If you're fond of spring rolls but wish to put a modern twist to the traditional recipe, Nem Gion Restaurant is the place to go. Ha, one of the owners, tried to incorporate traditional Vietnamese cuisine with the fast-becoming Western food into the country under the model of a fast food chain in hopes of attracting the younger generation of foodies, in fact as young as children.

Ha's passion for spring rolls can be clearly seen in the restaurant's design and atmosphere. As such, from its first branch at Nha Chung Street which opened last year, Nem Gion quickly mushroomed into a second branch at Thai Thinh Street, and even a third one at Trung Yen Street.

A wide variety of spring rolls are available at Nem Gion Restaurant: nem bo cuon la lot (spring rolls wrapped with beed); nem ga (chicken spring rolls); and nem nam (mushroom spring rolls). Nem oc (snail spring roll) is among the diner's top-selling dish with the spring roll wrapped around hot, sweet and nutritious snails. Nem chuoi (fried banana spring roll) is another guest favorite at the restaurant which resembles a traditional banana cake. The dish is a perfect dessert after a main course of more spring rolls being wrapped around a banana and then fried. At VND5,000 each, the dish is affordable and delicious enough for customers to keep coming back to.

While most spring rolls are oily, Nem Gion's recipe is the exact opposite. This is where the restaurant's secret lies, keeping its spring roll's outside layer with a golden color that makes it crispy for a long time.

But Nem Gion is not just about spring rolls. It also offers other dishes such as chao suon sun (pork rib porridge with corn kermels). It's a traditional rice porridge with chopped meat, but like its spring rolls which have a modern twist to it, this one is served with spring roll sticks instead of the usual quay (Chinese dough sticks). It's ideal in the cold season providing just the right amount of warmth. It costs VND30,000.

The menu at Nem Gion also includes homemade kimchi. Unlike other kimchi recipes, the restaurant has lessened the spiciness of the dish enough to satisfy the taste of the majority of its customers. Sweet maize milk can also be found at the diner, another original creation of the owner and the staff. And recently, the “Snack Buffet” has been added to the selection, an ideal combination of spring rolls and shrimp, beef, chicken korokke (potato croquettes), Vietnamese tofu and fruit salad. At VND88,000, the buffet is an innovative way of offering snacks at delectable taste and reasonable price.

And to top it all off, diners can watch the chefs as they prepare the dish, a perfect bonus to an already glorious experience of enjoying your one-of-a-kind spring rolls.

Nem Gion Restaurant  is at 51 Trung Yen Street 9, Cau Giay District.