About 42 minutes by car from Naha Airport. This Vietnamese restaurant is located in Chatan Town. It is an area in Chatan Town where there are many foreigners and local surfers, and it is free from the hustle and bustle of the city. The báinh mì and spring rolls are especially popular. What kind of restaurant is this popular restaurant that Vietnamese living in Okinawa also go to?
Point 1: What is the location of “Vietnam Chan Chatan”?
Vietnamese restaurants in Okubo, Shinjuku, and Kichijoji, Tokyo, are now in Okinawa!
Vietnam-chan Chatan is located off the busiest part of the town of Chatan, Okinawa, near the port of Chatan, at a place called Harbor No. 15.
Located at the end of a wharf, the restaurant looks out across the bay to the glittering town of Chatan, and it takes about 30 minutes on foot to reach Mihama’s Sunset Beach.
It takes about 30 minutes to reach Sunset Beach in Mihama on foot, so not many tourists stop by, but mostly Americans living in the area and local surfers.
A short walk north is Miyagi Beach, another area with a large local and foreign clientele.
The customer service is foreign and not Japanese, but they do what they are supposed to do and it is perfect. However, it is difficult to understand Japanese words such as “vegan” and they are not the type to care about their customers, so you should call out loud when you have an order.
Also, as is typical in Asian restaurants, the air conditioning is very harsh, so it is better to have something to wrap yourself in to protect yourself from the cold.
Point 2: What is the signature menu item at “Vietnam Chan Chatan”?
So what kind of menu items are popular at “Vietnam-chan Chatan”?
The most popular item on the menu is a Vietnamese version of a hot dog called “Banh Mi” (several varieties available, veggie for 700 yen, lemongrass grilled chicken for 600 yen). The French bread dough is filled with vegetables. The meat is thick and juicy.
Please enjoy it with a cup of Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk at the bottom!
The ethnic aroma of lemongrass and pak choi that permeates the nose is very Asian.
Another popular menu item is the fresh spring rolls.
The rolls are larger than the pictures on the menu show, and the moist skin is filled with plenty of vegetables. The crunchy prawns are a must-try.
Point 3: What other menu items do you recommend at “Vietnam Chan Chatan”?
What else is recommended on the menu at Vietnam-chan Chatan?
Pho is the most famous Vietnamese dish. The beef pho (1,200 yen), in particular, is delicious with sticky rice noodles in a slightly salty soy sauce-based soup. The large, hearty beef dish is very satisfying!
In addition, the “soupless rice noodle with salad and deep-fried spring rolls” or “Bun” as it is called in Vietnam, is very close to the local cuisine and has a reputation for its local flavor. The crispy fried spring rolls are served on a bed of resilient rice noodles. When eaten with fish sauce, Vietnamese people are said to feel like going back to their homeland!
A Vietnamese restaurant was established here in 2020 in Okinawa, a foreign gourmet powerhouse that had fewer restaurants than Thai restaurants. The food seems to be prepared by Vietnamese people, which is very valuable. If you are tired of Okinawan cuisine, why not try this Vietnamese restaurant?
