VIET:NOM — Restaurant in Gurugram District

Vietnamese food is known to cure what ails you. Fortunately, we are blessed with this spectacular first ever authentic restaurant Viet:Nom which opened up in Cyber Hub, Gurgaon.

You and your friends have to run a coordinated attack in order to snag a seat at this restaurant on weekends.

Of course it’s all vibrant, cool, chirpy indoors and while outside, a spacious, sun-drenched patio is nearly empty. Obvious reasons!

The decor, featuring wall art depicting Vietnam and a long island bar gives the restaurant a lighthearted and fun ambience.

The very talented and humble Chef Vaibhav Bhargava dove deep into the Vietnam culture and held true to it’s roots while curating the menu of Viet:Nom. He has kept the dishes authentic and is giving the client’s an experience to transport to Vietnam figuratively while sitting in Cyber Hub. Dishes conceptualised to match Indian taste buds, while using good quality Vietnamese ingredients. Those appetising looking dishes were as tasty as they seemed.

The literal crowning glory came in with Bartender Mahendar Mahy who is Uber cool and fun-loving chap exuberating positivity and creating magic in the form of drinks. He was happy to make us something that we enjoy most, heard our likings and got us some truly fabulous, customised Cocktails. This was thrilling!

What we Had ?

Fresh Vegetables Summer Rolls which is rice paper rolls filled with seasonal market vegetables, vermicelli noodles, Vietnamese herbs served with peanut sauce — truly meriting the adjective "fresh".

PHO is the star at this place, it’s outrageous. We had the Chicken variant. The broth is heavily flavoured with tender shredded chicken, fresh homemade rice noodles, bean sprouts, spring onions, various Asian herbs.

Tofu, the polarizing vegan protein, is now everywhere however the preparation is key. We had Crispy Tofu tossed in chilli hoisin sauce, brown garlic & fresh chilli, minimal ingredients but maximum flavors. One of the best versions I’ve had in a while.

In mains, we had the Vietnom vegetable curry with steamed jasmine rice. This is a true belly warmer, packed with so much flavour and texture through a variety of local vegetables.

Another strong move is the Turmeric Fish. Sole fillet chunks marinated in turmeric, dill, red onion and peanut served with flat rice noodles and that same sauce(in which fish is cooked) on the side. The components come separately. This is one hearty dish.

Their kitchen cranks out many more amazing plates, few of our favourites being Roll It~shrimp mousse on sugarcane skewers, traditional southern Vietnam’s dish served with dipping sauce, seafood salad, Treasure mushrooms gyoza pan fried dimsums, Chicken and chilli dimsums.

Even after being fed such hearty meals, we couldn’t bypass Desserts and we finished our meal with refreshing fruits. Had Pearl Jewels with Mango which consisted of sago pearls soaked in coconut water, basil seeds, coconut cream and condensed milk and topped with moist mango chunks.

The sweet section turns over equally excellent options and we couldn’t resist but try Espresso Panna Cotta as well. Coffee flavoured creamy Vietnamese pudding served in a coffee glass, spoon went in and cut like butter. An absolute cracker of a dessert.

Since Delhiites are already inclined towards Asian cuisine, there will soon be demand for Vietnamese cuisine because of its similarity. As far as I am concerned, there’s openness in trying out different cuisines, exploring and finding out the best.

Heck, we had a gala time being here and will most definitely be...

Vietnom Experience

#latepost

Last week, we had our tasting table at the newest place in cyberhub that's making noise and enjoying patronage on its own.

Vietnom specialises in one of the most famous cuisines in the world, Vietnamese Cuisine.

This was my first experience with Vietnamese Cuisine, and I totally loved it. And team Vietnom left no stone unturned to make it good, from personalized printed menu copies to drinks.

Reached bit late and immediately started off with the food after meeting fellow foodies. Everyone was welcomed with a refreshing concoction which everyone loved. The cocktails continue to come and Mahy the mixologist made sure we get to experience some amazing cocktails.

My personal favourite was Mysore Colada, which we made on my request, and telling my preference for coffee based concoction. On sip of this beauty, and I got a rush in my body and that fatigue of working since morning was gone in a second.

Food simultaneously was served and team made sure that everyone who was on table has a good experience.

Started off with, Salmon and Avocado rolls which were excellent in my opinion, and were accompanied by veggie salad. I knew that Vietnamese cuisine is quite near to nature, and this had all the natural taste to it.

Pomelo and papaya salad was nice to have, had some unique taste to it. The citrusy sweet taste of pomelo gave it a punch.

The seafood salad served on the base of ice was simply amazing. It had it had prawns, squid, fish, tossed with vegetables and lemon chilli dressing. It was really good to have and was just amazing. Everyone on the table loved it. Proteins were well cooked and lemon chilli dressing gave it a kick.

There were three dimsums on the menu. White rose, mushroom gyoza, and chicken & chilli dimsums.

