Exploring Hanoi – Restaurants and Bars

July 19, 2017July 19, 2017Leave a comment

BN0I4935-copy-cover.jpg.1400x500_q85_crop

Hanoi marks one of the largest parts of our love story and helps define us as the crazed couple that we are today :-). Of course there were sunny days and then days when the sun could not poke through. But in the end, this city of 9 millions will always be our home, where we would head back in search for comfort.

Our guests often ask us for recommendations for Hanoi and it always takes us a long time and much energy to select what we love most about the city. There were just so much that we miss, especially for the restaurant and bar scene, in this town. And even though we always head separate ways for food whenever we are back in Hanoi these days (me straight to the familiar street food joints and Loic for the Vietnamese fusion picks in a nicer setting), we have finally settled on a list of our top choices for the city. And granted you would need to stay for a month to enjoy everything we love to the fullest, this would hopefully give you an idea for an introductory trip here.

LUNCH PICKS:

– Quan An Ngon – 18 Phan Boi Chau: Vietnamese street food in a French colonial courtyard. Very good Vietnamese noodles and snacks at a very good price, you can try everything in one place!

– Pho – 10 Ly Quoc Su St.: You cannot go to Vietnam without eating a bowl of pho, and there is no better place to do it than in Hanoi. We come here for breakfast sometimes and always have a good experience (good broth, quick service, clean setting)

– Bun cha – 34 Hang Than St.: Popular bun cha (Vietnamese meatballs and noodle) place for the locals

– Moose and Roo Smokehouse – 21 Hai Ba Trung St. (inside the American Club courtyard): A popular choice for the expats in Hanoi if you are craving for some great BBQ in a massive garden where the kids can run wild
– Green Tangerine – 48 Hang Be St.: We love this French Vietnamese fusion restaurant in a beautiful colonial house tucked away in the Old Quarter. The set lunch menu is very reasonable if you want something different
– Koto – 59 Van Mieu St.: Stop by Koto for a lovely Vietnamese lunch after you visit the Temple of Literature. This NGO-run teaching restaurant helps train many street youth for a career in Hospitality

DINNER CHOICES:

– La Badiane – 10 Nam Ngu St.: By far the best fine dining restaurant in the city with beautiful settings. We often come here for anniversary or special occasions!

– Cau Go Restaurant – 73 Cau Go St.: Great Vietnamese restaurant with great view of Hoan Kiem Lake, you would have to make reservation in advance through their website to enjoy at this Vietnamese fine dining restaurant

– Cua hang an uong Mau dich so 37 (State-Run Food Shop No. 37) – 37 Nam Trang, Tay Ho District – A hidden restaurant that offers a sneak peak into the government’s economic reform ‘doi moi’ period. Think whitewashed walls hung with battered enamel lunch pails and a transistor radio emitting crackly period tunes, the restaurant is Van Anh’s favorite for northern home-style dishes that cannot be found much outside of Vietnamese homes

– Le Jardin French Bistro – 54 Quang An, Tay Ho District: One of the best French, European restaurants in Hanoi with great view of the West Lake. Don’t forget to leave room for the delicious lavender creme brulee!
– The Fat Pig – 74 Quang An, Tay Ho District: For those of you who are craving some taste of home, this craft brews and awesome BBQ has great view of West lake and delicious food to match the view
– Cousins – 3 Quang Ba, Tay Ho District: Voted best restaurant in Hanoi within the expat community, this hidden treasure offers a nice escape from the intensity of downtown with delicious homemade international food
– Pepe La Poule – 22 Quang Khanh St., Tay Ho District: An awesome rooftop expat restaurant with Japanese French fusion dishes that will not disappoint you. Our favorite place for a romantic date night for sure

COCKTAIL HOURS:

