Barbak - a rare Mediterranean style restaurant in the middle of Hanoi's Old Quarter

A place where Eastern and Western cultures and cuisines intersect

Nestled in the old town, Barbak is located in an old French architectural house at 51 Hang Bo. Stepping through the door, diners will immediately feel relaxed by the elegant interior that is both rustic and modern.

Warm colors such as terracotta, cool olive green and natural wood highlight the space, decorative details carry Vietnamese cultural stories such as Bau Truc Cham pottery, combined with unique paintings with a modern feel drawn by AI based on the restaurant's own style ideas.

Not only in architecture, Mediterranean colors also breathe life into each dish in the artistic menu of Barbak, a culinary style famous for its healthy diet, in harmony with nature through the diverse and balanced use of vegetables, nuts, extra virgin olive oil...

James Dogan, Barbak's French head chef, and his team always strive to bring an interesting journey to diners, combining Western cooking style with local ingredients and the quintessence of Asian cuisine.

“We want to create a welcoming atmosphere where customers feel comfortable and inspired,” said James, who is proud of his hometown’s French culinary heritage and wants to share it with Hanoians in particular and Vietnamese people in general.

The menu at Barbak is built on the spirit of a restaurant specializing in grilled food, a bistronomy approach and inspired by the popular "meat skewers" that diners can easily find all over the streets of Hanoi.

Bistronomy is a style of cuisine that combines pub-style dishes with haute cuisine. Diners can enjoy traditional, casual dishes, simple and seasonal ingredients, but the flavors are enhanced by advanced cooking techniques.

“Our meat, fish and seafood are grilled over charcoal in the traditional way but seasoned with attention to detail – typical of bistronomy,” explains James.

The restaurant’s seafood, meat and vegetable skewers are a masterful combination of the essence of Vietnamese street food and the aesthetics of European cuisine. A bistro-style meal is not complete without premium ingredients. The selection of ingredients is given special attention in Barbak’s kitchen.

“Because the supplier of ingredients determines up to 50% of the quality of a chef's work,” the restaurant's head chef affirmed.

All meat, fish, butter, milk and cheese are imported from Europe and Australia, ensuring the highest standards and traceability. For vegetables, fruits and herbs, Barbak prioritizes using local products, mainly from Da Lat.

“Among local ingredients, I particularly appreciate Vietnamese fruits for their distinctive flavours and textures, which add a unique touch to dishes. Watermelon is a prime example of a tropical fruit,” James said.

One of the biggest challenges for James is understanding the preferences of Vietnamese diners. He and his team have had interesting learning experiences when adjusting recipes to suit local tastes and expectations of texture, flavor and seasoning in dishes, opening up a new dimension to familiar ingredients by creating different directions to surprise and conquer the taste buds of diners.

“Balancing my culinary vision and the preferences of local diners is essential, requiring me to make adjustments without losing the identity of the dish,” said the French chef.

Taste Adventure

The restaurant's slogan is "Taste of fire & ice", sending diners a message about an exciting adventure.

When visiting Barbak for the first time, diners should start with a colorful appetizer: Watermelon Carpaccio. Watermelon is slow-cooked for 8 hours to retain its natural sweetness and preserve its nutrients. Each thin, bright red slice of watermelon stands out with rocket, garnished with capers, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese...

If you want to be a little more adventurous, you can try the “devil eggs” with tonnato sauce (including mayonnaise, minced tuna, sardines, olive oil...) which is rich and balanced with the light sourness of sun-dried tomatoes.

Next, don't miss out on signature dishes like Wagyu beef skewers, Cote de Boeuf beef ribs, beef tartare...

The menu also surprises with dishes inspired by ancient Greek art. Not to be missed is the “tuna mosaic” tuna with fresh, clear pieces of pink-jade tuna arranged in a mosaic combined with the spicy taste of mustard and the mild sour taste of mango.

The vegetarian version of this dish is a green-white mosaic asparagus with nori seaweed for a subtle umami flavor.

To end the meal, diners should choose a classic traditional ice cream sundae with typical flavors such as vanilla ice cream with chocolate, caramel, crispy peanuts; tropical ice cream with coconut, mango flavor or "symphony of berries" with the light sour taste of strawberry, raspberry...

Or, if you want to indulge your taste buds with a famous Italian dessert, try a portion of Tiramisu or raspberry Semifreddo. Semifreddo is a semi-frozen ice cream with a soft, light, cloud-like texture that melts in your mouth.

Barbak's difference is the atmosphere of the meals. The restaurant offers a high-end yet intimate culinary experience, with friendly service and spreading the concept of sharing food in Vietnamese culture.

“This breaks the traditional Western restaurant norm, where meals are usually served individually to each diner. We always encourage each customer to try more dishes and enjoy a more intimate, fun experience,” said Chef James.