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A Hong Kong-style atmosphere in the heart of Vietnam.
Inspired by classic Hong Kong eateries, Kai Kai is designed with white and red as its main colors. From the outside, the restaurant exudes a cozy atmosphere with soft yellow lighting, and the order counter stands out with its illuminated Chinese nameplate. The simple low wooden tables and chairs, with their surfaces covered in stickers, movie photos, and images of Hong Kong celebrities, evoke memories of small eateries in Hong Kong's old neighborhoods.
The storefront of Kai Kai tea shop on Huynh Man Dat street.
The space is compact but meticulously designed. On the walls, posters of films like "In the Mood for Love" and images of Hong Kong movie stars from the past are arranged interspersed. The quiet atmosphere and the melodious Hong Kong music of the 90s give diners the feeling of being in a small alley in Kowloon.
Every little corner of the shop can become a beautiful photo spot. The warm yellow light from the ceiling lamps combined with the dominant red color creates a feeling that is both nostalgic and modern. Kai Kai tea shop has even become a favorite check-in spot for young people, not only because of its retro beauty but also because it feels like sitting in a roadside tea shop in Hong Kong right in the heart of Saigon. The aroma of tea gently permeates the air, the scent of ginger, beans, and sesame seeds blending together, creating a pleasant and intimate feeling.
The cafe's interior stands out with its dominant white and red color scheme combined with soft yellow lighting.
A familiar menu with the flavors of Hong Kong.
Kai Kai serves many familiar desserts from Chinese culinary culture such as black sesame sweet soup, peanut sweet soup, glutinous rice ball sweet soup, and egg tea. In addition, the menu also features dishes with distinctive Hong Kong flavors such as Kai Kai tofu (made from soy milk, served with chewy sweet potato, red beans, and ginger syrup), pumpkin tofu, Yangzhi Jinlu (a refreshing mango and pomelo dessert), and red bean, tangerine peel, and lotus seed sweet soup.
The shop's menu offers a diverse selection of Chinese desserts, as well as its own creative variations that offer novel flavors.
Egg custard - one of the familiar and famous desserts of the Chinese people.
"We cook the same way we cook at home," shared Nhi Tran, the owner, about the process of selecting and preparing ingredients. Everything is fresh, and each batch is prepared manually. No canned food or artificial flavorings are used. From sweet potatoes and taro to fruits and various types of beans, everything is carefully processed by the staff to preserve their natural flavor.
The desserts are served in small bowls, accompanied by a glass of shaved ice and a white ceramic spoon. Each can be enjoyed in its own way, served hot to fully appreciate the warm sweetness, or with ice for a refreshing coolness on a hot summer day. Prices range from 25,000 to 50,000 VND per serving, affordable yet providing a satisfying experience.
The dessert is served in a small bowl, accompanied by a glass of shaved ice and a ceramic spoon.
Kai Kai welcomes a diverse clientele, from elderly people visiting in the mornings and families with young children in the afternoons to groups of young friends chatting lively on weekend evenings. The shop is also a favorite stop for many international tourists, especially those from Japan, Singapore, China, Thailand, and some European countries. In the midst of modern Saigon, they find here a refreshing bowl of sweet dessert with the flavors of old Hong Kong eateries.
Kai Kai dessert shop attracts customers of all ages and from many countries.
From travel inspiration to a street-side tea shop.
Nhi Tran is a Vietnamese woman of Chinese descent, born and raised in the former District 5, a place famous for its rich Chinese culinary scene. Traditional Chinese dessert shops in the former Districts 5, 6, and 11 are a part of her childhood memories, where she and her family would go for meals every weekend.
“Most of the Chinese desserts in Cholon Market originate from Hong Kong. Hong Kong was also the first place I traveled to as a child, so it left a deep impression and a feeling of familiarity,” she said. And so, Kai Kai, a dessert shop with the flavors of Hong Kong, officially opened in September 2024. The main chefs at Kai Kai are her two aunts, also of Chinese descent, who have been cooking desserts for her since childhood. It can be said that customers visiting Kai Kai can enjoy a taste of the childhood memories associated with the shop owner.
Kai Kai dessert shop is a part of childhood memories that owner Nhi Tran has poured into the space and flavors of its desserts.
Although it's just a small tea shop at 36 Huynh Man Dat Street, Thanh My Loi Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, with a modest storefront, it encapsulates a cherished culinary and aesthetic heritage, carefully nurtured by the owner. Kai Kai is a place where diners can find just the right amount of sweetness, a warm and gentle aroma, and a classic, peaceful atmosphere, like being in a small Hong Kong-style café in the heart of bustling Saigon.
