Nén Danang Restaurant — Restaurant in Đà Nẵng

I was really excited to try Nen, especially given their reputation for elevated Vietnamese cuisine. While a few dishes stood out and were genuinely well-executed, the overall experience fell short. Many items on the menu felt overly complicated, with too many ingredients and flavors that didn’t come together in a cohesive way. Some flavors were repeated across dishes, and certain components felt like they were added just for the sake of complexity rather than enhancing the dish. Instead of creating a symphony of bold, thoughtful flavors, it often felt muddled and disjointed.

We chose the Full Experience menu with 9 courses.

The first course was a trio of small dishes: sea urchin, mangosteen, and banana rhizome. The sea urchin, served with shrimp roe mousse, was phenomenal, easily one of the highlights of the meal. Unfortunately, the other two items in the trio fell flat. They lacked the same depth of flavor and, more importantly, didn’t feel connected to each other or to the overall theme. The dish felt more like three unrelated ideas on one plate rather than a thoughtfully composed start to the meal.

The second course was a scallop served with fermented coconut and pineapple. I really enjoyed the flavor and concept, but the acidity was a bit too sharp for my taste. A slight adjustment would have made the balance much more enjoyable.

The third dish featured eel fish and tofu. It was just okay, but certainly lacking the “wow” factor I was hoping for. One puzzling element was the addition of sweet potato crackers on top. They were bland and didn’t contribute anything to the flavor or texture of the dish, making them feel unnecessary.

Next came Y tendon and ambarella, which was my favorite dish of the evening. It was incredibly well-executed, with a flavor profile that stood out from the rest, complex, balanced, and memorable.

Unfortunately, the fifth and sixth courses started to blur together. Both dishes leaned heavily on creamy components and, while each had some merit, the repeated flavor profile made the experience feel monotonous. What’s more, they both included a long list of ingredients that didn’t seem to add much value. Instead of enhancing the dishes, the complexity felt forced, like the kitchen was trying to impress with volume rather than cohesion. It left me wondering why the flavors weren’t more thoughtfully restrained and focused.

The final savory course was pheasant with glutinous corn and it was a real miss. The pheasant had a strange taste that clashed with the soursop, creating a very unbalanced dish. The glutinous corn may have been an interesting texture element, but it wasn’t enough to save the dish. Alongside that, they served rice with clams, which was underwhelming and felt disconnected from the rest of the plate. Once again, the lack of cohesion across components made the dish feel confused and unfocused.

As for dessert, it was disappointing. These would be acceptable in a standard dessert café, but in the context of a fine dining tasting menu, they felt basic and uninspired. Honestly, if I were judging just on the dessert, I’d be asking for my money back.

Overall, my experience at Nen was underwhelming, especially given the high expectations set by their reputation for elevated Vietnamese cuisine. While there were a couple of standout moments, like the sea urchin dish and the Y tendon with ambarella, much of the meal felt disjointed, overly complicated, and lacking in cohesion. Several dishes included too many ingredients that didn’t add value, making the complexity feel forced rather than refined. Flavor repetition across courses made parts of the tasting menu feel monotonous, and the desserts fell far short of what you’d expect from a fine dining experience. For the price point and the ambition of the concept, the execution simply...

Nén Danang, located in Da Nang, is a pioneering restaurant that redefines Vietnamese fine dining through its deep commitment to hyper-local ingredients, sustainability, and a unique storytelling approach. Led by the visionary Chef Summer Le, Nén Danang is not just a meal; it's a narrative journey through the essence of Vietnamese culture and its rich culinary heritage.

The Soulful Cuisine At the core of Nén Danang's philosophy is its "Conscious Cuisine" and signature "Sto:ry Menus." Chef Summer Le, an acclaimed food blogger turned chef-owner, meticulously crafts tasting menus that are woven with storytelling elements. Each menu delivers a main concept supported by smaller narratives within each course, with a goal to promote kind thoughts and feelings. The restaurant prides itself on using 99% hyper-local ingredients, often sourced directly from its own farm located right in front of the restaurant, ensuring unparalleled freshness and authenticity.

