PHINƠI x Gia: Sharing an Omakase Coffee Journey with Chef Sam

An Evening of Stories, Shared Over Coffee

Some evenings begin with warm yellow lights, soft conversations, and the scent of freshly opened coffee. That night at refined. Nhà Thờ felt exactly like that—small, intimate, and quietly refined, as if Hanoi itself had drawn in closer to make room for a special kind of tasting journey.

It was the night refined. hosted an Omakase Coffee session for the media tour of Gia—the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Hanoi. And if you’ve ever thought coffee always takes a back seat to fine dining, this event may have changed your mind.

An Omakase for the Tastemakers

Inside refined.’s thoughtfully minimalist space, guests from Gia’s international media tour—renowned food writers, global culinary journalists, and celebrated bloggers—gathered around a shared table. There were no spotlights, no flash—just the quiet coming together of people who truly love food and drink. Chef Sam from Gia was there too, taking in each coffee course as it unfolded—like a continuation of Vietnam’s fine dining story.

The evening followed the quiet rhythm of an Omakase tasting. Each course arrived with intention—subtle, structured, and quietly expressive. In between were little stories: of Vietnamese coffee, of specialty origins, and of how culture shapes every brew.

Where Fine Dining Meets Vietnamese Specialty Coffee

One of the evening’s highlights was a house-roasted Gesha from refined., singing with notes of peach wine, watermelon, and pomelo seed—soft, bright, and elegant. This wasn’t just a coffee pairing. It was a message in a cup: that culture, specialty coffee, and fine dining can—and should—sit at the same table.

Each sip carried its own story: the purity of the bean, the skill of the roaster, and Vietnam’s bold journey to redefine its place on the global coffee map.

When the Vietnamese Phin Becomes an Omakase “Item”

Then came a moment we won’t forget.

Tu Vu, founder of refined., stepped into the space with a PHINƠI Hoa Phin in hand. Right in the middle of this elevated Omakase setting, he began brewing the next course—not with a V60, not with an espresso machine, but with a traditional Vietnamese Phin, dressed in modern colors but rooted deeply in cultural tradition.

The room reacted instantly—with curiosity, surprise, and delight.Surprised that Vietnam’s coffee has come this far. Even more surprised to learn the Phin wasn’t borrowed or reinvented from elsewhere, but a true Vietnamese creation—passed down for generations.

And then came the Cốc Hoa Nhỏ—the flower-shaped tasting cup designed for aroma exploration. Lightweight, elegant, and unlike anything the guests had seen. There was an unspoken joy in their eyes, like they were being introduced to a piece of culture they’d never experienced up close before.

Quiet Moments That Stay

If you sat in the corner, you might’ve seen Tu Vu lean in gently, pouring hot water with the quiet focus of a barista—and the grace of someone telling their homeland’s story through coffee.The sound of water dripping through the Phin.The delicate aroma of Gesha.Cups being passed around by hand.

A simple, unscripted moment. But it connected everyone in the room in a way that words couldn’t.

A Small Moment, A Big Milestone

For PHINƠI, this wasn’t just another international appearance. It was a meaningful, beautiful milestone: when a Vietnamese brewing tool—designed with care, steeped in culture, and built to tell stories—was placed at the heart of an Omakase for some of the world’s sharpest culinary minds.

The evening ended quietly, just like Hanoi itself. But the feeling lingered.For us, it marked another step in bringing the Phin back into modern life—and taking it further, to where the Vietnamese coffee story deserves to be told.

If you’re curious about how a Phin can tell a story… well, you already know where to start.