Tapas Kitchen at Caravelle - Restaurant Review

Cuisine: European and Vietnamese Tapas
Location: District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: ££-£££
Food: 4/5
Style Points: 4/5
Value for Money: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

The Story

Located on the ground floor of the historic five-star Caravelle Hotel in District 1 of Saigon, Tapas Kitchen is a contemporary dining space that reflects the hotel’s determination to make it once again one of the most popular hangouts in the city. Once the tallest building in the whole city, the rooftop of the Caravelle was an important place for journalists from all around the world to capture and document the Vietnam War from high on up and today there are photos dotted around the hotel that poignantly capture the importance of the Caravelle in this regard.

A bomb even went off in one of the hotel rooms in 1964 but luckily no-one was fatally injured. When you step into the hotel you really do feel the history and importance of the place and, with 2019 being the hotel’s 60th anniversary on Christmas Eve, it’s an important year for the Caravelle to celebrate the past, present and future as it continues to reinvent itself after so many years.

The Tapas Kitchen is an example of this reinvention and I really like the imagination used to create a sophisticated and elegant dining area in quite a compact space. I especially love the open kitchen where there is a small seating area where five lucky patrons can see the chefs prepare the food right in front of them.

There’s also a live singer and pianist in the evening which really adds to the elegance, especially if you have a table that overlooks the iconic Saigon Municipal Opera House and it’s beautiful French Colonial architecture. 

The Food?

Although it’s called Tapas Kitchen, it isn’t tapas in the Spanish sense. Each small plate is more of an introduction to different cuisines from around the world and the menu certainly has a lot of choice that will keep even the most fussiest of diners pleased. For round one, we started with a Traditional Caesar salad, Vietnamese soft ox tongue with crispy pork fat, peanuts and spices, and Provolone and rocket filo triangles with tomato relish.

The Caesar Salad had all the traditional components including romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, anchovies, mustard, and garlic. I thought it was very nice, although my husband found it too fishy for his liking so it might be one to avoid if you aren’t a fan of fish. The ox tongue was an interesting sounding plate that I was a bit unsure of before and after I tried it.

I really liked the crispy pork fat and the spicy sauce was delicious but I just found the ox tongue too metallic in taste and too ‘rough’ in texture. I just don’t think I’m a fan of ox tongue as my husband really enjoyed it and it was one of his favourite dishes of the meal.

One dish that we both agree on is the filo triangles - they were delicious. Similar to an Indian samosa in look, the triangles were filled with gooey rich provolone cheese that seemed to burst at the seams of the pastry. Combined with the sweet tomato relish, it was simple a divine dish that put a smile on both of our faces.

Round two and it was the time of Mini butter poached lobster brioche roll with Saigon cocktail sauce, Pan-roasted salmon escalope with sauce vierge, and Wagyu slider with crispy onion ring, sharp Cheddar and Béarnaise sauce. I love lobster and these rolls were packed with meaty lobster that were incredibly tender and juicy from being poached and smothered in butter. The cocktail sauce was lovely too and the combination with the lobster was right on the money. A truly decadent plate that matches the decor and setting of the Caravelle Hotel.

The salmon dish was also very nice and the salmon was cooked perfectly to make the salmon soft and flaky. The sauce vierge was full of chopped coriander, olive oil, garlic, tomato, basil and lemon juice - a great combination with the salmon.

The three wagyu sliders were my husband’s favourite of the meal and it’s hard to disagree. Mini Wagyu patties topped with melted cheddar inside soft brioche buns with a crispy onion ring placed on top for good measure.

Each bite resulted in a mouthful of juicy and moist Wagyu beef with sweetness from the brioche bun and crunchy texture from the onion ring. It’s a simple dish on paper but the combination is just perfect and it’s definitely one I highly recommend you try. 

We were going to go for a Round three but at this point we were stuffed and had to throw in the towel! Instead, we went up to the rooftop bar for a couple of cocktails and looked out at the wonderful views of Saigon as the hotel’s brilliant live Cuban band sang and danced throughout the night. It was a memorable night. 

The Price?

The six dishes between the two of us came to 996,900 Dong or £34.75/$43.02. For £35 or £17.50 per person, this was good value and by the end of the meal we were full and content. We didn’t have any drinks so this would increase the price of course but I think the prices were very reasonable for a five-star hotel setting.

Overall?

Tapas Kitchen at the Caravelle Hotel is a great restaurant that showcases how diverse Vietnamese dining is becoming. The food is delicious and quite unique in the area so if you’re after something a little different then you should definitely try Tapas Kitchen.

I also recommend having a drink or two at the rooftop bar afterwards where you can see some brilliant views of Saigon whilst listening to great live music from the band all the way from Cuba.  

Book your table at Tapas Kitchen, Caravelle Hotel.
Address: 19 - 23 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Phone: (84) 28 3823 4999

My meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own.