Nén Danang aims to explore the vast potential of Vietnamese ingredients and culture, without resorting to "borrowing" elements from other cuisines. Chef Le believes in the intrinsic strength of Vietnamese flavors, proving that exquisite and beautiful dishes can be created solely from the bounty of Vietnam's land. The menu is regularly tweaked every few months and completely revamped every six months to keep it fresh and exciting, reflecting seasonal produce and new culinary inspirations.

Guests can expect creative Vietnamese dishes that include:

Refined versions of local specialties: Elevating familiar tastes with meticulous techniques and artistic presentation.

Bold creations: Such as complex beef noodle soups with intense, slow-cooked broths, or creatively aged duck dishes.

Unique flavor combinations: Like anchovy sauce paired with pineapple and meat, showcasing unexpected harmonies.

Each dish often comes with a hand-drawn card explaining its inspiration and ingredients, deepening the immersive "story" experience.

Minimalist Ambiance with a Natural Connection Nén Danang is discreetly tucked away from the main road in a quiet, leafy neighborhood on the Han River. The interior design is modern and minimalistic, with theatrical lighting that sets an intimate and contemplative mood. The serene atmosphere is enhanced by abundant greenery both around and inside the restaurant, fostering a connection with the natural world. This conscious design choice reflects the restaurant's commitment to sustainability and provides a calm oasis away from the city's hustle.

The dining experience is often at a wide counter around the open kitchen, allowing diners to witness the culinary artistry firsthand. This transparent approach, combined with comfortable seating, ensures a relaxed yet engaging environment.

Attentive and Knowledgeable Service The service at Nén Danang is consistently lauded for being attentive, warm, and highly professional. The staff are well-versed in the intricate details of each "Sto:ry Menu" and its components, eager to explain the inspiration and sourcing behind every dish. They contribute to the restaurant's welcoming vibe, making guests feel at ease and enhancing the overall narrative journey. The focus is on providing a seamless and enriching dining experience, where guests can appreciate the deep passion and precision behind Nén Danang's unique...

I first visited Nen in 2017 and back then my meal wasn’t great, but I very much appreciated the ambition. I was excited to try it again and see how it evolved, but unfortunately I came away very disappointed. Our meal on April 8 was one of the worst fine dining meals I've ever had.

The room is indeed gorgeous and the service was decent, though a bit forced to me. While the food looked the part, with the exception of the scallop and rice patty crab, it just didn't taste good. Throughout the meal, the dishes were tepid and seemed to have been sitting out before being served. Many lacked flavour.

The prawn was overcooked and tasted as if it had been on the counter for an hour. The eel and tofu ‘umami bomb’ was totally undermined by the giant slab of tasteless and too soft tofu. The isopod bisque was bland and watery, never mind the rubbery isopod itself. The corn, with ‘carefully piped’ puree was cold and sad. The cake dessert was burnt and completely unremarkable - you’d get something better at a random bakery. An ice cream dessert was refreshing, but it lacked any sort of flavour and was just watery ice cream.

The wine pairings were also a disappointment. While $80 is not a huge amount for a pairing these days, the pours were minuscule - I’d estimate in the region of half a bottle per person. We had to order beer on top of our pairing. Then, the wines themselves were not very interesting. Four of the eight glasses were sake, which is too many in one pairing and they were not an improvement over serving a wine.

The bill came to $200 per person, but we were given a 10% discount and a bottle of liquor to take away, ostensibly because there was a fly buzzing around at one point in the meal. I overheard them giving a discount to another table across the (near empty) room so I wonder whether the discount is a regular occurrence (for one reason or another).

This was quite simply a terrible meal. The food was bad and I can't help but feel a bit taken advantage of by the wine pairing. Avoid my mistake and go...