp tûâ nùm 2003, Highway4 àûúåc phaát triïín thaânh möåt cú súã nhûúång quyïìn kinh doanh thaânh cöng cuâng vúái nùm chi nhaánh khaác nùçm raãi raác khùæp thuã àö, möåt úã Tp. Höì Chñ Minh vaâ möåt caái khaác seä súám àûúåc khai trûúng úã Höåi An. Vaâ mùåc duâ chi nhaánh úã Tp. Höì Chñ Minh naây coá leä chó múái hoaåt àöång àûúåc khoaãng nùm thaáng, nhûng thûåc àún cuãa hoå göìm nhûäng moán truyïìn thöëng miïìn Bùæc vaâ êím thûåc Viïåt Nam àûúng àaåi dûúâng nhû cho thêëy laâ möåt àiïím àöåc àaáo cho nïìn êím thûåc cuãa thaânh phöë miïìn Nam naây. Ðêy coá veã nhû laâ möåt núi àùåc biïåt khi maâ chuáng töi gheá nhaâ haâng vaâo möåt buöíi töëi thûá hai bònh thûúâng vaâ nhêån ra rùçng hai têìng trïn àaä àêìy khaách, nïn chuáng töi phaãi yïn võ dûúái têìng trïåt. ÚÃ hai têìng trïn phong caách baân ghïë vaâ phuåc vuå chuyïín sang theo phong caách Nhêåt Baãn, khaách ngöìi trïn saân nhaâ, töi caãm thêëy tiïëc khi ngöìi trïn ghïë vúái caái baân böën chên úã têìng trïåt naây vò àaä khöng àùåt baân trûúác.

Têët nhiïn, chuáng töi àïën àêy laâ vò thûác ùn hún laâ vò chöî ngöìi, thûåc àún nhaâ haâng vúái möåt lûúång lúán nhûäng moán ùn thêåt kinh ngaåc.

Tûâ salad, mò vaâ nhiïìu loaåi cuöën, àïën lêíu, vaâ cúm caái loaåi, buán, haãi saãn, àöì ùn chay vaâ àöì mùån, thêåt khöng biïët nïn bùæt àêìu tûâ àêu.

Theo lúâi khuyïn cuãa möåt cêy viïët chuyïn vïì êím thûåc úã miïìn Bùæc, chuáng töi choån moán àùåc biïåt nhêët cuãa Highway4 - nem caá xa löå vaâ loaåi rûúåu gaåo Sún Tinh àoaåt giaãi thûúãng cuãa nhaâ haâng. Ngoaâi ra, chuáng töi àïí ngûúâi phuåc vuå nûä mùåc aáo daâi àïì xuêët caác moán ùn.

Khöng phaãi laâ nhûäng ngûúâi daám thûã nhûäng moán laå, chuáng töi ngaåi nguâng tûâ chöëi nhûäng moán ngon nhû dïë rang vúái múä vaâ chêu chêëu rang vúái laá chanh, thay vaâo àoá laâ hai moán böì cêu rang muöëi vaâ boâ nûúáng laá chuöëi.

Rûúåu àûúåc àûa ra àêìu tiïn, göìm böën chum nhoã rûúåu taáo meâo, mêån àoã, mú vaâng vaâ chanh leo cuâng vúái hai chum rûúåu vúái caái tïn àaáng ngaåi Devils Fart. Böën loaåi àêìu thò nheå nhaâng, ngoåt vaâ àïí laåi caãm giaác dïî chõu trïn àêìu lûúäi, trong khi loaåi sau laåi caãm giaác cay nöìng hún. Ðûúåc laâm tûâ rûúåu minh maång kïët húåp vúái xirö öët, rûúåu Devils Fart thúm ngon àaáng ngaåc nhiïn, dûúâng nhû laâ möåt sûå pha tröån giûäa võ ngoåt vaâ cay nöìng cuãa cêìn têy. Cho nhûäng ai tòm kiïëm nhûäng lûåa choån giûäa bia hay rûúåu, thò rûúåu Sún Tinh luön laâ keã chiïën thùæng Chiïëc àôa àûúåc mang ra trang trñ vúái rau salad vaâ nhûäng loaåi rau xanh khaác cuâng vúái caâ-röët tóa böng, moán böì cêu àûúåc cùæt thaânh nhûäng miïëng nhoã vûâa ùn, têím böåt vaâ thñnh

