The Pantry

This restaurant is definitely famous far and wide. There are actually many restaurants nearby, but just passing by this place, you can feel drawn in by the crowds of people. This restaurant 🍴 is very special in the eyes of both locals and visitors! It’s best to make a reservation beforehand, otherwise, it might be hard to get a table!

We arrived at the restaurant right during the dining hours. Since we had a reservation, we checked in smoothly and noticed that the two tables next to us were occupied by Asians who had come because of the restaurant's reputation. They also ordered very distinctive signature dishes, including the meatballs that I have in my photo! Besides the meatballs, we ordered an appetizer and a fish dish 🐟.

The speed at which our meals 🥘 arrived was impressive. The appetizer and soup 🥣 had very unique flavors. The star of the appetizer was the tiny shrimp 🦐; I couldn’t believe how they could make such small shrimp so chewy and flavorful, with a sweet taste that really highlighted the freshness of the shrimp. Even though each piece was very small, the portion was generous, allowing us to appreciate their effort in preparation.

I highly recommend the soup, which is something nearly everyone orders when they come here to share. It has a unique taste that’s particular to this restaurant. If you’re not very hungry, their Tang can still fill you up because the bean paste inside is very thick – it actually feels more like eating soup rather than drinking it!

Next up is the most important star of the show, the meatballs. They come in several different flavors, including some made with vegetables 🥬, but being a meat lover, I obviously chose the one with an added sausage. I think it’s understandable why this dish is a signature item; if you come here for a meal, you really have to try it. Although it’s just meatballs, they have a very unique taste that tells you immediately it’s an international flavor, especially reminiscent of the country-style cooking made by a European grandma, using local spices combined with very fresh meat, resulting in an excellent texture!

Overall, I highly recommend trying the local flavors. Even though more and more foreigners are coming to eat, leading to an increase in customers at the restaurant, they maintain quality and have a great service attitude! Don’t miss out if you’re around!