Gone to Saigon: Modern Vietnamese Cuisine at Anan Saigon
Banh Xeo Tacos at Anan Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Whenever I travel abroad, I usually eat at places where traditional dishes are served. I believe that’s the best way to get a taste of local flavors. But on my trip to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), I put an unusual stop on my itinerary to try modern Vietnamese food.
The stop? Anan Saigon.
Anan (literally “eat, eat”) Saigon is a restaurant that serves street food-inspired dishes with international influences (fusion!). It is helmed by the award-winning chef Peter Cuong Franklin, who I had the chance to talk to for a bit. It is located across the Cho Cu wet market (it’s unusual to find a high-end restaurant near a wet market). This is because:
“Anan reflects a vision of the new Saigon by connecting the traditional street market with quality ingredients, modern presentation and cooking techniques.”
Anan is housed in a 6-level building, with a roofdeck bar that overlooks the iconic Bitexco Financial Tower:
The roofdeck is nice for hangout!
They also have cozy interiors:
At the ground floor of Anan Saigon
Anan has a tasting menu, which was what we’re supposed to have. But my friends were tired from our Mekong Delta tour and opted to stay at our apartment. So I went by myself and settled with a la carte items. Let’s now talk about those dishes.
Banh Xeo Tacos
Again, Anan specializes on combining traditional food with international influences (obviously, this one has Mexican influences). Literally “sizzling pancake”, banh xeo is a savory, fried pancake made with rice batter, stuffed and topped with different ingredients, most commonly bean sprouts and shrimp. It’s usually eaten with herbs on the side.
Banh Xeo Tacos (3 Tacos: VND175,000) (Forgive me for the poor quality of the photos. The lighting was challenging and I was still learning to shoot better food photos during those days.)
There were 3 kinds of Banh Xeo Tacos when I visited: Bo Kho Beef, Cha Ca Fish (made of catfish)*, and Shrimp & Pork. The beef version tastes wonderful and has ingredients typically found in a beef pho. The catfish one tastes great. I didn’t get the pork and shrimp because I’m allergic to shrimp.
Dalat** Pizza
This pizza is not made with typical pizza dough. Instead, it’s made of grilled rice paper, a popular Vietnamese snack topped with different ingredients. Thus, it is dubbed as Vietnamese Pizza.
Black Truffle Mushroom Pizza (VND125,000)
Before, there were 5 kinds of Dalat Pizza: Black Truffle Mushroom, Escagot, Meatball, Pepperoni, and Roast Duck. I got the first one and the mushroom really stood out. I loved it!
Viet Chicken Nuggets*
These nuggets tasted like chicken karaage. It’s paired with a lime caramel sauce (I think it’s really fish cause with lime and sugar), giving the nuggets a distinctly Vietnamese taste
Viet Chicken Nuggets (VND125,000)
Dessert: Banana Nutella Spring Rolls
Together with banh mi and pho, spring rolls (fresh or fried) is another iconic Vietnamese dish.
Anan made a dessert version of it. Its Banana Nutella Spring Rolls reminded me of turon (deep fried spring rolls filled with banana and covered with brown sugar, a popular snack in the Philippines). There’s nothing unique about this dessert but it has Nutella in it so I got it! LOL.
Banana Nutella Spring Rolls (VND95,000)
Overall, I was pleased with my visit to Anan Saigon. The ambience and food are good, perfect for a dinner and hangout with friends. The next time I’m visiting Saigon, I’ll make sure I’ll drop by Anan and order more dishes, maybe even try their tasting menu.
Address: 89 Ton That Dam, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City | Operating Hours: 5PM to late | Facebook | Website
*These items are not in Anan’s present menu. I visited more than a year ago and it looks like a lot has changed in its menu since then. Or maybe they change their menu seasonally.
**Dalat is a city in southern Vietnam. Maybe grilled rice paper originated from or is famous there.
Have you visited Anan Saigon before? Which of the items above have you tried or would like to try? Comment them below!
Other entries in the Gone to Saigon series: A Throwback to My Ho Chi Minh City Trip (Introduction) | Eating Banh Mi, Pho, and Other Vietnamese Dishes | Learning About the Vietnam War