Sol Kitchen & Bar – Latin American Food with a Vibe

[Independent Review] *Ho Chi Minh City – Western-Latin American restaurant – Michelin Selected

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Latin American cuisine made by a Malaysian chef in Vietnam?

If you were to guess which restaurant would become one of the trendiest in the center of Ho Chi Minh City over the past few years, you might not have bet on this unique combination.

Yet, this is precisely what Sol Kitchen & Bar offers. Since its opening in June 2019, the restaurant has achieved resounding success.

Of course, the food is a key factor in this recognition—the Michelin Guide “selected” the place for its first edition in 2023.

However, what made our experience at Sol Kitchen & Bar good wasn’t just the food.

The setting, atmosphere, and service were all top-notch, making Sol Kitchen & Bar a place we would recommend without hesitation if you’re looking to have a great time with friends or even on a date.

Overview

Sol Kitchen and Bar is the creation of Chef Adrian Chong Yen, who, after 12 years of experience in high-end restaurants in Singapore, decided to take his career in a new direction by moving to Vietnam.

Working in prestigious restaurants not only provided him with experience but also shaped his preferences for the type of food he truly loves to cook.

In a previous interview with dotmagazine.com, he shared:

“I feel like people sometimes are too creative and they forget the true essence of food. The best food should be enjoyable, comfortable to eat, with some exciting adjustments from your everyday familiar ingredients, and most of all, perfect to share with your friends and family.”

If offering this type of experience was his goal when he decided to open Sol Kitchen and Bar in 2019, then, at least for us, he has certainly succeeded.

A significant part of that success resides not only in the food but also in the overall “vibe” of the place.

It’s challenging to define what makes “a good vibe,” but Sol Kitchen has many things in its favor:

• The restaurant is centrally located near the Ben Thanh market.
• The space is open and expansive, centered around a massive open kitchen.
• The clientele is eclectic, and along with the music, it creates a really welcoming atmosphere that should appeal to most people, except perhaps families with young children (as it’s clearly not the concept).
• The service was flawless, even though the place was bustling during our visit.

This is, of course, great, but without good food, it simply wouldn’t work.

Food

A “Latin-American” menu can encompass a broad range of dishes, and the concept of offering food originating from an entire continent might frustrate some purists.

But striving for “authenticity” is not the primary concern at Sol Kitchen & Bar. Their dishes even incorporate some ideas and ingredients from Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam.

This approach is not surprising, considering the chef sees many similarities between the cuisines of both continents.

During our visit, we had the opportunity to try four dishes:

Mixto Ceviche (270k)

Ceviche occupies a favored position on Sol’s Menu, with four different options available. We chose the “Mixto,” a blend of various types of seafood paired with a golden berry sauce.

Determining the authenticity of a Ceviche is well beyond my abilities, but what we experienced at Sol’s was very fresh and boldly sour, precisely what I was looking for.

Mushroom Quesadilla (210k)

As previously mentioned, Sol is not a fine-dining restaurant. It aims to make great “comfort food” with some added twists.

The quesadilla was the perfect incarnation of this:

• The shell was thin and crispy while being able to maintain an enticing richness.
• The truffle aioli sauce served made the whole preparation succulent.

While eating, I couldn’t stop thinking that adding truffle to aioli is like using a cheat code in a video game, yet it didn’t make the result any less great.

Chicken Empanada (90K)

My memory of this dish is less vivid, but I’m still certain it did not disappoint. The crust, made from a kind of puff pastry, was spot-on, and the filling was both flavorful and juicy—a quality that is often missing in chicken dishes.

BBQ Duck Breast (500k)

Unexpectedly, the duck breast was served with tortillas and rice, inviting us to assemble our own tacos.

The duck breast was perfectly cooked and juicy, yet the most intriguing part of the dish was undoubtedly the raisin mole (Mole being a traditional Mexican sauce) which boasted a rich flavor and depth.

This meal left us very full, hence the lack of dessert mentioned in this review.

Drinks

At Sol Kitchen, you’ll find a little more than ten different kinds of wines by the glass, as well as a decent selection of cocktails.

The cocktail menu makes a special effort to reflect the Latin American vibes of the place.
We tried the Sol Flamenco and the Sol Margarita, which were both satisfying.

Happy Hour runs everyday from 11am-2pm and 5-7pm, when all cocktails and wine by glass will be 99k++ only.

To note, we were pleasantly surprised to be offered a homemade digestive at the end of our meal, a small gesture that reinforced our positive view of the service.

Conclusion

We recommend Sol Kitchen if:

• You’re seeking a place with a vibrant atmosphere.
• You enjoy Latin American food.
• You’re interested in discovering new dishes but aren’t into fine dining (or “too cerebral” food experiences).

To be noted

A few additional points that may interest you:

• For lunch, Sol Kitchen & Bar have 2 set menu choices of 270k++ (2 courses) and 290k++ (3 courses).
• They previously had a branch in District 7, which is currently closed.
• Adrian Chong Yen has relocated another of his ventures, Taco Del Sol, to the floor above Sol Kitchen. This fusion taqueria was initially located in District 7. We have not tried it.

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Practical information

📍 Address: 112 Lý Tự Trọng, Phường Bến Thành, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

⏰ Opening Hours: 11 AM–2 PM / 5–10:30 PM – Everyday

💵 Price: ~600K – 1M VND per person

🌐 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solkitchenandbar

🗺 Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uYzrjPiz5wgv5jNG8

All the places reviewed on this website have been personally tested by us and we pay for our meals. We are committed to informing readers clearly if there is any form of sponsored content.