101 Võ Văn Tần, Q3. ĐT: 3602 2069

chiïn, tröån chung haânh chiïn vaâ nhûäng miïëng úát lúán. Muâi võ tuyïåt, hûúng xaã nheå nhaâng nhû keáo daâi trong khi võ mùån cuãa böåt vaâ võ thõt nöìng cuãa nhûäng miïëng böì cêu sêîm maâu vaâ húi dai hoâa quyïåt tuyïåt vúâi.

Chêëm vaâo höîn húåp muöëi tiïu chanh, moán naây trúã nïn cûåc kyâ hêëp dêîn. Hay nhêët laâ khêíu phêìn moán naây khaá nhiïìu.

Ngay khi moán boâ nûúáng laá chuöëi àûúåc mang ra, möåt hûúng thúm ngoåt ngaâo lan toãa, goái laá chuöëi àûúåc múã ra, thúm nûác muäi. Nhûäng miïëng thõt boâ mïìm vaâ khaá nhiïìu, àûúåc nêëu cuâng hoa chuöëi trong nûúác söët cuãa chñnh thõt boâ. Ðaä qua àûúåc möåt nûãa chùång àûúâng, moán caá da trún cuöën nöíi tiïëng cuöëi cuâng cuäng àïën. Trang trñ àún giaãn, nhûng chuáng thêåt sûå laâ möåt hiïån tûúång, vaâ giaânh vai chñnh trong àïm diïîn. Khöng muöën laâm giaãm uy tñn cuãa moán naây khi àem ài so saánh vúái moán khaác, nhûng saáu caá cuöën troân mêåp naây tuyïåt nhû moán sandwich caá ngon nhêët tûâ trûúác àïën nay. Ðûúåc goái trong baánh traáng, chó coá thõt caá fillet mïìm vúái möåt lúáp söët mayonnaise vaâ rau thò laâ nùçm phña trïn.

Caá nhên töi thêëy nûúác chêëm wasabi maâu nêu àen thêåt sûå khöng cêìn thiïët, chó cêìn mêëy caái cuöën thöi laâ àaä àuã thêëy ngon röìi.

Moán ùn ngon vaâ àñch thûåc Viïåt Nam, khöng vûúng hûúng võ trung hoâa thûúâng thêëy trong caái moán ùn Viïåt daânh cho ngûúâi nûúác ngoaâi. Coá nhiïìu lûåa choån moán vaâ giaá caã thò húåp lyá àaáng ngaåc nhiïn, ngay caã khi àaä tñnh thuïë vaâ phñ phuåc vuå. Haäy àïën thûã nhaâ haâng àoá trûúác khi núi àoá àöng ngheåt khaách.

GIÁ VND75,000 30,000 đồng/ một chum VND99,000 VND95,000 VND84,000

Bộ rượu Sơn Tinh uống thử Rượu Devil’s Fart Bồ câu rang muối Bò nướng lá chuối Cá cuốn

Thức ăn: 12.5 Không khí: 11 Phục vụ: 10 Mỗi thang điểm cho thức ăn, trang trí và phục vu dựa theo thang điểm từ 0 đến 15 13 – 15 = đặc biệt đến hoàn hảo 10 – 12.5 = rất tốt đến tuyệt 8 – 9.5 = tốt đến rất tốt 5 – 7.5 = khá tới tốt 0 – 4.5 = kém tới khá Bài viết này có mục đích đóng góp xây dựng tích cực December 2011 The Word | 149

TRỰC TIẾP Ở SÀI GÒN

A DOSE OF FAME

SSC Scooter and Bike Rentals Vietnam’s One Stop Scooter Shop

Bán đảo Thanh Đa, 10/12/2011, giá vé: 100,000 đồng (trước 20:00)

CHRISTMAS BARGAINS FOR ALL !

