If you haven’t already heard of Bambino, you’re missing out on what is already coined ‘Saigon’s best Italian restaurant’.
This newly-opened Italian spot is unlike any other. Here’s why.
First of all, Bambino unveiled itself with an exclusive collaboration with Maison, a luxury fashion house in Vietnam that saw the restaurant transform into a sexy, sultry and silky social enclave aptly named the ‘Fabric Room’. In its first month of opening, the ‘Fabric Room’ was filled with Saigon’s coterie of who’s-whos and let’s just say for many seeing it for the first time (like myself), it was amore.
Secondly, it’s also the first brainchild of new food and beverage lifestyle group ‘The Leftovers’, which is aptly named to reflect ‘leftover’ members such as Thomas Ho and Ryan Ng who are ex-founding members of popular hospitality group HYLO (previously HypeAsia, best-known for its nightlife concepts like Bam Bam and Commas as well as restaurants including Godmother and Octo Tapas).
The Team
That’s not all. Besides an impressive and experienced founding team, the opening team behind Bamino’s food and drink menu is also worth a mention. These include industry stalwarts Vicky Lam, operations maven behind some of the city’s most well-known concepts like CTY Kitchen and Bar as well as new-to-Vietnam Executive Chef Joshua Fry, who arrived in Saigon recently to bring you a curated menu of back-to-basics simple yet stunning staples like Beef Tartare and Prosciutto with Melon that retain their flavours and integrity while being redefined in subtle yet significant ways. His dedication to simplicity comes as a breath of fresh air amidst Saigon’s ‘fusion-frenzy’ and ‘foie gras galore’ for purists (like myself) craving a delicious five-ingredient dish.
The Food
To start, we opt for the tasting menu, which included five starters, two mains and a dessert for 1,490,000 (per person). The tasting menu was available during the soft opening alongside an a la carte menu. Prices now range from approximately 350 - 450,000 vnd for an appetiser and 400,000 to 650,000 vnd for a pasta.
Of the five starters presented, the standout for me was easily the more-than-generous MB5 Australian beef tartare thanks to a secret ingredient - burnt onion. Caramelised with butter and anchovies for 45 minutes, the burnt onion is then chopped and mixed with Mayonnaise, Worcester sauce and Crème fraîche to give birth to a one-bite flavour sauce bomb that’s equal parts creamy yet sweet and spicy. Do yourself a favour and get a dollop of tartare sprinkled with dehydrated burnt onion salt on your polenta crisp and thank me later.
For mains, I opt for the Pasta Alla Vodka. Thankfully, the macaroni that replaces the typically-used Rigatoni arrives much bigger than I imagine and perfectly al dente as well as laden in a creamy tomato sauce interrupted by nothing but the subtle heat of Japanese chilli paste coupled by the sweetness of sous vide onions.
Unlike many, I love a good ol’ Tiramisu in an Italian restaurant. Espresso and rum-soaked ladyfingers combined with creamy mascarpone custard and whipped cream left my dining partner and me satisfied (very full), happy and perhaps even a little tipsy. One thing to note is desserts are on rotation and are currently on a ‘ask your waiter’ basis, so while the Tiramisu might not be available, other dolce delights are.
The Verdict
Yes, Bambino’s price point is comparatively higher than many Italian restaurants in the city vis-a-vis food. But, for a multi-sensory dining experience featuring spot-on service, music, cocktails, food and an incredibly rare alluring vibe, it’s worth every dollar (or dong).
If you’ve visited Bambino, let me know in the comments below whether it lived up to your expectations!
Address: Tầng 3, 29-31 Tôn Thất Thiệp, phường Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Opening hours: 6pm to 12am (2am on Friday and Saturday)
More info: https://www.facebook.com/bambinovietnam
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