Situated at 185B Tran Hung Dao Street in District 1, nestled within a spacious alley, La Rotonde Saigon immediately captivates visitors by its front door adorned with various plants.
The term 'La Rotonde' in the restaurant's name is French, meaning 'roundabout'. This name is similar to a 110-year-old café in Paris. However, according to Tomi Truong, the owner, the inspiration for the café's name comes from a café that once graced Rue Catinat (now Dong Khoi Street) in Ho Chi Minh City during the 1900s.
La Rotonde Saigon is actually in its second incarnation. It was a familiar haunt for diners and tourists in Ho Chi Minh City from 2013 to 2016, also on Ham Nghi Street. After an 8-year hiatus, the café reopened in mid-March of this year at a new location.
As a fan of Saigon during the French Indochina period, Tomi chose cultural and architectural elements from that era as inspiration for the café's concept.
Situated in a long-abandoned warehouse constructed in 1959, the café's location has a foundation dating back to the Indochina period. The warehouse has a high ceiling, standing at 4.8 meters, which is a characteristic feature of modern architecture. The café itself was constructed quickly at the beginning of this year.
The 126-meter-square space features three large, unfinished carved walls, each carrying its own stylistic implications. Tomi, a nature enthusiast who values freedom and dislikes confinement, views these walls as a means for patrons to appreciate the beauty of decay and imperfections.
Rather than adhering strictly to Indochina architecture or contemporary French café aesthetics, La Rotonde Saigon infuses a youthful ambiance with the spirit of France, appealing to the palates of the majority of Vietnamese diners.
"High glass windows framed with steel are characteristic of Parisian cafés. Given France's temperate climate, people enjoy sipping coffee while basking in the sun," said Tomi.
"Many patrons prefer sitting outdoors, in front of the café. These elements are all present in my establishment."
Meanwhile, nostalgia for Indochina is evoked through large-scale paintings, articles, and books about early 20th-century Saigon adorning various corners of the café.
Each section of the café features a different style of table and chair, providing numerous options for diners. A table bathed in natural light near the window is ideal for reading or sun-baskers. The long stone table caters to large group meetings and collaborative work.
The small, square table positioned high against the wall is perfect for conversations between two people. Leveraging his background as an architect and interior designer, Tomi maximizes the café's spatial layout. He ensures that despite the numerous tables, there's sufficient distance between them, affording each customer privacy without interference from neighboring tables.
Driven by a desire to create a personal space for work and socializing, he established a café that exudes warmth and is conducive to both relaxation and productivity.
A particular nook within the café sits in a dimly lit corner, furnished with only a table lamp and a delicate string of lights, catering to solitary patrons.
Tomi commissioned chairs modeled after popular French designs, crafted from bamboo and rattan and adorned in classic European colors. Additionally, the café features the iconic chairs commonly found in Parisian cafés.
Lush green ferns, rattlesnake plants, orchids, and other flora adorn every corner of the café, fostering a serene atmosphere that allows patrons to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
The café's music plays at a moderate volume, featuring two genres: electronic music often heard at fashion shows and jazz. Tomi believes that this selection inspires patrons to either work or unwind without the distraction of lyrics.
Throughout the café, patrons will find numerous books detailing old Saigon culture. The photographs adorning the walls are sourced from 'La Cochinchine', a publication dating back over a century, chronicling the history, economy, culture, and tourism of the Mekong Delta in the early 20th century.
Although exuding sophistication in both architecture and décor, the café adopts a minimalist approach to its menu. Presently, it primarily serves tea, coffee, and juice in their simplest forms, with a focus on beverages boasting robust tea or coffee flavors while minimizing the addition of extras such as whipped cream or milk.
Regarding tea, Tomi Truong takes pride in sourcing jasmine tea from Phu Yen in central Vietnam as the base for the shop’s three tea offerings, each bearing names associated with Saigon life, including Ao Dai, Saigon Nhon Nhip (Bustling Saigon), and Ba Son - a former shipyard in Saigon.
