Not Just Another “Modern Asian” Spot

You see “modern Asian” slapped on so many places in Saigon that it's kind of lost its meaning. Most of the time, it's just some East-meets-West mashup with pretty plating. Oryz Saigon isn’t that.

They opened in late 2023 with a different idea, what they call “Asian progression.” It’s less about mixing cuisines and more about taking you through a meal the way people in East Asia have always eaten: starting with flour-based dishes, moving into warm plates of rice or noodles, and finishing with fruit, sweets, and tea.

It sound familiar, even ordinary, but they do it with such care that it somehow feels new again.

The Heart of It: Fermentation

If Oryz has a soul, it's in their back room - the fermentation lab. That's where they cure, age, and build the base of their flavors,

Meet Chef Chris JH Fong

Behind all this is Chef Chris Fong , a Singaporean with Hong Kong roots who grew up bouncing between Malaysian, Singapore, and Hong Kong. That mix of backgrounds explains a lot about his cooks: curious, grounded, and quietly confident.

His background includes Michelin-starred kitchens like Restaurant André and Saint Pierre, but what you taste at Oryz isn't showmanship. It's a kind of craftsmanship that comes from respect for ingredients, for time, and for people who cook and eat.

What drew him to Saigon is the "artisan" spirit of Vietnamese people, their willingness to work slowly, to care about process. Instead of importing a foreign concept, he builds something that belongs to this city. And when you sit down for a tasting menu, that philosophy comes through: precise, polished, and deeply personal.

The Chợ Lớn Tasting Menu Epxerience

[More updates coming soon...]