Books and Magazines
Artbook
43 Dong Khoi , Q1, Tel: 3502 1559
www.artbook.com.vn
Frequent overseas imports of the latest magazines and books makes Artbook a rarity in this city. Not only are the products current, but they also cover areas from art and architecture through to graphic design, fashion, cooking, interior design and landscaping. Magazine titles in stock include the likes of FutureArc, GA Houses and Landscape World. The back room doubles up as an art gallery.
Fahasa
40 Nguyen Hue, Q1 Tel: 3822 5796
www.fahasasg.com.vn
8am to 10pm
Although there are many branches of Fahasa dotted throughout the city, this is one of the largest, with three floors of books and related products in English, French, Chinese and Vietnamese. International best sellers, children’s books and toys and educational and professional textbooks are all available. Think the Vietnamese version of Waterstone’s or Borders and you’re somewhat close to understanding what this quality bookstore chain is all about.
French Bookshop Nam Phong
94 Ho Tung Mau, Q1 Tel: 3914 7859
Set in a mixed colonial, Chinese shophouse building constructed in the early 20th century, this small Gallic-run bookshop specialises in mainly French language novels and non-fiction publications with a selection of second–hand Folio editions. Also stocks art books, coffee table books and French comics.
Phuong Nam Corp (PNC)
2A Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3822 9650
www.pnc.com.vn
Now with over 30 bookstores in Ho Chi Minh City as well as other outlets throughout the country, PNC is probably the leading book retailer in Vietnam. Stocks the full range of Vietnamese fiction on non-fiction as well as over 2,000 English language titles from publishers such as HarperCollins, Random House and Penguin — the fiction available ranges from classic and modern literature through to detective novels, horror, thriller and children’s books. If you’re looking for bestseller-list titles from overseas, this is the place to start your search.
Sahabook
175/24 Pham Ngu Lao, Q1. Tel: 6290 6599
www.sahabook.com
The authorised distributor of Lonely Planet in Vietnam, the travel titles here range from titles on Eastern Europe to East Timor and city guides through to maps. Also stocks non-copied works of fiction in English (both new and second hand) as well as postcards, maps, stamp books, bills/coin collections and travel fiction.
Chinese Restaurants
BUDGET
Hu Tieu Mi Anh Ky
MI NOODLE SOUP / WANTON
80 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel: 3821 5518
6.30am to 12pm daily
Take freshly made mi noodles, put them in a pork broth, add equally fresh wantons (hoanh thanh), maybe add in some dried hu tieu noodles and put banh quay (bread sticks) and a range of sauces on the side. Et voila, you have one of the best Chinese-style Vietnamese noodle soups in Saigon. The service may be a touch slow and you’ll have to get used to an on-the-street, back to basics atmosphere, but worth every penny (and bite).
Tiem Com Ga Hai Nam
CHINESE / VIETNAMESE BINH DAN
67 Le Thi Hong Gam, Q1, Tel: 3821 7751 / 3821 8759
The popularity of Hainanese-style chicken rice is unsurprising considering this city’s large Chinese population. But few places do this iconic dish as well as this multi-storey eatery. Prepared downstairs out front, choose from ga luoc (chicken), xa xiu (sweet-roasted pork), vit quay (roasted duck), heo quay (roasted pork) and a range of other options. Also serves up binh dan-style Vietnamese fare, all cooked up with home cooking flair.
MID-RANGE
Shang Palace Restaurant
PAN-CHINESE / CANTONESE
1st Floor, Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: 3823 2221 (Ext: 164)
Located just off the Central Business District, the dark intricate wooden tables and chairs of this well-respected Chinese restaurant contrast well with the white linen and deep red carpeting. Featuring over 200 dishes including over 50 kinds of dim sum for lunch, the cuisine here is prepared by chefs from Hong Kong. Has nine private dining rooms and a main dining area seating over 300 and is a good venue for events, business functions and family get-togethers.
Tan Hai Van
PAN-CHINESE / NOODLES
162 Nguyen Trai, Q1, Tel: 3925 0824
Open 24 hours
If ever a restaurant could be said to start a trend, then Tan Hai Van fits into the mould. The first of the late-night restaurants to populate the District 1 end of Nguyen Trai, this long-running bustling venue offers the full range of Chinese fare, from dim sum and homemade noodle soup through to rice dishes, seafood and the likes of abalone. One of the best–known restaurants in town and perfect if you have an attack of midnight munchies.
Yu Chu
1st Floor, InterContinental Asiana Saigon, crn. of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, Q1
Tel: 3520 9099
www.intercontinental.com/saigon
The restaurant marries contemporary style, stylish surroundings and culinary spectacle with authentic Cantonese and Peking cuisine. As diners look on, the skillful chefs prepare hand-pulled noodles, fresh dim sum and hot wok dishes within the open, impeccably designed show kitchen.
TOP-END
Dynasty
CANTONESE / PAN-CHINESE
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Q1, Tel: 3822 8888
11.30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
Elegant surroundings, top quality ingredients, attentive service and comfortable, round-table dining makes Dynasty one of the top Chinese restaurants in town. The classic dim sum menu is reliably appetizing – check out their Sunday morning dim sum brunch. Also has a selection of set menus, both private and semi-private dining rooms and a highly rated chef hailing from Hong Kong.
Kabin
CANTONESE
Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 8–15 Ton Duc Thang. Q1, Tel: 3822 0033
12pm to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm
Offers authentic, gourmet Cantonese cuisine in an elegant, classic setting, with striking décor and the bonus of views over the Saigon River. The menus for both lunch and dinner are extensive, and this is without doubt one of the city’s finest restaurants both for dim sum and classic Chinese fare. Dim sum goes for between VND30,000 and VND50,000 per dish.
Shang Palace Restaurant
Is there a better way to while away a Sunday than delving into some dim sum? At one extreme it can almost be a contact sport: a blizzard of bamboo baskets deposited on your table by hurried waiters, battalions of children running riot, scalding tea cascading across the table — a drop or two even landing in the cup occasionally, and joyfully cacophonic conversations taking place at volume eleven. At the other end of the scale lies Shang Palace; a gentler, more restrained affair.
Shang Palace Restaurant
Located just off the Central Business District, the dark intricate wooden tables and chairs of this well-respected Chinese restaurant contrast well with the white linen and deep red carpeting. Featuring over 200 dishes including over 50 kinds of dim sum for lunch, the cuisine here is prepared by chefs from Hong Kong. Has nine private dining rooms and a main dining area seating over 300 and is a good venue for events, business functions and family get-togethers.
1st Floor, Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, Q1, Tel: 3823 2221 (Ext: 164) www.shangpalace.com.vn
Dim Sum Brunch
Satisfy any dim sum cravings at Dynasty Restaurant in New World Hotel (76 Le Lai, Q1) with a free flow of Lanson ‘Black Label’ Brut N.V. every Sunday in October from 12pm to 3pm. Priced at VND900,000++.