WALKING INTO THE CLOUDS TO MIZŨMI
I felt like I was lost in the clouds, surrounded by the misty West Lake on a late afternoon when I arrived at Mizumi - a modern Japanese restaurant located on the 13th floor of a famous building on Xuan Dieu Street, Hanoi. When my heart needs to calm down in the hustle and bustle of life, the experience at Mizumi accidentally means more than just a culinary experience from the land of cherry blossoms. Intimate, relaxing and enjoyable!
Mizũmi Restaurant is located on the 13th floor of the building and above is Mizũmi Sky Lounge - a unique concept to experience modern Japanese cuisine.
Mizùmi – the Japanese pronunciation of Water, the origin of all things in life, brings about the feeling of returning to the primitive, quintessential, and gentle things that are the characteristics of Japanese culture. Contrasting with the mist, white clouds, and sparkling waves from the outside landscape, the interior space of Mizùmi is filled with warm yellow, welcoming each guest to embark on a journey of culinary discovery here.
In the traditional Japanese art of Kintsugi, when an object is broken, the Japanese will use gold pieces to weld the uneven pieces together, restoring the object's complete beauty and thus making it last forever. This art form is considered a subtle expression of beauty through imperfection, most clearly seen in the patchwork green marble kitchen counter with the uneven lines of tarnished copper metal. With the same meaning, gold has been cleverly chosen as the main color tone for interior designs, chairs, dining tables... in restaurants. The blue of water is used to create accents in every detail, from black glazed sake cups, or food plates... dotted with a stroke of blue water by the ceramic artist, both unintentionally and intentionally, different but implying respect and cherishing each traditional Japanese cultural value.
As you explore the restaurant space, each part of the experience offers unique touches not only in cuisine but also in design.
Mizùmi’s space is inspired by aizome workshops, where the art of indigo dyeing gives Mizùmi’s tapestries, wooden furniture, and ceramic vases their distinctive blue hue – a nod to Water. Thus, a blue painting specifically created for Mizùmi is displayed in the restaurant’s large banquet room, which can accommodate 20 to 30 guests for a meal. For smaller groups, room dividers are used to divide the large room into smaller, cozy spaces.
Private Dining Room – Private Dining Room where Mizumi's signature blue painting is displayed.
According to your preference, you can dine inside the restaurant, or choose tables outside on the terrace where you can enjoy the cool air typical of the end of the year with a view of the poetic West Lake.
Choose to dine on the terrace to fully enjoy the poetic and windy view of West Lake from above.
A place to enjoy the golden sunset, sipping great drinks with your loved one.
There are many ways to experience Japanese cuisine, such as choosing Omakase style (in Japanese meaning “I will trust, leave it to you”) at the sushi counter to enjoy the freshest and most perfect seafood available in season of the year. However, I still recommend you to dine at the Teppanyaki counter to enjoy the skillful cooking demonstrations and directly hear the inspiring culinary stories from the chef.
Area to enjoy the skillful performances of Teppanyaki chefs.
EXPERIENCE MODERN JAPANESE CUISINE WITH A PRECIOUS WINE COLLECTION
In charge of creating Mizùmi's modern Japanese cuisine is chef Danny Yong, who has 20 years of experience and loves and understands Japanese cuisine through the eyes of a Westerner. Each dish Danny Yong creates is a perfect harmony, almost absolutely, by the charming combination, stimulating the taste buds from traditional Japanese ingredients and spices with Western ingredients and spices.
Each dish is a fusion of traditional Japanese and Western ingredients.
Ingredients are carefully selected to ensure the freshest quality for each dish.
Chef Danny shared that the inspiration for Mizùmi's culinary style comes from combining traditional Japanese ingredients with "touches" of Western cuisine. For example, oysters from the Hokkaido sea, specially ordered for the restaurant, will be cooked with miso cream and sliced truffle mushrooms; Nha Trang lobster with garlic butter sauce stir-fried with caviar and green peppers; sashimi amberjack served with a light, sour lemon sauce in French style or the combination of Japanese Yuzu lemon and foie gras or beef steak sauce... So, I had the experience of enjoying Japanese cuisine, in a Japanese space, following the Teppanyaki cooking technique but with a very unique, strange style, stimulating the taste buds, curiosity to explore and extremely enjoyable. Cuisine and culinary creation stories have no limits when the chef is knowledgeable, loves the profession and is passionate about bringing new dishes to please his guests.
Food presentation is also important to enhance the culinary experience.
Beautifully presented dishes are a highlight that marks the unique style of each chef.
Like most other high-end Japanese restaurants, Mizùmi also chooses the best quality food sources, from direct imports from Japan, to hand-picking the best local agricultural and seafood products. In particular, don't forget to experience the Imperial Caviar, which Mizùmi cooperates with the Caspiar sturgeon farm to provide exclusive products for the restaurant.
One thing you definitely shouldn't miss when dining at Mizũmi is the drink menu. Mizũmi has a whole collection of wines that the staff here are very proud of. When talking about Japanese cuisine, it is impossible not to mention Sake. At Mizũmi, Sake is not simply a drink but is elevated to become an art of enjoyment. From rare sake bottles brewed from rice grains polished to 1% of the rice core so that the brewed wine has the most quintessential flavor to long-aged sake bottles with a sweet and spicy taste and a smooth aftertaste... all are carefully selected when brought back to pamper the restaurant's guests. A cup of hot sake is gentle and smooth, while a cup of cold sake will be spicier, stronger and the aftertaste will last longer. Sake stimulates and refreshes the taste buds so that you can fully enjoy the next dishes without mixing flavors.
Sake bottles are indispensable in Japanese cuisine.
However, modern Japanese cuisine allows for much more, be it Whisky or inspired cocktails.
Another difference that makes guests quite surprised and excited in the journey of experiencing modern Japanese cuisine here is the combination of whisky with Japanese dishes. Alcohol that can be used with Japanese dishes is not just Sake as everyone assumes. And, Japanese whisky here is also very special when carefully selected so that when combined with cuisine, there is nothing to criticize because the combination is so harmonious to create a unique modern Japanese culinary style at Mizumi.
In the chilly weather, looking for a peaceful, luxurious and intimate place to pamper yourself and enjoy meaningful year-end days with your loved ones, Mizumi will be a perfect suggestion. Enjoy sushi at the Omasake counter from: 1 million VND/person. The daily menu as suggested by the chef starts from: 8 million VND/person.
