Missing Japan? Visit these 3 restaurants in... Hanoi

1. Masu Japanese restaurant

Masu is located on the spacious Ly Thuong Kiet street, in the city center. The prominent "identifying" feature of this place is the outer wall with light-colored wooden bars typical of Japan, accented with the restaurant name in the blue color of the sea, creating a luxurious impression without being ostentatious.

Although it was born later than other Japanese restaurants on the same street, Masu still has its own unique appeal - perhaps because of its style, quality and... price.

Masu's space is harmonious with warm, light-colored wood from the partition walls, tables and chairs to the tissue boxes and straw mats. The brand identity on Masu's menus and decorations creates an impression of unity and elegance. The private dining rooms are named after the seasons of the year. Wooden windows let the city sunlight into the space, creating a harmonious overall picture of bright colors. As Masu describes himself, "the space is a stage, where the main character, the essence of Japanese cuisine, can shine."

Japanese cuisine is famous partly because of the delicate beauty of the dishes, the way they are presented, just looking at them makes diners feel beautiful and warm in the stomach. Masu recreates that characteristic in the restaurant's dishes; as well as focusing on the quality of fresh ingredients from the sea, "each dish has its own season", bringing freshness and newness every day. At Masu, diners can taste sashimi at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius - the average temperature of the Japanese sea in autumn and early winter, the season of many special fish. Or Omakase - a sophisticated, expensive type of Japanese cuisine, is also served at Masu and always receives the curiosity and love of diners coming here.

In addition to a variety of fresh fish and exclusive sake, Masu also has some creative dishes such as: Hanabi cake (birthday cake made from sturgeon eggs), Nigari Hokkaido Special, Sea urchin egg pizza,...

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Fanpage:Masu

Address: 60 Ly Thuong Kiet

Opening hours: 10:00 – 14:00, 18:00 – 23:00

Price: average from 400,000 VND/person, or from 1.5 million VND/person if eating Omakase

2. Vege-ro Vegetarian Ramen Shop

Vege-ro is a vegetarian ramen shop located in a small alley next to Truc Bach Lake, like a hidden gem in the heart of Hanoi, "humble" with a cloth printed with the shop's name.

The restaurant space is cozy and simple in traditional Japanese style. Vege-ro is small with a small counter design, open kitchen, customers will witness the entire elaborate cooking process of the chef right on the spot. Vege-ro's seating capacity is only enough for a maximum of 6 people, even if you do not reserve a table in advance when the restaurant is full, you will have to wait a long time or leave with regret.

The flavors of each type of broth for each type of ramen here are very distinctive and rich in authentic Japanese flavor. Each type of broth for each ramen dish will be made “fresh” after the customer orders. Respecting and thanking nature, each bowl of ramen at Vege-ro will be “flooded” with the colors of rich seasonal vegetables. Here, you can try ordering noodlesgluten-free(not made from wheat flour) is also unique and worth experiencing.

Because it is a small noodle shop, and only sells vegetarian ramen, each dish and drink at Vege-ro seems to be meticulously calculated by Vege-ro with limited quantities. The menu only has about 10 types of ramen and some creative appetizers; or drinks/cocktails are also created based on "Japanese" ingredients such as matcha, wasabi, Japanese whisky, plum wine... But surely, once you try it once, you will want to come back to this place many more times, to discover all the remaining unique dishes.

In that small, quiet and always smoky space, every customer automatically quieted down a bit, their curious eyes glued to the chef - who is also a waiter, cashier, and... the owner - preparing bowls of ramen, with a skillful, professional and attentive style. "I like the atmosphere here, cozy, close, I feel like I can live more slowly, and will definitely come back to breathe more" - a first-time customer to Vege-ro shared.

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Fanpage:Vegeta

Address: 105A2 Lac Chinh

Opening hours: 17:00 – 22:00, Saturday and Sunday open extra 11:45 – 13:45

Price: average from 100,000 VND/person

3. Moto-san's Temporary Remembrance

If Vege-ro is a place where you can quickly enjoy a full ramen meal, or Masu is an ideal place for special dates, then Moto-san will be a... journey, making diners forget the space and time of the present.

After two turns into Tam Thuong Alley, Moto-san is located. Moto-san has no big sign, only a long path in the alley leading the way. The architecture and decoration here can make you feel like you are actually in a corner of Kyoto, Japan.

Moto-san's space is a symphony of light. The lights "reside" on the ceiling, under the dining tables, interspersed with corners of the house blending with the dark wood color, all reasonable and just enough. This place has two floors with table corners to suit the mood of the diners - whether you want to hide in a small quiet corner, or sit down to eat with other diners at the large table.

In Japanese culture, “kintsugi” is the technique of manually reassembling broken ceramic pieces using a mixture of lacquer and gold, silver, or platinum; in other words,kintsugiis the cherishing and appreciation of imperfections.

With that “healing” tone, Moto-san revives the dead pieces of nature. Lampshades, “business cards” made from wood, kindling, branches, withered leaves… still live here firmly and beautifully.

Very Japanese, but Moto-san is also very Hanoian. The funny food invitations are all written in witty, simple Vietnamese. The dishes here are also adjusted to suit Vietnamese tastes: from Ramen, Sashimi, Sushi, to bread, noodles, dumplings or grilled skewers. Notably, Moto-san also has a small bar with many expensive Gins and Whiskies, for wine connoisseurs who want to linger until late at night. The restaurant also has wine, plum wine or sake to round out the meal.

In the famous Japanese story about education and children – “Totto-chan at the Window” there is a sentence that goes through the children's meal: "Have you brought enough things from the land and the sea?". If not, try visiting Moto-san.

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Fanpage:Moto-san's Temporary Remembrance

Address: 15 Tam Thuong

Opening hours: 11:00 - 14:00, 17:00 - 23:00

Price: average from 100,000 VND/person

Quynh Phuong