Tom T.U.N.G Dining is one of two Vietnamese restaurants to have entered the list of top 100 restaurants in Asia. The other being Anan Saigon. Tung Dining was recommended by one of our friends and having tried out another Michelin restaurant at InterContinental Danang, we knew that the culinary scene was definitely bubbling in Vietnam. Hence, we decided to give Tung Dining a try and were not disappointed…
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T.U.N.G Dining Hanoi Tasting Menu
T.U.N.G Dining offers only tasting menus – meaning there will be several courses in small amounts. Unlike most tasting menus that have perhaps 10-ish items, TUNG Dining is famed for its tasting menu of up to 20 items. With so many items on the menu, we were definitely in for a gastronomic treat!
As you browse through the menu, you’ll observe steep prices across the board:
TUNG Dining Tasting Menu: 2,150,000 VND (or $130 SGD per person)
Juice Pairing: 360,000 VND (or $21 SGD per person)
Beer Pairing: 500,000 or 750,000 VND (or $30 SGD/$45 SGD per person)
*Beer pairing is actually something new added to the menu. It was also here that we learnt from the waiting staff that one of the best place for beers would be to visit Standing Bar Hanoi.
Wine Pairing: 1,800,000 ($110 SGD per person)
*There are two menus to choose from. Sunrise that includes 6 wines and Sunset that includes 5 wines but slightly better option of wines.
This time, we decided to go with the Marlborough, New Zealand Pulpo Sauvignon Blanc. The bottle retails for $25 SGD but is about $100 SGD (1,590,000 VND) at Tung Dining. Although this option is cheaper than the wine pairing for two pax (3,600,000 VND), it was still a very expensive option even by Singapore standards. It was also little wonder why the menu were all in English and that the waiting staff were able to speak English.
Lastly, water is not complimentary. We were asked if we wanted water to start and cleanse our palette. Hence, we decided to go for San Pellegrino which costs 100,000 VND (or $6 SGD) per bottle. We had 2 😅 Hence, having a meal at TUNG Dining is definitely an extravagant affair, an apt meal to celebrate our 15 years anniversary. Nonetheless, it was still worthwhile because of the culinary surprises that we had this evening. Here’s the story behind TUNG Dining extracted from its menu…
“Dear Ms / Mr.
Thank you for being our valued customers. We are grateful for the pleasure of serving you at our restaurant tonight.
Inspired by Nordic fine dining. T.U.N.G is pictured as a small and cozy restaurant focused on a complex culinary experience featuring excellent flavours. Our restaurant is named after Hoang Tung – our Head Chef, who have years of experience working for Michelin-star restaurants in Finland and Denmark. And the T-U-N-G letters also stand for our 4 philosophies being Twisted, Unique, Natural and Gastronomic.
Using high quality ingredients with influences from Vietnam, we hope to bring out an excellent contemporary and creative culinary experience throughout 20 courses of tasting menu. Inspired by the vibrations of the brilliant but sudden beauty of the early summer sun. Flavours of Sunshine menu tells us the story of the sunshine which stays in nostalgic memories, different in each person. It could be peaceful and relaxing or burning. It is tender and clear in the early morning: fiery and hustling at noon and then earnestly and lovingly when returning in the evenings. Through the ingenious and enchanting combination of the sun’s ingredients in this menu, the flavours of the sunshine will be revealed.
TUNG Dining is honoured to be listed on Asia’s 100 Best Restaurants 2021 that was voted by the World’s 50 Best and more than 1000 culinary experts all over the world. This award is a monumental milestone in our journey to pursue of gastronomic culinary and the continuous efforts to bring Vietnamese cuisine to the world.
T.U.N.G Dining’s cuisine highlights the preservation of artistic value and creativity in experiencing the gastronomic culinary. We want to bring a serene ambience and joyful experience to dinner while immersing in an unique and deep culinary journey at T.U.N.G Dining.
If you have questions about our restaurant, members of T.U.N.G Dining are always willing to answer.
We wish you a wonderful and memorable dinner!”
