By Alex Reeves
@afreeves23
This summer’s 12-course tasting menu is a love letter to Việt Nam. Like a stanza, each course offers a unique voice and expression of Việt Nam's bounty, presented with precision and an elegance nothing short of poetry.
As British rock band Radiohead’s frontman Thom Yorke once wrote: “Two jumps in a week, I bet you think that's pretty clever, don't you, boy?” Well, as a matter of fact, having had the opportunity to try my second newly Michelin-starred restaurant in a week, I suppose I do. I mean how often – if ever – does that happen?
Mr Yorke followed these lyrics up with the line “flying on your motorcycle”, and despite my love of doing precisely that while traversing the tree-lined streets of our capital, there’s no need. For fellow Michelin-starred neighbour Tầm Vị – the subject of my previous review – is but a stone's throw from the star of today’s piece: Gia.
OPEN KITCHEN, OPEN MIND: Guests are allowed to view the team at work during a service. — Photos courtesy of Alex Reeves
Gia is situated not in the beating heart of Hà Nội’s Old Quarter, as one might predict, but rather aptly opposite the cultural mind of the city: Văn Miếu, otherwise known as the Temple of Literature. While the latter is a well-known symbol of tradition, knowledge, and innovation, the former exhibits these same qualities and then some.
Just as the early scholars graduated from the temple, so too did head chef Sam Trần graduate as a clear student of food, becoming a now celebrated master of her craft. Recognised with the Michelin Young Chef Award (one of only three special awards from the ceremony), she elevates the ingredients at her disposal to a sum greater than their parts.
ANTICIPATION: The 12 course menu gives diners an insight into what awaits them.
Alongside her dedicated team working diligently in their open kitchen, she has defined the restaurant with a menu infusing traditional ingredients of Vietnamese cuisine with modern techniques befitting any dining room – on this continent and beyond.
Equally, patrons arrive as eagerly as the students praying for their academic fortunes just across the street, excited at the prospect of a lesson in culinary art, which the dining experience at Gia most definitely provides. From the first course to the last, diners can expect welcome combinations of simplicity and complexity, subtlety and sharpness.
DOWNSTAIRS: A first glimpse of the restaurant on entry.
A true beauty of Hà Nội is the four distinct seasons that the geography of the city allows residents and the variety each provides us. As with daily life in Hà Nội, the menu changes with the seasons. From autumn leaves through to chilly winters, and into the freshness of spring, summer is here. Gia offers a welcome retreat from the pulsating heat.
This summer’s 12-course tasting menu is a love letter to Việt Nam. After years living abroad and honing her skills, this is a culinary sonnet that embraces local, seasonal ingredients with an unwavering reverence. Like a stanza, each course offers a unique voice and expression of Việt Nam’s bounty, presented with precision and an elegance nothing short of poetry.
ART MEETS FOOD: The attention to detail turns dishes into works of art.
While I could wax lyrical about the minutiae of each and every course, I will focus on the personal highlights and those clearly chosen to embody the ethos of the restaurant. The menu is deep and has many aspects, each carefully chosen by chef Sam Trần with purpose. For a tasting menu of this calibre, the price of just over VNĐ3,500,000 – seeming steep compared to local fare – is justified.
The menu began with a Wagyu beef tartare, betel leaves topped with caviar and accompanying areca nut. Betel and areca serve as offerings in traditional ceremonies and are known to have natural properties which promote conversation and openness; again, an insight into the ethos of the restaurant. Similarly, the name “Gia” itself derives from the idea of family.
These cutely named “snackings” came alongside several other introductory offerings not limited to Japanese scallops with shallot puree, pig brain, foie gras, mango and ginger jam combination and hamachi cured in onion oil. While it may sound overwhelming to the palette, the order was explained in advance and each dish rolled naturally into the next.
DINING ROOM: Tradition and modernity meet in a stunning setting.
Sponge gourd, anchovies, and dried abalone (also served at the Michelin Guide Gala dinner earlier this month) were followed by mackerel with dill and lemon peel. Taro and turmeric dried eel bridged the gap before king prawns with chilli foam made an appearance. Cà Mau crab and apricot vinegar were the dominant flavours in a cold rice noodle dish inspired by traditional summer favourite bún ốc nguội.
As is likely evident from the abundance of aforementioned flavours, ingredients, and combinations, this menu is rich. No part of your tongue is left untouched and, with a member of the team well versed in this culinary psalm alongside to help you navigate the sensory overload in front of you, it makes sense.
Quality isn’t sacrificed as Iberico ham is served with local apple and black garlic puree, which helps the menu gravitate towards a sweet finish of jams, fruits, frozen yoghurt, and a welcome petit four served downstairs in a more casual setting, while you digest your culinary journey in body and mind.
The dining room itself is a sanctuary of tranquillity providing a stark contrast to the vibrant chaos of Hà Nội’s streets. The décor, much like the food, marries Vietnam’s traditional beauty with a whisper of modern sophistication. It manages to showcase a modern, high-end dining experience while also drawing inspiration from the neighbouring Confucian architecture.
A real highlight to the evening was the attentive nature of Minh Ngọc and Bình Minh, ensuring we were always comfortable, and the intricacies of each course were clearly explained without a hint of pretension. The latter guided us with a genuine appreciation through the inventive alcohol pairing, providing a welcome change to the limitations of wine-only offerings.
A soft but tasty local cream ale with the sweet aroma of osmanthus flower – a scent to remind you of a place familiar and peaceful – arrives early to ready you for what’s to come. Junmai sake is specially selected – with quality affirmed by the 65 per cent rice polishing ratio – before a surprising German wine creates an entertaining conversation with Bình Minh on its country of origin.
Next comes a wine from the volcanic slopes of Tenerife, unexpectedly smoky but simultaneously fruity; the sweetness in firm contrast to its German counterpart. Last – and I genuinely mean certainly not least – is a house made cocktail of mezcal in highball style. It’s a drink I would return for, and I can only hope Binh Minh shares the recipe with me!
There is no easy way to finish a review of this restaurant. When I first moved to Việt Nam, I had enjoyed the delights of fine dining before, but the more rustic approach to food in the country is addictive and enchanting. Flavour has never been lacking here, but having such a precise and considered menu – changing with the seasons, as we all do – is a serious addition to the dining scene of Hà Nội, and worthy of a journey for those who reside outside the capital.
This symphony of Việt Nam’s best produce and the skill, creativity, and consistency that goes into each and every aspect of the experience is something that will have me returning through the seasons. In the same lyrics that introduce this review, it’s said that “you’d kill yourself for recognition”. Gia has no need to; they have achieved an accolade that most restaurants can only dream of, and it is well and truly deserved. — VNS
OVietnam