Arabica Ho Chi Minh City, The Cafe Apartments

architechu

Mil-Feuille Tower built by stacking Seongsu-dong
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It is a space with a structure that is impossible in Korea. But here it is. I continue to explain the city of Ho Chi Minh little by little, but I will go into detail in the last content.
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This is the most interesting space the author has met in Ho Chi Minh City. This building is essentially an apartment building. However, as in the first photo, the entire building is filled with cafes. In Korea, you cannot turn a residential space into a commercial space. This is especially difficult in the case of apartments. It's not impossible, but it's close to impossible. Often this is not possible except under special circumstances. This building is essentially an 'apartment'. However, each house has been renovated and used as a cafe, restaurant, pub, bar, showroom, etc. to suit the individuality of each house. What is even more interesting is that there are offices and there are still places that are still used as residential spaces.
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Simply put, this space can be thought of as the mixed urban organization Seongsu-dong, cut into squares and stacked one layer at a time. It is very similar to 'mil-feuille', a dessert made by putting all kinds of ingredients on a single dough and stacking them over and over again. This is Milfeuille, a sweet dessert made with Seongsu-dong.
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Because it was originally an apartment, there were fewer elevators than commercial spaces. In the case of a commercial space with a large floating population throughout the day, the number of elevators is much higher than that of the residential space from the planning stage, but this building has only one elevator as it is a residential space built a long time ago. So, how do you look around this space beyond the 8th floor? The first is to find the location of the desired cafe through social media. The second is to pay 3000 VND [about 150 Korean Won] to get on an elevator with one, and then go in, looking at each floor starting from the top blue book. The manager of the space is standing in front of the elevator in this space. A sign shows you that you have to pay to take the elevator. It was my first experience as a Korean, so I was a bit embarrassed, but when I thought about the physiology of the space, I immediately thought of an appropriate management policy.
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The embarrassment disappears quickly, and he climbs up to a higher floor and slowly examines the space. When viewed from the front, it is a plate-shaped apartment type [a form with a plate standing, and newly built apartments these days are usually tower-type. EX. Acro Seoul], but it is actually a L-shaped apartment. There is a stairwell right next to where you get off the elevator. Typical apartment rules. Then, going up half a space, several spaces are arranged to the left at the same height as the spaces on the right are reversed. At the entrance, you can easily tell whether this is a commercial space, a residential space, or an office space. Although it is not possible to separately decorate the signboard or the façade, the most splendid decorations and signboards that can be seen in a residential space define its character. For example, in the case of an 'Asian food restaurant', if there is a signboard that reads 'Thai Food' on the landscaping at the door, lights and small ornaments made of rattan, then this is a Thai restaurant. Even if you don't go one step further, you can enjoy this place just by looking at the scenes that each space shows at the entrance and reveals its character. How many floors did it go down?
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Now, in the hot weather, I am slowly thirsty. The trouble begins between the places I looked at and the spaces I see from now on. The same moment unfolds when you think about where to go in the city.
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In a city with a variety of options, choosing whether to 'choose an unexpected meeting or go for a taste you know' is a benefit of a variety of options. As such, we focus on the experience rather than thirst and choose an unexpected encounter like a traveler. I decided to go downstairs from here and go to the third space unconditionally.
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The space we visited was a cafe with a white interior. A space faithful to the basics with white and wood tones. Although a small apartment has been converted, there are many things that are richer than a typical cafe. There are interesting elements such as high-floor terrace seats or duplex seats. The space the author visited was a place without a 'card reader'. It was a situation where I had to save money, so I was careful, but I gave it to him thinking 'it's just a cup of coffee'.
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Many people worry that they will be penalized for price or change in Vietnam, but it never happened to the author during his 7 days of stay. Even later, because I trusted and received change, I made a mistake in my calculations and received more money. So, I want to tell you that there is no need to doubt too much.
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Coffee coming out quickly. The coffee here is usually dark roast. Because of this, the bitter and burnt taste is very strong, and the aroma is hardly felt. If you order an iced Americano, you can feel like eating Starbucks coffee of the day with ice. That is why the term 'Pak Sio' seems to have become popular as a derived drink. Milk and condensed milk are added to strong-flavored coffee, and you can quickly see why this coffee, which is drunk cold, has become popular in Vietnam by adding the unique flavor of coffee, the combination of milk, and sweetness. At the cafes I visited, I ordered a paxio at the same time as I entered, and then an Americano or espresso to the extent that I enjoyed coffee. From experience, it is assumed that the reason is the weather, but I do not know the exact reason. It's a drink that you just order like you're possessed.
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He comes back after recovering his body tired from looking around the apartment in hot weather.
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I went out after looking all the way down to the lower floors. When we arrived on the first floor of the stairs, we gave a light greeting to the eyes of the managers who were a little surprised, and ended our little trip in that space.
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The diversity of the city, the unique use system, the joy of mixed spaces, and unexpected encounters all remain as sweet memories. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that it was an exhilarating experience.
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This is Milfeuille Tower in Seongsu-dong, #CAFEAPARTMENTs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
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Location_ 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
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Parking _ motorcycle available
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Business hours _ Varies by store [About 08-21]
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The menu is attached. [The attached menu is only for the space where the author has heard]
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PS. This space is operating in accordance with the Vietnam Corona quarantine guidelines. Please note that there is no inconvenience in using the space.