Tucked away on Fraser Street is Madame Danh, a new contemporary Vietnamese spot by owner and executive chef Tyson. Named after his grandmother, this spot serves up her traditional recipes with a modern, elevated twist.
Dished had the chance to visit during its soft open to check out the space, try some of the dishes, and chat with Chef Tyson and his grandmother, Madame Danh. Keep on reading to learn all about this new eatery.
The space
Madame Danh’s interior offers a pleasant minimalist design with light wood tables, burnt orange, and dark teal. The space gets plenty of natural light from its large windows, and we can only imagine how stunning it looks during sunset.
Similar to its menu, Madame Danh’s modern and minimalist interior showcases the family-run restaurant’s roots, namely, the numerous photos decorating its walls.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Looking at these photos almost gives the impression of walking through the family’s living room. Images include plenty of Vietnamese street vendors, a cafe steps away from a railroad track, and Chợ đà lạt, a commercial and cultural center in the city of Da Lat, Vietnam.
This goes to show that, at its core, Madame Danh is about family. During our visit, we not only met the Madame Danh, but also owner and executive chef Tyson alongside his sister Vi (who are Madame Danh’s grandchildren).
When asked, Tyson shared that the creation of the restaurant and its entire menu was a whole family affair. Whether they helped in the day-to-day operations or more behind the scenes, family is at the forefront of this restaurant.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Traditional recipes with a modern twist
Speaking of family influence, Chef Tyson shared that many of the dishes on the menu were his grandmother’s traditional recipes elevated with modern cooking techniques. It was obvious that a considerable amount of effort was put into subtly elevating these traditional flavours, and it definitely paid off.
One of these standout dishes was the Carrots à la Marble, a deceptively simple appetizer featuring roasted rainbow carrots with a maple fish sauce and crispy almonds that you won’t want to skip.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Speaking of appetizers, the Caramelized Garlic Wings are also not to be missed. Each wing was perfectly crispy and glazed with a salty and sweet caramelized garlic sauce. When you think of Vietnamese food, your mind might not immediately go to wings, but trust us, these are worth it.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
In fact, Madame Danh’s entire menu is delicious. From the Pork Liver Pâté (which is made in-house) to the Squid Ink Fried Rice and the Grilled Pork Jowl on Rice, everything we tried was delicious.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Madame Danh also offers plenty of unique sips in its drink lineup including Kumquat Red Tea, Marble Green Milk Tea, and Butterfly Pea Sugarcane, just to name a few. You’ll definitely want to try one (or all three) of these refreshing beverages.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
But we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Grilled Steak Pho. It’s everything you’d want in a bowl of pho with a clean, clear, and velvety broth, rice noodles, and all topped with a grilled 5 oz flat iron steak. This is the perfect bowl to warm you up on one of those classic cold and rainy Vancouver days.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Madame Danh also offers rotating dishes weekly. For example, this week’s dish is Bún Bò Huế Vietnamese Spicy Noodle Soup with Prime Beef Ribs. Only 15 bowls of this special soup are available each day, so you’ll want to be sure to show up early to secure yours.
Madame Danh has now soft opened at 4288 Fraser Street. Be sure to follow it on Instagram to keep up on its weekly features.
Madame Danh
Address: 4288 Fraser Street, Vancouver
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