School may be a thankfully distant memory, but there’s a bi-level bistro in HCMC giving a lesson in Vietnam’s communist history via fun, colourful re-imaginings of the era’s visual propaganda and ideological art.
Homegrown artists have emblazoned Propaganda’s downstairs brick walls and terrace with gorgeous pastoral scenes taken from old-school pro-Red posters, while the mezzanine area with French doors and leafy outlook is lined with printed banquettes, classroom tables and original tile floors.
But that’s not the only lesson to be had. You’ll certainly learn a thing or two about Vietnamese cuisine with its mod take on street food classics like fresh chicken spring rolls with avocado, brown rice and a spicy peanut dipping sauce; duck curry with oven-fresh breads; and a squid and pomelo salad with sesame seeds; topped off with a chia seed custard with coconut cream, fresh fruit and a passion fruit coulis. Need more schooling? Well, the third floor is home to a multifunctional space for yoga classes, book readings and exhibitions. Troi oi!
Propaganda, 21 Han Thuyen, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. +84 8 3822 9048, facebook.com/propagandasaigon