– Metropole Hotel – French Quarter: A great place for people watching and amazing cocktails. Take a table on the verandah facing the street and enjoy the view of Vietnamese brides and grooms queuing in line for their wedding pictures. Don’t forget to take a tour of the hotel afterward and see which celebrities have been here in the past. The Metropole’s famous Sunday brunch is also a treat for you and the family for sure
– Barbetta – 34C Cao Ba Quat St.: This funky bar near the Temple of Literature offers a combination of retro-chic decor, cheap drinks and food, and a rustic rooftop bar. Try Loic’s favorite: the Russian green tea martini and let us know what you think
– 88 Lounge: 88 Xuan Dieu St.: This well-designed wine bar is where we spent 3 nights out of every week drinking with our expat friends. That should tell you enough about the place

CHIC CAFES:

– Vui Studio – 3C Tong Duy Tan: An open cafe dedicated to showcasing the contemporary aesthetics and craftsmanship of Vietnam with lovely music and nice drinks. Check out some of their creative Gin Tonic if you happen to be there during happy hours!

– La Place – 6 Au Trieu St.: With undoubtedly the best view of Hanoi’s iconic cathedral, this little hidden cafe offers fresh juices and drinks for you to enjoy some great people-watching

LATE-NIGHT PARTIES:

– 1900 Le Theatre – 8B Ta Hien St.: Nestled at the heart of the Old Quarter on bia hoi street, the hottest club in town was converted from an old theater. Nice design, good vibe, dope clientele and civilized music are the things to be expected here.

Let us know if you have any other favorites and we will make sure to check it out and add it to our list! Enjoy Hanoi!!

Hoi An for kids

February 25, 2017February 28, 2017Leave a comment

When we start our dream project Heron House, we envisioned a fun hang-out get-away haven for expats and tourists in Hoi An. A place where you can meet and make friends with like-minded people over rounds and rounds of creative cocktails while sunbathing by the swimming pool. It was meant (and equipped) to be a fun cool place for young couples and friends.

And while we enjoyed so much the company of various couples and groups of friends traveling through Hoi An, we soon realized our popularity among families with young kids. We love them and they love us back. It is great to see our young guests’ amusement when visiting the rice fields and making friends with our farm animals. Little Nick loved chasing after ducks while little Tilly wants to bring back a cow to Saigon. Since then we have tried to adapt to meet our little guests’ needs (plenty of crayons and toys for everyone!) and reaching out to different businesses in town to find the best activities for families with kids. Hoi An is indeed a great town for kids to explore and here are some of our recommendations to get you excited:

Cooking class in Tra Que village

I always love to meet kids who are enthusiastic about foods and helping out in the kitchen. What could be a better way for the family to bond over flipping ‘banh xeo’ (our pancake) and making spring rolls. We usually recommend taking a half-day program with Water Wheel from Tra Que vegetable village, starting at 8:30am by bicycling to the local market, picking the freshest ingredients from their garden, making a big Vietnamese meal and ending the class with a food coma back at Heron House around 1:30pm.

Building sand castles at An Bang beach

Every kid loves to spend all day long at the beach (while the parents can relax with a glass of wine or read a book). We usually recommend parents to take their kids on a nice bicycle ride through the rice paddies to get to the beach. Our personal favorite place to chill out at An Bang is H’Mong Sisters (look for beach chairs with floral covers!) with great BBQ dishes and a very relaxing vibe).

Uncovering the mystery of the old town

Hoi An is a town full of history and legends, and we are excited that there just came a special way for kids and adults alike to explore the town. Halfway between a life-sized investigation, an original city-tour and a treasure hunt, Urban Tales Hoi An invites you to save the city from the mysterious Malediction of the Jiangshi. This 1/2 day excursion has been especially designed for independent travellers willing to discover the city by themselves. The scenario will lead visitors to some of Hoi An’s best parts: narrow streets, century-old wells, calligrapher’s studies and the unforgettable surrounding countryside. Good luck with the adventure and please don’t tell us the answer!

Board game tournament at Heron House

We are proud to present you with a wide range of board games for family bonding time. From Jenga to challenge your skillful hands, Life to live a different life for the day, Sorry to bring out the ‘mean’ side in you, Monopoly the special Hanoi version and many more. This is the time when different generations come together and share many laughter in the comfort of our home.

