During last week of April the much-anticipated culinary program Pause + Savour debuted at at Le Méridien Saigon.

Part of the hotel’s drive to create deeper connections between its sister properties around Asia and the chefs that guide their dining experiences, Pause + Savor’s first episode was headlined by the hotel’s award-winning Executive Chef Phi Công and Executive Chef Theo Park of Le Méridien Seoul Myeongdong. Over 20 years of experience were brought together for the enjoyment of diners in both BarSon and Latest Recipe.

Fusion can sometimes lead to confusion but Chefs Công and Park clearly put significant emphasis on creating a balanced menu that made use of prime ingredients and highlighted the personality of both. 

Early on, the menu featured seafood selections such as verdant seafood salad with scallops, shrimps and octopus in a bright pine nut sauce, followed by a unique plating of Hokkaido scallops served atop a mandarine tomato sauce and crystalline ice plant. I never even knew this latter ingredient existed but am very happy to have been introduced to it.

A sweet and savory steamed Iberico pork roll and falling off-the-bone braised beef short rib were offered as entrees highlighted by delicately marinated sea bream.

The meal was capped by a clever play on a cacao pod made using white chocolate and filled with chocolate mouse, plum chili sauce, tapioca pearls and yuzu custard.

Each dish was expertly paired with wine by the hotel’s sommelier, which together provided a well-rounded dining expierence that Saigoneers can expext to see more of in the futrure with more exciting meals are in the works.

The next episode of Pause + Savour will take place May 23rd – 25th featuring local chef Sĩ Toàn from Sam Dining in Đà Lạt and will feature a menu that will focus on the sights, sounds, flavours, and aromas all around us. For more information or to make reservations for future episodes, message Le Méridien Saigon's Facebook Page.