Day one
9 am
Banh Mi Hoa Ma – 53 Cao Thang, District 3
I love coming here in the early morning, sitting on the tiny red stools against the awesome aged wall down a small laneway and digging into a deconstructed ‘Banh Mi’. The pate and the pickled vegetables that come with it are the highlights for me. Drizzle some soy sauce and sliced chilli and there you have one of the best breakfast Saigon has to offer. This place is rumoured to be the ones who invented the actual Banh Mi, as they have been serving this dish since the French occupation.
10 am
Vy café – 277E Le Thanh Ton, District 1
Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer in the world, and the Vietnamese love to drink their coffee - especially ‘ca phe sua da’ (Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk).
Vy café is open 24 hours and is always busy regardless the time you come. It's small, squishy but locals love it and so do I. Sitting here, facing the street is a must. It takes me back to Paris where Parisians sit at brasseries, people watching, having their coffee and croissant. Vietnamese coffee is dark, super robust and nutty, so be sure to add condensed milk and stir. A great kickstart to the day.
11 am
Body massage at Mui Mui Spa, District 1
With constant travelling, I never miss a good massage session when in Saigon, and Mui Mui is one of the best.
Mui Mui is affordable and very professional. A full body massage costs around VND 450K, which works out to be only AUD$25.00 – bargain! As soon as I walk in, I immediately Zen out, and so will you.
1 pm
Mountain Retreat - 8F/36 Le Loi, District 1
Tucked away up a steep flight of stairs, just off Le Loi street is this charming traditional Vietnamese restaurant serving Vietnamese comfort food. When I miss or crave a home cooked meal, I come here. It’s like having my aunties in the kitchen cooking old favourites.5.30 pm
Making sure the climb up Mountain Retreat was worthy. Source: Luke Nguyen
Head to Sohy Sky Lounge & Dining rooftop bar for sunset drinks, 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street District 3
Currently, Sohy is the latest and most talked about rooftop bar in Saigon. They do great cocktails, have a good wine and champagne list and an incredible vista of Saigon’s skyline. I come here for sunset drinks and to absorb the beauty of the city.
7 pm
Set in an old colonial building constructed by the French in 1910, Vietnam House only opened 6 months ago. By yours truly - me! Here is where I serve up more modern Vietnamese favourites. It's also the place to go in Saigon for a great casual-fine dining experience. Be sure to put on your best outfits and favourite kicks and try our Dinner Set Menu with matching wines.
10 pm
Qui Lounge Bar, 22 Le Thanh Ton, District 1
I come here for their Negroni, but it's also great to see how the locals party. It gets really busy by 12 am, so get there early to get your spot.
1 am
Late-night snack at Pho Ha, 61 Ham Nghi, District 1
My go-to street food joint after hours. The Vietnamese eat pho any time of day, and this place opens from 5pm-3am cooking up Northern Vietnamese pho with chicken.
I usually order the pan-fried sticky rice topped with pork floss with my steaming bowl of chicken pho. And this certainly lessons the hangover in the morning.
Day two
8 am
Bun Mam at 144 Duong Khanh Hoi, District 4
Bun Mam isn’t a dish you can easily find in Australia or anywhere else in the world really.
It's most probably because its broth is made up of strong & pungent fermented anchovy paste - but please don’t let this put you off, as it's full of umami goodness.
This bowl of noodles has it all – roasted pork belly, braised eggplant, fish, prawns, chilli stuffed fish paste and an assortment of fresh herbs to go with it.9am-12pm
Bun Mam Source: Luke Nguyen
The BEST cooking school in Vietnam, and happens to be owned by me. A hands-on cooking experience with a market pantry on site.
Learn the fundamentals of Vietnamese cuisine, whilst cooking a 4-course menu. Go for our Cook, Wine & Dine experience – it's so much fun and really gets you involved in using fresh produce and mastering Vietnamese favourites.
1.30pm
Local snail joint ‘Oc Dao Nguyen Trai’, 212/C79 Nguyen Trai St, District 1
Everything's char-grilled or wok-fried right in front of you.
They have about 30 varieties of snails, wonderful fresh live seafood and you can even get deliciously gelatinous chicken feet there too, which I love! While the menu is in Vietnamese it also has pictures and prices, which will help guide you through.
4.30pm
Profession foot massage, 44 Ton That Thiep, District 1
Ok, guys, I did say I love body massages, and when in Saigon, you must also try a foot massage at this place. I’ve been going here for over 10 years and it never disappoints.
A bit of warning though, it is a very painful massage, as they really get deep into the focus points in your foot - but that’s the way I like it and you may just enjoy the same.
Be sure to leave a generous tip, please.
7 pm
Anan restaurant 89 Ton That Dam, District 1
This restaurant is situated in the middle of one of Saigon’s oldest street markets.
From the rooftop, you can see the Old Ho Chi Minh City’s street market below and the New Ho Chi Minh City’s skyscrapers above. The cuisine is about food that is new, yet has a history and story that uses traditional techniques and local ingredients. The highlight dishes for me is the banh xeo tacos and the da lat pizza. It’s great to see Saigon growing in this kind of food experience. Undeniably a great place to get a cocktail and small bites.
10 pm
Firkin Bar, 20 Mac Thi Buoi District 1
If you love whisky, then this is the bar for you.
Opened by the coolest kids in town, they specialize in bespoke cocktails with a focus on the best Whiskies of the world. Seating of only 27, Firkin has over 400 bottles of liquor on the shelves. The knowledgeable bar crew can customise each drink to suit your taste.
Love Luke? Catch him in Ho Chi Minh city in episode one of the brand new series, from Thursday 5 December 2019 to Thursday 30 January at 7:30pm on SBS and Sundays at 9pm on SBS Food. Episode one replays at 8:30pm on 8 December.
STOP THE CRAVINGS
Vietnamese chicken rice (com ga)