Vietnam War Veteran Launches ‘Affordable’ Gold Steak Restaurant

A Vietnamese hotel is offering diners the chance to try gold leaf-coated steaks, seeking to tap a wave of publicity after a government minister was caught on camera being fed the dish at a London restaurant, where steaks can cost over 1,000 pounds.

The Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake Hotel had a makeover last year using a tonne of the metal to gold-plate everything from bath tubs to toilets, all housed behind a gold exterior.

Now as part of a rebranding, the hotel has renamed one of its eating outlets the Golden Beef Restaurant and put the famed gold-encrusted “Tomahawk Wagyu” steak the Vietnamese minister ate in London on the menu, charging from around $45 a person.

“We have served more than 1,000 guests who came to try out the golden steak,” said Nguyen Huu Duong, chairman of Hoa Binh Group, which owns the hotel managed by U.S.-based Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Inc

Turkish celebrity chef Nusret Gokce, or “Salt Bae”, uploaded a video of himself last month feeding Minister of Public Security To Lam the gold-leaf encrusted Tomahawk steak, causing a stir in Vietnam. Steaks at Gokce’s restaurant sell for up to 1,450 pounds ($1,914).

Many in the Southeast Asian country questioned how such a high-ranking Communist Party official allowed himself to be filmed indulging in such expensive food amid a state crackdown on corruption. Vietnamese officials have not commented on the incident.

Now as part of a rebranding, the hotel has renamed one of its eating outlets the Golden Beef Restaurant and put the famed gold-encrusted “Tomahawk Wagyu” steak the Vietnamese minister ate in London on the menu, charging from around $45 a person.