Vegetarian brand Here and Now in Saigon | QUANG NAM ONLINE NEWSPAPER

Graduated in Mechanical Engineering (University of Technology - VNU- HCM City), but popularizing Quang Nam's delicacies is what this young man born in 1987, from Ha Lam, Thang Binh dreams of. More specifically, those dishes are prepared in a vegan style.

More than 10 years, a long journey from nurturing a dream to making it a reality, despite the difficult times, especially the Covid-19 pandemic, he still did not give up. That engineer is Nguyen Thai Lam.

Fate with vegetarian cuisine

Lam discovered a long time ago that he had a talent for cooking and loved to cook delicious dishes for everyone to enjoy. Seeing his relatives and loved ones eat delicious food, Lam felt happy and joyful. Therefore, he began to learn about cuisine, then turned to vegetarian cuisine because of its benefits as well as the global trend - "many people are choosing to be vegetarian and live green".

“Actually, vegetarianism is also very delicious,” Lam said. And shared that, it seems that many people mistakenly think that vegetarianism means abstaining from many things, only soy sauce and tofu. “In preparing vegetarian dishes, from vegetables - tubers - fruits, you can flexibly change, create delicious and eye-catching dishes, low in fat, no sugar, very good for health,” Lam explained.

Then, the young owner showed me a photo album of vegetarian dishes he had created, which left me amazed: “It’s so beautiful, how can I bear to eat it?” Indeed, through Lam’s skillful and meticulous hands, the vegetarian dishes were expressed in a truly… miraculous way: eye-catching, artistic and attractive down to every strand of vegetable and slice of bean.

Returning to the story of wanting to have a decent vegetarian restaurant for young people to access, in line with the current popular vegetarian - green living trend, more than 10 years ago Thai Lam decided to leave Vietnam to go to Japan as an export laborer.

After registering and studying Japanese, Lam was recruited and worked in his field of expertise in a company in Tokyo under a 3-year contract. After more than two years in a foreign country and saving up a little capital, Nguyen Thai Lam returned to Saigon to find a location to open a vegetarian restaurant under the brand name “Here and Now”.

Vegetarian dishes at Nguyen Thai Lam's Here and Now restaurant.

Keeping his promise to himself, when he had earned enough money after a period of wandering in the land of cherry blossoms, Lam returned to Saigon to find a place to open a restaurant. At first, it was extremely difficult because finding a suitable location, especially for a vegetarian restaurant, was not easy. After nearly a month of searching, Nguyen Cong Hoan Street (Binh Thanh District) was finally where he opened his first restaurant.

“The beginning was also very difficult, because in addition to being able to cook and understand cuisine, being a boss also requires knowing how to manage according to scientific processes in many stages. I had to gradually learn from my work at the shop and from my colleagues who have expertise,” Lam said.

The vegetarian restaurant chain “Here and Now” has a sophisticated, youthful, and friendly style. “In fact, in Saigon, there are quite a few vegetarian restaurants, but they mainly serve fast food, high in fat and sugar. I choose vegetarianism in the direction of eating pure, clean food, with little oil and no sugar,” Lam shared.

Why did he study mechanics but then start a career in cooking, open a restaurant, and a vegetarian restaurant at that? This is probably the question Nguyen Thai Lam receives the most from those who know him through that strange turning point.

“Actually, when I took the Polytechnic entrance exam, I thought that was the career I would pursue in the future. But deep down, it wasn’t my favorite career,” Lam confided.

Another fate, in 2009, the group “Steps of Love” was newly established, often sharing charity gifts with the needy, especially in the West. Thai Lam was an active member assigned many important tasks by the group leader Dieu Uyen Phuong.

In 2010, this group of young people also opened a vegetarian restaurant for students right on D2 Street, near Hang Xanh (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City). Lam was assigned to manage the vegetarian restaurant, which costs 8,000 VND/plate, ensuring students are full. From then on, Nguyen Thai Lam had a deep connection with cuisine. From then on, he decided to become a vegetarian.

