We visited Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City also known as Saigon in May 2024. Ho Chi Minh is most notably known for its importance during the Vietnam war. However, there is so much more to this city than old war museums and Vietcong tunnels. Vietnam is one of the most popular countries in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is bursting with culture and breathtaking natural beauty. From picturesque beaches to historic local villages and cosmopolitan cities, Vietnam has countless unmissable destinations.
I found Saigon very clean and lush green. It is a major modern hub of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City offers a glimpse into both the future of the country and its past. The city’s landscape if full of skyscrapers tower over French colonial buildings and ancient pagodas, while the streets buzz with the hustle of daily life. There are pieces of Vietnam’s history everywhere, from the architecture and culture to historic landmarks. The Independence Palace or the War Remnants Museum for understanding depth of the Vietnam War. The Mekong Delta consists of the rows of houseboats and paddy fields for a true look at local life. Saigon is famous for night life.
Vietnam, like most of the other Southeast Asian countries is known for its meaty delicacies across the globe. It is hard to be a vegetarian when there is at least one non-veg ingredient in the Vietnamese cuisine. But in the hordes of frog legs, snails, pork, dog meat etc.
I am a pure vegetarian. I had a big problem of finding vegetarian food. Luckily, we found a good vegetarian restaurant named ‘Benaras’ near our hotel, tucked within the vibrant culinary landscape of Vietnam. This Indian Restaurant emerges as an ideal restaurant offering wide array of culinary dishes of Indian origin; South Indian, North India, Marathi. Gujarati foods. I ordered idli and masala dosa and to my surprise, they were authentically cooked. Benaras is founded and led by Nidhi Arora in 2018. Prior to her entrepreneurial stint, Nidhi worked as a HR consultant. Benaras Indian Restaurant has swiftly earned its place as the premier destinations of Vietnam for the best Indian food experience in Vietnam. It has multiple branches.
I could luckily discuss with Nidhi as she was present at her Saigon restaurant. She is a charismatic lady. In restaurant business the biggest challenge is handling the staff as the attrition rate is very high. Nidhi handles her staff compassionately; she has mastered collaboration and empathy skills. I found a strong leader in her. She sees others as actual people, not just work producers. As a woman leader, she is more attentive to her employees and the customer’s needs, aspirations, and experience.
Restaurant ambience personifies the owner’s character. I found Benaras restaurant’s atmosphere warm, incorporating lighting, decor, pastel color scheme, dining tableware textures more to match the intended vibe. The lighting brings so much change to an indoor environment. The right tableware can set the mood complementing the lunch/dinner’s general theme and the food’s visual aspects. The pictures on menu and description serve functional purposes. The cutlery set collection adds to visual aesthetics.
I honestly recommend tourists and visitors to visit Benaras Restaurant at Vietnam. I wish Ms. Nidhi Artora best wishes for all her upcoming endeavours.