T.U.N.G Dining — Restaurant in Hà Nội

I'm a chef who owns a high-end food experiences company in Zurich, so I'm very familiar with fine-dining. I basically spend the entire year eating around the world. T.U.N.G was recommended to me by two Scandinavian chefs who both run Michelin-starred restaurants. For me, this was the best fine-dining restaurant that I have tried in Vietnam, hands-down.

If you don't work in fine-dining yourself, you might not really understand (and therefore value) all the work and efforts that go into creating these edible pieces of art. Some of the reviews here are really baffling to me: Just because you are in Vietnam, people expect everything to be cheap... even the imported ingredients like wagyu, chutoro or obsiblue that come from Japan? Do you know how much rent costs for such a location in the center of Hanoi or HCMC? Do you know how many hours it takes to make all these dots of sauces, arrange the flower petals, create the crunchy decorations, prepare the foams etc.? You have about 8-10 components on each plate which you devour in 2 minutes but it takes an entire team to work on your meal for 1-2 days. Do you see all of the staff in the kitchen and on the floor... for just a few tables? On top of that, there is the back office, the marketing, the HR, the insurances, the taxes etc. etc... so it blows my mind, when people think USD 90 for a 16-course menu with luxury ingredients is "too expensive"? I consider this one of the most affordable fine-dining experiences you can have anywhere in the world, and I've traveled more than 110 countries.

I thought the food was exquisite, the presentation beautiful and the service impeccable. Each dish was presented with a smile and in excellent English. My favorites included the "deconstructed" pho (genius!), the oyster, prawn, scallop, amaebi, toothfish and sweet potato dessert. I especially loved the little cards with each dish, where I could see all the components on my plate, plus where the ingredients come from. I teach marketing in university, so I have to applaud whoever is responsible for the branding as I loved all the little details (e.g. there are music notes on each card, and the theme of my tasting menu was "the color chords"... the introduction talks about "harmonious notes that compose a culinary symphony"). The entire concept is very well thought-through and consistent.

Some feedback: 1) I found the booking process too complicated. You pick a date + time online, it needs to be confirmed, then you pay a reservation fee, you need to confirm all the details again and 2 days before your dinner, you get another email asking you to confirm whether you will show up. That's a lot of emails and time spent to book one dinner. 2) I agree with some reviewers that there was too much wagyu, I don't like repetitions of core ingredients within a tasting menu. 3) I didn't like the tahini soy meringue as a last bite. It was dry, very sweet and sticky... not a great finish of an otherwise amazing meal. 4) Would have been nice if the staff knew more about the chocolate. I asked whether the cacao was also from Vietnam (since I know that the cacao beans here are great), and the waiter said they were from Singapore (?). He then checked and came back to me saying that they were indeed from Vietnam but didn't have more information (e.g. where, what kind of cacao beans etc.). 5) It felt weird to receive a box at the end with a QR code, so that I can leave a review? I have never seen this anywhere else. Normally, fine-dining restaurants give you a little gift on the way (e.g. something they make themselves, a snack or a little booklet) so you feel like you are a guest leaving a host's house. In this case, I felt more like a client than a guest, because I was almost pressured to leave a review... right there and then. Awkward.

Other than that, I was really impressed, and look forward to dining at A. by T.U.N.G in HCMC to compare. For me, T.U.N.G is a MUST in Vietnam for anybody who enjoys fine-dining and look forward to...

How to explain how amazing was this diner?

I came here for a romantic diner few days ago. My friend had to book a table 3 weeks before. I'll describe this experience in few points.

First, and because it's maybe the most important here, the food was simply amazing. In this restaurant we are not talking about a 7 or 8 courses menu, as in most of the gastronomic restaurants, we are talking about 20 courses.

Each one is focused on an association of 2 products (a lot of them were very interesting). The menu is seasonal. Because of the number of courses, I was thinking maybe it's going to be more simple ; preparing 8 gastronomic dishes already represent a challenge. But I have to say they were all amazing. Of course I had my personal preferences but I was amazed by how much effort was put in every course. It was subtile, it was always perfectly seasoned and cooked. The quantity was perfect (I have a big appetite and I was full at the end). I enjoyed the variety of dishes and product, and the fact that I discovered new flavours. The presentation was always very nice. We also enjoyed the idea of the cards (I dont' want to spoil too much).

