Buzz
Don't overlook the review about the 'sensitive spot' (if any) at your upcoming destination. And if there's no review, consider staying in to avoid that sensitive spot when dining out.
I'm Linh, 26 years old, residing in Hanoi. Having indulged in numerous buffet experiences in the capital city, as autumn sets in, folks are flocking to buffet joints, and last week my family and I went to L’annam for a family buffet. Upon returning, the urge to pen down a review struck me.
Prior to heading out, I perused through various dining review platforms. It was intriguing to see mixed reviews, but one common aspect was everyone praising the restroom here. Indeed, for someone as finicky as myself, a restaurant's restroom speaks volumes.
A restaurant with incredibly delicious dishes but a disgustingly dirty restroom will make you question the 'cleanliness' of the 'mouth-watering' dishes you just consumed.
Inspecting every tiny detail
Upon entering a restaurant, the first stop for me is usually the restroom (don't laugh, it's just to wash hands). Being quite meticulous, I always swing by, checking as a precaution during the meal for any mishaps. Small as it may seem, this spot reflects the authenticity of cleanliness outside. The initial impression of L’annam was its WC, which matched a 4-star hotel's, clean, bright, and devoid of any floor mop or cleaning solution odors like many other places.
There's a cute little fish tank at the entrance of the WC, and even the wall lamps are wiped clean, emitting a pleasant hint of lemongrass. Just this alone is enough to reassure absolute confidence in the buffet dishes above and below the water I'm about to indulge in.
Completely at ease about the quality of these 'above water, below water' dishes I'm about to indulge in.
Only then to the common area
I'm not sure if it's the name L’annam, but the ambiance here is quite unique, slightly different from the initial imagination. Walking in, L’annam is situated in an old French-style villa, with a fairly spacious courtyard adorned with numerous ornamental trees. There's a receptionist welcoming guests right from the entrance, and the security personnel here are also quite prompt in parking guests' vehicles.
The interior architecture resembles an old villa compound overall
The buffet dining space is expansive, airy, featuring thatched roof counters reminiscent of old countryside markets, quite intriguing.
The interior space is elegant, with gentle decor, but quite suitable for family or colleague gatherings. Everyone in my family enjoys the arrangement of food counters resembling old countryside market stalls under thatched roofs. Quite peculiar and fascinating.
The most important part - the food
One of the reasons for choosing L’annam is its diverse buffet spread, with a variety of Japanese, Vietnamese, and European dishes, as well as seafood options to suit individual preferences when dining in large groups, especially catering to both young and old alike in our family group. The starters usually include typical buffet items such as salads, pickled vegetables, steamed squid, cold cuts, Japanese salads, sushi, and always sashimi. What sets it apart is the freshness of the lettuce, mixed greens, still retaining their crispness rather than being limp and bland like many other places.
This salad is expertly mixed, crispy and not too heavy
Fresh Salmon sashimi is quite delicious
There's quite a variety of sushi and easy to eat
The fried, stir-fried, and grilled counter mostly consists of seafood: shrimp, fresh salmon, fish roe, clams, stir-fried snails, squid. While the flavors aren't exceptionally outstanding, I appreciate the freshness of the seafood, and there's a good variety of dishes.
Steamed escargot is fragrant, but this dish must be eaten with dipping sauce
Fresh oysters are beautifully arranged
Steamed prawns
The hot and grill counters next to each other run out very quickly. Because these are the most attractive main dishes at the buffet party. Therefore, there are staff members preparing right inside and staff members outside continuously replenishing food. The European section not far away also offers a variety of options like pizza, mushroom soup, salmon, spaghetti, fried rice, sausages... plus European-style BBQ dishes.
The outcome after a 'stroll through the market'
Delicious, beautiful, and my highest rating goes to the countryside market counter. There's seafood hotpot, but I didn't choose it because I wanted to try other dishes. You can indulge in braised fish, steamed snails, Lã Vọng fish sausage, fried spring rolls, crab noodle soup, snail noodle soup, and spring roll with grilled meat vermicelli again.
Still, my favorite is this countryside market counter
Steamed rice rolls - soft, not sour but the fried shallots have a slight crispiness
Pho rolls - bite-sized rolls that are just right so you don't feel full, leaving room for more
There's also bánh đúc, bành gio, Thanh Trì steamed rolls, bánh bột lọc for those who love Hanoi-style snacks. After nearly 2 hours of battle, I decided to head straight to the dessert section. The ice cream, sweet soups, cakes, and fruits are also quite diverse and delicious.
Finally, dessert
So here's the ultimate conclusion
Exceeded expectations! My whole family agrees to come back here for grandpa's next birthday next year, as it's close and reasonably priced. If even the most 'sensitive' area of the restaurant is well taken care of, then surely what's served on the table will be worth the money.
Advice:
Don't overlook reviews about the restroom (if any) at your upcoming destination. And if there are no reviews, it's best to stay home to avoid that sensitive area when dining out. Wishing you all delightful buffet meals!
If you happen to visit L’annam, don't forget to make reservations in advance because lunch and dinner times are usually crowded, and this August there's a special offer for reservations at only 225k per lunch session.
Address:
L’annam Buffet - 136 Nguyễn Thị Xuân, Hai Bà Trưng District
>> check out L’annam's August promotions
Hai Linh
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