White Rose: It is made using steamed tapioca flour stuffed with moong beans, it came swimming in a chilli dressing. The softness of dimsums and subtle flavours of tapioca and moong gave it a unique texture and taste. The chilli dressing was sone pu suhaga.

Mushroom gyoza: gyoza is one of the most common variety of dimsums. To be honest, I don't exactly remember how were they as white rose and chicken & chilli dimsums had blew me away. Also, I didn't see anyone complaining about them.

Chicken & Chilli: One of the best dimsums, I ever had. They were full of aroma, juices and flavours. Served on a base of chilli sauce, which was soft on palate yet it hit the right notes. Do order them on your next visit, am sure you will love them, as much as I did.

Homemade Pho, pronounced as 'फ' served with a variety of toppings was a good revelation for me, as I never had it before. Loved the broth and noodles, can eat them every now and then. I was told that this is very close to what you get in Vietnam.

Chilli fish with crackers was simply amazing and delicious. Gobbled multiple pieces in quick succession, they were that good.

The chit chat and food made us forget the time, and by then it was time for the main course.

There were two variants of mango curry, vegetable and chicken. I liked both the variants, but somehow veg variant was more consumed. Had them with jasmine rice which were as good as they can be.

Dessert, we had Sago Pearl Jewels with Mango and Espresso Panacotta. I personally liked Sago Pearl Jewels with Mango more compared to Espresso Panacotta.

All in all, it was a great experience for me and I highly recommend Vietnom. Place is beautifully done and interiors are welcoming. The staff is really cooperative and...

In this blog post, I cover Viet:Nom, India’s first authentic Vietnamese bar and dining restaurant in CyberHub Gurugram.

When I used to live in Seoul, many years ago, I used to frequent an authentic Vietnamese restaurant near my apartment. Food served in this restaurant was so effing good; even after all these years, the taste still lingers and makes me want to visit them again.

Last month my prayers were answered, partially though. I was invited to the preopening of Viet:Nom, India’s first authentic Vietnamese bar and dining restaurant in CyberHub Gurugram.

Since I was one of the firsts to visit the property, I could meet and spend time with the key people behind this project – Manish Sharma (curator of the super lit Molecule Air Bar and The Drunken Botanist) and seasoned chef Vaibhav Bhargava.

Viet:Nom aims to extend the quintessential dishes from the vibrant Vietnamese culture, making it suitable for Indian palates.

The meticulously crafted menu is inspired by a land rich in culinary traditions and authentic flavors.

The tasting began with a range of specially curated mocktails like the Grapine Glass, Thai Mist, Avalanche, and Tom Yang.

The innovative drinks were paired with Dimsums and Pho, to begin with. I absolutely loved the White Rose Dimsum, soft steamed tapioca flour dumplings filled with ground mung beans.

This was followed by another winner, Chicken and Chili Dimsum, succulent juicy dumplings served with ginger sauce.

With Vaibhav churning out one fabulous dish after the other, it was difficult to hold back my excitement.

If you were to ask me, honestly, I prefer the Small Plates at Viet:Nom. Reason? Just like the street food in Vietnam is ideal for a light lunch or to start the evening meal, dishes like the Crispy Tofu and Char Grilled Pork Ribs are made to perfection.

Salad is eaten all year round in Vietnam - be it the North or South. I also couldn't resist the temptation to try the fresh Seafood Salad from the menu. This delicious salad was made of prawns, squid, fish tossed with vegetables, herbs, and lemon chili dressing.

Another highlight at Viet:Nom was the Summer Rolls, especially the healthy Salmon and Avocado, made of Scottish salmon, avocado, cream cheese, tobiko, and shisho. I also enjoyed the Fresh Vegetables Summer Rolls, which are essentially rice paper rolls filled with seasonal market vegetables, vermicelli noodles, Vietnamese herbs served with peanut sauce.

Still room for more? Try the Five Spice Tofu Spring Rolls, crispy and filled with glass noodles, vegetables, and tofu. Served with salad and peanut hoisin chili.

Did you know that most Vietnamese people enjoy finishing their meal with moist, refreshing fruits, as opposed to desserts? Keeping up with this tradition, I also ordered the Yoghurt Parfait made of fresh seasonal fruits, chilled yogurt, and crisp coconut.

A big draw of this place is how deeply it connects with the actual vibe of Vietnam. The music, the murals, everything contributes bit by bit to a restaurant that’s more than just its food or drinks!

As I bid goodbye to what was a wonderful evening at Viet:Nom, I couldn’t help but notice the intricate and soulful interiors, with art oozing out of resplendently painted walls, and pops of yellow and green splattered throughout the restaurant. The beautifully designed alfresco dining area and a fully decked bar were truly reminiscent of Vietnam.

Come, dive deep into the rich culture of Vietnam, only...