The front of the new restaurant
In best tradition the name is displayed multiple times
Don't be too misled by the title Bistro. This was due to the word 'restaurant' being too long, and the need for a short word to fit the space available. Inside you will not find an intimate space with low lights, rather a small brightly lit hall. Nor should Vietnamese friends take the translation of 'bistro' as a 'small drinking place' too seriously. It is not small with its 140 or so seats on two floors, together with five private dining rooms. What singles it out is the the high quality fresh sea food which is steamed at your table, by yourself or the staff as you wish.
The restaurant's name made in (plastic) flowers
The neighbouring shop supplies containers of all sizes to hold home made wine and vodka
The path to the fields at the rear of the restaurant gives access to the graveyard and to a view of the...
...restaurant's rear that the customers do not see; the restaurant is the building capped in red tiles
View of the ground floor of the restaurant with the 8 tables full
Looking towards the back of the main dining room with the bar to the left at the back, the mural above, and the fish tanks and staircase to the right
Nestling by the bar is the business's altar. Every house and workplace has such in Vietnam where flowers, food, imitation money, drink and cigarettes are placed
The mural
was hand painted
onto the wall by two artists
Central to the main dining hall is this very elegant glass chandelier which with the balustrades gives the room a slightly European feel
Eight cameras around the building allow the constant monitoring of all areas on a large screen at the bar and via an internet link to the owners' phones. The film is recorded and of high enough quality to identify people - I appear in the yellow shirt in the centre frame
The staff wait for a training session
A family serving from the bowl of cooked foods
The grills of the 'steam hot pot' system, can be seen in the centres of the tables above. This is a modern variation on Vietnam's favourite form of dinner: a stew cooked on the table by the diners. The foods are held on a grill above a bowl from which steam is pumped. There is rice in the bowl and the juices and small pieces drop down to form a mixture making a rice soup with which the meal is concluded. The control unit can be seen just below
Above, the stainless steel bowl (reflections making it look more dome like) with its cover and grill set aside...
...and here with the cover on the bowl and the control unit at the edge of the table. Then in the right hand picture...
...the control unit allowing timings and temperatures to be controlled by the diners, although usually assisted by the staff
The fish tanks beside the staircase,
and to the left the bar
Three tables set out for a staff meal: no place mats or glasses. And Mr Hân waits with his phone for the meal...
The largest private dining room with 16 seats, expandable to take up to 30 well packed, with Vietnamese know-how, people
...on other occasions he uses a VIP room as an office
The kitchen with the cookers on the right...
...and looking the other way down the room
The nine tanks have crabs like the above, fish which have no equivalent in northern waters such as the two to the right with their red lip-stick...
...as well as technicolor shellfish (above in bright blue-green), dogfish and shrimps. These are brought from the near-by sea or fish farms each day
The three metre sign at the entrance puts Hân and Duyên's names in lights
Trailers...
The next page
in the Picture Posting
Section has more on the food and the diners at the new restaurant.
The next page
in the Mosaic Section is
entitled:- 'Objects'.
Or go to the contents of the Mosaic Section.
The last page was on a New Year's meal at another sea food restaurant
Go to a page on the traditional way of eating in Vietnam: on mats on the ground
Go to a page on food presentation in Vietnam
