36 Hours in Ho Chi Minh City

Rip up your road safety rulebook, get ready to step into on-coming traffic and prepare for a LOT of ding for your dong, we’re off to Ho Chi Minh City.

Here’s the lowdown on a 36 hour, whistle stop tour of old Saigon:

FRIDAY

6pm, The New World Hotel: not the most glam of destinations, but the city’s first 5* hotel. Decent sized rooms, good bathrooms and a comfy bed. 500m away from tourist-ridden Ben Thanh Market.

7pm, Club Camargue: French food and great wine on a palm-fringed, candle-lit terrace. From smoked salmon to lamb shanks with artichokes to nutella crème brûlée, everything was delicious. $50 for two people, 3 courses plus wine. 16 Cao Ba Quat, 824 3148. Dinner only.

9:30pm, Vasco’s bar: Live music and pool tables in the courtyard directly below Club Camargue. What could be more convenient?! Watch out though, the whole operation is moving soon. As above.

11pm, Q Bar: Underneath the Municipal Theatre is slick Q Bar. A bit too cool for school, but fun to have drinks on Lam Son Square and soak up colonial architecture at the same time. 7 Lam Son Sq, 823 7699.

SATURDAY

9am, War Remnants Museum: Not for the faint-hearted. Graphic photographs, war memorabilia and malformed foetuses; a poignant insight into the horrors of Vietnam’s wars with the French and Americans.

10:15am, Reunification Palace: One look at this white elephant was enough to put me off touring its insides. Apparently there’s lots of interesting period kitsch and propaganda there however.

11am, Hôtel de Ville: A stroll past and gaze up at the fairytale, wedding-cake style old town hall. Now home to The People’s Committee. A stone’s throw from the Ho Chi Minh City Museum if you’ve got time to explore the city’s history.

11:10am, L’Apothiquaire: Oh la la! Homemade rubs and scrubs going for a song at this aromatherapy spa. Handmade products from Bordeaux at prices the French can only dream of - $4.50 for a lemongrass-scented salt scrub. Merci beaucoup. 63 Le Thanh Ton, 822 1218.

11:30, Nga: Lovely lacquer. Right next door to L’Apothiquaire.

11:40, Notre Dame Cathedral: A red bricked beauty in the middle of the city. Doesn't look a thing like its Parisian cousin, but who cares. If you're here on a Sunday, and so inclined, there's mass in English. If you're there don't miss the Post Office next door.

11:35 – 12:30, Dong Khoi: This is where the French used to strut their stuff and it’s easy to see why. Still home to chic boutiques and international designer labels. Very easy to while away an hour deciding whether that lacquer bowl or those buffalo horn salad servers would actually look good at home.

12:45, Temple Club: Fantastic Vietnamese food in this retro indo-chine salon. No MSG, fresh Pho soups and amazing spring rolls (amongst countless other temptations). Exposed brickwork, latticed wooden archways, Vietnamese lamps, original tiles and best of all, if you like some of their furniture, you can make them an offer to buy it. Would be a great place for dinner too. $25 for two people, 2 courses and soft drinks. 29 Ton That Thiep, 829 9244.

1:45 – 2:15, Ton That Thiep: Some great shops on this more off-the-beaten-track road. Try Gaya (#30) for homeware, linen, fashion and furniture, but get your credit card out because it doesn’t come cheap. Appeal (#41 and #33) has great eggshell lacquerware, from photo frames to floor lamps.

2:45pm, Ben Thanh Market: Hold onto your wallet, this is pickpocket heaven. If you can handle the throngs this is a good place to pick up a bargain. Traditional Vietnamese lanterns, ceramics and the backpacker must-have, Tiger Beer t-shirts. Towards the back is the wet market if you can’t hack the hassle.

3:15pm, pool time: need a nap? So did I. Ho Chi Minh is 30 degrees in Feb so why not soak up some sun?

5pm, Emperor Jade Pagoda: Incensed-filled Cantonese-built temple. Touted as the most interesting in town. If you’ve seen a lot of temples before and are tight for time I wouldn’t make the 30 min journey. There’s a nice temple garden though, which offers a welcome respite from the frenetic city.

7pm, Dong Du: Just off Dong Khoi is this quieter, bar and restaurant filled street. We stopped for drinks at Qing, a wine bar with Asian tapas, and were serenaded by dragon dancers gearing up for the Tết festival.

7:40pm, Thann and Harnn: Walking to dinner can be so distracting, especially when another amazing spa shop crops up. Scented candles and fragrant lotions in this little Aladdin’s cave. Jo Malone, eat your heart out. 23 Dong Du, 827 2008.

8pm, Nam Kha: Allegedly one of the city’s best Vietnamese restaurants, but actually where Donatella Versace met Laura Ashley and it all went hideously wrong. Perhaps the food is fantastic, but I wasn’t going to sit by the reflection pool to find out.