Learning how to make lanterns

Hoi An will certainly charm you with its ancient houses, colorful walls and beautiful hanging lanterns. And what could be a better souvenir to bring home than a really cool lantern that you made with your own hands? Our friends at Xu Dang Trong offer lantern-making class throughout the day so you can pop in any time for a quick treat. Let your kids bring a piece of Hoi An home with them to show off with their friends.

Be crafty at the Terracotta museum

This is certainly not a full day trip, but it well deserves half of your day to explore all the cool little exhibitions at this museum. Opened in 2015, the park nestles in the heart of Thanh Ha ancient pottery village which is famous for traditional terracotta artifacts. Everything to the tiniest details was made with so much care, from the miniature World-Heritage-list sites around the world to the terracotta walls that told the stories of Vietnam’s struggle throughout history. Your kids can also join one of the on-site workshops to make their own souvenir to bring home!

Enjoy our Hoi An and let us know if you did something super fun in Hoi An that we miss here!

Hoi An for Vegetarians/Veggie Lovers

February 1, 2017Leave a comment

It feels weird to introduce the options for vegetarian restaurants in Hoi An after a blog post with recipe of 4-kilo smoked beef. But then again we thought the beginning of the year would be the perfect time to try to lead a healthy lifestyle and explore something different. Among all the culinary varieties that Hoi An has to offer, our guests are often quite interested in the many vegetarian places around town. We cannot write a better guide for you than our friends over at Hoi An Now, so here it is, all the amazing vegetarian options for your taste buds.

*****

In general Vietnam is a great place for vegetarians. Vietnamese cuisine offers many meat-free options and, in Hoi An, most international menus have a vegetarian section. Indian, Mexican, Japanese and Italian are favored by local vegetarians in particular but there are several dedicated vegetarian restaurants as well that are so good that vegetarians and omnivores visit in equal measure. From strictly vegan to mouth-watering cream and cheese sauces; from soups and steaming hotpots to deep-fried delights and incomparable desserts – and it’s all often for a fraction of the prices elsewhere. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that if you’re not a vegetarian then dedicated veggie restaurants aren’t for you!

Am Vegetarian Restaurant

tofu-with-tomato-sauce-am-vegetarian-restauranti-hoi-an

Roughly-hewn wooden furniture and wafting ‘Om’ mantras humming in the air immediately soothe the soul. The whole space is a design triumph, more befitting New York or Paris in a funky Buddhist way. With mains around 40,000 VND Am is the classiest, cheap setting in town.

Mushrooms, tofu, salads, soups and hotpot dishes with ever so fresh ingredients are deftly spiced revealing intriguing combinations of flavor and texture. For many, Hoi An’s premier Vegetarian Restaurant.

33D Ly Thai To; +84 (0)902 763 717; 9am-9pm

Annen

annen-vegetarian-restaurant-hoi-an-external-seating_opt

Annen’s laid-back outdoor style invites you to relax. Incredibly this comfortable setting has nothing on the menu over 45,000 VND! Standouts include the refreshing and light, Sup An Niem (Annen soup) and Cha Gio – incredibly moreish, fried spring rolls.

The ubiquitous stir-fried noodles with vegetables and tofu is one of the tastiest anywhere in Vietnam – a colorful concoction of fresh, crunchy carrots, green beans, red cabbage, onion, bean sprouts and button mushrooms packed together with lightly crisped tofu and soft noodles laced with soy sauce.

320 Nguyen Duy Hieu; +84 (0)510 3861 919

Co Dam

Vegan restaurant, Co Dam, is one of the cheapest in Hoi An. No names or menus, just choose from the six or so dishes of the day. Favored by Vietnamese locals not just for price (between 15,000 and 30,000 VND!) but also for authenticity. Many dishes resemble meat counterparts mirroring pork belly or chicken legs for example, in time-honored Vietnamese tradition.

The setting may be basic but this is the real taste of Vietnam – piquant and moderately spicy.

