French Onion Soup in Hanoi: Soupe à l'Oignon at Maison Vie
Maison Vie serves French onion soup — the classic soupe à l'oignon gratinée with aged cheese and a golden crouton — at 28 Tang Bat Ho, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi. It is 225,000 VND on the à la carte menu, at lunch and dinner, and also a soup option of the Menu d'Affaires business lunch, Monday–Friday.
What is soupe à l'oignon?
Soupe à l'oignon is caramelised onion soup — the great late-night dish of Paris, tied to the bistros around Les Halles market, where porters and revellers ended their nights over the same steaming bowl at dawn. Its ingredients are the cheapest in the kitchen — onions, bread, cheese — but what makes the dish is time: the onions are stirred slowly until they turn amber, every trace of sharpness melting into deep sweetness, before they are simmered into the broth.
At Maison Vie the standard is set by Chef Joel F. Tisserand, who has spent 40 years at the stove across France, England, China and Southeast Asia. The menu describes it plainly: classic caramelised onion soup gratinéed with aged cheese and a golden crouton. The bowl passes under the broiler until the cheese blisters and pulls into strands — the literal meaning of "gratinée".
What arrives in the bowl
The menu names it: French onion soup — aged cheese, toasted crouton. Three components, each with a job:
| Component | What it does |
|---|---|
| Caramelised onions | Stirred slowly to amber, then simmered — all of the broth's sweetness and colour comes from here |
| Aged cheese | The blistered, stretching gratinée crust — a salty, aged-Gruyère richness that balances the sweet onions |
| Toasted crouton | A golden raft that drinks up the broth and carries the cheese on the surface |
The dish contains gluten (crouton), milk (cheese) and sulphites — please tell us about allergies when booking.
French onion soup price at Maison Vie
The soup is on the à la carte menu at 225,000 VND, and is also a Soup option of the Menu d'Affaires, our business lunch served Monday to Friday, 11:00–14:00, with mineral water and house-baked bread included:
| How to order it | Includes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| À la carte | A full bowl of gratinéed onion soup, lunch or dinner | 225,000 VND |
| Menu d'Affaires, 3 services | Starter or Soup + Main + Dessert | 485,000 VND |
| Menu d'Affaires, 4 services | Starter + Soup + Main + Dessert | 575,000 VND |
Prices exclude 5% service charge and 10% VAT. See the full menu and set menus.
What to drink with French onion soup
The salty gratinée crust and the deep-sweet broth call for a dry white with cutting acidity — and the classic partner is Chablis, the unoaked pure Chardonnay of northern Burgundy:
| Wine | Region | Price | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Latour Chablis « La Chanfleure » | Chablis AOC, Bourgogne, France | 2,950,000 VND | The classic match — oyster-shell minerality and sharp acidity slice through the cheese |
| Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Vignerons de Buxy | Bourgogne AOC, France | 1,950,000 VND | Fine bubbles rinse the palate after every spoonful of gratinée — an elegant way to open the meal |
| Louis Latour Bourgogne Pinot Noir | Bourgogne AOC, France | 2,100,000 VND | For red-wine loyalists: light, translucent red fruit that never crowds the broth |
Our sommelier advises at the table. Browse the full wine list, or read the guide to French wine pairing. To carry the Burgundian thread into the main course, the Beef Bourguignon follows the soup naturally — and the Burgundy escargots are its lifelong companion among the starters.
Booking
Maison Vie occupies a neoclassical villa at 28 Tang Bat Ho, Hai Ba Trung Ward, Hanoi, open 11:00–14:00 and 17:30–22:00 daily. Reserve on +84 904 150 383 or through the contact page. Private rooms seat 4 to 150 guests for working lunches, client dinners and corporate events.
Frequently asked questions
How much is French onion soup at Maison Vie?
225,000 VND à la carte. It is also a Soup option of the Menu d'Affaires: 485,000 VND for 3 services, 575,000 VND for 4. Prices exclude 5% service charge and 10% VAT.
When is it served?
À la carte during both opening windows — 11:00–14:00 and 17:30–22:00 daily. Within the Menu d'Affaires it is served Monday to Friday, 11:00–14:00.
What does "gratinée" mean?
The finishing step that defines the dish: the bowl is topped with a toasted crouton and aged cheese, then passed under the broiler until the cheese blisters golden and pulls into strands. Without the gratinée it is merely onion soup.
Is it a good opener for a business lunch?
That is exactly where it lives on our menu — it is a Soup option of the Menu d'Affaires 3- and 4-course sets, served Monday to Friday, 11:00–14:00.
What allergens does it contain?
Gluten (crouton), milk (cheese), and sulphites. Tell us about any allergy or dietary need when booking and the kitchen will prepare an alternative.
Do I need to book?
Advisable for groups or when you need a private room. Call +84 904 150 383 or reserve online through the contact page.