Bright lights illuminate the intricately carved facade of the famed Saigon Opera House in the background, its elegant statues bathing in the cool night air while cars rush past Lam Sơn Square, a blur of sound and motion.

The scene’s combination of timeless elegance and modern style perfectly encapsulates Saigon. One of the best vantage points to savor it from is Reflections Restaurant which occupies the third floor of the storied Caravelle Hotel. If you arrive during the golden hour in the evening when day slips off its coat of humidity and settles into a hushed evening, you will have one of the best views in the city. Each seat in the intimate dining room promises an inviting overlook during a meal that captures the scenery’s combination of classic grace and cosmopolitan creativity. 

The Caravelle Hotel is one of Saigon’s most famous hotels, having been one of the city’s first luxury hotels as well as an important resting spot for a long list of writers, artists, thinkers and businesspeople throughout the decades who played their part in pivotal moments in Vietnam’s development. Photos of these people and events tastefully adorn the walls throughout Caravelle’s lobby and F&B outlets. The hotel embraces this history catering to forever-evolving local and international preferences, trends and styles. Caravelle’s third-floor Reflections Restaurant’s seasonal five-course dinner perfectly articulates this comingling of past and present.

In addition to the incredible views and affluent atmosphere accompanied by live piano music on weekends, guests regularly visit Reflections to savor Western dishes made using the finest imported meats and seafood prepared with novel techniques, all accompanied by a stellar wine list. Reflections’ recently launched 5-course dinner menu expands upon its stellar reputation via creative dishes served with a contemporary panache.

The meal begins with a refreshing crab salad served with avocado mousse and ginger cream. Each refreshing bite is creamy and rich while remaining light. The colorful plating sets the stage for the dishes that will follow. Sweetbread, a European favorite, receives an upscale interpretation via the addition of sweet cardamom cauliflower cream, and fermented lime juice that softens the bold flavors. 

Monkfish, a North Atlantic fish praised for the delicacy of its sweet white flesh, has long been a signifier of a restaurant’s class. Reflections serve it as part of the five-course menu with a shimmering saffron foam that cascades down the meat and onto the roasted red pepper and tomato fondue. The novelty of each bite reminds diners why monkfish is beloved at world-class establishments that allow their chefs freedom to explore with flavors. 

For generations of Saigon residents, imported beef steak has been synonymous with luxury dining and Reflections particularly prides itself on flame grilling each piece of imported meat to a diner’s preferences. But because the 5-course menu aims to offer something a little extra and unexpected, it pairs its 120-gram beef tenderloin with slow-cooked oxtail meat, smoked portobello puree and a Madeira sauce. It’s a seductive umami submersion.

After such a range of textures, flavors and novel preparations, the final dish is a light and colorful collection of fresh berries, mascarpone cream and lime sorbet. By the time this perfect final gift to your pallet arrives, night will have descended, filling the spacious room with a relaxed, accomplished air. 

The allure of sunset at the Saigon Opera House is heightened by its briefness and regularity. It only lasts for a few precious minutes and yet will return again the next day. So it is with Reflections’ five-course menu. Each iteration is available every evening, yet only for a few months, after which the chef will concoct an entirely new culinary experience. Discerning guests know to savor a good thing while they can.