20, 71 Phan Chu Trinh; (close 8pm)

Jack’s Cat Cafe

You share Jack’s Cafe with 70+ rescued cats who roam freely over an exquisite garden courtyard and even through ‘runs’ in the kitchen and other indoor areas. With so many cats its ideal for children. The menu changes regularly running from snacks like guacamole on rye, egg curry salad and crispy tofu and coleslaw wrap. Great coffee and fruit juices.

Small donation requested for cat welfare center. See http://www.vietnamcatwelfare.org/jacks-cat-cafe/ for availablity.

Take lane opposite 12 Le Hong Phong (not far from corner on the right); +84 (0)97 583 25 15

Karma Waters

karma-waters-chairs-and-table

In addition to local fare the menu has a large selection of Indian and International cuisine and plenty of healthy juices. The Karma Waters’ Veggie Burger’s one of the best-value meals in Hoi An and many seasoned expats rate Karma Waters among their favorites.

No MSG, no sugar, no alcohol, no smoking. All dishes are vegan and home delivery is available. Note: closes 8pm

213 Nguyen Duy Hieu; +84 (0)510 3927 632; 10am-8pm

Minh Hien

Minh Hien with its indoor, outdoor feel is a nifty place to ogle passers-by on Tran Cao Van. Delicate pumpkin slices, firm yet succulent; pork-free Cau Lau noodles swimming alongside fresh mint, salad vegetables and mushrooms; and sweet and sour straw mushrooms, moderately fired up with chili set the scene.

Vegetarian or otherwise, Minh Hien’s place as one of Hoi An’s leading value-for-money restaurants, is assured.

50 Tran Cao Van; +84 (0)932 403 905; 9am-10pm

Minh Hien 2

A kissing cousin of the original Minh Hien on Tran Cao Van – this inexpensive vegetarian restaurant is great value for money. The lightly curried pumpkin and the wonton soups are favorites and the very spicy salad of green banana, mushroom, various greens, bean sprouts and chili is a knockout – literally.

At Minh Hien 2 the owners’ gentle spirituality permeates the service and is part of a package that’ll make you want to return.

30A Dinh Tien Hoang; +84 (0) 932 403 905; 9am-9.30pm

Nomad Cafe

cafe1-820x466

Frenchman Julien Prete brings European class to Nomad Cafe with scrumptious salads drizzled with zesty dressings and pastas with unique, homemade sauces. Other parts of the menu change weekly following Mediterranean or East Asian traditions always retaining Julien’s trademark flair.

Perhaps Hoi An’s closest to urban chic cafe foodwise. From Thai green curry to chapazza and focaccia; from empanadillas stuffed with fetta and mixed salad to penne with roast vegetables. Unique juice blends also highly recommended.

6 Le hong Phong; +84 (0) 907 489 129

P & B Vegetarian Restaurant

p-b-an-bang-beach_-painting-opt-4

Two 4-course set-menus lead the way (exceptional value starting from 70,000 VND). P & B is at the yummy, some might say naughty, end of vegetarian cuisine. Think deep-fried okra, spaghetti with a cream and mushroom sauce, cheese garnishes and lightly seasoned, fried potato medallions.

Stay away if in a hurry but, if you have the time, it’s one of the best value-for-money feasts going. So, what’s keeping you?

An Bang Beach; +84 (0)905 159 567

Loïc’s awesome smoked beef

January 17, 20171 Comment

For us, the holidays are usually all about eating and drinking (and complaining about eating too much and then starting it all over again the following day). We are quite lucky that most of our guests are also food fanatics like us so we can spend hours upon hours talking about restaurants and recipes. This year, one of Loïc’s most popular holiday creations was the giant smoked beef we served on Christmas eve. Marinated for 24 hours with rock salt, Greek rosemary, zinfandel wine, worcestershire sauce and a lot of love, this recipe was so rich in flavors thanks not only to the new recipe, but also thanks to all the little local ingredients such as coconut shells, sugar cane husks, banana leaves (and also apple wood chips hand carried from America…airport customs agents must have thought that we were nuts). Anyway, no more rambling, here is the recipe for you!