Helmets – Until 31st December 10% off all Helmets Imported from Italy. The Complete range of Project and Vemar helmets available from open face Kevlar to Fibreglass Race Replica’s and Kids.

dOSe sẽ kỷ niệm bốn năm thành lập trong tháng này bằng một bữa tiệc hoành tráng kéo dài nửa ngày, và đây dường như là một sự kiện lớn nhất trong nền Dj của Sài Gòn, nhiều nhạc sỹ và những nghệ sỹ đa ngành cùng hội tụ.

Kéo dài từ chiều tối cho tới sáng sớm ngày hôm sau ở bán đảo Thanh Đa, a dOSe of FAME sẽ bao gồm các hoạt động thời trang, nghệ thuật, âm nhạc và giải trí từ Việt Nam, Pháp, Đức, Rumani, Canada, Thái Lan, Tây Ban Nha, Philippine, Mỹ và Anh Quốc, tất cả hướng quay quần trong sự kiện đáng nhớ này.

Một đêm được mong đợi với sự pha trộn âm nhạc gồm hip-hop, house, funk, soul, electro, dud, indie, afro-Brazil và hơn hết là có hai sàn nhạc lớn, dưới sự điều khiển của Kamel Night, DJ Peanuts, Jan Hagenkoetter, DJ Drew, Nic Ford, Jordan Howard, Everyone’s A DJ, DJ Antoine, Scrambled Edge, và DJ Slide, cũng như sự biểu diễn độc nhất và duy nhất của Quantic.

Cho những ai chưa biết, Quantic đến từ Anh là một trong những nghệ sỹ tài năng và sáng tác nhiều nhất trong thể loại nhạc dance alternative của thế giới. Kết hợp sự nhạy cảm của jazz với dòng nhạc dance định hướng tương lai, deep funk, trống mạnh và những nhịp điệu nhiệt đới, Quantic nổi tiếng cho những album solo của mình, gồm có The 5th Exotic, Apricot Morning và Mishaps Happening, cũng như công việc của anh trong dự án ban nhạc sống và các lễ hội lâu năm được yêu thích - the Quantic Soul Orchestra.

Ngoài ra trong danh sách ca sỹ còn có Thảo Trang, VJ Disco Cactus người Pháp và tay keyboard sáng tác nhiều người Philippine – Jason Jazz. Nổi tiếng cho khả năng chơi nhiều phím như trống, tù và, bass và tất cả những khác mà không mang âm thanh của piano thuần túy, Jason hứa hẹn sẽ biểu diễn nhiều nhạc phẩm khác thường cho đêm sự kiện.

Nếu như vẫn chưa đủ, còn có sự tham gia của nghệ

KỶ NIỆM LẦN THỨ 5 CỦA THE BEATS SAIGON Vasco’s, 10/12/2011, vào cửa tự do (Doshy) Vasco’s, 17/12/2011, giá vé: thông báo sau (Goth-Trad & DJ Heru) The Beats Saigon sẽ kỷ niệm sinh nhật lần thứ 5 trong tháng này với hai tuần đầy các hoạt động quốc tế tuyệt vời. Đầu tiên sẽ là sự biểu diễn của Dj kiêm nhà sản xuất người Đức – Doshy vào ngày 10/12. Ảnh hưởng từ sách và phim ảnh khoa học viễn tưởng, và thể loại nhạc electro của thập niên 80 và 90, Doshy hiện tại đang dẫn đầu trong nền nhạc post-dubstep của Berlin, lấy cảm hứng từ những câu lạc bộ sôi động của thành phố và đưa âm nhạc ra khỏi nỗi ám ảnh giới hạn của thành phố.

