At Michelin-recognised Madame Lam, chef Nguyễn Như Cường draws from the royal Vietnamese canon and the fertile farming traditions of his native central plains to gorgeous effect.
The vibe: This isn’t museum-piece colonial nostalgia. Madame Lam’s traditional tile roof and timber framework have been exposed to spectacular effect, creating an airy pavilion feel to the dining room. Below, sage-green pressed tin walls, terrazzo floors, and loads of teak ground the soaring space, while the banana-leaf shaded courtyard remains blissfully unaware of the chaos just yards away on National Route 51.
The food: Although it bills itself as 'contemporary Vietnamese', you won't find bánh mì foams or spritzes of phở here. Instead, the innovation lies in the sourcing: Iberico pork with broken rice, Australian rib-eye with cassava, fried rice laced with black truffle, plus local heroes like goat from Ninh Binh and soft shell crab from Cà Mau.
The signature pomelo salad arrives dramatically presented in a carved dragon fruit. It might sound too sweet, but shrimp, peanuts and crispy squid balance it. That soft shell crab is another knockout, served battered and then deep-fried over vermicelli noodles and wild shiitake mushrooms from Tây Bắc.
Despite the premium imports, royal presentation and global recognition, there's genuine warmth, from chef Cường’s personal cooking classes to key dishes being available for home delivery.
The drinks: “Another phở cocktail”, you might sigh, but the one at Madame Lam is perfectly judged, the gin infused with phở spices subtly. For those driving their scooters home responsibly, the house guava kombucha is excellent.
Time Out tip: Visit on weekend mornings for their 'royal' breakfast service, featuring an assorted ‘king of rice platter’ with 19 different native brown rice types and nine different salts (don't sleep on the crab salt, nor the ant egg one). 699,000 VND feeds the whole table.