Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Paradise Elegance vessel cruise on Vietnamese popular tourist destination Halong Bay in this photo. / Courtesy of Paradise Vietnam |
By Kim Jae-heun
Popular Vietnamese dishes such as pho and goi cuon (fresh spring rolls) have gained popularity in Korea over the last decade. However, the flavors of Vietnamese cuisine have been modified to fit the Korean palate, and it took a few more years before Vietnamese chefs started opening "authentic" Vietnamese restaurants here.
While there are still plenty more Vietnamese dishes that have not been introduced to Korea, bun cha is a representative Vietnamese dish of grilled pork and white rice noodles that has just been added to menus recently.
Meanwhile, the number of Korean tourists visiting the Southeast Asian country has grown continuously over the past five years, reaching nearly 3.5 million last year alone and making Vietnam one of Koreans' favorite tourist destinations.
 |
| HOME Hanoi restaurant's special delicacy La Vong grilled fish |
Nguyen Thanh Tung, the first winner of Iron Chef Vietnam 2012, recommends cha ca La Vong, (La Vong grilled fish) as a new Vietnamese food Koreans might not have had the chance to try.
"La Vong grilled fish is one of Hanoi's signature dishes. It is served hot with vermicelli, crispy roasted peanuts, sweet and sour fish sauce, fresh lime juice, chili, chopped spring onions and fennel," Tung said during an interview with The Korea Times at HOME Hanoi restaurant in Hanoi, Sept. 23.
"La Vong grilled fish is suitable for the winter months in Korea as Koreans love the bold and strong flavor to deal with the cold weather. This dish makes a perfect choice for couples, groups of friends or families to gather and enjoy the unforgettable taste of this Hanoi specialty," Tung said.
Like most cuisines from different countries, Vietnamese food offers different characteristics according to the region it's from.
Most often, dishes served in the northern part of Vietnam including its capital city are lighter in flavor and texture compared to those of elsewhere in the country. The food in Hanoi uses black pepper and lime rather than chili pepper, which makes the dishes sour and salty rather than spicy and sweet.
The colder weather in the northern part of Vietnam is not suitable for growing certain ingredients such as chili pepper and other spices, but instead it allowed people to combine many different flavoring ingredients to feature light and balanced dishes.
 |
| HOME restaurant's first branch in Hanoi, Vietnam |
HOME Hanoi restaurant, set within a former French residence built some 60 years ago during the French colonial period, offers authentic northern Vietnamese dishes, both a la carte and as part of set menus throughout the day.
The restaurant is the best place to try La Vong grilled fish as master chef Tung designs all the dishes there and serves the highest quality Vietnamese food in the Truc Bach neighborhood.
Dishes in the central region of Vietnam ― including Koreans' favorites Hoi An, Da Nang and Nha Trang ― are characterized by hot and spicy flavors.
The abundance of spices produced in the mountainous terrain makes central Vietnamese cuisine the spiciest, and at the same time the most flavorful and complex in the country.
 |
| Couple enjoys central Vietnamese cuisine at HOME Hoi An restaurant in Quang Nam, Vietnam. |
HOME Hoi An restaurant, another branch located in the heart of city's UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient town, offers regional delicacies that are somewhat similar but different from those served at the Hanoi branch.
The restaurant chain's signature dishes include mi quang and cao lau, which both use a French-style noodle called bun as the main ingredient. Bun is different from pho that has originated from the North and is mainly eaten in the central regions.
As Hoi An, Da Nang and Nha Trang all lie on the coastal line of the country, people have been enjoying the privilege of utilizing various types of fresh seafood in their cuisine.
Compared to the ingredients used in the Vietnamese popular delicacy of cha gio (fried spring rolls), people in the North prefer to use mainly pork and chicken from time to time, while people in the central and southern regions use seafood.
 |
| Ngon Gallery Nha Trang's signature dish chili lobster |
Fresh lobster, in particular, is a specialty that is very common in Nha Trang. The crustacean can be found everywhere from the streets to fine dining restaurants.
Ngon Gallery Nha Trang is one of the restaurants that serves four different dishes with lobster that they bring from a nearby farm on the day. The restaurant offers an international seafood buffet each evening with live cooking stations that serve up Vietnamese, Korean, Western, Chinese and Japanese dishes.
However, its signature menu item is chili lobster cooked in a sweet, salty, chili-hot tomato sauce and served with thick slices of toasted bread. British Michelin-starred chef John Burton-Race and Tung crafted the restaurant's iconic dish.
Unforgettable one-night stay on Paradise Elegance
For quite a few years, Halong Bay has been a must-visit destination in Vietnam for many Koreans. Most of them have visited on package tour programs offered by Korean travel agencies, with itineraries that feature stopping by several tourist sites for short periods of time.
Paradise Vietnam, a luxury hospitality provider, began operating the Paradise Elegance vessels, one in March and another in July 2017, to offer premium cruising service on Halong Bay.
Paradise Elegance boats have 31 cabins that can hold up to 70 passengers each.
They are some of the first vessels to offer a one-night stay on the water for tourists to take time and fully enjoy the beauty of Halong Bay and tourist destinations such as Sung Sot cave, Tung Sau Pearl Farm and Ti Top Island.
 |
| Piano bar on Paradise Elegance cruise |
Edgar Cayanan, general manager of Paradise Elegance, said the vessels are not the biggest but certainly are the most luxurious operating in Halong Bay. The operator decided to bring down the number of cabins and passengers onboard so the staffers can look after individuals fully.
"It is not about the size. It is the personalized service that defines Paradise Elegance cruise as one of the luxurious cruise ships in the bay," Cayanan said during an interview with The Korea Times, Sept. 24. "Personalized services to make your time onboard the best and most relaxing trip that you've been dreaming of."
All cabins are equipped with a balcony, walk-in closet, TV and convertible double or twin bed on the first and second floors. On top of it there is a piano bar where musicians come onboard to play live music in the evening and Le Marin Restaurant that serves a premium free-flow a la carte dinner.
Starting next year, Paradise Elegance will introduce a Michelin-starred menu onboard in collaboration with Burton-Race using Vietnamese ingredients to cook the fish in both Eastern and Western ways.
 |
| Sunrise at Halong Bay in Vietnam |
The cruise also offers cooking demonstrations and squid hunting programs for passengers and a day spa for those who need a massage. People can enjoy a cocktail underneath the sunshine at an open-air bar on the sundeck as well.
Cayanan confirms the popular sentiment, "Once you travel to Halong Bay, you must stay on an overnight cruise, otherwise you will miss half of the experience." Visitors can't miss out on the 2-day-1-night Halong Bay cruise journey on Paradise Elegance cruise to spare more time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"Also, Halong Bay is much more beautiful during dusk and dawn, which you cannot admire on a day cruise tour," Cayanan said.