Chỉ một tuần sau, nghệ sỹ điện tử Nhật Bản – Goth Trad và Dj Heru của album Low End Theory sẽ biểu diễn vào ngày 17/12.

Là một nhà sản xuất độc nhất với phong cách riêng biệt, Goth-Trad đã nổi lên từ nền nhạc điện tử Nhật Bản chỉ trong vài năm như là một nghệ sỹ lôi cuốn ở thế hệ của anh. Có khả năng điều khiển bảng Dj, keyboard và các nhạc cụ tự chế khác một cách thoải mái, Goth-Trad sáng tạo ra những bản nhạc dance xuất sắc, từ thể loại điện tử trừu tượng, noise và dub, reggae, jungle, rave, grime và dubstep.

Xuất thân từ miền Nam Texas, Heru đã là người dẫn đầu trong chơi trống và bass từ giữa đến cuối thập niên 90, tham gia biểu diễn cùng những nghệ sỹ nổi tiếng khác như Joker và Nosaj Thing như là một thành phần phát triển nhất của bộ sưu tập Low End Theory.

Doshy, Goth-Trad và DJ Heru được giới thiệu bởi The Beats Saigon. Vasco’s nằm tại 74D Hai Bà Trưng, Q1 và cả hai đêm diễn sẽ bắt đầu khoảng 21:00

sỹ đồ họa video người Tây Ban Nha - Alicia Billon, nhiếp ảnh gia người Canada - Fred Wissink, nhà thời trang Việt Nam - Linda Mai Phụng, Saigon Tattoo và lễ hội phim độc lập - Future Shorts, tất cả đều góp sức cho chương trình với những hình ảnh tương tác khác nhau, nghệ thuật sắp đặt, minh họa và biểu diễn sống. a dOSe of FAME được tỗ chức tại 1163 Xô Viết Nghệ Tĩnh, bán đảo Thanh Đa, làng Bình An, Bình Thạnh, vào ngày 10/12/2011 từ 16:00 đến 4:00. Giá vé là 100,000 đồng trước 20:00 bao gồm một chai bia San Miguel và một túi kẹo dOSe. Sẽ có một xe buýt đưa rước đón khách ở Alibi (5A Nguyễn Siêu, Q1) trong vòng 60 phút từ 15:30 đến 00:30, giá là 30,000 đồng cho mỗi người hay 100,000 đồng bao gồm bia hay cocktail miễn phí.

Chuyến xe quay trở về từ Thanh Đa sẽ bắt đầu từ 21:00 đến 02:00. Có phục vụ thức ăn và đồ uống. Để biết thêm thông tin chi tiết, xin ghé website visit www.jazznotjazz.com

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MICHELLE MANZO Khách sạn Park Hyatt, 01/12 đến 31/12/2011, vào cửa tự do Khách sạn Park Hyatt Sài Gòn đánh dấu cuối năm 2011 bằng sự hiện diện của danh ca, Michelle Manzo, trong tháng này. Là một nghệ sỹ trình diễn nhạc jazz nhiệt huyết, chất giọng 4 quãng tám ấm khác lạ của Michelle luôn làm ra những bản nhạc riêng biệt và đôc nhất.

Sinh ra và lớn lên ở Miami, Michelle tự học đàn piano dựa trên nền nhạc dân gian của Châu Phi và Cuba với một tình yêu dành cho những giai điệu của phách và bộ gõ cũng như phong cách cổ điển của Bach, Mozart và Beethoven.

Giành được học bổng và tốt nghiệp Cử Nhân ngành Mỹ Thuật chuyên về âm nhạc của trường Cao Đẳng Thành Phố New York, cô đã đoạt được nhiều giải thưởng cho cả sự nghiệp ca hát lẫn sáng tác âm nhạc.

Michelle Manzo sẽ biểu diễn vào mỗi tối thứ Tư đến Chủ Nhật ở Park Lounge từ 01/12 đến Đêm Giao Thừa.