Great to know that the Head Chef has head experience from several Michelin-starred restaurants. Definitely looking forward to a gastronomic experience this evening. TUNG Dining opens at 6pm and we arrived at 5:55pm – 5 minutes early. Hence, we were invited to take a look at the preparations by the team of chefs at level 1 before we head upstairs to be seated at level 2…
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T.U.N.G Dining Hanoi Ambience
The ambience of T.U.N.G Dining was elegant yet cozy. Does have a feel of the northern European “Hygge” vibe. What really sets the mood for us was the lounge music in the restaurant. A homely and inviting start to an evening at TUNG Dining. This evening, we were to have 20 courses and they were:
1. Oyster | Limnophila Rugasa
2. Amaebi | Chirozo
3. Salmon | Apple
4. Tomato | Parmesan
5. Cod | Aioli
6. Eel | Garlic
7. Thyme | Cinnamon
8. Beef | Pho
9. Carabineros | Curry
10. Toothfish | Seaweed
11. Scallop | Sawtooth
12. Lobster | Scallion
13. Strawberry | Watermelon
14. Pigeon | Clausena Indica
15. Sourdough | Black Garlic
16. Beef | Galangal
17. Whiskey | Coconut
18. Lychee | Mango
19. Peach | Yoghurt
20. Milk | Sesame
The whole dinner was divided into a symphony or concerto of sorts. The “first movement” was to be the appetizers, to get your tastes and visuals awaken. The “second movement” was to be the lighter tastes of mains (or white meats) while the “third movement” was to be the heavier tastes of mains (or red meats). Lastly, the meal ends with a beautiful selection of desserts. What was interesting to us was that before the start of the lighter and heavier mains, there would be “palette cleansers”. We have had palette cleansers before but two in a meal? That’s a first…
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What We Had at T.U.N.G Dining – Appetizers
1. Oyster Limnophila Rugosa
The appetizers were all served together but we followed the order on the list and started with the Oyster Limnophila Rugosa. First off, the oyster was fresh and light served atop a plate of crushed ice. You won’t get the strong tastes you’d usually get with with Irish, Pacific or Belon oysters nor the milkiness of Canadian oysters. Just a light introduction to the palette. The pesto taste somehow went well with the oyster in this rendition. Good start to a meal.
2. Amaebi Chorizo
The Amaebi Chorizo was probably our favourite among the appetizers. The chorizo was the star of this dish with its fatty and fragrance permeating with each bite. The Amaebi or sweet shrimp was indeed sweet and had a firm texture to it probably due to the cold northern waters that it thrives in. Just like how Hokkien mee uses both pork and shrimp to perfection, the Amaebi and Chorizo complemented each other very well. Yum!
3. Salmon Apple
We were probably the most puzzled by the Salmon Apple dish. You could taste the freshness of the salmon but was there apple in there? Also, the bonito flakes had a familiar yet overpowering taste that sort of drowns out the other main ingredients in this dish. The texture was unique but still didn’t quite get it in the end. 🤔
Here’s a video of the three appetizers above…
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining Oyster Limnophila Rugosa Amaebi Chorizo Salmon Apple #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies ♬ Let Me Blow Ya Mind – Eve
4. Tomato Parmesan
The Tomato Parmesan dish was unique in presentation. The cheesy goodness is actually served in an empty egg shell that has been cut out so intricately. We noticed that it was a clean straight-line cut on the shell. How does one even do that? The egg shell is then covered with a Parmesan biscuit and served atop a plate of black beans. The parmesan biscuit was crisp and flavourful while the cream had tastes of parmesan, capers and tomato. A very interesting dish. We also noticed that each dish is served in a different plate. Not your usual round plates but in this case, an artistic white paint-splash plate that caught our attention as well.
5. Cod Aioli
Found out that Aioli is a sauce made primarily of garlic and olive oil. In this Cod Aioli dish, all the items are served separately. There’s the fried Cod fish that is fresh, chunky and meaty while the outer layer was not the crisp but rather a fluffy texture. The aioli sat by itself in a beautiful circular shape and when paired with the cod was shiok. There’s also a delectable little apple salad on the side that gives the nice crunch from the apples along with a fish floss on top.
6. Eel Garlic
As you can see by now, the appetizers have increased in taste intensity and we’re now at the “heaviest” Eel Garlic appetizer. The star of this dish, for us, was not the eel. It was slightly chewy and thankfully the pine nuts helped out with its crunchiness. The star of this dish was in fact the garlic. 😱 The garlic was cooked till it was soft and infused with a teriyaki-based sauce. It was smooth and not overpowering on taste.
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 4. Tomato Parmesan 5. Cod Aioli 6. Eel Garlic #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #fooddies ♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
These first dishes rounded up the “first movement” of appetizers and we were ready to have our palette cleansed.
