Healthy food served with heaps of goodwill

An organic vegetable garden, hand-crafted decor, under-privileged staff – here's a restaurant that is very salt-of-the-earth. Nella Prod'homme reports

The tofu could be sliced thinner. The sauce could be a bit thicker. But restaurant 6 on Sixteen isn't really about that. It's more about an atmosphere, a concept.

Opened last October on Bao Khanh Street (between the Nha Tho area and Hoan Kiem Lake) this little restaurant slash bar slash hotel serves, not too expensive, simple and healthy food. (VND110,000 for a stir fried lemongrass and tamarind chicken.)

Snug decor: Big, long, low and bulky wooden tables occupy most of the space. Matching benches or small chairs with black velvet cushions surround the tables lit with wooden or beaded lampshades. Many lamps give a warm feeling to the place. — VNS Photos Truong Vi

"Our organic vegetable garden is an important feature to 6 on Sixteen. Not only does it provide vegetables and fruits for our delicious cuisine, it also provides an important link between what shows up on our plates and understanding how it got there," says Australian Pete Wilkes, owner of 6 on Sixteen and also of hotels Sa Pa Rooms and Mong Mountain Retreat in Sa Pa in Northern Viet Nam.

On the web site of the Sa Pa Rooms, it is said that "every piece of artwork (there) tells a story" and that each piece has been handcrafted by the local community with local materials. This concept is also applied to the Hanoian restaurant 6 on Sixteen. And this is what the place is really about, moreover than tofu and sauce details: eating in a cozy and nicely decorated travel capsule.

Big, long, low and bulky wooden tables occupy most of the space. Matching benches or small chairs with black velvet cushions surround the tables lit with wooden or bead made lampshades. One of the sofas is covered is an original patchwork of jean looking fabric with touches of red here and there. (That same fabric is used for one of the many lamps that give a warm feeling to the place.) Furthermore, a series of statues of little bronze men stand on the table while plants and a variety of ethnical objects embellish the rest of the place, as well as photos of smiley women of Sa Pa.

Upstairs, next to the door window that opens on a little wrought iron balcony and one of the many trees of the street, visitors will feel more than at home to enjoy a cocktail (VND75,000), a fresh juice (VND50,000) or a meal (around VND100,000).

"In Sa Pa, we are promoting the longevity of the ethnic minority fabric industry. We conduct fair trade with the local people to purchase their fabrics and then make these into contemporary items where our guests can gain a sense of connection with Sa Pa at the same time, be in comfort. Our style is earthy, organic contemporary," says the owner, who has been living in Viet Nam since 2007.

At 6 on Sixteen, the KOTO graduated chefs (a not-for-profit restaurant and vocational training program for disadvantaged youth) propose three different menus; breakfast, Western and Vietnamese. I haven't tried the first one, but out of the Western and the Vietnamese list of dishes (which I have tasted both), I highly recommend a choice of the Vietnamese cuisine, as it is good and pasta and lasagna are better at other places.

Traditional home style Vietnamese food is on the menu, derived in four different sets. The chicken theme set for example, is composed of fresh chicken, spring rolls, glass noodle chicken soup and stir fried green vegetables with garlic and oyster sauce. (VND120,000)

6 on sixteen, Sa Pa Rooms and Mong Mountain Retreat are all together composed of a 50 person team. "We provide a nurturing and supportive environment for our staff team of underprivileged youth and ethnic minority people," says Pete Wilkes.

"They all have been hand chosen because they come from disadvantaged households from various provinces and minority groups in Viet Nam, having little or no education. Our mission is to provide our people with vocational training, support and encouragement to give them and their families an opportunity for a better future. Our team has been thoroughly trained and I am sure you find them to be fun and a very enthusiastic bunch who will attend to all your requests." — VNS

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6 on Sixteen Restaurant

Add: 16 Bao Khanh Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Tel: 04 66 73 62 79

Price: Around VND100 000 for a dish

Website: www.sixonsixteen.com

Comment: A good place to eat nice and simple Vietnamese food in the ethnical atmosphere of a beautifully decorated restaurant