Mr Danh founded Laang after the success of the Quan Bui restaurants in Saigon. Laang is Saigon’s dining sanctuary and is widely-celebrated for its tranquility and innovative Vietnamese menu. Now, Mr Danh is determined that Laang and all it embodies is the perfect concept to promote the excellence of Vietnamese cuisine to a global audience.
What inspired you to build Laang as a quiet green oasis in the heart of Saigon?
After being successful our Quan Bui restaurants, I was wondering how we can elevate the food experience in Vietnam. We wanted to create a new concept, which keeps the tradition of Vietnamese cuisines, but opens the horizon of our guests, that Vietnam has many flavors and ideas to offer. Our garden oasis definitely helps us, to create a cozy and calm atmosphere for our restaurant, and it provides our guest a unique place in Saigon.
Why did you choose Indochine style that is reminiscent of the golden age of old Saigon for Laang restaurant?
The history of Indochine is still in the minds of most of us, and will remain for the next generations as well. With our Villa building, we wanted to keep some of the charm from this area, but not forgetting our roots and the long way it took Vietnam to be what it is today.
Is there any similarity between Quan Bui and Laang?
In all restaurants of Quan Bui Group, we are aiming to have a great and hospitable service for all our guests. We also have small similarities to our dishes, but at Laang, we are still aiming to go the little extra mile for our guests and bring Vietnamese service to the next level.
As we know, Laang focuses on middle-class customers, including foreigners. How do the chefs at Laang make pure Vietnamese cuisine that appeals to this audience?
As mentioned before, we are adding a little modern Asian twist to most of our dishes. Some foreigners are prejudice to Vietnamese cuisine, as they might have had other experiences. We are confident of changing this perspective, after they have had visited Laang. Our dishes are made from local; fresh ingredients, and we are not overpowering with herbs and sauces.
Laang’s goal is to serve diners not only delicious dishes but also to promote healthy dining. How are the ingredients selected and quality controlled by Laang?
Most of our ingredients are delivered daily, and our well-trained kitchen and service team makes a quality on every delivery. We are lucky enough, to have great suppliers as partners. It took us some years to find the ones, which we can also identify with our own quality standards, but now this definitely one of our strengths, that we get supplied by the right companies.
Can you share more about the opportunity to meet and cooperate with the two chefs, Minh Hai and Trong Huan?
I knew them before started Laang, and one day I asked them come over for food tasting turned out great it was what I expected.
How did you, as a restaurateur, respond to the huge impact Covid-19 had on the catering world?
We never stop to improve and being innovative. We took the months of COVID; to expand our service portfolio to catering as well, and had already a few great events. Currently, we are working on a few more options to elevate this experience as well. For 2021, we have already a few surprises prepared. Stay tuned.
What have you learnt from the tough year that is 2020?
This year eating together is about more than the food. It’s about spending together, connecting, and building stronger relationships. This year it’s all about keeping healthy so we can do all other plans next year.
The menus at Laang are regularly updated. What are the criteria for a dish to be included in Laang’s menu?
We want to keep the tradition up, while being innovative and present something to our guests, they might never had or expected in a Vietnamese restaurant.
As an enthusiast of Vietnamese cuisine do you have a region whose cuisine you like best?
I love food and eating out all the time, I would say Northern cuisine is my most favourite.
As a businessman who is passionate about cuisine, could you share your ideal menu for different occasions?
We changing menus every three months and some of them get to go on the recommendations some have to go. Adding new items is also a great way to add diversity without getting rid of what’s working, we’re perceived as fresh and innovative, while potentially attracting a new crowd. “Same old - same old” is nice, but eventually even the most faithful recurring customers will want to try something new.
What are the future plans for Laang?
We are currently working on an extension plan for this brand. We believe this concept has a great potential all over Vietnam and even other countries Word Wide. In the last years, Vietnamese cuisine has gotten imore and more global recognition, and we believe with Laang, we have the right concept to bring our cuisine to the people.
