La Badiane

La Badiane is a French fine-dining restaurant at 10 Nam Ngư in Cửa Nam, Hoàn Kiếm district, Hanoi, Vietnam. It is named after star anise, the badiane of French cooking, and occupies a whitewashed colonial house arranged around a courtyard just off Nam Ngư street. The kitchen wraps French technique around Vietnamese and North African flavours, a fusion approach that gives the menu a distinct identity among the city's French-influenced restaurants. The room has held a Michelin Guide Selected listing since the guide reached Vietnam. The menu is built around set lunch and dinner menus that change with the season and the market, alongside à la carte choices. Seared foie gras is one of the dishes most often associated with the restaurant, and desserts scented with star anise carry the name of the house through to the end of the meal. Prices are among the higher tier in Hanoi, at about 900,000 to 1,800,000 VND (roughly USD 34.60 to 69.25) per person, although the set lunch menu is typically the lower-cost way to experience the kitchen. The dining room is calm, softly lit and quiet enough for conversation, with tables inside the house and, in good weather, in the courtyard. Smart-casual dress is appropriate. The restaurant has a wine list oriented to French bottles and pairs well with the menu's richer dishes. It serves Monday to Saturday from 11:30 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 22:00 and is closed on Sunday. Reservations are essential for dinner and can be made by phone on +84 24 3942 4509 or through the restaurant's website. Booking a few days ahead is sensible, and longer for weekends or special occasions. Its central location near the Hanoi Opera House and Hoàn Kiếm Lake makes it convenient for visitors staying in the French Quarter.