Ingredients:

2-4 kilos of Beef (Cube Roll if available)
Rock Sea Salt
Rosemary
1 bottle of Zinfandel wine
120-140 ml of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1) Gradually start massaging the rock salt and rosemary into the beef after cutting off any excess fat. Depending on the size of the meat, this may take around 30 minutes to really work in the spices.

2) After the massage experience, place the beef in an airtight container and submerge the meat in Zinfandel wine and Worcestershire sauce. Be sure to use enough of both liquids to ensure that no part of the beef is exposed to air. Seal off the container and place in the refrigerator for between 18-30 hours.

3) Remove the beef from the liquids but be sure to save all the marinade as it will be used during the smoking process

4) Light up your smoker and burn the charcoal for about 30 minutes or until the charcoal is hot enough. After this (if you have access to it) begin adding coconut shells, sugar cane husks, banana leaves, and/or apple wood chips on top of the coals continually as you go along and add more charcoal as needed to ensure the temperature is sufficiently hot and smoky.

5) Once the fire is hot enough, place your beef in the smoker and let it slowly cook. The beef should have the remaining marinade brushed over it once after an hour and then re-brush the marinade over the beef every 45 minutes afterwards.

-depending on the size of the meat, total cooking time can vary between 3-4 hours on average but it can be useful to use a meat thermometer if available to ensure you don’t overcook the beef.

6) Remove beef from the BBQ, serve, and ENJOY!

Oh, you Glorious beef!

The moment of truth…

When you can see the smoke oozing out of the beef

Our guests ask for a more well done version but you can also have to medium rare too

Holiday Season ’16

January 5, 2017Leave a comment

We often joke how funny it is that we hospitality people only start our holiday once our guests have gone back to work. This year, our holiday feels so much different though. As we hugged our new year groups good bye and slowly took down the holiday decorations, we all felt a slight holiday hangover. As if our holiday has been over too. As if we are sending our friends off after such a fun party and not really sure when would be the next time we meet.

For us here at Heron House, this holiday season was truly about reunions. It was a father and daughter visiting his other beloved daughter and son-in-law in Vietnam from Africa and Europe. It was a high school reunion of three friends with their wives and kids who were living all over the world. It was a long-overdue family vacation with a lot of board games and laughter. It was exploring new places and making new friends for a pilot’s family. And for us as well, we got to welcome our two Greek friends into our home after meeting them at their home in Leros in our last summer vacation.

It was a special time for all of us. We hugged and drank and laughed and shared stories. I know Loic felt quite sad for not being with his family and friends for yet another Christmas so it was comforting to realize the number of friends we have made over the holiday.

The weather was not so kind to us over the holiday and we apologize for any hiccups you might feel during your time in Hoi An. We would like to thank you again for being a part of our holiday season and spreading the laughter and love. 2016 was a year full of challenges and difficulties but it marked a special chapter in our lives and we are happy we got to welcome the exciting new 2017 with you!

And here are some photos from our Christmas BBQ in the villa. Sorry we were so busy cooking and drinking and laughing that we did not have time for more pictures with the other groups. And thank you Quyen for stepping in and capturing these precious moments.

Our little Christmas tree with decorations from our little guests

Delicious mulled wine to start off the night

Clara is making special cookies for Santa Claus

Loic’s signature mushroom soup with truffle sauce

Slicing open the present, our 4-kilo smoked beef

Our lovely guests

… with Santa’s little helpers

#TeamBride

November 26, 20161 Comment

Natalie and Kris were the first couple that chose Heron House to be their home for their wedding weekend back in July. We were honored to host Natalie and her bridesmaids on the nights leading up to the wedding and then the newly wed couple on their wedding night. It was such a pleasure to be able to witness so much love and friendship at Heron House that day. The bridesmaids and family were coming from all over the world to our little town of Hoi An to be with Natalie on her special day.

Thank you Aaron Joel Santos and the team at Hoi An Events for the amazing photos.

We look forward to welcoming Kris and Natalie back to Heron House in the near future!

