Scaramanga’s - THE DORF

It seems that the burger buzz has slowed down and the hype is all about the new wave of Vietnamese eateries in Düsseldorf. With Scaramanga’s opening its doors back in February 2014 it’s familiar and popular to many. What makes this restaurant stand out from the crowd isn’t just its amazing, zany interior and design but its edgy take on Vietnamese cuisine. Yes, that’s right we are talking about a Vietnamese restaurant that does tapas. Khanh being the owner of the restaurant has brought the real, authentic taste of Vietnam to Düsseldorf. With his mother standing in the kitchen preparing the dishes, you can truly feel the warmth and love put into this family business. It is no wonder that this restaurant nestled on the corner of Oberbilker Allee and Phillip-Reis-Straße is often chockablock.

As one enters the premises you are instantly transported to a place far away from the hustle and bustle of Düsseldorf. With the turquoise paneling and mesh gold draped lights your imagination wonders. With shared tables, you are encouraged to sit amongst others and talk to your neighbour whether inside or sitting amongst the bamboo trees outside. What enhances the dining experience at Scaramanga’s is the photo cards of the tapas on offer. One can visually see what their order will look like. This adds excitement whether in a group or alone as you have the option to indulge in varied Vietnamese specialties. With all tapas/entrée dishes at a very friendly price of 4.50 € one must indulge. From prawns wrapped in potato skin to mini-coconut rice pancakes your taste buds will be beyond satisfied. Whether vegan, vegetarian or coeliac you will find more than a handful of dishes to choose from. With so much choice and variety, you don’t need to fret about ordering quickly as you have the entitlement of marking down your own order. When pairing your meal with a local wine, the homemade lemonade or a specialty Asian beer, you truly feel as though you’ve taken a holiday.

Although, the tapas concept is distinct for Vietnamese food you can opt for a whole-hearty main instead or even have one to follow your entrée of tapas. The mains are unique and traditional yet change due to their use of seasonal produce. Whether it is the phenomenal ‘Pho’ or the current summer special of making your own summer rolls (Mam cuon goi cuon) you are truly exposed to the real taste and way of eating in Vietnam.

With lunch and dinner daily on offer, I suggest you pay a visit, as you’ll experience more than an explosion of flavours but a dining experience like no other in Düsseldorf. Stay tuned as Khanh has some exciting news that involves food + truck, you can do the math.