Chef Khai Vu is a big warm embrace of a man, Vegas hospitality in the flesh. And his Prime Steak Boutique & Chill is as brash and bold as a mouthful of ribeye steak and a hearty glug of a cab sav, with decor to match – there’s a rearing bull with glowing red eyes at the entrance and a shimmering wall of Himalayan salt behind it.
Đọc bài viết bằng Tiếng Việt
Calling this grand three-floor restaurant plonked down right on Pasteur Street a ‘boutique’ feels like a bit of a misnomer.
Creating The Biggest And Best Steakhouse In Saigon
“The ambition was to create the biggest and best steakhouse in Saigon,” Khai Vu agrees, walking us in, past the bull. “Coming from Las Vegas, I learned that if you build something well enough, it doesn’t matter how big it is, people will come.”
The bull was a statement piece they commissioned from a local artist. If you look closely, you’ll notice it’s made from mechanical pieces like cogs and wheels. “It’s all made from old motorbike parts,” Khai Vu reveals.
Beside it, there’s the same grand staircase and dramatic lighting that you’d find in a Vegas steakhouse. And, at the heart of Prime Steak Boutique & Chill – both physically and metaphorically – is the huge dry-aging room that can hold up to 1,000KG of beef, each cut categorized and tagged with its date of entry. Chef Khai Vu calls the dry-aging program the restaurant’s “heart and soul.”
“For me, beyond 45 days is the optimal time to cook a dry-aged steak,” he says. “By then, the flavors have deepend and become more robust – I like that punchier flavor, especially the flavor you get with steak that’s between 60 and 90 days.” Then they cook it over a high heat, quickly searing the outside “while leaving the inside tender and juicy.”
Positive Energy
He’s acclimatizing back to Saigon well, after going to The States aged 11. “Oh man!” he sighs, “they’re so vastly different – Saigon and Las Vegas. There’s Las Vegas with its vibrant entertainment, world-class casinos, and luxurious atmosphere, and Saigon with its rich history, diverse culture, and a unique blend of old and new.”
Saigon, he admits, is far more culturally immersive. “Plus, this city is so full of positive energy…and of course a lot of traffic,” he smiles. Importantly, he says, it’s also a place where “a good meal is never far away.”
“You can walk down any side street or back alley and you’ll inevitably find some little plastic chairs and a food cart – just pull up a seat and grab a cold beer and eat some sensational street food with the locals.“
Beyond The Neon
But before all this, the self-taught, Saigon-born chef made a splash in Las Vegas by introducing his modern interpretation of Vietnamese cuisine. He wowed diners with delectable dishes such as lobster phở, first at Le Pho Vietnamese Kitchen and later at District One Kitchen & Bar.
Not content with Vietnamese concepts alone, he expanded his culinary repertoire by opening Mordeo Boutique Wine Bar, where patrons could savor Spanish tapas and dry-aged steak.
In recognition of his culinary prowess, he was inducted into the Chaine des Rotisseurs in 2015. Four years later, he earned the prestigious title of Las Vegas Restaurateur of the Year. His work even took him to the James Beard House in New York, where for the Las Vegas-focused Regional Spotlight: Beyond The Neon, he showcased the vibrant and diverse flavors of Vegas cuisine alongside a group of talented chefs from Sin City.
“We Don’t Judge”
Khai Vu settles into a seat at the kitchen counter, before confronting the thorny issue of a guest ordering a steak well done. Over-cooking a steak makes it tough, and it’s widely looked down upon by steak restaurants who default to a tender, juicy medium rare.
“That’s our philosophy too,” Khai Vu concurs. “We always give our guests a suggestion — usually on the medium rare side. But, in the end, we cook a steak how the customer wants it. As long as it makes them happy and their experience is enjoyable, that’s all that matters to me. We don’t judge.”
They’re also keen to point guests towards other sections of the menu. “Munch away on a brioche roll while the tray of oysters and a fresh plate of steak tartar arrives, and maybe a French onion soup, and then a a nice lamb chop or some seafood,” Khai Vu recommends, momentarily resisting the urge to suggest a steak.
“But we do love our steaks!” he exclaims finally. “At Prime, we learned about the farmers and how the cattle is raised, then we carefully select each cut from them. We’ve even visited some farms in Kagoshima, Japan to develop our Wagyu program. Next year, we’ll visit a cattle farm in Kansas city in the US for our USDA Prime program and also farms in Australia for our Australian beef…”
The Controlled Chaos Of Another Busy Night
“I’d think I’d prefer to sit here if I were a guest,” Khai Vu says, unsurprisingly, seeing as there’s the view of the dry-aging locker on one side and the frenetic energy of the kitchen on the other.
“I just love the sounds of the kitchen,” he shrugs, “the clanging of pots and pans, the sound of the fire crackling and the meat sizzling, and even orders being called – the sign of the controlled chaos of another busy night.”
There, he says, he’d order a Martini, “extra dirty,” a shrimp cocktail, a 65-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye with sauteed mushrooms and a tomato salad, and, for dessert, a slice of key lime pie or a hazelnut gelato…topped with caviar of course,” he grins, still the Las Vegas showman.
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