If a restaurant - besides having delicious food, beautiful decoration, attentive staff..., also has the ability to make diners feel "happy" from the first moment they set foot in, would you be curious?
Rescue, relief
Following a friend’s recommendation, we went to the restaurant (let’s not mention the name of this place for now, to keep the discovery a little mysterious, and also to avoid readers from mistakenly thinking that this is just an advertisement). That day was a weekend, coincidentally the day this place held an outdoor music exchange. Perhaps that’s why the atmosphere of the restaurant on the evening we went was warmer and more enthusiastic than usual.
The restaurant’s garden space is larger, more airy and more sparkling than the inside, it is also a magical space for dogs to play and run around. That’s right, you can’t ignore the dogs – they will be the first characters you “meet” when you step through the restaurant gate. There are a lot of dogs here.
From dogs around 2 years old, to those 8 or 9 years old, from “local” dogs to “western” dogs, there are no specific requirements for the dogs living here; they all have experienced a dark past, were rescued and are now gradually recovering under the care of the restaurant, while waiting for new owners - among the diners who come here, to take them home.
“Recovery” is a special concept, a difficult task at the restaurant. These dogs, in addition to having suffered physical injuries, also carry mental wounds. Jay, one of the three owners of the restaurant, told us that one dog was beaten and abandoned by its previous owner, leading to a state of depression for a long time; or another dog was so haunted by the beating that every sudden “click” of the camera made it jump up in fear... It is the mental healing that requires a lot of time and effort. And here, they will be patient until each dog is fully recovered.
Recovery, recovery
The evening we arrived, many foreign guests were sitting in the yard, playing with their dogs while waiting for their food. A glittering stage was set up outside, and soon the acoustic tunes of homegrown artists would be playing. From a corner of the yard, one could see the quiet night view of the town. Tiny lights were flashing, distant rooftops stretched out, a few groups of friends were chatting, their glasses of wine swaying.
Away from the hustle and bustle outside, we chose a table inside the restaurant to have more chance to chat with the team here.
The menu was brought to the table, and we moved on to the next surprise: the food here was so rich! Japanese ramen and tempura; Italian pizza and spaghetti; Mexican nachos; Indian curry; fresh vegetables and salads from Dalat; and a series of cakes, home-brewed wines, craft beer and homemade milk... After going through the 6 pages of the menu, I felt like I had just taken a quick trip from Dalat across Asia, Europe and America, with the culinary characteristics of each region. Talking to Jay, I learned that this was exactly the restaurant's intention. They want diners to come here without feeling limited by country, geography or region; they want everyone to be open, free, giving and receiving.
After we ordered, the waiter took back the menu and instead placed on our table a “résumé” of the dogs living here. Inside were pictures of each dog, along with their birth dates, origins, etc., and the story of their journey before coming to this place. They were all sad stories, but told in the innocent, optimistic voice of a child.
The “dog profile” is always given to customers by the staff right after they finish ordering, this information will be useful if someone is considering adopting a dog, it is also a way for the restaurant to convey their message: Here, dogs are treated equally as humans; they have a history, a name, a language and a story.
Thanks to the past stories told in the file, we began to observe the dogs around us with a more… understanding attitude. When I looked closely at Bi’s eyes, the dog lying on the sofa next to me – those innocent, wet, wary eyes – in my mind appeared a fast-forwarded film of the boy’s dark past. Suddenly, I saw, in those same eyes, how much courage and determination there was.
After a few laps with the dogs around the restaurant, I returned to my seat, ready for the food to be served.
“How do you feel?” my friend asked.
“Everything is beautiful,” I replied, “but the waiters play with the dogs and serve the people at the same time. When do they wash their hands?”
“You’re here and you still have that kind of thinking?!” - my friend suddenly raised his voice harshly. Right at that moment, the food was brought out, interrupting an argument that was about to break out between us.
Rethink, reconceptualize
After we devoured our delicious meal – Dalat salad, nachos, soba noodles, curry rice, along with a few glasses of house wine – Jay appeared again with another surprise: all the dishes we had just enjoyed were… vegetarian.
Thinking back, I realized that I had only eaten vegetables, beans, and fruits, without any meat or eggs. But the harmony and richness of each dish completely conquered our taste buds and vision, making us both not realize that we were “lacking”. We felt satisfied.
“The restaurant only serves vegetarian and vegan food,” Jay said. “On one hand, we want to contribute to environmental sustainability, and on the other hand, we want to promote the cessation of killing dogs and all other animals.”
Like the two of us, many other diners lingered in the restaurant after their meals, either to enjoy the performances on the outdoor stage, or simply to gather around the fire, petting and playing with the dogs. There were people from Da Lat, Saigon, Hanoi, Asians, Europeans… It was strange that even though no one talked or got to know each other, thanks to the “glue” that bound them together, the dogs (they ran everywhere, spreading warmth wherever they went), I felt as if everyone was living under one roof.
At 10 o'clock, the music had stopped, the fire was still burning brightly, and people stood chatting in small groups around the yard.“Time to go to bed!” -A staff member suddenly called out to each dog. Immediately, the little ones abandoned their unfinished game with their new acquaintances and ran into the house, one by one crawling into the blankets and mattresses that had been laid out waiting for them. This is Bi, this is Bap, this is Chip Chip… Some of them had the temperament of “Miss Congeniality”, some were alone all day, and some still barked loudly when meeting strangers, but at the end of the day, they returned here, eager to lie next to each other on a warm mattress and fall asleep.
Isn't the greatest "luxury" in life to end each day with a good night's sleep?
Looking at their obediently closed eyes, I suddenly realized that the pursuit of happiness of these dogs and children is just as pure as that of humans.
While paying, I asked a staff member why the restaurant was called R House.“R” sounds close to “our”, meaning “our house”, he said. Only then did he remember his question before the meal and feel embarrassed.
So this place can cure diseasesImine
More information
-R Houseis a vegetarian, vegan restaurant & Dog Rescue Station. R House Da Lat is the second branch of R House, the first branch in Saigon has been operating for more than a year.
- R House is a home for abandoned dogs, a bridge between dog lovers, who want to heal poor dogs as well as heal themselves. They can adopt dogs, but to adopt, they will have to go through a strict process so that R House can ensure the right adopter.
- R House is founded by a group of 3 young people from the US, the Philippines and Vietnam. Each person works in a different field, from art, advertising to NGO.
