Buzz
Imagine starting a casual gathering, picturing yourself in the midst of a sweltering Saigon day by enjoying a refreshing dish: Chicken and Perilla Salad.
On a scorching day in Hanoi. At some point, amidst the intense heat, a Saigon native involuntarily blurts out: 'It's as hot as Saigon here'. The weather cleverly evokes cravings for a laid-back afternoon with friends, discussing Saigon, savoring Saigonese dishes, in an authentic Saigonese ambiance. Those who are 'born in the Market but have their souls in Chinatown' recommend: Just head to the Saigon Delights Restaurant on Huynh Thuc Khang Street to encounter genuine Saigon.
Step into a space imbued with the allure and openness of Saigon, with three floors designed vibrantly like the winding alleys of Chinatown, Dinh Bo Linh, what are you waiting for? Flip through the menu featuring Saigon flavors awaiting. Serving over 100 Southern-style dishes, the Saigon Delights Restaurant 'plays big' by importing ingredients and kitchen utensils from the South every day via air freight to ensure freshness. With the ingredients ready, the distinctive Southern flavors are transformed and recreated by the hands of Southern cuisine expert - Ms. Le Thi Kim Chi, daughter of Madam Six Coconut Trees - the culinary stalwart of the Mekong Delta. Hence, it's no exaggeration to say that the most Saigon-esque place in this restaurant is the kitchen itself.
Embark on a casual gathering, envisioning oneself amidst the scorching summer day of Saigon by indulging in a refreshing dish: Chicken and Perilla Salad.
The rough green skin of the coco fruit, paired with a sprinkle of chili salt, is not unfamiliar in Hanoi, but few may know that the leaves of this fruit are also an interesting herb commonly used in Southern cuisine. Southerners cook sour soup with coco leaves, mix coco leaves with chicken to create a fantastic salad for hot days. It's so delicious that newcomers are surprised: Turns out the trees around us hold many wonders.
The ingredients for this delicious dish are quite simple: a plump chicken thigh sliced thinly, a handful of fresh coco leaves, not too young nor too old, emitting a faintly sour taste. These two ingredients intertwine in a sour, spicy, salty, and sweet salad dressing concocted according to some secret recipe of the chef, transforming the two simple ingredients into an exquisite dish. When eating, simply pick up a piece of chicken, add a few soaked coco leaves soaked in seasoning. Casual, nibbling, the fragrant, sweet chicken meat blended with the sour coco leaves makes the summer seem refreshingly cool. It's as if some kind and gentle mother just chuckled, hurriedly picked a handful of fresh green coco leaves, hastily tore a piece of tender white chicken meat, mixing a salad to invite us to a warm family meal. Exploring Saigon is not just about its grandeur, but also its simplicity and familiarity through such rustic dishes.
After finishing the appetizer, it's time for the main course in the feast. On a hot sunny day, nothing beats a refreshing package filled with fragrant fish, crisp vegetables, and fresh herbs. Like fate, everyone unanimously calls out for the main dish: Crispy Pink Gourami Fish Rolls with Rice Paper.
The Crispy Pink Gourami Fish, presented by the staff of Saigon Delights Restaurant, is a fresh, shiny pink gourami fish with smooth scales, gleaming in bright red. No elaborate seasoning needed, the skillful chef simply marinates the fish with a spoonful of fine salt, resulting in a rich, fragrant taste. And there it is, served on the table alongside basil leaves, coriander, sliced cucumber, golden pineapple, and bitter banana. A dish as simple as the carefree nature of Saigonese. But give it a try: take a piece of fish, wrap it in herbs, dip it in sweet and sour chili garlic sauce, put it in your mouth, and you'll feel that simplicity is enough to make you blissfully lost. Amidst Hanoi's bustle, enjoy this refreshing dish while longing for sunny Saigon.
For those who don't fancy fish, behold, in the real Saigonese feast menu, there's another famous dish: Grilled Clay-baked Western-style Chicken. This dish is also humorously referred to as 'chicken eating dirt' from ancient tales, but only after savoring it will you appreciate its royal taste. Few restaurants in Hanoi feature Grilled Clay-baked Western-style Chicken on their menu, because even if they do, it's not easy to replicate the distinctive Southern flavor.
The chicken for grilling is selected from free-range chickens familiar with pecking the soil, digging for firm and flavorful meat. Fresh lime leaves soaked in a bowl of seasoning comprising delicious fish sauce, salt, pepper, pounded ginger, and cooking oil will be stuffed into the chicken's belly, after the chicken skin has been thoroughly marinated with spices. Then, skillfully 'dress up' the chicken with several layers before putting it into the grill: a layer of fresh banana leaves, a layer of aluminum foil, and finally, the outermost layer is white, malleable clay 'encasing' the chicken inside. The clay wrap is grilled over charcoal until a poke with a stick no longer sticks with clay indicates the chicken is cooked.
The most 'significant' moment of this dish is perhaps when the hot clay wrap is broken, tearing through the foil, after the banana leaf and smoke emerge the golden, fragrant chicken skin. Don't hesitate, as the grilled clay-baked chicken is best enjoyed by tearing it apart with your hands. After the smooth golden skin, each piece of firm, flavorful meat soaked in the fragrant aroma of fresh banana leaves and the refreshing scent of lime. Tear with your hands, chew with your mouth, the hot, fragrant plate of chicken gradually diminishes during the casual gathering.
No need to book a flight to Saigon to enjoy authentic Southern flavors, Saigon Delights Restaurant offers a 15% discount until June 30th for three familiar Southern dishes: Chicken and Perilla Salad, Grilled Clay-baked Western-style Chicken, Crispy Pink Gourami Fish Rolls with Rice Paper. In the June weather when summer has arrived, longing for Saigon, craving a bit of Saigon amidst Hanoi, the delicious flavors of Southern dishes will always be prepared and waiting for you.