7. Thyme Cinnamon
The Thyme Cinnamon was our first palette cleanser this evening. It was a small slab of ice cream laced with thyme atop while served over a cinnamon-based crushed ice. The palette cleanser was indeed refreshing and with that, we were ready for our “second movement” – the lighter mains…
8. Beef Pho
You can’t really have a Michelin-style meal without a recreation of a local favourite right? Just like how Unicorn Pub re-invented the Vietnamese Pho in a cocktail, TUNG Dining has its own take on the world-famous dish. We’re thankful that they did as this was the first (of many) surprises for us this evening.
This rendition of Beef Pho by T.U.N.G Dining comprises of 3 layers – pho at the bottom, A5 Kagoshima beef in the centre and a pho broth jelly at the top. To enjoy this dish, it was shared with us that we should roll the three layers together like this…
It was rather fun to have a little “DIY” with your dinner, especially when the food is so beautifully plated and when rolled together, offers a different visual experience as well. Upon the first bite, it really felt like Vietnamese Pho in our mouths. The A5 Kagoshima beef topped this dish for us as the oil from the beef emerged as you chewed into it, granting that extra unique dimension to an age-old traditional dish. On the side, the pho soup was also served. It had a nice concentrated taste, perfect for those who love big flavours. Yet, it was simple and clean. A superb take on a traditional dish by T.U.N.G dining.
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 8. Beef Pho #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #fooddies #pho #beefpho ♬ Morning Coffee – Chevy & Nalba
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9. Carabineros Curry
At TUNG Dining, we were educated several times throughout the meal. The Carabineros Curry was one such education. Did you know that carabineros are deep sea prawns that are highly coveted in kitchens around the world because of its sweetness of the flesh and robust flavours in the prawn head – which is considered a delicacy in Italy and Spain. This time, TUNG Dining served up both the shrimp and head for two different tastes of the prawn.
The carabineros shrimp itself was firm and so so sweet. Unlike any other prawns we’ve ever tasted. Deep sea freshness is indeed different. The shrimp is accompanied by a lychee foam, a curry ice cream and frozen avocado/coconut mix. Togehter it tasted like a green curry over a super fresh and firm shrimp. Simply delectable.
The prawn head and biscuit (made of seaweed and shrimp) was served separately. It was warm and a small little spatula was provided for you to scoop out the goodness within the head. Matched pretty well with the biscuit though the shrimp head by itself, may be a little overpowering for some. Shiok for us though 😋
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 9. Carabineros Curry #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #carabineros #curry ♬ Food – Densky9
10. Toothfish Seaweed
The Toothfish Seaweed was yet another educational dish. The toothfish is yet another species that is found in the cold and deep subarctic waters. This particular toothfish was from the Atlantic. There were two surprises to this dish. Firstly, the toothfish was seared on the outside with a mild smoky taste while the texture was so bouncy that it tasted a little like a scallop. The meat itself was sweet, fresh and slightly buttery. Definitely a new experience for us. There’s really something going on with sea creatures of the deep…
Next, the seaweed.
You would think that the seaweed would be just placed atop or around right? Nope, in T.U.N.G Dining’s rendition, the Nori Seaweed was presented as a foam. A seaweed foam with nuts. As the foam melted, it became like a little soup drizzle that accompanied the toothfish so well. Happily surprised once again. 😀
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 10. Tooth fish seaweed #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #toothfish ♬ Morning Coffee – Chevy & Nalba
11. Scallop Sawtooth
Never knew that “Sawtooth” referred to a type of coriander. The Scallop Sawtooth was just how we expected it to be. Fresh and slightly seared – the best way to serve fresh ingredients. The cauliflower was pureed with butter and served with a butter crisp which tasted like a croissant. The sauce was savoury while the scallop was sweet. Overall, a simple but appetizing dish.
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 11. Scallop Sawtooth #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #scallop ♬ Ooh La La – Josie Dunne
12. Lobster Scallion
The Lobster Scallion was made from fresh Canadian lobster with scallion and chili oil served with a brown butter hollandaise sauce. Notice that we’ve been using “fresh” so much in the description, simply because they were. The lobster was sweet and firm but texture wise, we preferred the scallop and especially the toothfish – a new experience for us. Together the hollandaise tasted different, somehow it had a touch of smoked caramel sans the sweetness. A delicious dish just that the scallion oil somehow had the pho broth taste again – perhaps someone forgot to wash the kitchen tools? 🙄
At this point, we’d like to also say that the platings are so unique! Not only that, the plates themselves are either warm or cold, depending on the dish that was served so that it stays at the correct temperature for guests. Such attention to detail!
