THE FRENCH OCCUPATION OF VIETNAM IS OF COURSE ONE OF THE INGREDIENTS WHICH GIVE HO CHI MINH CITY ITS DISTINCTIVE FLAVOR, AND TASTES OF THE ERA STILL RESOUND TO THIS DAY. Naturally, the city is a good place to find French food at very reasonable prices.
Au Parc: 23 Han Thuyen Street, Dist. 1. Phone: 829 2772.
The New York Times writes: "Colonial and postcolonial intersect at Au Parc (23 Han Thuyen Street, District 1; 84-8- 829-2772), a chic, airy cafe that serves North African food with a French touch, like a rustic vegetable soup and a merguez sandwich piled high with frites. You could spend a whole afternoon at one of the tile-topped tables, mulling the past over an espresso and a house-made brownie."
Hideaway Cafe: 41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach Street, Dist. 3. Phone: (08) 822 4222
This somewhat out of the way place is managed by a Vietnamese woman who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, Christine Van. Her experience with both cultures (ie both East and West) has created an awareness of the expectations brought to the table by both Vietnamese and foreign clients.
As the good folks at Vietnam Tourism Info write: "The first thing that strikes one about Hideaway Cafe is that the name fits. Nestled down a small laneway off Pham Ngoc Thach Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Hideaway is tricky to find. And sitting in a generous armchair in the light-filled, Moroccan-inspired dining room, really does feel like being in a haven; far from the noise and havoc of the streets outside. Very appealing. I predict long afternoons over cups of coffee or freshly squeezed juices, maybe even a decadent cake or two; the owners installing WiFi in the building means I could work on my laptop here too!"
