#1. District 1, Ben Thanh Market Indian Restaurant HAVELI Review
Indian restaurant HAVELI is located next to the famous currency exchange Ha Tam in Ben Thanh Market, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Although it is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, it is cheaper than nearby restaurants, making it an attractive place where you can taste delicious Indian cuisine at a reasonable price.
The first floor of the building is a motorcycle parking lot, and when you take the stairs inside to the second floor, you can see the Indian restaurant HAVELI. The restaurant's sign is hard to see and the location of the restaurant is not explained properly, so you may get a little lost on your first visit.
The restaurant is small in size, so the tables are crammed together in a narrow space, and not much attention has been paid to the interior. At least a few Indian-style paintings are pasted on the bare walls and Indian music is played on YouTube, giving the restaurant the feel of an Indian restaurant little bit.
Personally, I want to drink India's popular beer, Kingfisher, at an Indian restaurant, but I can't find it when I visit any Indian restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City. In times like these, I have no choice but to drink Saigon Special, the best beer in Vietnam. It is a pale lager beer that is light and refreshing, so it goes well with Indian food that contains a lot of spices.
For my first food, I ordered PANEER PAKORA. Paneer is a type of South Asian cheese made from buffalo milk, and Pakora is a South Asian battered and fried food. It is a popular food in countries like India, where many people do not eat meat.
The paneer pakora came with tamarind chutney and green chutney as dipping sauces. Tamarind chutney with fruits, herbs and spices has a sweet and sour taste, and green chutney with coriander, peppers, fruits and spices has a refreshing and slightly spicy taste.
The crispy batter is filled with white, tofu-like, soft and savory paneer. It's light and savory, so it's not bad to eat on its own, but it becomes even more delicious when dipped in the accompanying chutney sauce.
For my second dish, I ordered butter chicken and garlic naan. When you order butter chicken, it comes with onions, cucumbers, and lime. The onions and cucumbers sprinkled with lime act like pickles to refresh your mouth, so you can eat them in between meals.
Butter chicken is a curry made by boiling chicken in a tomato sauce with butter and cream. It is a mild curry with the savory taste of butter, the sweetness of onions, and the umami taste of chicken, making it a great dish for beginners to Indian food.
I chose garlic naan to go with the butter chicken, and the taste and aroma of the grilled garlic added to the light and savory naan. There are eight types of naan, including butter naan, onion naan, and cheese naan, so you can choose the one that suits your taste and eat it with curry.
Tear the garlic naan into bite-size pieces and wrap it with butter chicken and onions sprinkled with lime. It's really delicious. The combination of the savory naan, aroma of garlic, mild and yet umami chunks of chicken, and fresh onions is fantastic.
#2. Indian Restaurant HAVELI Menu
HAVELI serves a fairly diverse menu as an Indian restaurant, from familiar to unfamiliar foods such as various types of curry such as chicken curry and beef curry, naan, samosa, and tandoori chicken. Although it is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, it is cheaper than nearby restaurants, making it an attractive place where you can taste delicious Indian cuisine at a reasonable price.
I visited alone on a Wednesday evening and ordered the meal below.
BUTTER CHICKEN: 120,000VND
GARLIC NAN: 55,000VND
PANEER PAKORA: 100,000VND
SAIGON SPECIAL: 35,000VND x 2 EA = 70,000VND
I was able to fully enjoy authentic Indian cuisine for the low price of 345,000VND. HAVELI is quite cheap for a restaurant located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, and does not charge VAT, making it a place where you can taste Indian cuisine at a good price.
#3. Indian Restaurant HAVELI Hours and Location
Indian restaurant HAVELI is located next to the famous currency exchange Ha Tam in Ben Thanh Market, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. For a more detailed location, click the Check Location button below to check on Google Maps.
Address: 25 Phan Chu Trinh, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
Website: ...
Phone: 0339747513
Hours: 09:00 ~ 22:00