Review: Gia, The Restaurant Heralding a New Wave of Vietnamese Fine Dining Cuisine
Though elevated Vietnamese cuisine has always existed, few have claimed ‘fine dining’ status amongst the eyes of seasoned culinarians. Often, polished Vietnamese restaurants disguise traditional Vietnamese staples as fine dining fare by injecting high-end ingredients such as foie gras and caviar. Fortunately, that’s not the case at Gia in Hanoi, helmed by founder Long Tran, a seasoned Michelin-trained Maître D' (now-defunct Andre and 1-Michelin Meta in Singapore) and Executive Chef Sam Tran, who cut her teeth in the likes of world-renowned restaurants such as Bawa Cafe and Sunda Dining (2-hatted restaurant and a contender on World’s 50 Best Discovery List).
Founders Long Tran (left) and Executive Chef Sam Tran
Armed with an impressive repertoire of global culinary accolades and experience, the duo behind Gia is hungry to leave their mark on Vietnam’s up-and-coming industry. Despite the pandemic (2020/2021), Vietnam made history by placing not one but two restaurants on the highly acclaimed World’s 50 Best (1-100) list, signifying a coming-of-age gastronomy heralded by a group of chefs, both Vietnamese and foreigners, eager to claim their spot on the global taste-making stage.
A two-story establishment boasting a private dining area and in-house fermentation room filled with illuminating jars of vegetables and fruits and homemade kombucha
A panoramic view of Gia’s lounge area
Enter Gia and you’re greeted with a buzzy, dimly-lit and sleek interior reflecting a playful marriage of East meets West and tradition meets contemporary. Think sultry blue undertones, dark mahogany wooden floors against a bold emerald green backdrop. I’m transported back to a different era of what I can only describe as ‘‘Old Vietnam’ to put it romantically. The service is impeccable and the attention to detail is worthy of mentioning. I remember vividly being greeted the moment I stepped out of my car to enter the space, introduced the concept and treated to a petit yet palatable appetiser. The ‘waiting area’ as Long describes is to destress, calm down and ready oneself for what awaits upstairs in the main dining room. What a fantastic concept considering it was pouring outside and I was not only rained on but also flustered from being late! A cooldown area was very much appreciated.
Gia’s intimate and unassuming private dining room (Source: Gia Hanoi)
The restaurant is housed in a colonial-esque building and exudes elements of French architecture which further adds to the allure of Gia. Besides an unassuming private dining room tucked away at the end of the first floor, Gia also has an in-house fermentation ‘lab’ filled with illuminating jars of all shapes and sizes filled with fermented vegetables, fruits and well anything and everything. A gourmet engine of bursting flavours, the fermentation lab is a little teaser to what awaits upstairs.
Ascending, I am awakened to the sight, sounds and scenes of Gia’s open kitchen, which is kept decidedly minimal and streamlined to focus singularly on perfecting each dish on its Vietnamese-accented menu. The entire experience leading to the dining table is a well-orchestrated journey with each floor unravelling another layer of Gia’s ethos - to pay homage to the sanctity of Vietnamese ingredients and cuisine. With every unfold, my curiosity and anticipation grows of the unknown elevated Vietnamese-accented menu. It’s also interesting to note that all of Gia’s menus are paired with beverages (non-alcoholic, alcoholic, champagne) because well, in the words of founder Long Tran, “Food is enhanced by drink.” I concur.
12-course (69 USD) Vietnamese-accented menu inspired by the Five Elements of Vietnamese cuisine and the concept of Yin & Yang
A photo of Gia’s table holder introducing the ethos of the restaurant (Source: Gia Hanoi)
The 12-course Spring menu (non-alcoholic) priced at 1.59m (69 USD) is inspired by traditional Vietnamese foodfare and pays tribute to the five core elements of the cuisine namely - water, fire, earth, water and air. Tying the elements together is the ancient philosophy of ‘Yin and Yang’ which binds the plethora of ingredients, textures and colours to achieve harmony on the palate. Furthermore, in pursuit of ecological sustainability, Gia adopts a “head to tail” philosophy which entails cooking using all parts in a strive towards zero-waste.
Metal: Rice cracker snack accompanied by a rainbow of condiments
Charred cauliflower atop a bed of garlic puree and fermented chilli and finished with coriander
Opening with a rice cracker snack accompanied by a rainbow of condiments including dried prawns, salted anchovies, pickled strawberry and kohlrabi, this whets the appetite and awakens the taste buds to the different flavour profiles - sour, sweet, salty and spicy. The perfect prelude to the next dish, charred cauliflower atop a bed of garlic puree and fermented chilli and finished with coriander. In the palate, it’s sweet and smoky yet also nicely balanced by the zest and sting from the fermented chilli.
Congee with pork jus served with tea-fed pork, Vietnamese onion and steamed cabbage
Every dish is first-rate and is testament to Chef Sam Tran’s thoughtful and skillful curation and consideration of each ingredient’s texture, flavour and colour. Another thing to note is how each course warrants not only a change in beverage but also cutlery and place mats to match the element. There were however two stand-out dishes that left me hankering for more. First, a simple, humble yet hearty bowl of congee cradled in pork jus and tea-fed pork topped with a side of Vietnamese onion and steamed chinese cabbage. While the ingredients seem simple, I say this with no shame, that the bowl of congee is so compelling that it’s begging to be licked-up.
Up next is Gia’s rendition of a Hanoian classic - Chả Cá (Hanoi Fried Fish). Let’s just say the ‘Chả Cá’-styled grilled barramundi served with fish mint chimichurri, charred okra and garlic shoots was supremely executed. The grilled barramundi delivers a long finish transcendental smokiness, rightly tempered with a dose of mildly flavoured garlic shoots. The fish mint chimichurri is a playful medley of textures as well as flavour marrying savoury and fresh notes together. Every bite is nostalgic and while one’s natural instinct is to draw a comparison with the street food favourite, to do so would devalue the deliciousness and essence of this dish. In my opinion, this dish is the epitome of elevated Vietnamese cuisine, revealing subtle Vietnamese influence combined with skilful culinary technique and finesse.
Coffee earth cherry with burnt orange dark chocolate, truffle and toasted tea
Chef Sam Tran’s choice of dessert debunks decadent expectations typically associated with chocolate. Instead, her take is aptly light and refreshing. Debuting a coffee earth cherry with burnt orange dark chocolate, truffle and toasted tea, this dessert is a mash-up of sweet, smokey yet fruity flavours. The perfect finish to a wonderful evening I must say.
A seasonal (every quarter) menu that is impressively affordable and worthy of a return
While the 12-course menu appears mammoth, it is adequate and does not leave you feeling stuffed on the way. It is also impressively affordable for the quality of service (probably one of the best in Vietnam) and ingredients. Though Gia is considered a new-comer (opened in late December 2020) in Vietnam’s up-and-coming F&B scene, it is definitely a strong contender and one to look out for. Thankfully, Gia changes its menu every quarter which means hungry diners (like myself) have something to look forward to and that, my friend, is something truly worth waiting for.
Website: https://gia-hanoi.com/
Address: 61 Văn Miếu, Đống Đa, Hà Nội 100000
Contact: +84 896 682 996
**Gia Hanoi is currently not open due to the latest C-19 restrictions in Vietnam. For the latest news and announcements, please refer to their website or Facebook page.
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