from Vietnam Golf Magazine
August 2015
As good fortune would have it, our four month global tour brought us into Hanoi for a week long visit. Prior to touch-down at Noi Bai International Airport, reports had come to us about the Apricot Hotel, a newly opened five star, small luxury hotel just steps away from the iconic Hoan Kiem Lake.
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| Vietnam Golf Magazine August 2015 |
In just the three months after it’s opening in April 2015, the trendy, luxury property has received a generous number of positive reviews. We knew it was a stop we needed to make. Our chief aim was to experience the culinary delights at L’Artiste Restaurant.
Entering the Apricot lobby, we quickly notice both their meticulous attention to service and the hotel’s focus on Vietnamese art, culture and heritage. Placed throughout the public areas and guest rooms are over 600 works by renowned Vietnamese artists. Some of the showcased pieces are by master painters Nguyen Dung and Phan Ke An and contemporary stars Bui Huu Hung and Hong Viet Dung, together with sculptures, ink drawings and watercolours.
Formerly known as the Phu Gia, the hotel had welcomed socialites, political leaders and business elite since the 1920s. Coming back to life after a top-to-bottom renovation, the interior is now a crisp and light cream, taking their cue from the French colonial era with marble floors, extravagant chandeliers and classical furnishings.
On our way to their fine dining restaurant L’Artiste, we proceeded at a leisurely pace that allowed us to enjoy the artwork along with the soft melodies played by the lobby pianist. It gave us a feeling that we could have just as easily been walking through a boutique art gallery in any major metropolitan city. When reaching L’Artiste, we are escorted past the open-style kitchen on the way to our private dining room with a view of Hoan Kiem Lake.
We were fortunate that the Apricot’s Executive Chef Hugo Barberis stepped in to explain each course and how they were prepared. Our dinner started with a New Zealand beef carpaccio, pomelo salad with Caesar sauce, followed by a main-course of sea bass filet with olive & zucchini risotto, smoked eggplant caviar, and an orange star and butter sauce. Our dessert featured their apricot & matcha tea mousse with apricot & strawberry. Each course was artistically prepared -- culinary masterpieces served by their professional staff.
A bit about Executive Chef Hugo Barberis: He began his illustrious career aged 16 as an apprentice at the La Table d'Anvers - a one-star Michelin restaurant in Paris. He honed his skills under the guidance of famed chef Alain Passard at the three-star Michelin restaurant L’Arpege before earning his one Michelin star as an Executive Sous Chef at Chamaree Restaurant.
He travelled to Vietnam and fell in love with the country, its culture, people and landscape. During his eight years in the country, he has worked as an Executive Chef for an array of high-end restaurants and hotels. Bringing together the experiences spanning two decades, he creates unique, delectable dishes with French, Italian and Vietnamese blends.
Had our fashionable evening ended with the delightful dinner at L’Artiste, it would have been a very good night. However, later in the evening we made our way up to Apricot’s rooftop pool which provided a stunning panoramic view of Hanoi and the iconic Hoan Keim Lake. The tranquility of the
An evening at the L’Artiste and on Apricot’s rooftop is a welcomed break for even the most seasoned traveller. The service is top-notch, the French colonial architecture is warm and inviting, and the sophisticated ambiance puts one at ease. Highly recommended for a night out on the town, or a longer stay to get-away.
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