The owners of a rare District 1 French villa
have converted it into a café, preserving its unique architectural heritage.
Across the street from the aging, yellow walls of a shipyard and
colonial-style warehouses lies a building that stands out from new, hastily
built developments. Constructed in the 1930s, this French villa originally
was used as bachelor quarters for the French navy, but recently has been
converted into a café that aims to take its guests back in time. The large
villa on Ton Duc Thang Street is actually one building. But a wall bisects
it to form the offices of a real estate company on one side and the
newly-opened MonPERE Café restaurant on the other.
From a piano at the front of the room,
classical music is played every Saturday night. The corridor also has
several tables, chairs and sofas, but offers more privacy. Upstairs has the
same layout as the ground floor and is in original condition, but hasn’t
been renovated yet.
In the room, several plush sofas and a
number of armchairs are placed around dark wooden tables. The sofa and
armchair combination allows for both a laid-back and work-friendly
environment.
Mon Pere Cafe Restaurant offers both Western
and Asian dishes.
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