LuBu Restaurant — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

I arrived for dinner after a long work day. I ordered hummus w/baba ghanoush & pita, bottle of Panna still water and glass of white wine from Portugal. I had requested a double portion of Taziki on the side. I told the waitress to charge me for it, I’m happy to pay extra. The waitress was lovely and said “Sir you don’t have to pay for that”. The bar staff was attentive, your restaurant is clean and has a pleasant atmosphere. My wine was nice and I was feeling comfortable. Then my appetizer arrived. The pita was raw undercooked and tasted doughy. The hummus & bab ganoush was nice, Taziki was warm and watery, just way too thin, kind of tasty but missing several ingredients. I now know why the waitress didn’t want to charge me for the Taziki, they only gave a tablespoon full.

Although the appetizers were not what I had hoped for, I kept quiet. I enjoyed my wine and focused on the Lamb Shank entree soon to arrive. About 8-10 minutes later the Lamb arrived. It looked amazing so I took a photo. But wow! Was I in for a surprise, absent was the glorious Au Jus we all prize that’s so synonymous with braised Lamb Shank. The Lamb sat atop a mound of undercooked seasoned rice. Tasted like a Rice-A-Roni, looked great but inedible. The Lamb glistened, surrounding fat was gelatinous and rubbery. It most certainly didn’t fall off the bone. It was sticky, elastic, hard in some areas, obviously it was precooked. Perhaps a commercial product reheated. I was shocked, 25 years I was in the restaurant business. I would never have served that. No one in the kitchen tasted anything on my plate. If they did, they would never have served it. Lamb is expensive, I understand and I’m ok with that. This was at a good price, and it was on their regular menu. So naturally I’m inclined to think this Lamb must be a stable here. I avoided the Ribeye special, because I feared getting someone’s interpretation of what a ribeye is. Nevertheless I felt duped, cheated. How an owner, chef or manager could let so much slip by at just one table really speaks volumes about how the place is not managed. The place is clean though, give you credit for that. But you need to stay on top of the food, it was a dead Friday night. The food should of come out spectacularly.. I ended up going home and eating a day old croissant and yogurt for dinner. It was 9:30pm and I was exhausted. Big...

After trying tapas at places like Octo and Tomattito, I decided to give Lubu a try. Unfortunately, the journey from District 7 to District 1 wasn't quite worth the hour-long trip.

The meal began with crispy cuttlefish accompanied by what was described as a watermelon salad. While the cuttlefish was acceptable, the "salad" was disappointingly simple - just melon chunks and mint leaves with an overly sweet dressing that overwhelmed rather than complemented the dish.

Next came pita bread with carrots and chutney hummus. The pita was noticeably undercooked, and the hummus was entirely forgettable - nothing that would make me want to order it again.

The main course of braised lamb shanks was particularly disappointing. The kitchen had failed to trim the fat properly before braising, resulting in an unpleasant texture and appearance that could have been easily avoided with proper preparation. The sauce and accompanied rice did not add any value to the fatty lamb.

Despite the mediocre food, the service was a bright spot. The staff were attentive and responsive throughout the meal. One quirk worth mentioning was the place setting - exactly two identical sets of first-course knives and forks arranged on a napkin to the left. When I inquired about this, the waitress explained that unless I ordered steak (which would require a steak knife), this standard setting was considered sufficient.

Overall, Lubu falls short of the standard set by other tapas establishments in the area. While the service was commendable, the food quality doesn't justify the travel time or expense. There are certainly better options available for tapas enthusiasts...

We visited Lubu Restaurant in Saigon for lunch and tried their 3-course set menu, priced at 330,000 VND+, which offers a choice of starter, main, and dessert. Overall, the experience was enjoyable, with well-portioned dishes, friendly service, and a pleasant ambiance.

For starters, we had the Greek Salad—a fresh and classic mix of cucumber, tomato, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese—and the Beet Bruschetta, which was particularly nice with its vibrant beetroot, creamy carrot hummus, and a punchy zhoug atop toasted bread.

For mains, the Seafood Spaghetti came with clams and pangrattato in a spicy marinara sauce. The absence of barramundi (unavailable on the day) was disappointing, but the dish still held its own. The highlight, however, was the Australian Black Angus Chuck Tender Steak—190g of well-cooked beef served with hand-cut fries (delicious) and a flavorful herb hollandaise sauce. Solid execution and satisfying.

Desserts were thoughtfully presented. The Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta was light and refreshing, elevated by red dragon fruit and mint. The Warm Chocolate Cake, served with banana & pineapple caramel, and crispy sweet potato chips, was a richer option and rounded out the meal nicely.

The only letdown was the Aperol and Campari spritzes—both were extremely watered down and lacked the sparkle and bitterness you’d expect. It seemed like the Prosecco was either missing or added in a negligible amount.

All in all, Lubu offers great value with their lunch set menu—well-balanced dishes, good portions, and attentive service. Just skip the spritz and stick to something else from the...