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July 18 is Caviar Day: Step into Vietnam’s largest champagne and caviar bar
French Grill By Jean-François Nulli in JW Marriott Hanoi has the largest collection of champagne and caviar in Vietnam
Dressed in a burgundy corduroy jumpsuit and pale yellow roses tucked in a messy hair bun, I was caught in a language riot outside the ritzy French Grill by Jean-Francois Nulli in JW Marriott Hanoi. It was caviar contemplation. Is the word origin Persian khaviyar, Middle Persian khayak, Old Iranian qvyaka or Greek avyron? In the etymology squabble, I was rooting for the Persians. After all, they were the first to consume sturgeon eggs (caviar) from the Caspian Sea.
The caviar curiosity was not misplaced. I was stepping into Vietnam’s largest Champagne & Caviar bar with a curated champagne & caviar pairing experience at French Grill by Jean-Francois Nulli that has featured in the Michelin Selected list 2025, its third consecutive year of the Michelin Selected honour. The dimly lit French Grill with taupe curtains and gigantic round ceiling lamps boasts of nearly 60 champagne labels and a stack of caviar from the best roe atelier in Paris. Nowhere in Vietnam is the champagne/caviar experience so elaborate and so snazzy.
“Ready for a caviar bump?” Blinis, unsalted crackers, boiled eggs, toasted points and creme fraiche were laid neatly on porcelain trays and not too far away sat a Parisian Kaviari - Atelier Caviar Factory black caviar tin on a bed of crushed ice.
“Caviar bump?” Dressed nattily in a black formal suit, Nga Nguyen, Manager of French Grill By Jean-François Nulli, repeated. Nga is formally trained for wine and wine pairing experiences, so ‘caviar bump’ must be a thing, I assumed.
“Place a small amount of caviar directly on the back of the hand (between the thumb and index finger). Wait a few seconds for it to warm before eating it. Caviar is best enjoyed chill between 8 and 9 degree Celsius,” Nga began the bump lesson. “Do not chew it, move the roe with your tongue until they fall apart”, Nga was being fastidious about the nicest way of eating caviar. That’s the caviar bump - eating the roe off your hand. It is not meant to be a mouthful - usually, not more than 50-60 grams caviar is served per person.
The black shiny unpasteurised egg of the sturgeon might look similar to the layman but the pearls actually come in varied flavours - Imperial Caviar Berlin Beluga has impressive umami, Kaviari Oscietre is laced with notes of cashew nuts, Kaviari Kristal has a very long finish of fresh almond, Kaviari Transmontanus melts softly with a pure salty flavour while Kaviari Beluga Imperial is buttery and the delicate flavours linger in the mouth for long.
The roe comes with a hefty price tag, too - a 20-gram Kaviari Transmontanus is priced at USD 84 (plus taxes) and goes up to USD 145 for 50 grams. Imperial Caviar Berlin Beluga is USD 413 while the most expensive Kaviari Beluga Imperial is USD 459.
If you want the best champagne/caviar experience, pair it with most expensive champagne in the collection - a Champagne Salon, Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs 2007 priced at around USD 2,640. Other champagne options are Non-vintage, Vintage, Tete de Cuvee, Blanc de Noir, Blanc de Blancs from renowned vineyards like two-century old Champagne Laurent-Perrier, one of the most famous champagne houses in the world, Champagne Chateau de Bligny, a boutique estate founded in the 18th century, Champagne Pierre Simonnet & Fils that is rooted in the prestigious Cote des Blancs since 1750, among the list of 60 champagne labels available in French Grill.
At the French Grill, vegetarians and teetotallers needed sulk. Huu Tran, the bartender, can create vegan caviar (see recipe below) that pairs beautifully with sparkling apéritifs - a refined sparkling mocktail. Even chamomile tea.
There is no better way to end a champagne/caviar evening than to indulge in an exquisite wine-pairing menu of which the star is ‘Phở’ Beef Tartare. Using Australian Wagyu beef tenderloin and boasting a perfect marbling index of MB3+, this dish is complemented by a layer of Pho jelly made from rich beef broth. To create a symphony of colours and flavours, Chef Nulli combines mayonnaise sauce, green lemon, basil oil, and a hint of spicy ginger, accompanied by crispy toasted croutons and local pickled vegetables.
During dinner, Nga Nguyen was singing paeans to wine. But I was still contemplating caviar. Irving Kristol, American journalist and writer, was right - One can be unhappy before eating caviar, even after, but at least not during.
Vegan caviar recipe by JW Marriott Hanoi’s bartender Huu Tran:
To make vegan caviar, start by boiling water with bamboo charcoal powder and finely ground dried seaweed – these ingredients provide the distinct colour and flavour. Once the mixture heats up, add agar powder and stir well until it dissolves completely. When the mixture is nearly boiling, remove it from the heat. Pour it into a squeeze bottle and gently drop it, one drop at a time, into chilled olive oil. The cold oil will cause each drop to solidify instantly, forming small spheres that closely resemble real caviar in both texture and appearance. Finally, scoop them out and store in the refrigerator.
Good to know:
Book at: jwmarriotthanoi.com
Book a champagne pairing based on the set menu you select (pricing starts at about USD 127). The second option is a caviar and champagne package, which includes 30g of a specific type of caviar (for a minimum of two guests) paired with a glass of champagne from a curated selection (pricing for this package starts at about USD 102).
An exclusive wine-pairing dinner is priced from about USD 230 per person. The welcome package (may include caviar experience - depending on guests’ choices) starts at about USD 115.
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