A Vietnamese Dining Experience at Hoi An

Situated at the Shangri La Hotel, Hoi An has been in Dubai since 2003 and serves up authentic Vietnamese food with purely Vietnamese staff from the servers to the cooks to create an authentic Vietnamese dining experience.

Wooden floors and lanterns on the ceiling give off an overall Eastern vibe as Luyen Pham–the manager of the venue–explained that Vietnamese food is a fresh and healthy cuisine that uses ginger, lemon, and spring onions amply in their dishes and is not the same as Chinese, Thai, or Malay cooking as I had assumed.

fish-crackers_previewI sampled their refreshing Saigon mocktail with ginger ale, coriander, lemon, and mint along with some fish crackers with sweet chili sauce to start.

Hoi-An-platter_previewThen a tasting Hoi An platter arrived with a bit of everything: lotus ravioli with mayo and coconut salt–mild in flavor and soft in texture. There was foie gras, which was less pungent than its French counterpart and a fusion of meaty flavors. The crispy spring roll was light and delicate while the Vietnamese rice paper roll with chicken and shrimp served with hoisin sauce was light and crunchy. Also, crispy coconut prawn with fruit salsa.

chicken-satay_preview We also sampled the chicken satay platter which is one of my favorites: juicy, tender morsels of lightly spiced chicken with a tangy dipping sauce.

amuse-bouche_preview Our amuse bouche was chicken with prawn cracker which had a nice nutty flavor.

Pho-soup_previewFor the soup, we tried the special Pho soup, one of the best soups I have ever tasted with a bone broth that was boiled for six hours. To this, boiled noodles, beef slices, coriander, and spring onion to make a delicious meal packed with comforting goodness.

For our mains, we had grilled beef tenderloin steak with asparagus, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms, garlic prawn with salad and oven baked seas bass with mint, coriander, and pineapple, served with a bowl of steamed rice. The tenderloin was very juicy with rich flavors and went well with the rice, while the fish was fresh and loaded with flavors without being overpowering.

fried-rice_previewWe also sampled flavorful fried rice with chicken and prawns that lent an Eastern element to the meal.

ice-cream-coconut-milk_previewFinally, we sampled creamy mango sorbet with fresh bits of mango in coconut milk and a great way to end the meal on a lighter note.

Vietnamese-coffee_previewI was surprised to learn that Vietnam is the second biggest producer of coffee in the world and when I tasted it, it was silky and tasted chocolaty.

The Verdict: The food at Hoi An is delicious and a wonderful way to get introduced to one of the healthiest cuisines I have tasted. I also loved the fact that Luyen Pham made every guest feel at home and this combined with excellent food, makes Hoi An an unforgettable dining experience.

Visit: Hoi An Restaurant

Address: Level 1, Shangri-la Hotel، Sheikh Zayed Road – Dubai

04 405 2703