Banana coco with dark chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream is a must try to end your meal. VNS Photo Minh Phi

By Mỹ Duyên 

It was a rainy evening when I celebrated my birthday with my children at Amigo, one of the best grill restaurants in downtown HCM City.

Featuring popular Latin American steak dishes, Amigo has been an ideal place for steak lovers for many years.

With its cozy ambience and romantic atmosphere, the steakhouse impresses diners when they come for a meal or snack. If anyone asks me or my children where to have the best steak in town, our answer is always “It is only Amigo”.

Australian steak served on hot stones is the best among the restaurant’s classic signature dishes. VNS Photo Minh Phi

Besides the quality of its food and service, its unbeatable location is also a plus, making Amigo a frequent dining choice in the heart of the city. 

Located on the broad Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street in District 1, Amigo Grill serves a fine selection of freshly imported US, Australian and premium wagyu beef cuts.

The restaurant is home to many Latin American signature favourites and grilled dishes prepared in an open kitchen showcasing its chefs’ skills.

For more than two decades, Amigo has been well-known as one of the city's preferred spots for those seeking a special dining experience in a traditional steakhouse setting. It offers a business set menu and weekend brunch, as well as a la carte.

The family-friendly menu includes imported fresh seafood, salmon, US pork ribs and Australian lamb to satisfy a wide variety of tastes. A fully stocked bar and international wine list complement any main course.

Located on the second floor and with a seating capacity for 50, the Amigo Grill's private dining room is the perfect destination for any birthday, anniversary or celebration.

Oysters grilled with mornay sauce is a top choice of children. VNS Photo Minh Phi

The restaurant's fame stems from its preparation of steak served on hot stones. 

As we had planned, it did not take us much time to consider what to eat when the waiter brought out the menu. 

For a starter, we chose oysters. At  Amigo, fresh oysters are served raw or grilled. For the grilled, there are two options – oyster grilled with mornay sauce, or with spring onion and garlic sauce.

Because we are not fans of raw oysters, we chose the grilled dish with mornay sauce. It is one of several appetizer specialties, priced for VNĐ288,000++ per six pieces.

Two oysters for each did not satisfy the strong appetite of my kids, so they begged for more though many tempting dishes were waiting for us. Our next try was beef steak and I let my twins choose their favourite.

On the list of Amigo classic items was a selection of the world’s best beef -- Australian, American and wagyu. Wagyu was too pricey, so we chose the Australian beef served on hot stones, also the best among the restaurant’s signature dishes as recommended by our waiter.

I ordered tenderloin steak at VNĐ560,000/150 grams and ribeye for my twins at VNĐ650,000/150 grams, cooked medium well.

At home, we eat beefsteak with French fries or mashed potato, but here we tried the dish with baked whole potatoes, carrots and asparagus.

Amigo offers a collection of mouthwatering homemade sauces for steaks, and those with red wine and mushroom flavours are the most popular. Despite these, I preferred the green peppercorn sauce which highlighted the flavour and freshness of the beef. 

Also available was a tempting buffet salad bar with a variety of well-prepared items. It featured steamed zucchini, cucumber pickles, stir-fried mushrooms, carrots, asparagus and onions.

My twins were excited watching the chef make the steak on the hot stone.    

“My mouth is watering, mom,” my son said, while my daughter, after sampling the steak, thought it was "as fresh and juicy as it can be, its texture so tender".

“I love the sauce too," my son added.

Other must-tries at the restaurant include barbecued pork ribs, grilled Alaskan wild salmon fillet, pan-seared black cod fillet, and Amigo classic dishes like pan-fried Australian fillet mignon wrapped with bacon and served with garlic butter sauce and more.   

For those who are not beef lovers, grilled chicken, shrimp or fish wrapped in bacon are the best choices. The items are outstanding and should not be missed.

After the main course, we made sure to leave room for desserts.

As ice cream lovers, my twins opted for the banana coco (fried banana cake) with dark chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream, and apple strudel with vanilla ice cream, each priced at VNĐ108,000.

When the desserts were brought out, we decided to share all our ordered items. Both desserts were exquisitely set up on the plates. I preferred the apple strudel.

Banana coco is a delicious southern traditional cake which is also a favourite street food and affordable for all diners.

But here the cake was served with ice cream and dark chocolate. The chefs had changed the traditional recipe by adding coconut threads mixed with flour that covered the banana before it was fried. It was especially fragrant and delicious, and married well with ice cream. Despite being truly full, we managed to finish it all.

Spending time eating out with my children is a great pleasure, and though our last dinner was expensive, it was well worth the price and we hope to return. VNS

Amigo Grill Restaurant 

Add: 55-57 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard, District 1, HCM City

Phone: (028) 38241248

Hours: 11am – 2:30pm & 5pm – 10pm daily

Comment: Great steak in original Latin American style, cozy ambience, dedicated service. Expensive but worth the price.