14289865_1428260287185863_1347509129093938694_o 14362716_1428260087185883_7376024011441168961_o 14372451_1428260537185838_7853580519735871861_o 14352344_1428260640519161_2434360512624048362_o 14379710_1428259880519237_3980955630207006127_o 14379923_1428260783852480_5494442491398920585_o 14258189_1428260387185853_768458158743851593_o 14379964_1428261023852456_5582738434726815984_o 14380068_1428261180519107_5485476720128595611_o 14289824_1428261370519088_5898009941542093453_o 14290001_1428261520519073_7724157247158652231_o 14379900_1428261603852398_1138274893437692088_o

Words of Encouragement

October 16, 2016Leave a comment

fullsizerender67

Friends always think that we have a really cool job. Making drinks, talking with guests, chilling out by the swimming pool, living in this really cool town… Of course, we are so happy right where we are, but it is impossible to explain the long working hours, the stress of finding the right staff, the burden of getting our place more visible to the world. So, if you can picture how much motivation and happiness and energy and excitement we feel every time we read a review from our amazing guests. Well, multiple that by ten times and that’s how grateful we are with kind words from our guests.

Like this one from Travis and Camille, a lovely couple from the US that chose to spend 5 nights with us back in July. They were also the first couple that we went out for dinner with (a very boozy night at H’Mong Sisters indeed). Thank you Camille for a lovely drawing in our guestbook (it is exactly how we remember you guys!), and Travis for a beautifully-written review (our family thinks you must be, or should be, a writer!). We hope to see you guys again soon, in New York or Hanoi!

“Within this outpost of civilization and good taste, you will find wine, music, architecture, fluffy cotton towels, a gorgeous black-bottom infinity pool, and best of all, two perfect hosts and conversationalists, Loïc and Van Anh Diels. The staff, trained by your hosts and some of their international colleagues in the hospitality industry, is attentive and unobtrusive, which, as travelers familiar with Vietnam will know, is a perk not to be taken for granted. You will remember forever the rice paddies that sprawl into the mountainous distance around you; the loafing water buffalos, the perching storks. You’ll remember forever the house cocktails, conceived and executed by Loïc the artist, of lavender and rosemary infused gins. I say artist instead of “mixologist” because the latter term smacks of too much science. Nothing about this stunningly renovated French Colonial plantation house with gorgeous flooring and fixtures feels like cold, hard science even if your hosts both have masters degrees in hospitality and likely orchestrate very much when you aren’t looking. Finally, there’s the pricing. Belgian beers and imported wines are priced seemingly at cost. Guests will note a sense of honest restraint where they might elsewhere expect absurd mark-ups and service fees associated with, say, having food delivered or day trips organized. Here again we see that at Heron House the dismal science of life is suppressed, and the art of it set free.”

Pomelo Ginger Gin

August 12, 2016August 15, 2016Leave a comment

It’s quite serious, Loïc has turned into some sort of chemist since we opened Heron House. He has dedicated his heart and soul (and probably liver too) to experimenting and infusing the best liquor and cocktails in Hoi An. And goodness, the final results are surprisingly good too. As much as I love the special Lavender G&T, which has become a part of my daily diet, I have to give Loïc credit for his creativity in turning the freshest local ingredients into delicious cocktails. And with the Vietnamese sweet pomelo in season right now, we have been busy testing out the best pomelo gin recipe to offer to our guests.

The Vietnamese pomelo is quite different from the grapefruit in America and Europe. Our rich clay soil and abundant amounts of water and sunshine ensure the distinctive sweet flavor in each juicy fruit. We experimented with mixing two different pomelo varieties in our recipe to produce a sweet but slightly bitter tasting cocktail. The left over pomelo meat after the infusion process was then preserved in the freezer to add texture and more flavor to each drink. Needless to say, this is one of our popular sunset drinks when our guests chill out by the swimming pool.

Enjoy the recipe and let us know if the pomelo or grapefruit from where you are can produce tasty cocktails as well.