They offer 2 types of wine pairing and I really enjoyed the one I took. But I would also recommand the beer pairing that was really interesting. My friend took it and it was only local breweries with very nice associations and a large range of tastes. The person in charge to present us the wine and the beer was very enthousiastic and smiling.

The service was seemless, which is even more impressive knowing that every table had 20 dishes, and most of them a pairing with one or two types of alcool. We never waited between the dishes, everything course was clearly explained in English. In general the service was very attentive and discreet at the same time. It was definitely the high level of service you expect from a gastronomic restaurant.

As you understand, my overall impression is more than good. The price may be high, especially for a restaurant that does not have a Michelin Star. But after eating there and seing the amount of work this team put in this 20 courses, and the quality of the service, I think it worth the price.

If you want to go there but have a more limited budget take the beer pairing instead of the wine! It can help to reduce the bill and is also a very good experience!

I am pretty sure this restaurant is going to be rewarded by a Michelin star in the next years (especially since I heard the first Hanoi Michelin guide is planed for 2023). So who knows, maybe in the next palmarès on March 2024 ! But to be honnest I was lucky enough to eat in few Michelin star restaurants in my life, and this restaurant was at the same level or more than some one star I went in France, and even way better than a 2 stars I've been in Thailand. It's even more impressive knowing Vietnam have maybe less gastronomic restaurants than some other countries, and maybe less people trained for gastronomic cooking and service (don't get me wrong, food is incredible in Vietnam but gastronomic restaurants have their own codes and specificities). The team working there has to be trained to reach this level without having all the schools you may have in other countries.

To conclude, I have to say a big bravo to the chef and to this awesome team (in the kitchen and in the service). It will be one of the most amazing memory I will keep from my vacations in Vietnam, and probably one of my favourite food experience since long time. I wish you the best!

I took a picture of every dish but I don't want to spoil the surprise so I just put...

TUNG was a delightful surprise I didn’t know I’d be enjoying in Hanoi. Searching for a place to celebrate both my birthday and the end of two months of travel, I stumbled across this famed restaurant in the heart of the city. Naturally, upon seeing the Michelin award and accolades of the head chef (Mr. Tung himself), I took it upon myself to investigate if this experience was, indeed, worthy of the high praise it has received. Allow me to be the first, and not the last, to tell you that Mr. Tung and his restaurant absolutely deserve the status they’ve earned. Over the course of three hours and 16 dishes, I was taken on a culinary trip that stands alone in this country and internationally. The clever blends of Vietnamese flavors, technical French cooking, and rare Japanese ingredients delighted the senses. Each dish was intentional, with every serving offering both a perspective on local flavors and a refreshing new take on high-class global cuisine. Not to mention, they were all visually stunning. While the menu changes seasonally, I was privileged to enjoy two dishes that excited my taste buds in ways I didn’t know possible. First (and standing above the rest) is their deconstructed Pho. While street vendor pho has been my go-to here in Vietnam, this dish outpaced every single roadside bowl I’ve had. The flavors of the broth, the way the jelly melted in my mouth, and the fatty flavor of the meat all combined to leave me in speechless awe of a creation that demonstrated complete understanding of this quintessential Vietnamese dish. This was followed by a plate of Toothfish curry that I could’ve eaten for hours. A perfect sear on the fish (and a criminally good take on yellow curry) left me thinking that my taste buds have been deprived of true flavor during my upbringing in a small USA city. While nearly all of the other dishes also deserve mention, we don’t have the time - and you don’t want to read a google review that long! So I’ll make a special shout out to 1) their entire dessert course, 2) the tofu soursop, and 3) the Otoro sashimi & Obsiblue shrimp which introduced me to two of the most incredible seafoods I’d never had the change to enjoy in my life. Were I forced to give critical feedback, I’d say that the 3rd beer pairing (the passion fruit IPA) has no place in the tasting menu, and I found the veal in the tartare to be wholly overpowered by the bright, jammy flavor of the emulsified strawberry. The blend of flavors in the scallop dish also left me confused, but I jot that one down to personal taste. Finally, in terms of service, the staff the night I dined here (May 20, 2025) demonstrated peak performance for a fine dining team. They clearly have a structured way of navigating the floor, such that I never felt crowded or pressured for time. Friendly smiles, thoughtful explanations of dishes, and a respectful demeanor were all I noticed during my time at TUNG. This restaurant deserves the five star rating and its Michelin accolade. If you have the time and means, strongly consider adding this to your list of Hanoi activities while in this...