Located at 50A Dang Dung Street in downtown District 1, Mien specializes in Vietnamese tasting menus, featuring 6 to 20 dishes. Recognized in the 2024 Michelin Guide’s Selected category, the restaurant has been praised for its tasting menu, which diners are encouraged to try when visiting this culinary gem.
The tasting menu is a culinary trend that emerged in Europe during the 1990s, catering to sophisticated diners. In this style of dining, each dish is served in small portions, presented to allow guests to savor the flavors before moving on to the next course.
The centerpiece of Mien's offerings is the "Central Vietnamese village feast", a collection of 13 dishes inspired by regional delicacies. The feast is served in three parts - appetizers, main courses, and desserts. The menu costs VND2,500,000 ($100) per guest, including VAT.
Appetizers include 5 dishes, such as pork soaked in fish sauce, crispy dough with clams, and squid rice rolls. The pork dish combines thin slices of marinated pork with pickled shallots and herbs, evoking the flavors of a traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year holiday.
The clam dish surprises diners by swapping rice crackers for fried dough sticks. Each clam is cleaned to ensure a grit-free bite, then stir-fried with coriander root and wild onions for added aroma.
The squid rice rolls are paired with greens sourced from Tra Que Village in Quang Nam Province, ensuring their quality despite the additional logistics and costs.
Among the highlights is the lobster with fermented shrimp, an inventive take on a traditional Hue dish of boiled pork and shrimp.
At Mien, the chefs replace the pork with spiny lobster from Nha Trang. Prepared sashimi-style, only lobsters weighing over 1 kg, with green claws and shiny shells, are used to ensure the meat is firm and crisp.
The fermented shrimp, a Hue specialty, is sourced from Tam Giang Lagoon. It is pickled with sticky rice, bamboo shoots, and spices, then fermented for months to achieve a balanced, tangy aroma.
The lobster meat is sliced and rolled with fermented shrimp filling, then topped with shrimp sauce, chili oil, and herbs.
Another standout dish is steamed tapioca dumplings with braised fish, inspired by Hue's cuisine. This dish replaces the shrimp-and-pork filling with braised pomfret and onions, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
When served, the banana leaf is unwrapped, and the dumplings are plated with herbs and accompanied by a fish-based broth. The chewy, translucent dumpling skin complements the braised fish filling.
After the appetizers, diners are served a salad.
The dish features vegetables and fruits from Quang Nam and Ninh Thuan provinces, including green apples and langsat (nam tran), paired with smoked duck breast and Vietnamese coriander. It’s dressed with a tomato and mac khen (a type of spice similar to Sichuan pepper) sauce.
The fruity dressing balances the richness of the duck, while the sweetness of the green apples ensures the dish remains light, adhering to the yin-yang philosophy of Vietnamese cuisine.
Ly Ly, a Ho Chi Minh City resident who dined at the restaurant on Nov. 25, was impressed with the roasted Eurasian coot. She praised the dish for its ingredients, crispy skin and flavorful meat.
She described the restaurant as "perfect for intimate gatherings or family celebrations".
The dining experience concludes with green bean cakes, peanut brittle, and roasted rice crackers paired with tea.
A representative from Mien explained that the tasting menu draws inspiration from Central Vietnamese village feasts, reimagining traditional dishes in a contemporary style while maintaining the spirit of togetherness.
Creating the tasting menu requires portioning to ensure each diner has enough to enjoy a variety of dishes without compromising on the experience.
"It's not just about eating and drinking, but about embracing the artistry and emotions tied to the culinary journey," the representative said.
Mien's interiors echo the simplicity of a three-room Vietnamese house, with minimalist wooden furnishings and seating for up to 24 guests. Open only for dinner, the restaurant requires reservations, as each meal involves preparation. Ingredients are locally sourced and change with the seasons.
Creating the village feast requires an all-day effort, with the kitchen staff working from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Diners are encouraged to dedicate three hours to immerse themselves in the experience, from listening to ingredient stories to savoring the artistic presentation and flavors of each dish.
"Fine dining is a sensory journey," said Mien's head chef.