Ingredients:

45ml Pomelo-infused gin, using the best quality Vietnamese pomelo
15ml Cointreau
1 large spoonful of frozen pomelo (save it when you make the gin)
Basil leaves for garnish (straight from our garden)
10ml Basil syrup (also made from the basil in our garden)
120ml Soda water
Ice

Instructions:

Place pomelo gin, Cointreau, half of ice, frozen pomelo, basil syrup, and a tablespoon of basil leaves into the blender
Blend on ‘Icy Drink’ setting or equivalent if possible
Pour contents over some ice in a glass
Top off with soda water, stir, and serve chilled
Place basil leaves on top as garnish

Save

Our First Summer BBQ

July 31, 2016Leave a comment

During our time living in Hanoi, some of our best summer weekends were spent BBQ-ing with our friends at our rooftop apartment. We would shift from swimming in our rooftop pool, eating bellini popsicles, to sitting around the little balcony waiting for Loic’s famous yogurt chicken and Greek burger, and eventually moving inside for some drinking games or random Youtube session. With such great memories, we decided to invest in a nice BBQ the moment summer began. What is summer without nice pool BBQ parties after all, right?

Loic chose a custom-made Texan BBQ from a company in Saigon, and as you can guess from the name, it is huge! The BBQ also doubles as a smoker, which makes us immediately dream of smoked salmon and smoked sausages and smoked everything. We were so eager to try out the big boy that the moment we met David and his family who were hugely into food and having a good time, we had to ask if they would like to let us test out the BBQ and prepare them a special meal.

You can tell Loic was dying to get back on track with his passion of cooking the moment he started brainstorming the menu. After going through what we could pick up at the local market and big supermarket in Danang, we settled on pita with hummus and tzaziki to start, continuing with Loic’s famous watermelon haloumi with tahini honey walnut sauce, and finishing with a grand finale of big coconut-smoked platter: beef tenderloin, red snappers, potato with sour cream, and fresh vegetables from the organic garden (more recipes to come on the blog soon!).

The whole meal was such a big hit, and the conversations that carried on the night were even better. There was so much laughter around the table. David, Arlene, Mel and Alex were another group of guests that turned into our friends. We were even invited to visit their beautiful Airbnb castle near London (yes, we have friends who own a castle!). This new adventure has certainly taken us to places that we never thought of before.

Thank you everyone for such a good night and we hope to see you again in the near future!

Thanh Ha Terracotta Park

July 15, 2016July 15, 2016Leave a comment

We always tell our guests there are enough things to keep them busy for a week at this little town. We love going to the beach, diving, snorkeling, taking cooking classes, bicycling, shopping, sightseeing, eating, drinking and so much more! And just when we thought that we had already known the town as the back of our hands, there were something new to do! This time, it was taking two of our favorite guests to Thanh Ha Terracotta Park by the Pottery Village north of the Thu Bon river.

This is certainly not a full day trip, but it well deserves half of your day to explore all the cool little exhibitions at this museum. Opened in 2015, the park nestles in the heart of Thanh Ha ancient pottery village which is famous for traditional terracotta artifacts. It took us a long walk around the property to understand why it had taken four years of construction to finish. Everything to the tiniest details was made with so much care, from the miniature World-Heritage-list sites around the world to the terracotta walls that told the stories of Vietnam’s struggle throughout history. We also had to laugh at all the quirky statues randomly placed around the park. You can also join one of the on-site workshops to make your own souvenir to bring home, kids would love that I’m sure!

There are several ways to get here but we enjoyed a scenic route through Cua Dai – Tran Hung Dao – Hung Vuong that slowly weaved into beautiful country road all the way to the fish market of Thanh Ha village. The park is just a few hundred meters down the road to the left.

Hope this has given you a nice day trip idea to explore the surrounding villages of Hoi An. And thank you to Jean-Pierre and Tina for sharing the photos as well as a lot of laughter with us!

VN16_00334 VN16_00312 VN16_00317 VN16_00310 VN16_00335 VN16_00329 VN16_00326 VN16_00324