By Gia Linh

In Việt Nam, whether it’s a fancy restaurant, a frugal eatery, or simply a street stall, people come for the food. Good food usually means crowds.

So when it comes to restaurants gaining overnight fame through their celebrity owners, I must admit that I’m sceptical about the quality of the food.

These places are often packed, either because people are curious to see the celeb in real life or are simply fans of the owners, and sometimes, food takes a back seat.

At the end of the day, I am no expert or food critic, so who am I to judge?

But as a customer, my past failed dining experiences have made me wary of celebrity-owned restaurants.

That’s why I wasn’t exactly eager to try ChanChan Noodle when it went viral on social media a year ago.

Founded by actress Ngô Thanh Vân and her chef spouse Huy Trần, this little Hong Kong style vegan noodle bar in Thảo Điền has always been packed with people, including celebrities.

ChanChan Noodle Bar in busy Thảo Điền Ward is frequented by many HCM City foodies for its delicious vegan Chinese dishes and photogenic Hong Kong-style decor. VNS Photo Gia Linh

I follow both of them on social media, and their posts about how dedicated they are to the restaurant did intrigue me.

“Will I give this celebrity-famous restaurant one last try?” I wondered.

After putting off visiting ChanChan Noodle multiple times, I finally agreed to go with a colleague, hoping to regain my trust in celebrity-owned restaurants.

A year into its business, the restaurant has opened an additional dining hall across the street from the original location, reducing the queues of hungry guests during peak hours.

Step through the entrance and you’re instantly transported to “Hong Kong”, with nostalgic Chinese songs playing in the background and traditional glass paintings and vintage posters adorning the walls.

One reason why this place goes viral is its photogenic corners: neon signs, a bright, red telephone booth, and vintage looking interiors. Almost every customer takes a check-in photo here.

We arrived right at opening time on a Monday, so it wasn’t as packed as expected. The staff were attentive and quickly arranged a table for us.

The seasonal menu, designed in a distinct Hong Kong style with vintage fonts, bright colours and attractive images, was modest.

It features a few main noodle dishes, eight types of pickles, desserts, and signature Chinese-inspired plates.

Just minutes later, our first dish arrived while we were still wandering around taking photos.

The food was served in colourfully painted, Chinese-style ceramics; visually, it was Instagram-worthy.

We started with Peking Roasted Mushroom, a vegan twist on the renowned Peking Duck. I was curious about how close this version would come, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Peking Roasted Mushroom is a delicate vegan take on the world-famous Peking Duck. VNS Photo Gia Linh

To mimic the duck’s iconic crispy skin, baked (I guess) rice paper was used as a substitute, and the “meat” consisted of thick mushroom slices covered in traditional Chinese char siu sauce. A clever idea, and one that worked.

Wrap the mushroom, crispy rice paper, cucumbers, shredded scallions, and julienned bell pepper with a piece of thin pancake, dip into the sweet bean sauce, and you’ll be amazed.

The sauces tasted strikingly similar to the original: savoury, flavour-packed, and slightly sweet. Then came the refreshing crunch of the vegetables, the chewiness of the mushrooms, and crispness of the rice paper.

This vegan version could stand shoulder to shoulder with its iconic counterparts. Personally, I like it even more–lighter and more refreshing.

By this point, I was convinced my initial scepticism about ChanChan Noodle had been wrong.

When our two noodle bowls were served, we realised we had underestimated our appetites. The portion sizes here are no joke.

Another thing that I appreciated about ChanChan Noodles was that every dish was beautiful and meticulously assembled. The vibrant dinnerware made the food stand out even more.

I took a spoonful of the Vegan Herbal Noodle Soup, and had to agree with what chef Huy Trần wrote online: the broth was full of umami with a subtle sweetness, thanks to hours of simmering shitake mushrooms, ginkgo, lotus root, goji berries, cinnamon stick, star anise, and jujube.

This soup laid a hearty foundation for the other elements in the bowl, infusing flavour into the chewy golden egg noodles and assorted vegetables.

The only “protein” in the bowl was, for lack of a better word, a pocket made of tofu skin and stuffed with minced mushrooms to mimic a meat-like texture. It absorbed the broth wonderfully while maintaining its chewiness and nutty tofu flavour.

The last, and boldest, dish of the day was one of ChanChan Noodle’s most popular: ChanChan Mian.

A heap of thick, wide glass noodles was topped with minced mushroom, deep-fried mushroom, stir-fried red chili and mushroom sauce, scallions, crushed peanuts, and a dollop of creamy peanut sauce.

Every dish at ChanChan is beautifully assembled and served in traditional Chinese dinnerware, enhancing the authenticity of the dining experience. VNS Photo Gia Linh

Every element in this bowl complemented the other, both in flavour and appearance.

The sauces were the star. The chili sauce gave a spicy, savoury kick, while the peanut sauce added a creamy, nutty, but not overpowering, note.

For me, this bowl of chewy noodle, juicy mushroom, and delicate sauces felt like a starter pack to fight the summer heat.

It’s a pity that we were too full to try any desserts from the place, but even without them, we had such a lovely meal.

Located in Thảo Điền and serving high-quality ingredients, I think the prices here are reasonable, ranging from VNĐ50,000-150,000 (US$2-6) per dish.

We spent around VNĐ450,000 ($17) on three dishes and two drinks, which, considering the portion sizes, could easily feed three people with a small appetite.

And if you’re wondering whether I’ve regained hope in celebrity-owned restaurants – yes I have.

My experience at Chan Chan Noodle was short but impressive. I truly appreciate the couple’s dedication to delivering quality food and service.

In the end, the jury is still out on whether all celebrity-owned restaurants deserve their hype. But with honesty, effort, and dedication, Chan Chan Noodle is undoubtedly one of the standouts. VNS