8:30pm, The Refinery: An oasis of simplicity and deliciousness in a courtyard near the Hôtel de Ville. Arriving at this French-owned restaurant is like stumbling into a secret garden; illuminated by candles and fairylights the restaurant sits on the ground floor of a yellow colonial house with a terracotta roof and wooden eaves. With a menu that would make Provence proud and a wine list to match, this is a great place to come for a glimpse of how the city must have been when the French were still in town. It was so hard to leave that we didn’t until we had to, sipping red wine and watching girls in traditional ao dais walk past. Around $60 for two people, 3 courses and (lots of) wine. 74/7C Hai Ba Trung, 823 0509.

Pop Bites Rocks

I don't know about you, but sometimes I'd rather stay at my desk that deal with Queen's Road, Great or The Landmark at lunchtime. Where do all those people come from and how to they magically disappear at the stroke of 1:30?

Well, I've discovered a lunchtime nirvana. Buzzing yet relaxed, cheap yet delicious, cool yet unpretentious. Go to Pop Bites. I had a big salad and soup for just $55. Cheaper than 360 and you're guaranteed to get a seat. Brilliant.

Pop Bites
Upper Ground Floor
3 - 5 Old Bailey Street
Soho
+852 2525 4141

I (quite) like Lucy's

I’d heard a lot of good things about Lucy’s in Stanley: delicious food, great atmosphere, creative menu etc etc, so I decided to check it out last night.
They’ve gone for a Tuscan theme decoration wise which, in my humble opinion, doesn’t work; the place is in danger of looking like JD Weatherspoons meets the Home & Away set. Bad lighting, even worse wall stenciling and a tacky palm tree to round the whole look off. I was feeling slightly nauseous when the waiter handed me the menu, but once glance at that was more then enough to convince me to stay.

The menu is a great size, you choose from five or six starters and main courses and there’s a separate pudding list. You’re not overwhelmed by choices so the simple, well thought out food really stands out (which is lucky given the decoration scheme). Starters include a deliciously fresh mozzarella, courgette, almond and grape salad with a fig tapenade ($90) and char-grilled squid and white bean bruschetta ($85). There was a tomato and thyme braised lamb shank on the main course menu ($200), along with falafel with tomato salad and pita ($170) and seabass with spicy chickpeas, aubergine and pomegranate couscous ($210), which I strongly recommend.

Feeling very full we still pushed on to the puddings; I went for a fantastic rhubarb and raspberry crumble and my friend opted for a pecan and ginger tart. Both were excellent. They also have two and three course set menus at $240 and $280.

I feel a bit sorry for the girls who get taken there for cosy dinners à deux. Although Lucy’s offers delicious food and wine it isn’t exactly the romantic dinner date destination I’d imagined. Well, perhaps if you’re Alf and Alsa and living happily in Summer Bay, but this is Hong Kong and there are hundreds of romantic hotspots to choose from. For a girly dinner or a good food fix I’d go back, but I won’t be angling for a hot date there any time soon.

Lucy's - G/F, 64 Stanley Main Street, Stanley. Tel: +852 2813 9055. Look for the side street to the right of Deli France, the restaurant is up there.

Mama Mia!

For deli fans like me the thought of twenty five types of salami, ham and pâté equals serious salivation. Add to this a whole ream of cheeses, including delicious taleggio and pecorino, grilled artichokes, broad bean salads and gently fried dover sole and you've got an elbow-jabbing, taxi-chasing, must-see attraction on your hands.

Il Bel Paese (I visited the Caine Road branch, but will be hurrying to Wanchai and Happy Valley as soon as I've finished scoffing my current batch of San Daniele) is one such Aladdin's Cave of deli delights. They've got shelves stacked with wine, olive oil (and I mean the good stuff), balsamic vinegar, pasta, tapenade, pesto, lentils, butter beans, chickpeas, capers, porcini mushrooms, truffles, peppers and more delicious Italian treats than I've seen since I set foot in Hong Kong. There's a fresh fruit and veg counter and, should you so desire, Florentine ceramics you can pick up too. The best part is that it's all a lot cheaper than the likes of CitySuper, Great and Olivers. Hooray!

They also prepare food to eat-in or takeaway. On the menu are salads such as Caesar ($32) and Tuscany bean with tuna ($28), cheese platters (from $72), cold cut platters (from $65), pasta dishes (from $48 - $58), fish ($52), meatballs ($52), sandwiches (from $30) - and we're talking the fiocaccia and ciabatta kind - and puddings (from $29). They can also cater if you're planning a party. The smells from the kitchen were delicious and I'm sure the food would do Mama proud.

Happy Valley: 23 Sing Woo Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2868 2818
Mid-Levels: G/F, No.85 Caine Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2549 8893
Wanchai: G/F, No.25 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2804 2992

A sheep worth following

The Black Sheep restaurant in sleepy Shek O is a Hong Kong favourite. Bursting at lunchtime with beach lovers, locals and hikers alike its pizzas, seafood, fresh globe artichokes and homemade lemonade are enough of an attraction to make the 30 minute journey from Central more than worthwhile.

