La Maison 1888 – InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Han Sen Hau
No holds have been barred in the design and execution of La Maison 1888. Set amidst the dramatic cliffs of Vietnam’s Son Tra Peninsula, La Maison 1888 just gained its first Michelin Star (!) and offers an unforgettable fine dining experience. This exquisite restaurant, housed within the luxurious InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, boasts the culinary creations of chef Pierre Gagnaire of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name. Expect a unique fusion of French techniques and fresh, local Vietnamese ingredients in a stunning colonial-era setting.
La Maison 1888 Danang
We’re fortunate to arrive before sundown to see the La Maison 1888 in the natural light of day and in the elegant, warm glow of the evening. Guests can take a hill tram directly to the restaurant from the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort’s lobby. It’s an unforgettable entry, gliding down the hill with the lush tropical treetops and vibrant blooms in our immediate foreground and the pretty Sơn Trà Peninsula further beyond.
The restaurant is a free-standing building with two levels, including a bar, private rooms, a chef’s table, a magnificent wine cellar (with some seriously impressive vintages), a patio perfect for pre-dinner drinks, and the main dining room. The intimate dining space is cosy with a mid-way divider, clever lounge booths shaped around bay windows, and a wilderness of cheerful yellow floral arrangements. At the very least, it’s a stunning setting.
La Maison 1888 Menu & Prices
Tonight, we’re dining on the Esprit Pierre Gagnaire Six-course Spring Menu (VND 5 000 000 ++), with a Premium Wine Pairing (VND 4 999 000 ++), of course. Eight-course, vegetarian, and vegan menus are also available.
Canapés
The canapés kick-start our palates with diverse and distinct flavours. The oyster sorbet with beetroot is cool and briny. The radish and pomelo tart is bitter and crunchy. The Parmesan cream with black squid ink souffle offers a sharp and savoury bite. Lastly, the watermelon cube soaked in Campari tastes just like the Italian liqueur, only more refreshing. These small bites awaken every corner of our palate – mission accomplished.
Bread
Next, our kindly server, Toan, presents a choice of classic baguette or cereal bread on a wooden board. Both are good choices, with the cereal having a slightly more profound character. Miso and seaweed butter’s texture is incredibly light and aerated, yet the taste is intense with umami and faint smoky notes in the profile.
Jardin Marin Par Pierre Gagnaire (Garden of the Sea)
Even though we feel as though we’ve well and truly started, Jardin Marin Par Pierre Gagnaire is the first official course. It’s a series of four petite seafood dishes. The first, Idéale Oyster N°3, is from third-generation French oyster farmer David Hervé. It’s crowned with a mound of Champagne-hibiscus-red currant granita. The creamy, briny oyster is freshened by the icy cold, lightly floral granita. Hokkaido scallop “Camilleri” is next in line with a broccoli, Buddha’s hand and mustard powder base that leaves a mild tingling sensation in the finish. Sliced wild madai (Japanese seabream) on seaweed mayonnaise is served in a large shiny abalone shell. Lastly, there’s a single cube of bluefin tuna and Gonzo sauce made from veal jus, sesame and beetroot powder.
If there ever was a perfect pairing, the Billecart-Salmon, Brut Rosé, Champagne, France, NV with seafood is it. Crafted with centuries of heritage, this blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir is fresh and elegant with tiny, persistent bubbles. Delicate aromas lead to expressive red berries and citrus. At the same time, the creamy palate unfolds with strawberries and lingers on a delightful raspberry finish. Its acidity cleanses the palate of the intense seafood flavours while bringing a new dimension to each dish.
L’asperge Verte du Luberon
The L’asperge Verte du Luberon will be hard to beat in terms of prettiness. Organic green asparagus panna cotta from Luberon forms the base on a small, white boat-shaped plate. A single sprig of tender boiled asparagus is topped with dots of sour cream, Kristal caviar, and smoked Japanese eel. Look for the tiny yellow flower to the left; that’s your sign to start at the other end. The bloom hides a dot of lemon gel that cleanses the palate in the final bite.
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Sec 2021 is another excellent match. Asparagus is notoriously difficult to pair with wine. At times, the same compounds that give the veg its herbaceous grassy appeal can clash with wine, making it taste bitter or metallic. However, there’s none of that in this pairing. This biodynamic white wine, made from Chenin Blanc grapes in the Loire Valley, has been aged in oak barrels for six months, possibly the key to the non-offensive match. It has a complex nose of pear, white peach, and citrus. Decántalo, Parker, and Suckling all rate this wine 93 points.
Poulade Aux Morilles et Vin Jaune
The third course, Poulade Aux Morilles et Vin Jaune, is art on a plate. A buckwheat lattice is the visual star of the show, separating a morel stuffed with French chicken mousseline from another mushroom braised in yellow wine with sweet onion fondue. We thought the wine pairings so far have been expert, but this dish paired with the 2021 Cuilleron Crozes Hermitage Blanc Les Rousses from the Rhone Valley is exceptional. Crafted with 100% Marsanne from organically managed vineyards, it boasts enticing aromas and a balanced palate. Expect notes of peach, pear, and white flowers, thanks to natural fermentation and aging in large oak barrels. The morel of the story is …(sorry).
