Tiger Tales

Olé Saigon

Salsa, tapas, mojitos... Ho Chi Minh City has plenty of authentic Latin flair, says Helen Dalley

“F ive, six, seven. One, two, three. Five, six, seven...”

... salsa teacher Daniel Gonzalez shouts out dance steps to the Latino beat as five dedicated couples dip and twirl in time to the music. Nearby, curious onlookers sip mojitos and shots of Havana Club.

It’s Monday night at La Habana lounge in Ho Chi Minh City, but the vibe feels considerably more San Juan than Saigon. Indeed, the entire Cuban-Spanish-inspired building – all glorious arches and pillars – is brimming with Latino character, and the brightly painted blue-and-yellow walls are cheerful-looking enough to make customers forget that it’s the start of the week.

Seemingly keen to lend a touch of authenticity to the scene, some of the dancers are even sporting full skirts and proper dancing shoes, although the majority are in jeans and trainers. Most are surprisingly light on their feet, oblivious to everything but the music and their partner’s touch. All of them seem to be having fun, and you can’t help but feel envious as they move to the beat.

Coming over to take a breather, Daniel’s students can’t wait to tell me how great their teacher is. “He’s the best – he just lets us have fun, whereas the Vietnamese instructors are more critical,” says Sam Zwart, who’s here with fellow English teacher Fernando Ramirez. Owner Jane Seeger, a Shanghai native married to a German, says with some pride that theirs was one of the first venues in the city to host salsa nights. Five years on, they’re still going strong, so much so that they’ve had to limit the number of people joining each of the beginner’s classes to 24.

While salsa lessons have been a fixture on Sam’s and Fernando’s calendars for the past year or so, some people just turn up on class nights to try their luck. So why are they here? Gavin Rushton, a chemist from London, says, “Joining a class like this is a good way to meet people when you’re on holiday. I’m just passing through Saigon and like to do activities while I’m away. I’ve done salsa in New Zealand but it was 75% women there... it’s more of an even split here.” Thanks to the gender balance, it’s not long before Gavin is guiding a female partner around the dance floor in true salsa style. Traditionally, the man leads while the woman mirrors his moves on the backstep.

Hailing from Ecuador, former rock bar owner Daniel – who is also a Spanish teacher – is a source of inspiration for his pupils. The women all want to dance with him and some of the men seem like they want to be him – looking on with a touch of envy as he patiently demonstrates dance steps. Daniel can’t put his finger on why salsa has taken off here but reckons that Vietnam and Cuba’s close relationship may have something to do with it (the two countries have enjoyed close diplomatic ties since 1960). He seems settled in Saigon and can recommend plenty of places to get a Latino fix – like his favourite restaurant, Au Lac do Brazil. “They have a Brazilian chef and seven different types of meat,” he says with a dreamy smile.

Daniel is far from the only fan of Au Lac do Brazil. Indeed, this restaurant – which opened in 2003 – has amassed such a loyal following that it now has three locations around town. The churrasco (barbequed meats) are skilfully cut at your table and the restaurant’s caipirinha – a cocktail in which a jolt of cachaça (a sweet distilled liquor) is served in a short, solid glass with slices of lime – delivers on the authenticity front. While it may be a bit off the beaten path in District 7, it’s worth visiting Au Lac do Brazil just to check out Samba Bar, which has a live band you can groove to. That is, if you can still move after downing all that meat.

For those seeking more of a Spanish flavour, don’t miss Pacharan Tapas and Bodega which, like La Habana, is housed in a restored colonial building. The richly coloured décor – its red-and-yellow stained-glass windows are a highlight – makes the ideal backdrop for a feast consisting of patatas bravas (cubes of potato in a spicy tomato sauce) and calamares a la Romana (battered squid). General Manager Andres Arias, who is half Spanish and half Brazilian, says, “We’ve been here for four years now and in that time the city has changed a lot. There are more restaurants opening up and any sense of a monopoly is gone. You can find 25 cuisines in two blocks… suppliers will fly in anything now and the government is also helping new businesses more than they used to. The Saigon South district has really evolved – it looks like Singapore now.” Andres is already planning to open a second branch, and one can only hope that it replicates the authentic feel of the original, with its legs of Ibérico ham suspended over the bar and an entirely Spanish wine list.

While the Caravelle Hotel’s Saigon Saigon Bar may lack the Latin-flavoured mystique of La Habana or Pacharan, it has a Cuban house band, Warapo, which performs six nights a week on the rooftop. Salsa learners Sam and Fernando describe it as a great place for people to practise their steps. And beginners short on confidence can let the band members take the lead when they come down from the stage to dance with the audience.

In keeping with the Cuban vibe, Saigon Saigon also has a cabinet stocked with cigars from Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagas and other leading brands and a cocktail list that goes on and on. Try the Caravelle, a potent concoction of cachaça, rum, passion fruit juice and mint that is sure to help overcome any dance floor inhibitions.

While there are no dedicated salsa clubs in Saigon, The Cage has regular salsa nights. Beyond the chandeliers, feathered lamps, silk chairs and sofas, perhaps the most noticeable feature of The Cage is its spacious dance floor. What’s more, the mojitos that are deftly assembled at the bar after some strenuous mint leaf crushing are the ideal refreshment after a turn on the dance floor. Olé, indeed!

The heat is on

1 La Habana holds classes every Monday and Thursday at 7.30pm. Courses for beginners and intermediate students are held along with a class in the LA style – a sexy take on the Cuban original. Visit www.salsasaigon.com.

2 The Cage holds salsa nights every Sunday, when guests can groove to the beats of DJ Felipe Barillas. The entry fee is VND70,000 (S$5/A$4) and includes a drink.

3 To dance for free, head to Saigon Saigon and sway to the sounds of Warapo, which plays every night except Monday. There’s also no door charge at Samba Bar, where Au Lac do Brazil III plays nightly at 8pm.

4 In Saigon, the tango is less established than salsa, though occasionally there are events organised by Argentine instructor Ta Tango. Visit www.tatango.blogspot.com for details.

FIND IT:

Au Lac do Brazil 30/19-21 Sky Garden 2, Pham Van Nghi St, Phu My Hung, D7, tel: +84 (0)8 5410 5566

The Cage 3A Ton Duc Thang St, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 3910 7053

La Habana 6 Cao Ba Quat St, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 3829 5180

Pacharan Tapas & Bodega 97 Hai Ba Trung, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 3825 6824

Saigon Saigon Bar Rooftop, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 3823 4999