Mặn Mòi, Tao Đàn - 34 Võ Văn Tần

My fiancée and I found this restaurant on TikTok and honestly it was very underwhelming. Upon arrival I was very impressed with the aesthetic from the outside. It gave a very Studio Ghibli vibe, though having all the restaurants on separate floors confusing. Entering the lobby I was met with a pleasant and calming aroma, but felt confused having to traverse a touristy boutique just to go to the restaurant. Then you are escorted to the elevator which we had to wait for and honestly felt slower than having to just taking the stairs. Yet when you are done your meal you are expected to take the stairs, which luckily I did not drink otherwise may have been an issue. The restaurant is well furnished and the ambiance was great. A very relaxed atmosphere where you can have a conversation and enjoy a meal and drinks. This is about all the positive things I have left to say about the restaurant. Onto the food, we ordered vermicelli with beef, Rambutan salad with fried snake head, and Duck 2 ways. Unfortunately they ran out of vermicelli, so we decided to replace that with crunchy sticky rice with chicken and wild mushrooms. The rambutan salad was lacking flavour and was already soggy, despite having fried fish and noodles inside. They provide rice crackers to provide texture but this made it even more bland. Just when I thought I couldn’t have a dish with less flavour, along comes the sticky rice. Despite being cooked with wild mushrooms and chicken broth, we couldn’t taste anything. There was no salt, no umami, nothing. I will give credit to the textural contrast of the dish, and while better with pickled lemongrass and garlic and crushed peanuts, it was disappointing to say the least. Finally we had the duck cooked two ways, pan fried and grilled with galangal. They serve it on a hot plate, which I give points to for presentation. However if you have had duck before you know this can easily overcook the breast turning the meat gamey and tough, which happened in moments. The meat, to no surprise, is under seasoned but at least they give you some sort of green salt and sauce to go with it? Not that I knew what they were since after dropping off the plates we were not told what it was so we just tasted it ourselves. The salt was herbal and the sauce had some acidity with was nice with the richness of the duck, but this was the final nail in the coffin. Though I myself tried to find the positives in the meal, my fiancée was not happy at all. We are both Vietnamese, though hailing from Canada we were hoping for an elevated authentic dining experience instead we have to settle for another TikTok letdown. Goes to show you what happens when you follow the trends. Maybe the food we ordered wasn’t what they specialize in, or the chefs had a bad day but it would be hard for me to want to give my time, energy or calories for this restaurant again.

We managed to make a reservation beforehand so we didnt have to queue or wait in line. 2 of us ordered 4 dishes - 1. Pork Jowl - super yummy, and not fatty at all. We really enjoyed this dish, it was nicely seasoned with the various condiments provided for an enhanced taste. 2. Grilled squid - have it while its hot! Super fresh we devoured it within seconds. 3. Stir fry spinach - nothing special, nicely seasoned with garlic. 4. Fried rice with shrimp - both my husband and i couldnt taste the shrimp, maybe you could try a different fried rice there. We also ordered 2 cocktails and were pleasantly surprised by the aesthetics and the refreshing taste! Cocktails in HCM are also not as expensive as i thought it would be.

We randomly came across this restaurant while walking around Saigon, and it ended up being one of the best meals we had during our trip. It’s clearly very popular and well known, there was a wait when we arrived. The architecture and design of the restaurant are incredible and truly one of a kind. It reminded us of a Studio Ghibli–style aesthetic, with beautiful details throughout. The interior features Portuguese-style tiles on the floors, and as you move up each level, the space opens into different Studio Ghibli–inspired scenes. It’s an amazing place for photos as well as dining. We ordered an entrée featuring dried mushrooms, broccolini, and lotus, which was incredible. We also had the sautéed garlic chive flowers with Sapa wild mushrooms, light, fresh, and full of flavour, the perfect refreshing dish. For the main, we shared the salt-baked Man Hill pork platter, served with wild herbs and rice paper. It was outstanding. Wrapping the pork with herbs in rice paper made for the perfect bite, simple, balanced, and absolutely delicious. The restaurant is busy, and we had to wait about 30 minutes, but it was well worth it. We just walked around the area and came back. Definitely recommend booking ahead if you can, this place is a must-visit in Saigon.

The restaurant is truly architecturally beautiful, the building was very artistic, modern yet cultural at the same time. Absolutely loved the vibes. Service was also pretty great, staff were polite, friendly and also efficient. The food however was a little disappointing. Bear in mind I did not order their signature dishes. We’d order their chicken as appetiser and that was the only solid dish. The rest were a flop, imo. Shrimp friend rice was alright but nothing out of this world. The baby shrimp was overly salty. Chives with mushroom dish was also just alright. The vegetable soup tasted fine but the odour of the veggie was very strong, while I was able to endure, I don’t think many others can.. The squid dish was the most disappointing, sauce was very good but the squid itself was really tough to chew on and there’s no QQ aspect to it. I wanted to love Man Moi badly. Most likely would not revisit again, unfortunately. Price was on the high side which I don’t mind but the food was really mediocre.

Food was very delicious. This is probably one of the best meals we'e had throughout our whole stay in Vietnam. Menu was also easy to understand. Staff were very accommodating and welcoming. Place is very beautiful and almost every spot is picture perfect, even tbe bathroom and elevator. Atmosphere is very warm and relaxing.

The food was great, it came out very quicky too. We enjoyed everything except for the fried fish because it came a little cold and overall its just a mediocre dish. Keep in mind kitchen closes at 9:30. The atmosphere was great, not too busy but not empty at all. Had a great vibe to chat. Service however was subpar, when I wanted to order more food or request for assistance I had to look around like a lost kid because no one was paying attention to me.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Mà Mới, a Vietnamese restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, and it definitely lived up to the hype! If you’re a fan of authentic Vietnamese cuisine, this place is a must-try. The vibe of the restaurant was super chill—casual yet stylish. It’s a great spot if you’re hanging out with friends or even having a relaxed meal by yourself. The staff was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. Now, the food. Oh wow. I started with their pho, and it was everything I hoped for. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the meat was tender—just the right balance of spices. I also tried their banh xeo (Vietnamese pancakes), which were crispy on the outside and packed with savory fillings. Honestly, I could eat those all day. For dessert, I went with che ba mau (three-color dessert), and it was a refreshing sweet ending to the meal. The prices were pretty reasonable for the quality of food you get, and the portions were generous. If you’re craving authentic Vietnamese dishes that hit the spot, Mà Mới definitely delivers. Overall, I had a fantastic time, and I’m already planning my next visit. Highly recommend it if you’re in Ho Chi Minh City and want to taste some amazing local flavors!

Man Moi is a cute restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City. The building is beautiful and has a great design. The food was good, though a bit on the expensive side. We tried the anchovy salad, sticky rice with chicken and mushroom, and the sturgeon fish. Everything tasted great and we enjoyed all the dishes. The general manager, Phuong, came by our table to check on us as well which was great. The only downside was that there were no napkins on the table. Other than that, it was a good experience and we would recommend the restaurant.