Khách sạn Park Hyatt Sài Gòn nằm ở số 2 Quảng Trường Lam Sơn, Q1. Mọi thông tin chi tiết, xin liên hệ 3824 1234 hay email đến saigon.park@hyatt.com

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150 | The Word December 2011

TEN

the final say unrequited lobo

crossword

trivia buff

SONGS THAT HAVE MADE IT BIGGER IN VIETNAM

UNREQUITED How Can I Tell Her

Certain sappy songs are more popular in Vietnam and all over Asia than in the western countries they originated from.

What’s with that? Joe Ruelle waxes lyrical WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’VE NEVER heard of Lobo? You know, Lobo: the stage name of that megastar Floridian, Roland Kent Lavoie.

“Ah,” I hear none of you say in silent unison. Come on people, some of these songs must ring a bell; How Can I tell her; Love is Blue; I’d Love You to Want Me? I see. Well the hits are not as important as what Lobo represents — those many western singers and songs Vietnamese incorrectly assume westerners in Vietnam know.

Lobo is one of dozens of western solo artists and bands who, after enjoying a flicker of the limelight back home, have gone on to become, and remain, popular in Vietnam and other parts of Asia.

If you have been in Hanoi for a long time, you may be familiar with this scenario: You. Karaoke. Group of Vietnamese. Group of Vietnamese urges you to sing. You show hesitation.

Group of Vietnamese chooses a song for you in your figurative absence. Chosen song blasts from speakers. Representative of group of Vietnamese hands you the microphone. Name of chosen song appears on screen. You are baffled. You show bafflement. They show bafflement at your bafflement. The bafflements are drawn.

“Please,” comes the first salvo, accompanied by a peppering of open-palmed gestures urging you to sing. “What is this song?” you shoot back in self-defence. “I’m not being shy, I swear. I’ve never heard of this song in my life!”

Eventually you convince them you are

152 | The Word December 2011

telling the truth, and there is brief soulsearching — am I so out of touch? — followed by prolonged song searching, as the black vinyl books are reopened and alternative suggestions pour forth.

The Legend Behind the Name If you are like me you will round out the evening with your laptop. A Google search for “Lobo” and “Wikipedia” turns up “Lobo (DC Comics)”, an interstellar bounty hunter out to kill Superman. This is not the Lobo you want. Further searching brings up “Lobo (Musician)”. This is the one.

In 1971, Lobo released Me and You and a Dog Named Boo, a song you may well have heard as there are a few others devoted to the subject.

Boo flew to number five on the US charts, an octane start. In 1972, Lobo’s I’d Love You to Want Me flew even higher, landing at number two. Roland Kent Lavoie was on his way…

Down. Number two was the highest Lobo ever charted. Although losing ground in the US, Lobo’s popularity grew in Asia, fanned by the release of his greatest hits compilations in 1987 and 1988.

In 1989, he released his first new album in ten years, Am I Going Crazy? It was recorded in Taiwan, and no, he wasn’t; he was going to the bank. Lobo then signed a multi-album deal with a Singapore record company and in 1994 released Asian Moon, repackaging tracks from Am I Going Crazy.

In 2006, the ever-wandering wolf packed out venues on a South-East Asian tour.

Of course it’s not just Lobo. Along with the lesser-known artists are the well-known bands with well-known songs that are even more wellknown in Vietnam. Abba’s Happy New Year is so big (we’re in December, you may want to memorise the lyrics), I’m starting to believe I’ve sung it at each New Year gathering since I was four. My friends certainly assume I have; my eyes are blue, how could that not be the case?

Likewise, the Carpenter’s Yesterday Once More is known to a far higher percentage of young Vietnamese than young westerners in Vietnam. Perhaps this is because the chorus lyrics present few linguistic hurdles — every sha la la la, every wo wo wo — but more likely because the melody, tempo and emotional range are in line with what many Vietnamese young people desire in a modern pop song.

