Wholesome meditation under the Bodhi

Sanctuary:Bodhi Tree's Heart Restaurant is a perfect choice for families and friends. With a warm and luxuriuos space, it provides a wide range of vegetarian dishes. — VNSPhoto Truong Vi Illuminating:Lantern spring roll. — VNSPhotos Classic: Wrapped spring roll. Staple:Bodhi Tree's Heart vegetarian rice. Fresh: Tofu Seafood simmered in clay pot. Bodhi Tree's Heart Restaurant Address: 68 Pham Huy Thong, Ha Noi Tel: 04 37245872 Website: www.bodetam.com.vn Opening hours: 7am - 22pm Price per person: VND 28,000 - 68,000 (US$1.40-3.40) Comments: A warmly and peaceful restaurant, serving mainly vegetarian dishes, especially diversity of mushrooms and tea ceremony. Nice view, English speaking staff, takeaway available, major credit cards accepted.

Has the rushed lifestyle in uproarious Ha Noi, where the hustle and bustle of navigating through traffic jams is a daily routine, tired you out?

Have you ever been daunted by a life full of fast food, gout and trans fats, and wanted to try something new?

Perhaps you have found yourself hoping to find a place of escape to find inner peace?

All of these wishes come true at Bo De Tam (Bodhi Tree's Heart) Restaurant, where you do not have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the wholesome food.

Located in a villa near Ngoc Khanh Lake on Pham Huy Thong Street, the restaurant is in a French style building and is decorated with glamorous and elegant paintings.

A majestic three-metre tall wooden Buddhist statue, which evokes images of a meditative atmosphere, greets diners at the door.

As I entered the dining room, the bright smile of one of the waitresses drove away any exhaustion I felt after a long day of work and dodging traffic.

When entering the world of Buddhism, you can leave behind the outside world by leaving your shoes near the door and putting on a pair of soft, comfortable straw sandals. It helps you to sense the restful space here.

Nguyen Minh Hien, a frequent guest at the restaurant, explains that Bodhi Tree's Heart means your mind is enlightened toward good things so that the evil spirit will no longer exist in your heart and you learn how to appreciate the people around you.

If you pay attention to the restaurant's decor, you will notice the image of bodhi tree leaves on the wall.

Restaurant owner Nguyen Thu Ha says each of the leaves was picked from the sacred giant bodhi tree in India, where legend has it that the Buddha used to practice to reach nirvana.

An enormous menu of more than 60 dishes awaits guests in search of "pure" food, as I like to call it.

The Spring Bird's Nest soup, which bears the taste of spring's flowers and fruits, is a combination of bird's nest and field mushrooms. When I tried the first spoonful, a taste of sweetness touched my tongue and continued long afterward.

Ha says the dish is a wish for happiness and peace.

If you like seafood, I recommend you try the tofu seafood simmered in a clay pot. Its ingredients include a clever mix of vegetarian oysters, squid and shrimp, and can satisfy the taste of any fastidious diner.

Another option for loyal hot pot lovers is the bodhi mushroom hot pot, which includes a variety of mushrooms.

The stir-fried bamboo sprouts with mushrooms is a not-to-be-missed enjoyment for those who love the bamboo trees they find in temples and pagodas.

I personally find that all things related to bamboo are fresh and environmentally friendly, so I could not wait to try this special dish. As I expected, the subtle favour of young bamboo blends with the sweetness of the mushrooms for a truly delicious dish.

After trying several offerings that pleased both my eyes and taste buds, I began to wonder how the chefs were so good. It didn't take long to find the answer:

"Our rule is that we must have the finest chefs and they must always be in a good mood when cooking for our guests. Believe it or not, when a cook is angry or uncomfortable, guests will notice it in the food," says Ha.

Another colourful dish that caught my eye was the lantern spring roll. I found it quite wonderful thanks to its beauty and strange taste. Its name provides some description of its appearance. If you look closely, you'll see a piece of pineapple peel in the centre of the dish surrounded by eight pieces of spring roll. Believe me, it will be hard to tear your eyes away from the sheer beauty of the dish before you give it a taste!

When I was there I noticed that most guests ordered potatoes stir-fried with mushrooms. I asked one table what they thought of the dish and they said they loved it not only for its nutritional value, but also for its perfect flavour.

A plate of potatoes and mushrooms can satisfy the culinary needs of gourmets on a cold winter evening and happily fill their bellies at the same time.

For dessert, try enjoying a tea ceremony. As you enjoy a gulp of hot tea, you'll understand why people here appreciate Heaven, Earth and tea growers.

All in all, diners here will enjoy a variety of delicious choices with good service and a lovely atmosphere.

