ABOUT THE RESTAURANT
PAUL BLANCHY (1837 – 1901) BECAME THE FIRST ELECTED MAYOR OF SAIGON IN 1895. SAIGON WAS THE ONLY CITY IN COLONIAL VIETNAM TO HAVE AN ELECTED MAYOR.
BLANCHY TRAVELLED FROM FRANCE TO VIETNAM IN 1871 IN AN ATTEMPT TO START A COFFEE PLANTATION. HE FAILED MISERABLY.
HIS VIETNAMESE WIFE’S PARENTS ADVISED HIM TO EXPERIMENT WITH PEPPER, WHICH WAS VERY WELL SUITED TO THE LOCAL CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. THE FINANCIAL SUCCESS HE REAPED FROM ITS CULTIVATION EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS.
TO PAY HIM A TRIBUTE, ONE OF SAIGON’S MAIN ARTERIES WAS NAMED “RUE PAUL BLANCHY” (PAUL BLANCHY STREET) AFTER HIS DEATH.
IT HONOURED “MR. PEPPER” IN THAT WAY UNTIL 1964 WHEN THE STREET WAS RENAMED HAI BA TRUNG, WHERE OUR RESTAURANT STANDS TODAY.
A CENTURY AFTER HIS DEATH, VIETNAM IS THE LARGEST EXPORTER OF PEPPER WORLDWIDE.
THE COURTYARD CHOSEN FOR THE SETTING OF BLANCHY STREET WAS AN OPIUM REFINERY (LA MANUFACTURE D’OPIUM) FROM 1881 TO 1954.