Bouillabaisse
Don’t expect a big bowl of soup in the next Bouillabaisse course. It’s definitive bouillabaisse flavours, but dry in presentation with just a spoon of seafood bisque foam scooped over the top. The base resembles paella with its bomba saffron rice that has been pan-fried until caramelized on the edges. It’s topped with slow-cooked squid, spiny artichokes and piquillo peppers.
I couldn’t drink the Château Les Valentines Rosé 2022 on its own, as it’s on the sweeter, fruitier side – things I’m not fond of in wine. It does okay with the powerful seafood flavours in this course but would do better if there was a layer of spice in the food. I’m not convinced of the pairing, so try a sip of the preceding Marsanne, but that doesn’t work either. Up until this point, I’ve loved the wine pairings. Still, degustation menus are not meant to win you over on all courses. There’s bound to be something to make you think a little deeper.
Navarin d’Angeau
The main course brings Navarin d’Angeau, roasted New Zealand spring lamb, to the table. It’s superbly tender and pink, rolled in a soft spinach leaf with a grain of sea salt on top. It’s been finished with hay and sits in a stew of tamarind-braised organic radish. And this is where the dish should have been complete. Paired with a suitable red, it would have been a winner.
Instead, like a painter who has overworked a beautiful scene with too many strokes, the beauty of the lamb is distracted by the addition of Roquefort ice cream and a Vietnamese green leaf salad. However, that is just my opinion, and these are on the side, so you can choose or lose them as you please.
I might not have chosen the 2021 Château Villemajou Grand Vin by Gérard Bertrand for the lamb on its own, possibly going with something with more structure and less fruit. However, with the pungency of the blue cheese ice cream on the side and local greens, I understand the intention.
The Pierre Gagnaire Grand Dessert at La Maison 1888 Danang
The Pierre Gagnaire Grand Dessert is not one but four desserts, five if you count petit fours. Not having a sweet tooth, this does not excite me as it might others. Having no inclination towards sugar and disliking buffets, this hodgepodge of puddings is not an easy ending—apologies to the kitchen team, who clearly put much love and care into each item of the quintet.
The first is presented in a martini glass – pandan syrup with tiny cubes of dragon fruit, tapioca and aloe vera. Pineapple sorbet, coconut milk, whipped cream and puffed rice make it a complete spoonful of texture, cream and tang.
Next is a caramelized jujube deglazed with Calvados and passion fruit coulis. It comes in two dishes—the poached fruit in a bowl on one plate and the arlette puff pastry on a large cinnamon log on another plate. It’s best to combine the two; the pastry’s delicate crunch is a fine fit for the tangy coulis.
Next, strawberry, green pea and mint ice cream is an interesting combination. We’ve had some curious ice creams this evening, starting with blue cheese and now green pea. I can’t say I’m a pea gelato fan, but I appreciate the experimentation. With so many dishes, you can’t possibly hope to please all palates. However, even if I don’t like something, I do like having my horizons expanded. The bowl is filled with fresh strawberries, strawberry sponge and wind crystal (meringue with verbena). It’s quite a mouthful.
The last official dessert, the iced parfait with Vietnamese coffee, is our favourite in the collection. It’s a smooth chocolate shell holding the coffee parfait with a rich lime ganache spooned over upon delivery. The coffee is subtly infused with chocolate, and the added citrus sauce lightens the dish.
Sweet wine paired with dessert is not necessarily my favourite. I’d rather have one or the other, but I can see the appeal for those with a sweeter tooth than mine. The 2005 Sauternes from Château Coutet, Cru Classé Barsac, a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, is a lovely complex choice for a dessert wine. There’s honey, marmalade and maybe even a hint of saffron.
Petite Four
To conclude, the petite four are tiny pistachio financiers. They taste as though they’ve just come out of the oven, and they’re a warm and comforting finale.
La Maison 1888 Review
La Maison 1888 is a feast for all senses. From the dramatic cliffside setting to the meticulously crafted dishes and expertly chosen wines, it offers an unforgettable fine dining experience. While not all elements won over my picky palate, they showcase Chef Gagnaire’s culinary artistry and commitment to pushing boundaries. To experience a unique fusion of French techniques and fresh Vietnamese ingredients in a luxurious setting, La Maison 1888 is a must-visit for any discerning gourmand in Danang.
Michelin Star Bonus!
In celebration of the recent Michelin recognition, La Maison 1888, the only restaurant in Danang to receive a One-Star Rating and one of only seven in Vietnam, is serving a celebratory MICHELIN menu featuring its greatest dishes for July and August 2024.
Reasons to visit La Maison 1888: gorgeous setting; we highly recommend you start on the patio for a sundowner, explore the wine cellar, check out the chef’s table, dine in the beautiful dining hall and finish in the bar for a digestive – all the spaces are worthy of your attention.
La Maison 1888
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
Son Tra Peninsula, Danang, 550000 Vietnam
+84 236 393 8888
www.danang.intercontinental.com
@intercontinentaldanang
Link to InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort on Google Maps
La Maison 1888 Opening Hours
Daily: 6:30 pm – 9 pm (last order)
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Wow, so beautiful place!