Frenchman and chef célèbre Didier Corlou (of Verticale and Sofitel Legend Metropole) pulls off home-style chic at Madame Hiên, a tribute to his wife’s granny.
Set in the Old Quarter, the concept is housed in a beautifully restored sunflower yellow villa which was formerly the Spanish embassy and designed by François Lagisquet (architect of the gorgeous Hanoi Opera House). Diplos have made way for chefs in the open kitchen, the city’s smart set have taken over the charmant terrace, multiple nooks and cigar room, while a characterful old tree juts out through the roof of the restaurant.
With a menu as long as a bureaucrat’s red tape, Didier sneaks in the occasional Gallic touch like the duck foie gras on lemongrass stalk, but the overwhelming majority, like the pho noodle soup, cha ca (fried fish with turmeric), and banana flower salad, are honest reps of classic dishes that would make his nanna-in-law proud.
Madame Hiên, 15 Chan Cam, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, +84 4 3938 1588, verticale-hanoi.com
