Located in a historic house at 20 Nguyen Quang Bich Street in Hoan Kiem District, Senté opened its doors in 2017. The restaurant has been featured in the Michelin Selected list for the past two years.
Senté is described by the Michelin Guide as offering creative Vietnamese dishes using lotus flowers, leaves, seeds, stems and roots.
Senté's menu features around 40 dishes, with 80% being savory and the rest vegetarian. The menu changes with the seasons to accommodate Hanoi's northern climate, focusing on light, oil-free dishes made with natural ingredients and healthy grains. Highlights include lotus seed water, brown rice with lotus seed and lotus seed sweet soup dessert.
Le Ngoc Quynh, the restaurant's owner, began exploring an eat-clean diet in 2017 and wanted to make it a permanent way of living. Inspired by her family's tradition of making lotus seed water during the summer, she wanted to find a way to utilize the remaining lotus seeds after making the drink, which led to the creation of Senté.
"The team and I researched every part of the lotus - seeds, leaves, stems - and discovered that all could be used in cooking," Quynh explained.
One of Senté’s signature dishes is slow-cooked beef short ribs with brown rice, steamed in lotus leaves and served with salted quail eggs and a lotus stem salad.
"This dish has been on the menu since the very beginning, and nearly every customer orders it," Quynh said.
The brown rice is cooked with lotus water for two hours to infuse it with a soft texture, while the Australian beef short ribs are slow-cooked for six hours. The quail eggs are soft-boiled, soaked in soy sauce for a day, and everything is wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed again before serving.
Another popular dish is the lotus stem salad with jicama and chicken breast, mixed with a sweet and tangy dressing and topped with chili, sesame, and roasted peanuts.
In the summer, Senté also offers lotus stem pomelo salad with shrimp and pork, and brown rice pho rolls filled with shrimp, pork, and vegetables.
Senté's creativity stems from continuous exploration. The restaurant’s team travels to various regions to draw new inspiration, leading to dishes that are rarely found elsewhere, all rooted in Vietnamese cuisine.
The head chef prioritizes traditional Vietnamese ingredients that align with the seasons.
"Our kitchen is a blend of creativity and challenge, with the lotus and traditional ingredients providing endless inspiration," said head chef Tran Tien.
An example of this creativity is the coconut core and lotus stem salad, which combines the nutty flavor of coconut core from the Mekong Delta with the crunchy texture of lotus stems.
The combination of lotus with other ingredients like meat, rice, and vegetables is balanced to maintain the natural flavor of the lotus.
Quynh explained that lotus leaves are primarily used with beef dishes, while other meats like chicken and seafood are paired with the lotus plant's various parts.
Senté also uses lotus seed milk in its soups. The milk, combined with a broth simmered for hours, results in nutrient-rich soups like the winter special of rib and ginseng soup. In the summer, lighter soups such as lotus root with chicken meatball soup or slow-cooked beef rib with lotus root soup are available.
The beverage menu features around 20 drinks made from various seeds, all with minimal sugar and no artificial flavors.
Lotus seed water is a must-try, served hot or cold, with optional low-sugar sweeteners or honey, and can be paired with coconut jelly. Other drinks include lotus seed coconut coffee, lotus seed creme brulee and a variety of fresh juices.
Dried lotus root slices and roasted lotus seeds are popular snacks, often paired with oolong tea infused with lotus or milk-based oolong tea.
During lotus season, the restaurant is adorned with lotus flowers.
Guests can order dishes à la carte or select from set menus. Prices range from VND50,000 to VND220,000 (US$2 to $8.80), with the average meal costing between VND300,000 and VND400,000 per person, depending on the selection.
Senté's clientele includes office workers, families, and tourists. Since being included in the Michelin Selected list, the restaurant has seen a significant increase in customers, particularly from abroad.
Thuy Duong, a 47-year-old Hanoi resident, frequently visits Senté and prefers vegetarian dishes. "The food is light and satisfying. The portions may be small for big eaters, but they're just right for me," she said.
As the restaurant is located in a small alley, it does not have its own parking. Guests are advised to park at Hang Da Market, about 100 meters away.
