By Hamy Nguyễn

I like small, intimate spaces. For me, unwinding after work isn’t about silence, like people often imagine when they think of rest. 

Relaxation, to me, means chatting freely with those around me, enjoying good food and letting my mind fully sink into the experience. Maybe I’m not alone in that, which might explain why the foodbar model is far more common in HCM City than in Hà Nội, where I live.

And when I heard that another foodbar made it into the Michelin Selected list this year, the first thing that came to my mind was that I have to try Okra.

As soon as you step into Okra, you're greeted by a vibrant buzz, the kind of lively, joyful energy that instantly pulls you in. Guests are chatting across tables, laughter echoes through the air and the atmosphere feels more like a dinner party than a typical restaurant.

For someone who loves cooking like me, the open kitchen is a dream: gleaming copper pots, sizzling pans and the rhythmic clatter of tools all add to the show. It’s warm, communal and alive: a place where food and conversation flow freely.

First up was the cold Hạ Long Pacific oysters with pork guanciale with salted plum-water melon mignonette (VNĐ60,000). I’m not usually a fan of Hạ Long oysters, as they tend to lack that creamy depth I enjoy. But the chef cleverly worked around this by pairing them with crisped guanciale, adding richness and a subtle smoky edge.

The real twist? A Vietnamese-style mignonette made with salted plum and watermelon: bright, refreshing and just weird enough to work brilliantly.

With the Phở Bò tartare with minced raw beef, quail egg, sate aioli, puffed beef tendon and salt and vinegar taro chips (VNĐ220,000), the name alone had me curious. When I hear phở bò in a fusion dish, my mind usually jumps to star anise, cinnamon and a ladle of broth.

But this? I had no idea what to expect, which, to be fair, is half the fun of dining at a foodbar like Okra, where creativity is pretty much the house speciality. 

What landed was clever and fun: tender minced beef with a quail egg yolk, kissed by sate aioli that hinted at phở without overdoing it. Crunch came from puffed tendon, zing from salt and vinegar taro chips. Not your traditional phở, but bold, smart and surprisingly comforting.

I ordered Autumn octopus (VNĐ260,000) with pumpkin-miso purée, bacon, mushrooms, brown butter croutons and green apple in the middle of summer and thought, “Did I miss a seasonal memo?”. Then the pumpkin purée hit: sweet, cosy, and suddenly I was wearing a flannel shirt in my mind.

The umami from bacon and mushrooms grounded the dish, while brown butter croutons added that rich, toasty crunch. Thin slices of green apple kept it all from getting too serious. A fall dish, sure, but it turned out a great taste year-round.

A finale worth waiting for: seared grouper (VNĐ460,000) with fermented curry, tamarind ants, puffed millet, seasonal fruits and vegetables, chickpea puree and local herbs. Perfectly seared grouper with a golden crust gives way to tender, flaky flesh beneath a clean canvas for a riot of unexpected flavours. Fermented curry lends depth and warmth, while seasonal fruits and vegetables bring bursts of brightness.

What lingers is the surprise: tamarind ants. Sharp, citrusy and electric, their tang lifts each bite with an unforgettable zing. Finished with local herbs, this bold finale stays with you long after the last bite.

Okra isn’t just a place to eat – it’s a place to be. To lean in over a counter, laugh with strangers, watch chefs at work and let the unexpected unfold on your plate.

In a city that never stops moving, it offers a kind of rest that feels more like connection than escape. And for me, that’s exactly the kind of comfort I crave after a long day. VNS

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Okra Foodbar 

Address: 2 Lê Văn Miến Road, Thảo Điền, HCM City 

Price: VNĐ60,000-500,000

Comment: fusion, flavourful, creative, cosy, dynamic.