You could not, for example, slap the translated lyrics of Radiohead’s Paranoid Android onto a standard Vietnamese pop melody. The result would be brilliant. But a mess. Radio stations wouldn’t touch it. Not so with the Carpenters or Lobo. The lyrics would fit right in. Clean-cut. Clever in bits, soppy in others. “Just right”, as Goldilocks said before being chased out of the house by the three bears.

We never learned what happened to Goldilocks. The later events in her story were kept from us. They must have been bad.

Luckily for Lobo, the later events in his story have been, if equally obscured, decidedly more upbeat.

Lobo (1971) Whenever I’m discouraged She knows what to do But girl...

She doesn't know about you If you think you’ve heard this at a random café, you have. The catchy melody and niceguy-who-just-can’t-help-but-cheat theme have proven enduring in Vietnam. Its lyrical build-up in the first verse is admittedly clever and the song deserves a listen. Just a little one.

Boulevard Dan Byrd (1984) Never knew that it would go so far When you left me on that boulevard Come again you would release my pain And we could be lovers again While Boulevard regularly makes the top ten of Vietnamese ‘immortal melody’ lists (direct translation), singer songwriter Dan Byrd lingers in almost total obscurity. This is perhaps the best known of all the ‘you ought to know’ songs listed here, yet old Dan Byrd has seemingly no Google presence whatsoever.

He came, he sung, he left. Fittingly, his other big-in-Asia hit is called Sayonara.

From Sarah with Love Sarah Connor (2001) From Sarah with love She'd got the lover she is dreaming of She never found the words to say But I know that today She's gonna send her letter to you Sarah Connor is, brace for it, one of the bestselling German artists of all time. (Nothing says Deutschland like ‘Sarah Connor,’ to be shore, to be shore.) The song peaked at number one in Germany and Switzerland, making it her most successful single.

Take me to your Heart Michael Learns to Rock (2004) Take me to your heart take me to your soul Give me your hand and hold me

Show me what love is — be my guiding star It's easy take me to your heart Michael Learns to Rock (or MLTR among the cool bunch) make rock-and-roll of the soft Danish variety. But these boys are no moist pastry. Formed in 1988, the band has sold over 10 million records worldwide — mainly in, you guessed it, Asia. Take Me to Your Heart is an adaptation of the famous Chinese hit Goodbye Kiss by Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau.

Yesterday Once More The Carpenters (1973) Every Sha-la-la-la Every Wo-wo-wo Still shines Every shing-a-ling-a-ling That they're starting to sing So fine Well you get the non-gist. Unlike the other songs in this list, Yesterday Once More did reach number one in the US. Top of the World could certainly be on this list, too. (“I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation...”) There is a well-endowed Vietnamese celebrity called Thuy Top, whose nickname was chosen by her father as a tribute to the song and not, as is often inferred, her high notes.

You’re my Heart, You’re my Soul Modern Talking (1984) You’re my heart, you're my soul Yeah, I'm feeling that our love will grow You're my heart, you're my soul That's the only thing I really know Modern Talking were Europop in its purest form. You’re my Heart hit number one in Germany, Switzerland and Austria before taking Asia by synthesiser. Founding duo Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen list among their influences “romantic English-language songs of Italian and French origin, such as Gazebo’s I Like Chopin.”

Midnight Lady Chris Norman (1982) Midnight lady, love takes time

Midnight lady, it's hard to find Midnight lady, I call your name I know you can ease my pain Not to be confused with the Marvin Gaye song of the same name, the Vietnam-friendly Midnight Lady will forever be associated with Chris Norman — at least by those who know who Chris Norman is. If you’re from Redcar, his hometown in North Yorkshire, you just might.

Last Christmas Wham! (1984) Last Christmas, I gave you my heart But the very next day, You gave it away You remember Wham! — oh, what use of an exclamation mark — and you know this song.

Though not as well as your Vietnamese friends do (i.e. word for word). This is the Christmas anthem in Vietnam, with renditions permitted throughout the year, in the breakfast-all-day sense.

