Ukrainian diners discover Vietnamese cuisine

At 11 a.m., Viet Corner Restaurant, located at 36-B Genunezskaya Street in Odesa, was already bustling with customers. Nearly all the tables were occupied by elderly people, young adults and families with young children. Bowls of steaming hot pho were served one after another amid lively conversations and a steady stream of orders.

Ukrainian diners visit Viet Corner Restaurant to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine.

Roxy Weise, a regular customer at Viet Corner, said: “I love Vietnamese food. The flavours are very distinctive, combining savoury, sweet and spicy notes. The ingredients are fresh, and the preparation is delicate. I can feel the chef's dedication in every dish.”

Established in 2020, Viet Corner covers an area of approximately 500 square metres and is divided into several sections, including a dining area, a bar and a stage for live music performances. According to Nguyen Buu An, the restaurant's owner, the establishment welcomes around 200-300 customers daily, most of whom are Ukrainian. Its menu features approximately 120 dishes and 120 types of beverages.

Vietnamese dishes served at Viet Corner Restaurant.

To cater to local tastes, An said the restaurant adjusts its cooking methods and seasonings while making a point of preserving the distinctive flavours of Vietnamese cuisine. In addition to pho, diners can choose from stir-fried noodles, pho rolls and a variety of other traditional Vietnamese dishes.

The restaurant imports characteristic spices and dried ingredients directly from Viet Nam. According to An, retaining familiar ingredients while adapting cooking methods to suit Ukrainian tastes is a key consideration in the restaurant's approach to serving its customers.

More livelihood opportunities for the Vietnamese community in Odesa

Viet Corner is one of several Vietnamese-owned food businesses in Odesa. According to statistics from the Vietnamese community, the city currently has one Vietnamese restaurant and nine Vietnamese eateries. Some of the establishments mentioned include Pho.vn and I Love Pho.

Nguyen Buu An, owner of Viet Corner Restaurant.

Nguyen Nhu Manh, President of the Vietnamese Association in Odesa, said that approximately 500 Vietnamese people currently live and work in the city. In the past, many of them were engaged in trading at local markets. In recent years, however, some have shifted to the food and beverage business.

According to Manh, opening a restaurant or eatery requires investment, learning and efforts to meet the needs of local customers. Some establishments initially offered only a few signature dishes before gradually expanding their menus as their customer base became more established.

A delegation from the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine and the Vietnamese Association in Odesa visits a Vietnamese eatery in the city.

“Compared with traditional trading at markets, food businesses offer some households better opportunities to build a more stable source of income. With the growing number of local customers, eateries have more opportunities to develop and expand their customer base rather than serving only the Vietnamese community,” Nguyen Nhu Manh said.

He added that, alongside their business activities, the Vietnamese community in Odesa actively participates in local social and cultural activities. Festivals, cultural exchange programmes and culinary promotion events provide opportunities for community members to introduce traditional Vietnamese dishes, helping Ukrainian people gain a better understanding of Vietnamese culture and its people.

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