I cannot fault anything in the dining experience, the beautiful restaurant, the delicious food, and the great service. So if you want to splurge: Aalto is the spot for you.
Hate
to push the Thao Dien agenda — but another must-visit hotspot has opened in the
ex-pat paradise part of Saigon. And I’m not mad about it, because it’s
absolutely fabulous. Meet Aalto, a new Mediterranean-inspire Mediterranean-inspired dining concept.
Let’s
first talk about the food, shall we? You clicked on this probably feeling a bit
snacky, and I can’t wait to show you my good-looking food pics. So let’s go!
We
started off with the Hummus, Zoug, and Egg. A soft boil soft-boiled egg on top of some creamy
hummus. Finished off with Zoug, a spicy cilantro sauce with origin origins in Yemen.
Taking your taste buds on a world trip while never leaving Thao Dien? You
betcha.
PS:
for my aspiring food bloggers - order this one for the money shot. Cutting into
that perfectly runny yolk on top of a cloud of hummus... The Instagram Reels are
going to love this one, trust me.
Moving
on to the Stracciatella, Carrot, Mandarin. The stracciatella (that stringy
heart of a burrata cheese) is the perfect foundation for this blend of this ingredient ingredients. Nice crunch from the thinly shaved carrots, a little sweet touch
from the mandarin, and some chili oil to balance it all out.
My
weak spot is always a simple but delicious dish. It might be my favorite of the
night!
Next,
we tried out the Raw Beef, Pecorino, and Charcuterie. Just lovely. Such fresh
beef, some salty notes, some herby, sometimes a tiny spicy kick. Everything
ties together. Order for the meat-lover at your table.
Moving
onto larger plates, first up the Grilled Octopus with White Bean and Nduja. First
of all, before this, I don’t think I would have ever choose chosen white beans as a
side to my octopus. But somehow: it works perfectly. Second of all, have you
ever tasted octopus that was as tender as a white fish filet? Me neither, until
my visit to Aalto.
This
grilled octopus is a beautiful fork-tender plate, great to share with the
table. Never thought I would give a special shout-out to the beans in a dish,
but here it goes: you go, beans. You were delightful.
Our
final plate: Roast Cauliflower, Muhammara, and Goats Curd. Ending on a super fresh
and light note. The cauli flower cauliflower works as an absolute sponge for this mix of
flavors, releasing it all when you bite down.
I
must say, the menu brought me something new in every bite. I love how Chef
Jimmy Garside brings local produce-driven food with many different ingredients
to explore, sprinkling some wood-fired magic here and there. Also, can we talk
about how every menu item sounds like a Mediterranean poem? This is definitely
my type of serenade.
So, the food is great. But what else?
Branding,
lovely. By day, I work in advertising, so I notice these things. By night, I
fall in love with new restaurants in Thao Dien, apparently.
Playlist,
funky. Aalto, if you’re reading this, send me the link. ;-)
Interior,
stunning. Seriously, if I saw a picture of it on my Instagram feed, it’s going
straight into the ‘home inspo’ folder.
In every little execution, you can taste Aalto’s unique concept. Love how everything clicks together.
Aalto
38 Trần Ngọc Diện street, Thảo Điền, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours:
- Monday - Saturday: 16.00 - 23.30
- Sunday: 10:00–18:00
By: Trần Hà My| Oct 30, 2022
Editor: Trương Ngọc Khanh
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