The Day You Went Away M2M (2000) Well hey So much I need to say Been lonely since the day The day you went away You may have a vague recollection of two stunning Norwegian girls, one blonde and one not, singing in the snow. That’s M2M. The Day You Went Away was their fifth single and, according to Wikipedia, “very popular in Asia.” (A somewhat conciliatory endorsement.)

Santorini Yanni (1986) It has no words but Santorini is familiar to many Vietnamese because it is played almost every time anyone of importance takes the stage to collect anything of significance — on live television, at company events, even at weddings. Cue the red-champagne pouring music. Google it and practice your acceptance speech.

December 2011 The Word | 153

CROSSWORDS: WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? ACROSS

1

1. AILUROPHOBIA

14

5. Diving equipment

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Answers on page 4

9

10

15

17

11

12

13

POP LINGO

16

18

19 21

22

QUIZ

The first and second person to send in all answers correctly to john@wordhcmc.com will win a free 6 hour Survival Vietnamese Course at Vietnamese Language Studies Saigon (VLS) school.

10. Criminals break them 20

WIN !!

ES PRIZ

23

24

16. Arabian country whose capital is Muscat

28

17. MONOPHOBIA

35

19. “I’ve had it _____ here!” 2wds

41

29

30

25 31

26

27

32

33

36

37

38

43

42

1. Báo

39

40

44

20. Church teachings 46

47

48

49

50

23. Chop down 24. Off-road truck, for short 26. Suffix frowned upon by feminists

51

52

53

31. Basketball officials 33. File-folder feature

8) What legendary American firefighter was sent to extinguish the oilfields of Kuwait in 1991?

5. Lịch

55

56

57

59

58

9) What did Jack Horner pull from his pie?

E 10) Who is killed if regicide is committed?

60

7. Nước mắm 61

62

63

65

64

66

67

8. Đồng hồ

27. Org. that collects income taxes 28. Communist leader ____ Tse-tung

C A

6. Mắt kính 54

68

69

70

60

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

61

62

D

G

F I

10. Bút bi

13) What city was Fillmore west in?

11. Túi xách

14) Who won the TV show The X-Factor in its second year?

12. Xe máy 70. XENOPHOBIA

8. Attack on all sides

42 Chromosome component

72. Chop ____ (Chinese menu item)

9. Something of value

44. Baseball game unit

41. ENETOPHOBIA

73. Wicked deeds

10. Gymnast Mary ____ Retton

45. Health facility

14. Xe hơi

43. ZOOPHOBIA

74. MYSOPHOBIA

11. BATRACHOPHOBIA

48. Seaport in northwest Oregon

15. Bàn

46. “Larry King Live” broadcaster

75. “If all ____ fails ....”

12. HYDROPHOBIA

51. Paid athlete

47. Disturbed profoundly

76. NECROPHOBIA

13. Precipitates in winter

54. ACOUSTICOPHOBIA

16. Điện thoại di động

49. Chill in the air

77. Give lip to

18. Hardy’s partner in comedy

55. Make void

17. Sách

22. Animal kept in the house

57. In need of a meal

18. Ly

25. Irritates

58. Cooking apparatus

28. ANDROPHOBIA

60. “Great ____ thinks alike”

29. “Wait just ____!” : 2wds

63. Animal skin

30. AGORAPHOBIA : 2wds

65. “Star Wars” princess

32. ICHTHYOPHOBIA

66. Messes up

50. It oozes down tree trunks 52. “Dead Man Walking” star Penn 53. THALASSOPHOBIA 54. Short shuteye 56. Corrosion on the surface of iron

DOWN 1. PSYCHROPHOBIA 2. Ending for peek or bug

59. “The Getaway” co-star Basinger

3. Use a seizing tool to lift, as an ice cube

61. Based _____ true story: 2wds

4. “What ____ to be the problem?”

