Upstairs Tasting Room

Upstairs Tasting Room is a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant on Nguyễn Bá Huân street in Thảo Điền, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City. The restaurant serves a multi-course tasting menu focused on modern culinary techniques. It sits on the first floor above a wine bar named Little Bear. The format is a fixed tasting menu of approximately twelve courses. Head Chef Hiep Truong designs the experience. The cuisine reinterprets traditional Vietnamese dishes, particularly from Central Vietnam and Huế.

The menu applies modern methods to familiar flavors. Signature dishes include Gỏi bò cà, a version of beef salad with wagyu. Another offering is Hến xúc bánh đa, which features baby clams with house-made saté. The restaurant also serves Vịt Hon, a dry-aged duck grilled over charcoal. Chefs deliver many of the courses to the table. They explain the story and ingredients behind each dish. The restaurant offers curated wine pairings and a non-alcoholic beverage pairing.

The dining space is intimate and seats a small number of guests. It includes a ten-seat dining room with a semi-open kitchen. A single chef’s counter seat and three private dining rooms are also available. The interior design uses muted tones and curved lines. The restaurant received a MICHELIN Star for its culinary approach. Bookings are essential as there is no à la carte menu.

The restaurant was co-founded by Long Tran. It aims to connect diners with the cultural roots of its dishes. The experience includes presentations of regional ingredients and herbs. The sommelier curates a wine list that features boutique and small-production wineries. The restaurant serves dinner six nights a week and offers a lunch service on Sunday.