Francis Thuan – the soul of the restaurant – is a brave, talented chef from Central Vietnam with a wealth of experience in the most popular kitchens in Saigon.
Referring to Thuan, I am reminded of an enthusiastic chef by fiery red charcoal griddles or hot pans to create delicious dishes inspired by ingredients and crops in Vietnam.
He enjoys traveling all over the country to learn farmers and gardeners about farming, but he also does not miss the opportunity to join the chefs at One Star House Party to implement culinary projects in Saigon, Bangkok or especially meals at Camp Everest at an altitude of 5,364m above sea level.
The young chef with 13 years of experience in the culinary industry has brought that relaxed, adventurous and friendly spirit to Esta which means "here", "here" in Spanish, and made it a "fine casual" rendezvous for all diners. After a relocation and upgrades, Esta now has a new look in both interior and lighting design. In particular, Thuan excitedly shared with Robb Report Vietnam about a larger-scale woodfire kitchen, which he built according to sustainable criteria. In addition to the new look, Esta will also launch a summer menu in June with a focus on fruits and fruits of the Northwest mountainous region.
The three dishes are like a summer symphony, opening with homemade tomatoes, melons, locusts, apricot vinegar; culminating with Korean abalone, native pork noodles and XO sauce from ants; and finish soothing with a rice dish with sea urchin and lotus seeds. The seasonal menu has also been the direction of Esta since a year with changes every 3 months based on the best local ingredients in the season to bring a fresh and interesting experience to diners.
Address: 27 Tran Quy Khoach, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Telephone: 0886 623 782
Website: https://www.facebook.com/esta.saigon/ - https://www.estasaigon.com/
Open hours: 18:00 – 23:00 – Sunday closed
According to Robbreport
Photo: Esta Saigon