Delicious Daily Specials: Vietnam’s No-Menu Restaurant – Café Des Amis

 

By Chi Binghui | Compiled & Reported | Source: MOOK Editorial Team

When you walk into a restaurant and sit down, the first thing you usually do is look for a menu to order your meal, picking out the dishes you want to eat. But sometimes, when you just can’t decide what to eat, maybe leaving everything up to the owner is the best choice. Café Des Amis in Hoi An, Vietnam, is a “no-menu” restaurant where the enthusiastic owner prepares different dishes every day and even chats with diners during their free time, creating a very relaxing dining atmosphere.

 

The only option at the restaurant is the daily set meal, which includes around five dishes. There are three choices: meat, seafood, or vegetarian, with the dishes changing daily. So before the food arrives, you really have no idea what you’re going to get. Sometimes it might be a stir-fry seafood medley, sautéed meat slices, soup, or congee. For signature local specialties, the staff will explain how to eat them so you can fully immerse yourself in the local culture.

On one of my visits to Café Des Amis, I had one of the best meals I’ve had in Hoi An. Especially memorable was the curry-based vegetarian soup — not spicy but rich in flavor. Dipping the crispy rice pancakes into the soup made it absolutely delightful. Another dish resembled fish porridge, filled with the fresh aroma of fish. There was also Bahn Beo, a common dish in central Vietnam, which Chef Mr. Kim made entirely vegetarian using tofu, bamboo shoots, green beans, and radishes — a unique twist on the usual version.

The not-so-big space of Café Des Amis feels warm and welcoming, and it’s located close to the riverbank, where you can often see small boats passing by. Foreign visitors often enjoy a drink after their meal while chatting leisurely. The restaurant also has a notebook dedicated to messages from tourists of all nationalities. No matter where you’re from, you can find “fellow countrymen’s” notes inside and share travel stories or funny dining experiences.

Café Des Amis

Address: 111 D Nguyen Thai Hoc

Phone: (510) 861-616