Although you can feel much better about gorging on their gastronomic treats after having hiked the Dragon's Back or done a few lengths up and down Shek O beach, dinner at The Black Sheep (without any of the outdoor activities) is a real treat and much recommended.

Once the sun sets the restaurant is an even more relaxed affair than usual; lit up with bizarre planetary mobiles, glittering disco balls and overlooked by a temple it is a pocket of calm and tranquility, the like of which is usually only found on far flung beaches and in hard-to-reach havens.

There are far fewer diners in the evening, which means that the service is much faster and the staff more attentive. I even got a 20% discount off the food because the waitress recognised me as a regular. I'll definitely be flocking back.

The Black Sheep - G/F, 350 Shek O Village, Shek O. Tel: +852 2809 2021

Loving your Laksa

Laksa lovers look no further. I've checked out Pasar, both in Wanchai and in Central, and am happy to report that they serve up a superlative bowl of this spicy, aromatic comfort food.

The Laksa Supreme (with prawn, fish cakes, squid balls, tofu and egg) costs $68, and you can also opt for Laksa Special (shrimp, cockles, fish cakes, squid balls and tofu) at $48 and Laksa with Singaporean Chicken for the same price. If you're a veggie don't despair, the staff at this friendly joint are happy to omit the meat and fish and prepare a morning glory, tofu and beansprout stuffed version to make sure you don't miss out on this creamy delight.

If Laksa isn't your thing there are plenty of other Singaporean dishes on the menu, from beef rendang to fried carrot cake with shrimp to grilled sambal stingray (much recommended by a friend). They also do lunch and afternoon tea sets if you're on a budget.

Central location - 2/F, Yu Wing Building, 64 - 66 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: 3693 4448

Wanchai Location - 97 Johnston Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Tel: 3168 2057

A deli-icious slice of home life

As insignificant as it sounds, one of the things that I really miss about living in Europe is popping into the local cheesemonger and stocking up on delicious treats at the tiny Italian deli just around the corner from my old flat. To my mind there's nothing finer than a warm, crispy baguette, a crumbling hunk of Montgomery cheddar, a couple of slices of delicious wafer thin ham and a glass of red wine. I can happily spend half an hour in the cheesemonger breathing in the comforting aromas of extra mature stilton and gently oozing brie, and I love the deli for the lingering smells of Spanish legs of ham and really good olive oil.

I've been missing that in Hong Kong, and although I'm a big fan of Cantonese cuisine there's nothing quite like the therapeutic whiffs of ham and cheese to make me feel comforted and at home. I was delighted, therefore, to stumble across Olala in Wanchai. It's a rare find in this crazy city: a small, wood furnished, simple French deli / brasserie tucked away just off Star Street.

For the princely sum of $72 (£4.50) you get two simple, but hearty courses from the set menu and $98 (£6.30) gets you three. The set menu is excellent value and offers bistro staples like steak frites, a plat du jour and a good, but straightforward lamb dish. None of that for me though, I sprinted straight towards the display of hams, salamis and cheeses stacked under the deli counter. As soon as you walk through the small door the smell of them hits you, and although they cost more at about $120 a plate each it's well worth it. There's a good selection of cheeses and cold meats to choose from and they can all be accompanied by decent French wine. I was extra nice to the staff there; I’m going to need them on my side when I end up at the door happily sniffing the air and completely oblivious to anything else that’s happening around me.

Olala – 1 Electric Steet, G/F, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2294 0450.

Oh I do love to be beside the seaside

OK, so Suffolk isn't exactly in Asia, but I thought I'd deviate... Suffolk isn't a place that usually springs to mind when planning a mini-break by the sea either, but if you're a London based beach lover then it's a lot easier to reach than the far-flung paradises of South-East Asia or Sangria soaked resorts in Spain.

Aldeburgh, which is just 2.5 hours away from central London, is a pretty and quintessentially British place with a huge (albeit pebbley) beach, traditional pubs, snug B&Bs and cute boutiques.

Famous for its annual arts festival and being the place where Benjamin Britten breathed his last it's well worth a weekend visit. Aldeburgh is located right in the heart of rural Suffolk and visitors can make the most of miles of unspoiled countryside, historic villages and lots and lots of fresh air.

The best parts of my trip included delicious Ploughman's Lunches, pints of sweet Suffolk cider, bike rides between Aldeburgh and the pretty villages that surround it, walks on the beach, eating fish and chips from Cooney's (a very famous fish and chip shop) on the shingle, the impressive Snape Maltings , rummaging through the little boutiques that line Aldeburgh's High Street and relaxing away from the hustle and bustle of city living.

There are some great places to stay in and around Aldeburgh (Alastair Sawday is always a great place to start) and a weekend break will give you plenty of opportunity to make the most of this little corner of England.