Timor-Leste PM makes Vietnamese food, Thai guests impressed by 'banh xeo' in Hanoi

The Timor-Leste delegation visited Quan An Ngon restaurant on Phan Boi Chau Street, while the Thai delegation dined at Ngon Garden on Nguyen Du Street. 

Ngon Garden earned Michelin Selected recognition from the Michelin Guide for the fourth consecutive time at a ceremony held in Hanoi on June 4.

Timor-Leste PM joins kitchen staff to prepare Vietnamese dishes

According to Dong Cuong, manager of Quan An Ngon's Phan Boi Chau branch, Prime Minister Gusmão, his spouse, and an entourage of more than 50 people had lunch at the restaurant on Tuesday.

Their reservation had been made a week in advance. The menu featured dishes from across Vietnam, including steamed rice rolls stuffed with chicken and mushrooms, banh xeo, stir-fried water spinach with garlic, grilled pork ribs with lemongrass and chili, peanut salad, nem cua be (deep-fried crab rolls), broken rice, and chicken pho.

The guests also enjoyed Vietnamese iced milk coffee, lotus tea, mango smoothies, and fresh orange juice.

Instead of dining in a private area, the Timor-Leste delegation shared the restaurant's common dining space with other customers.

Cuong said restaurant staff and diners were particularly impressed by the prime minister's friendliness and approachable manner.

"He did not remain seated at the table. Instead, he went into the kitchen, put on gloves, made nem cua be and banh xeo, sliced cucumbers for grilled pork rolls, and helped prepare Vietnamese dishes with the staff," Cuong said.

"After finishing the meal, he even helped clear used dishes alongside the cleaning staff. There was no sense of distance. He also visited other tables, chatted with diners, and took photos with them."

According to the restaurant manager, the prime minister repeatedly praised Vietnamese cuisine, saying the food was delicious.

He also expressed admiration for the restaurant's distinctly Vietnamese atmosphere and its open-kitchen concept.

Throughout the meal, he enjoyed mint mandarins and finished with a serving of suong sa hat luu, a traditional Vietnamese dessert.

Banh xeo draws attention from Thai delegation

Pham Duc Hoa, manager of Ngon Garden restaurant, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and a delegation of around 90 officials had lunch at the restaurant on June 8.

The Thai Embassy had booked the venue on June 6 without revealing that the prime minister and his spouse would be among the guests.

Before the meal, security personnel thoroughly inspected all ingredients, while food samples were retained in accordance with safety regulations. The restaurant assigned 15 multilingual staff members to serve the delegation.

The guests dined on the second floor, while the ground floor remained open to regular customers.

Their menu included chicken pho, beef pho, bun cha (grilled pork meatballs with vermicelli noodles), crab noodle soup, Hue-style grilled pork skewers, fresh spring rolls, nem cua be, steamed vegetables served with caramelized fish sauce dip, fried rice, grilled chicken, seafood and seaweed soup, steamed squid with lemongrass and fish sauce-lime dressing, banh xeo, stir-fried glass noodles with crab, and grilled Asian river catfish.

The delegation also sampled Vietnamese desserts and beverages, including ginseng sweet soup, lotus seed sweet soup, Vietnamese iced milk coffee, and salted coffee.

Prime Minister Anutin chose lotus seed and longan sweet soup for his dessert.

Hoa said the dishes were completely finished, and members of the delegation later conveyed compliments through their secretary, praising the quality of the food.

According to the restaurant manager, Prime Minister Anutin particularly enjoyed banh xeo and chicken pho.

"When the banh xeo was served, everyone was impressed by its large size and beautiful presentation," Hoa recalled.

"As our staff demonstrated how to wrap and eat the dish while introducing its cultural background, the guests were delighted and enthusiastic."

Timor-Leste Prime Minister Gusmão and Thai Prime Minister Anutin are in Vietnam for official visits and to attend the ASEAN Future Forum 2026, taking place in Hanoi on June 9-10, at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.