34. Cash dispenser that requires a PIN

67. Fast jets, for short

62. In the lead: 2wds

5. ____-fi film

37. ”_____ me to your leader”

69. Sailor’s “Yes!”

64. Frasier’s brother on “Frasier”

6. Coffee containers

38. Move stealthily

71. Suffix with sheep, self or boy

68. Early Peruvian Indian

7. Serving no prupose

40. “I cannot tell ____” : 2wds

154 | The Word December 2011

15) In what year did Celtic Soccer Club first have numbers on the backs of their shirts?

J

13. Bản đồ

39. “Wayne’s World” actress Carrere

11) What ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote a diet book?

12) What girl group consisted of Esther Bennett, Vernie Bennett, Louise Nurding and Kelle Bryan?

9. Nón bảo hiểm

35. Mind reader’s gift 36. Has being

3) What city is known as the world's chocolate capital?

7) What French footballer was voted PFA Player Of The Year in 1999?

3. Đèn ngủ 4. Ba lô

21. HYPNOPHOBIA

2) What political party rose to power in China in 1949?

6) What bird's name is given to a score of two under par in golf?

B

2. Ghế 45

1) Where does Hitchcock appear in the film Lifeboat?

5) How many years of marriage are celebrated on an emerald anniversary?

Match Each Word With The Correct Picture

34

Answers on page 2

4) How much does one million equal in binary?

14. Double-reed instrument 15. Attorneys’ assignments

TRIVIA BUFF

H

16) In what country are The Sierra Madre Ranges?

17) In what context did Thierry replace Ian who had previously replaced Cliff?

18) What is the soft spot on a baby’s head known as?

K

M

L

19) There are more telephones than people in what city?

20) What singer, did Elvis Presley say, was the greatest in the world?

O

21) What outdoor pursuit comes from the German for ‘down and rope’?

19. Máy vi tính 20. Bảng

P

22) In what form of transport will you find the cyclic pitch & collective pitch levers?

N

23) Cathy McGowan was the presenter of what popular show?

Q

T R

S

24) What do John Travolta, Gary Numan and Nicholas Lyndhurst have in common?

25) If you were travelling at mach 2 how fast would you be travelling?

December 2011 The Word | 155

the final say

ON THE STOOL Parking himself on the chair this month is Vietnam’s singer songwriter Ha Okio. With a huge following among the local pop generation and his music career on the rise, Ha takes a moment to open up to us

THE MUSICIAN

THE MAN

You recently wrote and performed in Mot The Gioi (One World), a song to support two local environmental organisations and help promote environmental awareness in Vietnam.

What was the experience like and how much do you think the song has helped?

Now I know how Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson felt when they were doing We Are The World… [laughs]. It's going well on TV, radio and the internet.

Hopefully people will realise that we only have one world and that we can’t afford to lose it.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

The combination of Will Smith and his son in The Pursuit of Happiness

You have performed at most of the best-known live music festivals in Vietnam. Which performance did you enjoy the most and which festival, in your opinion, has the best future in this country?

Each one gave me different experiences.

I enjoyed doing them all. But I think LoretoFest was best because the artists didn't have to pay for food and beverage [he smiles].

Are you part of the new generation of Vietnamese musicians or are you simply copying the music that has already been produced overseas?

I don't know about that new generation thingy, but it would be good to know that the likes of Coldplay and Rihanna are hearing more about music coming from Vietnam.

You turned 30 last month. Will the next 10 years be your most creative as a musician or have you already had your time?

10 years? Come back to me when I am 100.

156 | The Word December 2011

What is your greatest fear?

Answering this question Which living person do you most admire?

My mom Which living person do you most despise?

Come on! I have enough trouble as it is!

What is your greatest extravagance?

Living the life of a so-called artist On what occasion do you lie?

When it's white What do you most dislike about your appearance?

The shirts I wear make people think that I have no pecs. Are there any pool parties coming up?

Which talent would you most like to have?

Seeing and remembering numbers like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man Who are your favourite songwriters?

Babyface, Diane Warren and David Foster How would you like to die?

Medium rare please!