Secret Garden — Restaurant in Vung Tau City

One of the best dining experiences we’ve had in Hoi An—possibly the best. We chose this place because we prefer MSG-free, healthy, and clean food. Overall, the dishes were delicious, but the service had some flaws.

While this restaurant deserves 6 or even 7 stars, I’m giving it 4 due to the inattentive staff. Though the waiters were friendly, they were slow and unresponsive. We had to constantly ring the bell to remind them to clear empty plates, bring cutlery, or serve our orders on time. The restaurant wasn’t even busy, yet our desserts were delayed, and when they arrived, the croissants and éclairs were stale with less cream than the previous day. The contrast between the two days was surprising.

One notable aspect of the restaurant is its Happy Hour from 8 AM to 10 AM, during which they offer a 50% discount. However, we deliberately chose not to visit during this time, as we assumed it would be crowded, leading to slower service and a less personalized experience. Instead, we came after 10 AM, prioritizing quality service over price. The price difference was not important to us; our main focus was receiving high-quality, attentive, and fast service.

That being said, the atmosphere is fantastic, and the food is high-quality and clean. Their burgers are amazing! They even mention on the menu that their prices might be four times higher than street food, but for those seeking hygiene and healthy meals, it’s worth it. After reading the owner’s story, we realized how much effort has gone into this place, and it truly deserves better ratings.

However, they still need to improve their service. Customers shouldn’t have to constantly remind staff to clear tables or take new orders. With a little more attentiveness and efficiency, this place could be truly...

FOOD (overall 3.5/5) Fresh Spring Rolls: we ordered all four types. Fresh. Tasty. Well paired sauces. 4/5 Gravy Onion Soup: this is not a soup but rather a stew. Flavor was there but we expected a soup, not a stew. 3/5 A Sweet Love: the zucchini flowers were well cooked and paired well with the honey and cheese. 4.5/5 Chick vs. Tigers: chicken was too dry and rubbery. 2.5/5 Beef Bourguignon: well executed but too ordinary. Lacks the ‘wow’ factor. I could have made this at home. 3.75/5 Grilled Calamari: nice charred flavor but needs more garlic and seasoning. 4/5 Fish in clay pot: flavor was on point but too salty 4/5 Jack mushroom salad: the young jackfruit didn’t have any flavor. The slashed dressing was good. 3.75/5 Dessert: mango tiramisu was very disappointing. It tasted not a lot like tiramisu. It was too dry and needed more coffee liquor. The pairing with mango didn’t go well either. We left half of it uneaten. 2/5 wine: we ordered a beautiful Bordeaux wine. Unfortunately, the waitress broke the cork whilst opening the wine bottle and we were worried that the cork dust would go into the wine. Thankfully she saved the wine but the root cause was due to using a cheap basic wine opener. the restaurant should invest in a better quality wine opener.

SERVICE (4/5) We appreciated the complementary pick up from the hotel. The service was attentive and friendly overall. I think it would have been nicer if the waiters and waitresses would briefly explain the dish when they place it on the table. Our main dishes did not all arrive at the same time which affected the overall flow of...

I reviewed this place roughly 10 months ago when it was under a different name. Since then, I was repeatedly emailed by the owner to remove my review and since then my review has been transfered to a different location in Da Nang (How? I have no idea. They must've gamed the system). Reposting my review here to make sure people understand what they are in for.

The spring rolls and the papaya salad were nice, but my roast chicken was grisly and overall not particularly tasty. Service was friendly and helpful but the atmosphere wasn’t good as in an almost entirely empty restaurant they chose to sit the next table directly next to ours.

Edit: After giving some fair and just criticism of the evening, the business responded to this review in a childish and surly manner, choosing to use exaggerated language and passive aggressive intonation in order to paint me as some sort of evil customer - when I simply did not love the meal. 3 stars meant good enough, are you stupid? Additionally, bringing up the cost of the meal does not win you any favours, as I am adjusting my expectations already based off of the total cost of my meal. Dropping another star due to rude owner.

To Uy Tran of the Hoi An Team,

You most certainly do remember me, look up my name on your online booking system from approximately 10 months ago and you’ll see my name coinciding with a booking for two. Your food is mediocre at best and your attitude towards criticism is childish and ridiculous....