South African restaurant introduces Vietnamese cuisine

Diners at Obento restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by VNA

According to the restaurant owner Ling Chiu, the one-day event attracted so many dinners that all tables from noon to 9 p.m. were fully booked weeks ago.

She said that the idea of organizing such an event came right after her two-week trip to Vietnam in December 2023.

She said she wanted to arouse the memory of customers who had traveled Vietnam and tasted the street food delights it has to offer, as well as to bring Vietnamese cuisine to those seeking something different from the norms in South Africa.

Dinners at the restaurant at this time had a chance to enjoy famous Vietnamese dishes, such as pho, banh mi, bun cha (vermicilli with grilled pork), or spring rolls. Especially for those who had traveled to Vietnam, it was an opportunity to remember and re-experience Vietnamese food that is not easy to find in South Africa. Many local people said that Vietnamese food is very delicious because of freshness and a balance of flavor elements: sour, bitter, salty, sweet and fatty.