Please do not hesitate to bring your family and friends to enjoy a perfect vegetarian feast. Leave your fatigue behind and prepare for something you have never explored before in the kingdom of food. Bon appetite! — VNS

Wholesome meditation under the Bodhi

Sanctuary:Bodhi Tree's Heart Restaurant is a perfect choice for families and friends. With a warm and luxuriuos space, it provides a wide range of vegetarian dishes. — VNSPhoto Truong Vi Illuminating:Lantern spring roll. — VNSPhotos Classic: Wrapped spring roll. Staple:Bodhi Tree's Heart vegetarian rice. Fresh: Tofu Seafood simmered in clay pot. Bodhi Tree's Heart Restaurant Address: 68 Pham Huy Thong, Ha Noi Tel: 04 37245872 Website: www.bodetam.com.vn Opening hours: 7am - 22pm Price per person: VND 28,000 - 68,000 (US$1.40-3.40) Comments: A warmly and peaceful restaurant, serving mainly vegetarian dishes, especially diversity of mushrooms and tea ceremony. Nice view, English speaking staff, takeaway available, major credit cards accepted.

Has the rushed lifestyle in uproarious Ha Noi, where the hustle and bustle of navigating through traffic jams is a daily routine, tired you out?

Have you ever been daunted by a life full of fast food, gout and trans fats, and wanted to try something new?

Perhaps you have found yourself hoping to find a place of escape to find inner peace?

All of these wishes come true at Bo De Tam (Bodhi Tree's Heart) Restaurant, where you do not have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the wholesome food.

Located in a villa near Ngoc Khanh Lake on Pham Huy Thong Street, the restaurant is in a French style building and is decorated with glamorous and elegant paintings.

A majestic three-metre tall wooden Buddhist statue, which evokes images of a meditative atmosphere, greets diners at the door.

As I entered the dining room, the bright smile of one of the waitresses drove away any exhaustion I felt after a long day of work and dodging traffic.

When entering the world of Buddhism, you can leave behind the outside world by leaving your shoes near the door and putting on a pair of soft, comfortable straw sandals. It helps you to sense the restful space here.

Nguyen Minh Hien, a frequent guest at the restaurant, explains that Bodhi Tree's Heart means your mind is enlightened toward good things so that the evil spirit will no longer exist in your heart and you learn how to appreciate the people around you.

If you pay attention to the restaurant's decor, you will notice the image of bodhi tree leaves on the wall.

Restaurant owner Nguyen Thu Ha says each of the leaves was picked from the sacred giant bodhi tree in India, where legend has it that the Buddha used to practice to reach nirvana.

An enormous menu of more than 60 dishes awaits guests in search of "pure" food, as I like to call it.

The Spring Bird's Nest soup, which bears the taste of spring's flowers and fruits, is a combination of bird's nest and field mushrooms. When I tried the first spoonful, a taste of sweetness touched my tongue and continued long afterward.

Ha says the dish is a wish for happiness and peace.

If you like seafood, I recommend you try the tofu seafood simmered in a clay pot. Its ingredients include a clever mix of vegetarian oysters, squid and shrimp, and can satisfy the taste of any fastidious diner.

Another option for loyal hot pot lovers is the bodhi mushroom hot pot, which includes a variety of mushrooms.

The stir-fried bamboo sprouts with mushrooms is a not-to-be-missed enjoyment for those who love the bamboo trees they find in temples and pagodas.

I personally find that all things related to bamboo are fresh and environmentally friendly, so I could not wait to try this special dish. As I expected, the subtle favour of young bamboo blends with the sweetness of the mushrooms for a truly delicious dish.

After trying several offerings that pleased both my eyes and taste buds, I began to wonder how the chefs were so good. It didn't take long to find the answer:

"Our rule is that we must have the finest chefs and they must always be in a good mood when cooking for our guests. Believe it or not, when a cook is angry or uncomfortable, guests will notice it in the food," says Ha.

Another colourful dish that caught my eye was the lantern spring roll. I found it quite wonderful thanks to its beauty and strange taste. Its name provides some description of its appearance. If you look closely, you'll see a piece of pineapple peel in the centre of the dish surrounded by eight pieces of spring roll. Believe me, it will be hard to tear your eyes away from the sheer beauty of the dish before you give it a taste!

When I was there I noticed that most guests ordered potatoes stir-fried with mushrooms. I asked one table what they thought of the dish and they said they loved it not only for its nutritional value, but also for its perfect flavour.

A plate of potatoes and mushrooms can satisfy the culinary needs of gourmets on a cold winter evening and happily fill their bellies at the same time.

For dessert, try enjoying a tea ceremony. As you enjoy a gulp of hot tea, you'll understand why people here appreciate Heaven, Earth and tea growers.

All in all, diners here will enjoy a variety of delicious choices with good service and a lovely atmosphere.

Please do not hesitate to bring your family and friends to enjoy a perfect vegetarian feast. Leave your fatigue behind and prepare for something you have never explored before in the kingdom of food. Bon appetite! — VNS