by Hoàng Vân Anh One day I found myself on Hà Nội’s Lò Sũ Street and just couldn’t keep my eyes away from a cosy and chic restaurant with quite an intriguing name: Etesia. Looking it up later, I was even more impressed by the concept and the menu. Etesia is a “kitchen counter” restaurant serving contemporary European cuisine, with chefs at work in a fully open kitchen. Countertop dining has been heating up the restaurant scene in major cities around the world. It’s a place to see -- the kitchen, the chefs, and the action -- and to be seen. Etesia’s Executive Chef Benjamin Morelle has experience as a sous chef at a 1-star Michelin restaurant in Paris. After months of anticipation, my friends and I finally managed to find the time to enjoy what the restaurant has to offer. It actually belongs to Polite & Co, a much-loved cocktail bar that was the first traditional pub in Hà Nội. I had high hopes for Etesia given its sister was long established, and was not disappointed. Even my friend, who has high standards and is hard to impress, was blown away. DINING STYLE: The warm ambience by Etesia’s kitchen counter. Photo from Facebook Etesia Since we came for dinner, we ordered from the chef’s menu only. They also have a happy hour from 5 to 7pm, with “buy one get one free” drinks, which we took advantage of. We ordered the Sea Bass Ceviche (VNĐ160,000) with jackfruit, coriander, lime juice, and chili. The presentation was impressive. All the dinnerware was incredibly attractive but still allowed the food to take the spotlight. The white sea bass was cured with lime juice and tasted incredibly fresh. The sweetness from the jackfruit balanced out the acidity perfectly. Some thin slices of red radish not only helped decorate the dish but also added some crunchy texture to each bite. Later on, as we talked to the chef, we found that he enjoyed working with fish and wanted to offer more such dishes. The menu included other selections …
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