Ho Chi Minh, Day 2: L'USINE!

 I haven't updated in a while because I wasn't sure how to go about posting about the rest of my stay in Vietnam. We did so many things and it seemed unfair to cram all that info into just one post so I decided to do a post per interesting place we went.

My second day in Vietnam was packed with adventures! Because my sister is a bonafide lakwatchera (love it) and we didn't have any time to waste, we picked ourselves up off the couch and headed out. 

One of the places my sister took me was L'USINE--L'USINE means factory in French and this concept was just so well-executed, I couldn't get over it. I would try and describe this to you a little more but I don't think that would do L'USINE any justice.

 I figure that a concept like "warehouse-turned-cafe" has the possibility of being cheesy or contrived but it works so well here because actual machines are incorporated into the interior. For example, this industrial drier was converted into a table and the hook was switched up so that it holds up a light bulb instead of fabric or paper. 

 Everything--from the chairs and tables to the exposed beams to the old photographs on the walls--is stripped-down or dressed- up industrial decor. I loved the office chairs and the heavy tables.

 Perhaps one of the most interesting things about L'USINE is that it doubles as a boutique. Their items are hella pricey, but I suppose that's because most people come over for the coffee and not for the clothing. The pieces are very unique and very pretty, though. I also love the window that looks out into the main street. It has a 1997 Great Expectations feel that I found extremely seductive.

 I also loved that their place mats doubled as menus. Plus, they're take-home-able and you can actually have them deliver to you. Because Ho Chi Minh is so small, most of the restaurants deliver and they have small calling cards you can take with you when you go (or like me, you could just take the entire menu). The prices for their food and coffee are pretty reasonable, too. 

I had a Cafe Latte which went for 60,000 VND (120 Pesos) and a fudge brownie for the same price. Both were excellent! My only annoyance was that the Latte came served in a glass instead of a mug which made it hard for me to drink. 

 My sister had a Cappuccino (also for 60,000 VND) and a slice of carrot cake--this was a bit more expensive at 65,000 VND (130 Pesos) but not without reason; it was delicious (and I usually severely dislike carrot cake). 

 Both the carrot cake and the fudge brownie came with jam on the side. I found this pretty weird at first, but after trying it (at my sister's insistence) it wasn't so bad. The jam was a bit sour and that neutralized the rich sweetness of the pastries. 

They also have Wifi at L'USINE (and actually, almost everywhere in Ho Chi Minh) and that makes it a great place to hang out and get work done. If I lived there, I think I'd probably spend a lot of time at this cafe. 

For those of you who are in the area or who might be headed there soon, L'USINE is located at 151/1 Dong Khoi Street, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City. :)