NÚC Concept Kitchen & Bar — Where Quiet Flames Meet the Wild Heart of Nature

There are moments when a story finds its way into the world without noise—simply because it carries something true. When Epicure Vietnam wrote about NÚC Concept Kitchen & Bar, we felt a quiet sense of gratitude. It was as if someone had stepped into our space, listened to the way the flames breathe, watched the way ingredients move, and understood the language we speak here every day.

Hidden in a reimagined schoolhouse in An Khanh, NÚC has always been less about invention and more about remembering—remembering how food used to taste, how the earth used to smell after rain, how a kitchen gathers people not by volume, but by warmth. “NÚC,” from bếp núc, holds all these meanings: the simmer, the scent, the stillness before a dish leaves the pass. The small things that shape the heart of cooking.

Gastronomy with Nature in Mind — our daily way of working

Epicure described us as a place “where quiet flames meet the wild heart of nature.”

We read those words the way one reads something familiar—gentle, accurate, and deeply felt.

Every ingredient that enters this kitchen carries a story. Tamarind that speaks of childhood meals. Herbs that carry the scent of riverbanks. Citrus that remembers sun-warmed orchards. Ferments nurtured slowly in our pantry. None of them are here to follow trends; they are here to keep the memory of this land alive.

Our tasting menu, “Quiet Notes,” was created from this belief. Eight small moments—eight emotional “notes” inviting diners to slow down and taste with attention. Each dish is more than a technique; it is a mood, a breath, a reminder:

• the clarity of the sea,

• the depth of shiso and shallot,

• the warmth of charcoal,

• the softness of a final, lingering sweetness.

It is a journey meant to be felt, not rushed.

Wines, cocktails, and the stories that flow between them

Epicure also noticed the way we build our wine and cocktail lists—not to impress, but to harmonize.

Every bottle, every glass, every seasonal cocktail on our Creation menu is a small story:

• Bắt Con Cọp,

• Canh Chua Bếp NÚC,

• Buổi trưa ăn bưởi chua

names that hold humor, nostalgia, and a quiet affection for Vietnamese landscapes and memories.

Less waste, less noise, more intention

What touched us was how Epicure saw the invisible work the slow, sustainable craft behind each dish.

In our kitchen:

• vegetable skins become stocks,

• leftover herbs become vinegars,

• plastic has no place,

• portions are mindful,

• and ingredients come from nearby farmers and fishers, keeping our carbon footprint small.

Sustainability here is not a headline. It is a habit, repeated every day until it becomes instinct.

A space built from memory

Epicure also recognized something essential about NÚC: that the building itself tells a story.

The floors once belonged to homes in the Mekong Delta.The wooden beams were reclaimed from Chợ Lớn. Bombshells became planters. Aircraft wings became ceilings.

We did not erase history when building NÚC; we allowed it to whisper through wood grains, stone surfaces, and soft evening light.

Moments made for gathering

Beyond à la carte and tasting menus, NÚC offers private dining for those meaningful occasions that deserve intention, couple dating, family gatherings, quiet celebrations, or intimate dinners for twelve.

In those moments, we curate not only the food, but the mood: flowers, table settings, playlists, and a menu crafted to hold the occasion gently.

To Epicure Vietnam and writer Tran Nguyen, thank you for seeing NÚC in the way we hope people will feel us: softly, deeply, and with reverence for the earth and the hands that work with it.

Full article here: NÚC Concept Kitchen & Bar | Where Quiet Flames Meet the Wild Heart of Nature