Vietnam’s Michelin restaurants fully booked after receiving stars

Hang, a representative of Hibana by Koki in Hanoi, told VnExpress International the restaurant had been fully booked through Friday ever since gaining the coveted rating by the French food guide on Tuesday.

Following the doling out of stars by Michelin Guide at a ceremony that day, the eatery’s pricey menu – the cost of a meal ranges from VND6-9 million (US$255-383) per person – has not deterred eager diners who have called day and night, pushing the number of reservations at Hibana by Koki through the roof.

The restaurant has only 14 seats and guests are required to book a table at least a day in advance.

At the helm is Chef Hiroshi Yamaguchi, who said at the Michelin event that he is just focusing on training staff to give diners the best quality experience.

Mai Anh, owner of Tam Vi in Hanoi, said her restaurants phones have been ringing off the hook for reservations ever since Tuesday as well.

Receiving a Michelin star is something she “could not have imagined” and something she “never dared to believe in.”

Tam Vi restaurant’s menu currently has more than 100 traditional Vietnamese dishes, including braised fish, fried tofu, shrimp soup cooked with gourd, braised meat with eggs, and cabbage rolls with meat.

Anan Saigon Restaurant in downtown HCMC, which is famous for the street food-inspired dishes created by its owner and chef Peter Cuong Franklin, is fully booked through the weekend.

Due to its location inside a traditional market, Anan has limited space and can only serve 40 diners at a time.

Of the 103 restaurants honored in Vietnam this year, four were awarded with one Michelin star, the other being Gia in Hanoi. The 99 others made other lists published by the guide: Michelin Selected, Michelin Guide Special Awards and the Bib Gourmand.

To be honored by Michelin, all restaurants must meet five criteria including the personality of the chef represented in the cuisine, harmony of flavors, mastery of cooking techniques, quality of ingredients, and consistency over time and across the entire menu, he said.