Before & Now

Before & Now is one of the most popular spots in Hoi An with a menu that serves mostly Italian food. Vietnamese cuisine is also on the list.

The first floor is a bar and cafe with walls that feature pop-art portraits from Mao Tse Tung to Marilyn Monroe. The one that will get your attention is Bono... as the Man of Steel.

If you want to escape the crowd, the upstairs floor is more homey (though at first you'd think you'd be fine dining) and has a balcony with a nice atmosphere... perfect, I must say.

Again, since this is being Hoi An - home of the Cau Lau, the noodle dish is the restaurant's specialty. I have to admit though that i've had better Cau Lau at some other restaurants in the old town. Although the other Hoi an specialty that I've tried, the banh bao vac or "white rose" as they call it is really good! For those curious what "white rose" is, it's a shrimp dumpling.

The bar/restaurant plays mostly chill out music by day, and more uptempo (rock/r&b/hiphop) at nights. There's also free WIFI available.

All in all, Before & Now lives up to it's reputation as one of Hoi An's most happening places. And if you ever want to just relax and people watch, i think this is the best place to be.