The Water Court Restaurant, Banyan Tree resort — Restaurant in Thừa Thiên Huế Province

This is an exquisite Vietnamese restaurant with impeccable service, at least that was the case for us when we went during non peak season. The waitress was ever so enthusiastic in sharing her knowledge of Vietnamese traditions and cuisine with us. Food wise, it’s not as authentic as more local places but we appreciate their effort in making the customers feel fully welcomed. From their welcome drinks of lemon water and welcome starters served with dry ice wafting out from beneath the plate, to providing a bowl of lemongrass infused green tea for washing our hands after eating fried crabs, you can evidently see they put their customers first. We even had a cup of farewell tea too! The most impressive thing of all, for me, is that we requested for no chilli in our food and that’s what we got exactly! (We normally find the food is still spicy even after making the...

First thing I have to say is the service I received was not 5 but 6 star. Next, I truly enjoyed how it’s not just a meal but an opportunity to learn about Vietnamese cuisine; the differences between North, Central and South Vietnamese food. Even the fish sauce mixtures are different. Servers were able to explain these in English quite well. I cannot vouch for authenticity but the food tasted good. The 3 types of rice cakes were nice. I’ve had banh beo before but never knew there were other versions. Grilled cuttlefish was so beautifully browned on each side and perfectly cooked in the middle. Also, the lotus seed dessert was a real standout in my opinion. A bit expensive but I’d say it’s...

Yes, this is a resort restaurant so prices are higher than you would expect locally, but you’re paying for the attentive, quick service and out of this world setting. We ate mainly from the comprehensive vegetarian menu and thoroughly enjoyed every dish. The flavours were spot on and the plating was considered.

One small thing is that the ergonomics of the indoor and outdoor table are suited for smaller people and somewhat uncomfortable for taller people (6’2”+). It would be great to have some other seating heights like a bar table, booth etc.

I also had one of the best Vietnamese coffees I’ve had...