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On the 6 is Vietnam's hottest new restaurant. Little wonder to see maestro chef Didier Corlou's fingerprints all over the project. Set on fashionable Dong Khoi in Saigon's city centre, its sumptuous decor is choreographed by the film producers of Scent of Green Papaya fame. The organza-festooned setting is also used for film locales, but truly, its Didier's ambrosial food that stars. Currently jet setting weekly between his home in Hanoi to the southern capital, Corlou travels with a basket of spice treasures -- from green star anise, to fragrant cinnamon, to fresh vanilla pods -- all sourced from artisan growers, and a plethora of pepper varieties, plus salts. His fleur de sel de nuoc mam (scraped from the top of fish sauce vats) is particularly fragrant. From the menu, all courses can be ordered "Classic" or "Creation" -- the later being exquisite fusions of subtle taste layering. Classic, by contrast, highlights Didier's traditional French training, which has stood him in great stead cooking for heads of state. We especially loved his cold "lasagne" of squab with foie gras and green apple, layered with agar agar. Other knockouts are a taro soup redolent of vanilla and lightly garnished with sevruga; bread rolls laced with dried beef; and Breton artichokes+clams in a light curry sauce. We know Vietnam's Dalat is famed for artichokes (including a local herbal tea from the same!) but suspect these tasty behemoths are flown directly from France.
And they are worth every green mile!
Our Mekong Ecpicure tour group in Dec 08/Jan 09 eats at Didier Corlou's Cambodian venture, L'Art d'escales et des Sens in Siem Reap. |
ON THE 6 
