Casual or fine dining, RJ has it all

Taste the exquisite flavours of authentic Italian recipes at R&J’s luxury lounge and restaurant at the Reverie Saigon in downtown HCM City. My Duyen reports. 

When a close friend of mine told me that I would be the only one invited to R&J for her birthday anniversary, I was curious. “Why R&J? Anything special about it?”

She described it as a fine destination where you can experience exceptional Italian cuisine in a fine dining ambiance. “And one more reason is that it’s a memorable experience. I met my husband there,” she added. 

“Wow, it sounds romantic,” I said. From that moment on, I was so excited that I couldn’t wait until we explored R&J at the Reverie Saigon hotel.

Taking its name from Shakespeare’s epic romance, Romeo and Juliet, the newly redesigned restaurant on the downtown walking street of Nguyen Hue is primed to stoke the passion not only of lovers but also business colleagues and friends.   

Prepared under the watchful eye of renowned Italian chefs, the menu at R&J features traditional Italian recipes, using the finest seasonal produce and presented with flair.

Michelin-starred chef Francesco Gasbarro completed a four-day culinary residency at the R&J restaurant in HCM City in mid-October. VNS photo Minh Phi

Thanks to its recent renovation, the R&J Italian Lounge & Restaurant at the Times Square Building has emerged as a multi-level, multi-experience dining destination.

Arranged on three levels, the distinctive 100-seat restaurant and 42-seat lounge guide guests on a journey from a pre-dinner aperitif through casual or formal dining to a comfortable post-meal relaxation.

The lounge, which is on the ground and mezzanine level, includes a casual dining area where guests can eat at a counter while watching chefs in the open kitchen, and a cozy lounge for an after-dinner drink.

The main feature of the lounge’s menu is fresh seafood, accompanied by an extensive list of some of the world’s finest Champagnes and sparkling wines. Some of the seasonal seafood on offer includes oysters and lobsters from Canada and Nha Trang in Viet Nam, Oscietra caviar, soft-shell crabs, Alaska king crabs, and John Dory and Dover sole.  

The restaurant on the B1 level remains the city’s premier Italian fine dining experience.

Though the menu may evoke home-style dining, the atmosphere is full of flair, from walls of vibrant Italian mosaics to extravagant candelabras and a whimsical collection of dining chairs that celebrate 40 distinctive corners of Italy.

My colleague and I were impressed with the layout and lighting when we first stepped into the lounge and restaurant. The designs evoked something that was “very Italian”. 

Aside from set menus and a la carte items finely prepared by a resident Italian chef,  R&J’s specialties include imported caviar, classic condiments and squid ink bread; Canadian Baynes Sound oysters, on ice or baked; French Fine de Claire oysters, on ice or baked; prawns with Prosecco, garlic, chilli and cherry tomato sauce; and Nha Trang lobsters, baked or grilled.

The Pescato del Giorno (fish of the day) can be cooked to your choice, either salt-crusted, grilled or baked.

Michelin-starred chef

Luckily, our visit to R&J coincided with a four-day culinary residency of Francesco Gasbarro, the first Michelin-starred chef hosted by R&J.

From his restaurant La Bottega in Geneva, Gasbarro brought his free-style approach to Italian cuisine, showcasing some of his signature dishes for a five-course wine dinner and a six-course set menu made with the highest-quality ingredients, including those brought from his own overseas sources.

Since I rarely have a big dinner, my friend and I decided to share a six-course menu priced at VND1,488,000++ (for one person).

Our meal started with a slow-cooked organic egg, cauliflower and truffle dish. The chef’s innovative recipe was delicate and stunning from its look to its taste thanks to the premium ingredients. I had never eaten an egg that softly cooked, but the dish was my favourite part of the meal.