Chickpea Eatery: Da Nang Vegan Restaurant and Vegan Cooking Class | Tiệm Chay Đà Nẵng — Restaurant in Đà Nẵng

I am a vegetarian. I saw the raving reviews & the high star rating of this eatery and so i thought to give it a try. Some people may find this place exquisite. Here's my half-cent worth...

Cash only. Not a problem for me.

Limited english. But ok, nothing body language or some pointing here & there cannot solve.

Overly enthusiastic "mama" that kept staring at you while you look through the limited menu. But ok, i believe this is the Vietnamese way of being friendly and ready to explain the menu should any is needed.

Set-up. You are literally eating off the living room of someone's house. The living room was between an open (messy) kitchen and a not made-up bedroom. I wanted to take a picture but i thought it might be somewhat rude to do so. And yes you will be sitting on the floor with no chairs, so good luck to those of you with tight leg muscles.

Food. Quality is so-so. The steamed buns i ordered was hardly warm. The pancake was oily. Here comes the "exciting" part: each of the dish we ordered came with "hair garnish" (see photo attached). Can i turn a blind eye to this? NO!

Cost. We ordered a pancake, 2 super tiny buns (1/3 of my palm size) and 2 smoothies. Cost was VND220k (about USD9). For all that i mentioned, USD9 was not really worth it. USD9 is not much and i am not being stingy nor cheapskate nor a scrooge, but for the experience it is not worth.

Would i go again? Nope. Given it is home-run business, i did not want to give it an extreme...

Crafting Unforgettable Memories!

Although we aren't vegans, circumstances led us to explore vegan restaurants in Da Nang, Vietnam. Given the challenge of finding Halal Food or non-pork options, we initiated a quest to discover new places for lunch. Occasionally, when we visited vegan restaurants, an unusual aroma would greet us. While my nose could tolerate it, one of my friends struggled with it.

One day, during our lunch break after classes, we decided to try a different vegan restaurant. My friend discovered it through Google, and it has excellent reviews. So, a group of Indonesian students and one Thai student decided to make our way there via two Grab cars.

Finding the restaurant on our first visit proved to be quite a challenge. One of our Grab cars took a wrong turn and ended up on the wrong street. To reach the restaurant, we had to navigate a narrow alley on foot. Surprisingly, despite its tucked-away location, it exuded a peaceful atmosphere. The absence of vehicular noise allowed us to savor our meals in peace. The welcoming couple, who ran the place, served freshly prepared dishes from their kitchen. It felt just like dining at your grandparents' home. The ambiance was genuinely warm and soothing.

Most importantly, the food was incredibly delicious, and you didn't have to worry about any strange smells – a delightful...

I signed up for the cooking class and it was such a wonderful experience! Led by the super friendly and energetic Thu, we were first taken on a market tour. We got to see all the exotic fruit and veg unique to Vietnam, and learn all about them and their medicinal properties. Along the way, we got to sample lots of fruits and delicious vegan snacks! We were also taken to a local tofu manufacturer, and got to learn about all the different types of tofu they make. It was a very hot day, so was grateful for the classic Vietnamese hat provided.

The cooking class itself was superb. Thu was with us every step of the way, helping us along and teaching us the best techniques, while taking photos and videos of us and making us laugh a lot!

We made delicious spring rolls, vegan fish sauce, vegan chicken salad and bahn xeo pancakes, and we were constantly topped up with water, ice tea and pineapple juice to keep us hydrated.

We cooked so much food that we were even able to take home the unfinished items for dinner.

It was honestly SO much fun, and I recommend this class to everyone. Thank you Thu for your amazing class and your good vibes. Loved it!

(Also, thanks again for accommodating my gluten-free class request - I was so grateful that you have...