Viet Rice Essence Restaurant — Restaurant in Hà Nội

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Viet Rice Essence in Hanoi, and it was truly an unforgettable experience! From the moment I walked in, I was captivated by the warm and inviting atmosphere of the restaurant.

I decided to try the beef and bamboo dish, and it did not disappoint. The tender pieces of steak were cooked to perfection, bursting with flavor and incredibly satisfying. Paired with the fried tofu, which was so fresh it practically melted in my mouth, it was a culinary delight. Each bite was a celebration of textures and tastes that left me craving more.

To complement my meal, I ordered the fresh passion fruit juice, and it was the perfect choice! Refreshingly sweet and tangy, it added a delightful touch to the dining experience.

The highlight of my visit was the exceptional service provided by our waiter, Henry Ho. He was incredibly kind and attentive, ensuring that all of my needs were met throughout the meal. His thoughtful suggestions made my dining experience even better, and I truly appreciated the care he took in making sure everything was perfect.

Overall, Viet Rice Essence is a must-visit for anyone in Hanoi looking to indulge in authentic Vietnamese cuisine. I can't wait to return and explore more...

As a foreigner who’s been living in Hanoi for a while, I feel like the food here isn’t truly authentic Vietnamese. The flavors have been adjusted, and most of the reviews seem to be from other foreigners. It’s not bad, but the taste is kind of bland and nothing special. I wouldn’t really feel the need to come back. The staff speak English, which makes ordering easy, and the restaurant has a nice vibe. The drinks are super sweet—even when I asked for no sugar, they were still pretty sweet. Sour soup is one of my go-to dishes in Vietnam, but unfortunately, the flavor here wasn’t rich enough. The grilled fish was decent—probably the closest thing to real Vietnamese food that I had, but still not quite there. The lemongrass chicken didn’t really have much lemongrass flavor, which was a letdown. They had a live đàn tranh (Vietnamese zither) performance, which was cool, but it didn’t fully capture the Vietnamese vibe. If they played more traditional Vietnamese music and got rid of other background noise, it would’ve been perfect. Overall, it’s okay to try, but not the best...

It’s a tough one On one hand you have the perfect staff, very helpful, perfect English always eager to assist you in any case. The food, however very tasty, has some bits here and there that just don’t stick My stir fried „vermicelli with squid and crab meat”… lacked the crab meat, but had a few additional shrimps. Chicken with lemongrass was a bit too small, portion-wise Crispy chicken with garlic had some bits that… weren’t meat (sth like breaded fat bits) Chicken in banana leaf was burning a bit too long which left an unpleasant bitter aftertaste. I won’t comment on the combinations, because the banana leaf gives off a unique aroma and it’s a personal thing. Lastly, even though the restaurant aims to be high profile, it only serves very common beer types, whereas within 500m walk you can spot at least 2 or 3 local craft breweries. Overall, this place aims high, it’s definitely a place for a more formal dining, for which I could absolutely recommend it. There are only just details that need...