La Badiane — Restaurant in Hà Nội

La Badiane delivered a stellar fine dining experience — French elegance with Vietnamese flair — and every course showed thought, balance, and execution.

Salmon Gravlax — Fresh, bright, and layered. The salmon was silky, with wasabi that came through clearly but never overpowered. Pomelo added acid and brightness, while dill Chantilly was an exceptional touch: creamy yet fresh, the perfect complement to fish. Pink peppercorn gave just the right spice, the sesame crust added crunch, and the ginger, red onion, and beetroot added freshness with a slight pickled note. It all came together in one perfect bite.

Scallop & Prawn Ravioli — A dish that was giving lobster bisque in the best way. The smoked paprika brought depth, the prawns gave the broth its seafood body, and the scallop was succulent, buttery, and perfectly cooked. Honestly, there should have been two. The grilled chorizo added meaty flare that made the dish bold, while the lemon-peanut crumble added subtle texture. The only element that didn’t sing as strongly was the olive ratatouille, which I pushed aside so it wouldn’t dominate, but it paired beautifully with the baguette.

Foie Gras Terrine — Foie gras can overwhelm, but here it was rich, savory, and decadent in the best way — and made even better by its accompaniments. The raspberry frangipane added nuttiness and brightness, raspberry being a natural match for duck. The strawberry-thyme chutney was smooth, sweet, and aromatic. The balsamic glaze woke up the palate, balancing the berries and nuts, while pistachio provided the perfect crunch and a peppery finish. Taken together, it was smooth and crunchy, savory and sweet, bright and acidic, umami-rich and layered — truly a flavor bomb.

Beef Tenderloin — They absolutely showed out here. The steak was perfectly medium rare, juicy, flavorful, and so tender it didn’t need a steak knife. The truffle-pea risotto just made sense alongside mushroom duxelles and beef — creamy, earthy, and balanced. All together, it became the perfect steak dinner. But then they went further: a five-pepper sauce as the bed of the dish added body, warmth, and spice that coated every bite, while a Parmesan foam gave a final elegant flourish. A showstopper course, flawless at every level.

Mango Lychee Dessert — I didn’t think it could get better, but the finale proved me wrong. This was the perfect series finale — bright, tropical, and light, but with depth and richness from the salted caramel ice cream. The pineapple was sweet without being too acidic, the mango was tender and perfectly ripe, and the lychee — flawless — made the last bite unforgettable. The Malibu coconut milk added subtle texture, the crispy rice gave fun crunch inside the ice cream, and the passionfruit sauce transported me straight to the beach. A butter crumble and cream layered it into a true dessert. Playful, seasonal, distinctly Vietnamese — a perfect ending to the meal.

La Badiane doesn’t rely on theatrics — it delivers consistency, refinement, and balance across the board. A cozy villa setting on a rainy night, French technique married to Vietnamese flavors, and service that makes you feel unhurried. Absolutely worth the splurge, especially if you love French food with...

We wanted to try a fusion Vietnamese & French place in Hanoi and after a lot of research we settled on La Badiane. We called them after the Water Puppet show and asked if we could get a seat for 2 and as luck would have it they offered a seating at 8:30. When we got there we noticed how gorgeous the restaurant was. Very beautifully set up with great photographs everywhere. It was super busy. They played great classical music throughout the night. The table was very nicely set up.

After looking at the menu we settled on the pre-fix fusion menu with wine pairing for both of us. The service through the night was top notch - attentive, yet not hovering, good explanations of our food. However the food taste left a lot to desire. The second and third course were bland and the flavors did not come together. The playing was superb and the dishes of ravioli and pate looked amazing but the tastes just did not work. I think the chefs put a lot of effort on the presentation but somehow fell short on the taste. As an example the pate was buttery but you could not taste the pate. Our experience with some of the wine pairing was similar. They served us an extra sweet port wine with the pate course, and the two just did not work well.

The last course - the desert met a similar fate. Gorgeous to look at but alas they had too many different flavors and tastes that just did not work well together.

To be honest we enjoyed the evening but wish that the food tasted better. It’s a shame that with such a gorgeous restaurant with excellent service the food and wine did...

We chose this place to celebrate my birthday while on vacation in Hanoi, and we were seated at a lovely and secluded table. The staff went the extra mile to decorate the table with rose petals and candles. We both opted for the course menu, trying both the signature course and the fusion course. Although there weren't significant differences between the two, there were some minor changes, such as variations in the sauces.

The first and second courses were delightful, and we thoroughly enjoyed them. However, the foie gras was average. For the main course, I requested a change, as I don't eat beef. Unfortunately, they only allowed us to select an item from the à la carte menu instead of providing an alternative within the course menu. I chose the fish dish and the fish itself was well-cooked, but I personally didn't enjoy the crumbs on top of it. The dessert was delicious, but the portion size was quite large.

There was live music during our dinner, although they were playing too much upbeat music, making it a bit distracting.

The staff members were all incredibly friendly and helpful. When we finished dinner, it was raining heavily, and they kindly assisted us in arranging a taxi despite several cancellations from drivers. They even escorted us to the car with umbrellas.

Overall, I would say the food was good, although there is room for improvement in the main course, and the ambiance could be enhanced (perhaps by implementing a dress code). The service was excellent, and overall, it was a pleasant experience for my birthday...