All year round, MICHELIN Guide Inspectors visit an endless procession of restaurants. And, once in a while, a dish lands on their tables that is simply unforgettable. The selection of restaurants for The MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang 2025 edition was announced on June 5, 2025.
We asked our Inspectors to reflect on the past year and share the dishes that left a lasting impression. Their picks are as diverse as the vibrant culinary scenes of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. From street food gems to refined plates, here are the standout favorites from our dining experts.
Nautical Wind – Wind-Dried Tiger Prawn
Coco Dining (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang 2025), Ho Chi Minh City
Inspired by the spicy and sour instant noodles favored by fishermen when rice is scarce at sea, this prawn-forward dish unfolds in two parts. The first — a delicate bite served on a wooden spoon — features shrimp emulsion, shrimp floss, and a crisp slice of fried garlic. Though small in size, it offered a striking burst of prawn umami, bold and immediate. The second component arrives in a bowl: a tiger prawn roll topped with foie gras purée, accompanied by hot prawn broth poured around it tableside. The prawn is impeccably fresh, with a bouncy texture and natural sweetness. The broth, made from wind-dried prawn, delivers deep, concentrated flavor with a subtle nod to spicy-sour noodle soup. The foie gras introduces a luxurious creaminess, elevating the dish’s complexity and tying each element together with finesse.
Pheasant - Sea Urchin
Gia (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang 2025), Hanoi
Inspired by the royal cuisine of Hue, where pheasant was once reserved for honored guests, this dish is a study in precision and tradition. The breast and leg are rolled, sous vide, then grilled to a crisp golden finish, revealing a fragrant stuffing within. Pheasant eggs, cured in purple rice wine lees, offer a subtle, aromatic lift, while a rich jus — made from pheasant bones and sea urchin — adds deep umami. Com, Vietnam’s young green rice, appears in two forms: puffed for a delicate crunch and as a creamy porridge cooked in pheasant stock and local herbs. The result is balanced, comforting, and quietly luxurious.
Fish Maw - Egg Custard
CieL (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang 2025), Ho Chi Minh City
Far from a conventional take on fish maw, this inventive dish reimagines the prized Chinese delicacy through a French lens. The chef uses high-quality sea bass fish maw imported from Hong Kong. It is soaked and slowly braised in master stock for six hours to achieve a tender, collagen-rich texture. The maw is then sautéed in butter, finished with a splash of liquor, and enriched with Comté cheese. This French-style preparation adds a creamy yet delicate flavor while preserving the ingredient’s signature stickiness. The dish is served atop a silky dashi-based egg custard, which brings a subtle layer of umami. Shiso flowers and crisp croutons add freshness and a satisfying crunch. The result is a refined blend of cultures, textures, and tastes.RELEVANT: What Is a MICHELIN Star?
Onion Marinated in a Contemporary Parisian Style
La Maison 1888 (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang 2025), Da Nang
This delicate dish features three small pearl onion "bubbles," each filled with a rich, concentrated onion soup. The outer layer is thin and soft, while the inside is warm, creamy, and runny, with a naturally sweet onion flavor. It’s served with a sauce made from deeply caramelized onion soup. The onions are slowly cooked to bring out their sweetness, with a touch of acidity to keep the flavor balanced and prevent it from becoming overly rich. Crunchy croutons are added on top for extra texture, making each bite more dynamic. Even for those who don’t typically enjoy onions, the dish is surprisingly well-balanced and satisfying.
Nom Tom Buoi (Pomelo and Shrimp Salad)
Tầm Vị (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang 2025), Hanoi
At first glance, it’s a basic shrimp salad — but behind its simplicity lies meticulous preparation. White onions are thinly sliced, and carrots are finely julienned, before being soaked in ice water to enhance their crispness. Fresh shrimp, halved and fully deveined, lend a clean, bouncy texture. The salad is tossed with ruby-red pomelo, hand-peeled to remove every trace of bitter membrane, adding bursts of juicy sweetness. A scatter of roasted peanuts brings crunch and a toasty, nutty depth. The dressing is light and refreshing — slightly tart, gently spicy, with a hint of fish sauce, and lifted by fresh mint and cilantro for a bright, aromatic finish.READ FURTHER: What Is It Like to Eat at CieL, a One-MICHELIN-Star Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City? The Inspectors Reveal All
Illustration image: © Coco Dining
Illustration image: © Coco Dining