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 12. Lobster Scallion #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #lobster ♬ Let Me Blow Ya Mind – Eve
13. Strawberry Watermelon
Then, it was time for our 2nd palette cleanser – Strawberry Watermelon. On the top, you’ll find a refreshing strawberry sorbet while on the sides, you’ll get frozen watermelon bits and portions of the juicy fruit. A nice little palette cleanser before we moved on the “heavy tastes” of the “3rd movement” this evening. Can’t wait!
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 13. Strawberry Watermelon #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #strawberry #watermelon #cleanser ♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) – 山口夕依
14. Pigeon Clausena Indica
We’ve always thought that Pigeons were “white meat” but when served at T.U.N.G Dining, the Pigeon Clausena Indica meat was definitely red. Perhaps that’s why this third part of the dinner was served after yet another palette cleanser – prior to the heavier red meats. To be honest, the pigeon reminded us of a duck served with spinach. There’s a second part of this dish where the pigeon thigh was served with onion biscuits. There’s last part of this dish was a black chicken consommé soup that was sweet and for the first time with black chicken – not herbly.
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 14. Pigeon Clausena Indica #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #pigeon ♬ SWIPE – ALYPH
15. Beef Galangal
Yet another educational journey here at TUNG Dining via its Beef Galangal. Did you know that Galangal is a type of ginger but in terms of taste they are vastly different. Unlike the ginger that we know, Galangal is more citrusy and does not have the pungent spicy taste that we usually associate with ginger. Also, Galangal is alot more fragrant and aromatic.
In this dish, an oyster sauce is used – slightly salty but accompanied the beef well. As for the beef, it was an A5 Kagoshima cut with parsnip puree and oyster mushroom. The beef, as with A5 beef grades, had a nice beefy fatty taste to it. However, the cut was not done correctly, leaving it slightly “grainy” for the texture, making it not so “chew-friendly”.
16. Sourdough Black Garlic
Not sure why this became a “dish” but the Sourdough Black Garlic was served separately. The bread on one side and the black garlic on the other, served with a Vietnamese spice salt. It was tasty but shouldn’t breads be starters? But then again, black garlic would be too heavy as starters. This could be why this dish appeared awkwardly towards the end of the meal.
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 15. Beef Galangal #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #beef #galangal ♬ たぶん – YOASOBI
17. Whiskey Coconut
Soon, it was time for desserts at T.U.N.G Dining! The desserts were served in quick succession and we started with the Whiskey Coconut. There was a Whiskey Ice Cream and Malibu Moose along with a Lemongrass sherbet. This dish was more like an ice cream as we couldn’t really taste the alcoholic flavours. Probably sans alcoholic content in this rendition.
18. Lychee Mango / 19. Peach Yoghurt 20. Milk Sesame
The Lychee Mango was served in an unique presentation. The lychee ice cream was served within a cone coated with sesame and covered with a mango puree.
The Peach Yoghurt was served with a hint of elderflower along with peach slices beneath.
The Milk Sesame – the favourite for us among the lot, was a panna cotta with sesame biscuit, creating a small little sandwich. Kate’s favourite dessert this evening.
@2bearbeartravel T.U.N.G Dining 18. Lychee Mango 19. Peach Yoghurt 20. Milk Sesame #travel #2bearbear #cuisine #finedining #vietnam #hanoi #food #foodie #foodies #dessert #desserts ♬ Morning Coffee – Chevy & Nalba
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Did we mention that the server poured out a portion of the Sauvignon Blanc for us to taste, just like how a posh restaurant does it. With a nod, the server continued to pour for both glasses. At the end of the meal, we were still able to garner two half glasses from the remaining bottle and we asked to sit outside by the balcony to enjoy the cool evening.
It was probably a section carved out for smokers. Thankfully, there were no smokers that evening and we sat out for a good 20 minutes to “wine down” before settling our bill – which came up to 7M VND (or ~$400 SGD). The original bill was about 6M VND but a 7% service charge and a 10% charge on alcohol and 8% charge on food was added. Hence, the bill.
Nonetheless, it was definitely an unique experience, particularly for the deconstructed pho, the absolutely amazing carabineros and toothfish. Some small misses but can be overlooked with the level of detail placed into each dish as well as the impeccable service. Some guests have also commented that the portion was too small and they were not full by the end of the meal. For us, we definitely were full. Perhaps the bottle of wine helped a little. We would recommend T.U.N.G Dining for an anniversary or milestone birthday celebration if you’re in Hanoi during the period. Enjoy!
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