Quan An Ngon 138 or "Nha Hang Ngon" as refered to in some travel books, was established in 2001 by Vietnamese entrepreneur Hoia Tan Duong.20 of the city's best hawker eats under one roof! The same concept can also be found in Hanoi.
Colonial style concept in a villa. What HCM started 10 years ago...we've only barely begun with Food Republic or Food trail!
Enter the gates..
Like a foodcourt, the stalls were barely 20..so I figure it's 20 best street eats rather than street stalls. I should think 1130am for lunch is a weebit too early for the Vietnamese since we were the only 2 tables occupied and the workers actually looked dreary-eyed and aloof (which we found out they are aloof regardless of timing!)
Plates and bowls ready to be filled.
For you to match the name to the picture.
Vietnamese chicken rice anyone?
Baskets of raw vegetables that became a staple.
Villa complete with chinese tables and rock walls.
Guess what?
Plastic wrapped chopsticks tucked into paper sleeve...too much human intervention gets me wary. :x
Pho Tai Bo Vien (39,000 VND)
Noodle Soup with Beef (Rare Beef and Beefball)
Chopsticks made for slurping.
The first attempt at Vietnam's most famous export - Pho. For those who have raved about it to the skies, they probably like their noodles soft. Flavourful broth meets tender beef meets soft kuay teow. Felt it was hearty but not spectacularly so.
Cha Gio Hai San (65,000 VND)
Fried Spring Rolls with Seafood
Drizzle on a starchy chilli sauce.
Unimpressed by the cream sauce filling, frozen vegetables of green peas and carrots and octopus within. I was expecting a fried spring roll! My bad for choosing the wrong item I suppose.
Banh Hoi Heo Quay (75,000 VND)
Rice Vermicilli and Roasted Pork served with Rice Papers and Vegetables
Pretty dish which was the most complicated dish of the meal as well.
Closeup of the nicely rolled rice vermicilli sprinkled with fried shrimp, onions, nuts and leaves. Not forgetting the grilled meatballs.
Sliced chilli that packs a mightier punch than chilli padi. Fiesty one I say!
The rice wrap confused me...nobody could understand when I gestulated "how to eat?" I guess since the Vietnamese are so into wraps, the ingredients have to be wrapped up and eaten.
Tasted really good when the rice wrap disintegrated like the rice wrapper in White Rabbit Candy...only that this took much longer to disintegrate..causing much gnashing of teeth and a rice wrap that felt like cellopane tape.
The companion had a smarter way of eating..or at least it was figured out after I wolfed down mine! Dice the meatball and scatter toppings generously.
Include the leafy greens.
And everything else..
And wrap it like a pro.
Tasted reallllly good I must say when the flavours come together! Would prefer this over their really raw and green Vietnamese Spring Rolls anyday!
Nuoc Ep Dau (34,000 VND)
Fresh Strawberry Juice
Don't ask me why I opted for Strawberry Juice in the list of juices.This would have caused my blood sugar to spike and rocket through the readings - way over the top sweet with strawberry puree. I choose not to believe their strawberries are this sweet, naturally.
All the action outside the restaurant that does not stop, bad traffic is a given.
The first meal kind of set the note for the rest of the meals to come. I did not particularly love vietnamese cuisine to begin with and was not too wow-ed either. Nice experience at Quan An Ngon though! Just ignore the fact that the waiters do not understand nor bother understanding anything outside the boundaries of "getting the check" and making an order.
Quan An Ngon 138
District 1
(Opp Reunification Palace)
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