Lam said: “At that time, I had learned quite a bit about vegetarianism, which can be suitable for many people and if eaten properly, it will not lack nutrients.” According to Lam, in the world, many people also choose to be vegetarian because they want to live close to plants, follow the spirit of green living, and limit killing.

Modern country taste

At Here and Now, customers can easily find dishes with hometown flavors such as Quang noodles or Hue vermicelli, combined with Thai-style food such as Pad Thai, or Japanese-style miso noodles...

According to Lam, opening a restaurant is easy, but attracting customers is difficult. The engineer thought about many factors to attract customers, besides a comfortable space, attentive service, a lovely owner... the most decisive factor is still the food. Lam began to research, ate at many other vegetarian restaurants and began to create a menu and dishes that only "Here and Now" has.

With his natural talent for cooking, his flair for adjusting flavors and preparing dishes, along with his perseverance and meticulousness, Nguyen Thai Lam was finally able to create his own recipes for each dish, making anyone who "accidentally" comes to eat it fall in love.

“A little bit every day” is how Lam keeps the fire burning for herself. One day, when there was a shortage of staff, Lam would go into the kitchen and quickly and deliciously prepare a dish for the guests. Then, she would happily greet the guests and ask them if the food was delicious and to their liking.

The dishes at “Here and Now” are not about quantity but especially about quality. Thanks to her mechanical skills and aesthetic sense, Lam makes all the designs in the restaurant herself, then she also creates the dishes, manages the website, writes content, and creates images…

There was a period of devastation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant had to close but still paid the rent and salaries for some permanent employees, he still did not give up. Of course, on the journey to success in creating a vegetarian brand, Lam often received sincere sharing and support from relatives and friends. Because they understood Lam.

If you ever get lost in the vegetarian restaurant Here and Now of mechanical engineer Nguyen Thai Lam on Pham Viet Chanh Street (Binh Thanh District) or Nguyen Trong Tuyen Street (Phu Nhuan District), you will find it strange because there are many foreigners and young people coming here. But it is not too difficult to understand, because there is delicious food and a peaceful enough space for them to sit and enjoy some strange dishes, only vegetables and fruits but rich in flavor.

“If you are vegetarian for the environment and your health, choose vegetarian dishes that are delicate, not too oily, and do not contain sugar or MSG. Eating vegetarian regularly or changing your diet for a few days each month is a way to purify your body and soul,” Lam shared.

Perhaps because of the wholesomeness and care in each vegetarian dish of Here and Now, many diners who have come stay and become regulars. Young customers commented: "It turns out vegetarian food is also delicious", giving the owner more motivation and more reason to stick around.

Asked about the difficulties during nearly 8 years of pursuing and building the vegetarian brand "Here and Now", Nguyen Thai Lam smiled: "For many people who work for money, it's tiring, but I work for the passion of sharing the healthy benefits of vegetarianism with the plant-based food community, so I feel healthy and happy."

As for whether the brand "Here and Now" can touch people's hearts or not, according to Lam, it is the contribution of many colleagues. He always cherishes and is grateful, giving all the favors to everyone who has accompanied him, whether for a short or long distance.

Unique vegetarian Quang noodles
“Among the restaurant's vegetarian dishes, vegetarian Quang noodles - a specialty of Quang Nam - is probably the most ordered dish by diners, and is the restaurant's "signature" dish - said Nguyen Thai Lam.
The “boss” of Here and Now maintains the flavor of Quang noodles with the thick, flavorful broth made from straw mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and softened mushroom stems. In addition, the roasted, finely ground peanuts bring a fragrant, fatty taste, combined with the natural sweetness and sourness of pineapple and tomatoes, making each noodle strand well-absorbed, “addictive to eat”.
According to Lam, this is a dish that was often cooked by my mother when we were still eating salty food, and the whole family would gather around the family meal during rainy days or harvest days, family reunions or the cold, rainy October months. "Quang people of course know how to cook and eat Quang noodles properly, with some raw vegetables, fragrant perilla, fresh lemon and green chili, and it's perfect" - Nguyen Thai Lam said.

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