Oct 11

Oct 11 A Short Break in Givral Cafe

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM. We were on our way back to the hotel, coming from the War Remnants Museum where we spent the entire morning touring around and looking at how the Vietnamese perceived the American phase of the Vietnam War, when this all-white cafe splashed with some bright red right at the corner of Vo Van Tan and Nguyen Dinh Chieu popped up and completely caught us off guard.

The tour in the museum gave me a lot of insight as it proved to be educational. However, I could not hide the fact that it also made me sad and empathetic after knowing what the locals had undergone during the Vietnamese war. I was completely shocked even after I had walked away from the museum. I find myself contemplating and thinking how blessed I am to not have witnessed wars of any kind or anything to that extent. It had been an enlightening experience but I just want to shake off the depressing vibes that i caught while I was in there that was why I was quick to move towards the inviting cafe the moment I saw it.

The interior of the cafe boasts of some wooden panels and mood lightings. I adore wood as it has the ability to make me feel comfortable in an instant. The counter was located in the middle of the cafe and the cakes and pastries displays are found on the right. Everything looked delicious and it had been a hard decision to pick just a couple or so from their whole range of selection. We got some strawberry tarts which was magnificent because of those oh-so fresh strawberries on top and the cream filling, cubed chocolate ice cream drizzled with more chocolate (double chocolate!), some mochi in different flavors, the memorable cheesecake and some strong coffee and frappes to complement the food.

There were seats inside the cafe but we chose to sit on the porch in the front of the establishment and watch as people and time pass by. Truthfully, I could not pick a favorite from the bunch as they all tasted lovely. They all satisfied our sweet tooth and filled us to the brim. More importantly, the visit in the cafe greatly helped me throw the blues away.