Anan Saigon — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

Anan We enjoyed a beautiful, intimate dinner at Anan Saigon where the customer service, quality, presentation and most importantly the taste of the food was absolutely worthy of the Michelin star that has been awarded to the venue.

Starting with the customer service, we were warmly greeted by our lovely host Thao who looked after us for the whole night. Thao struck that perfect balance where she was attentive to our needs while not being intrusive, checked to make sure that we were happy throughout the evening, shared her recommendations when we asked for her opinion, and ensured that we had a wonderful experience.

We ordered the following dishes: Salmon Waffle - consisting of a Banh Nhung waffle tart, smoked salmon, crème fraiche, salmon roe. The waffle tart was delicate with a lovely crunch. The smoked salmon and crème fraiche combined beautifully for a balanced, creamy, smoky salmon flavour hit, broken up by little explosions of salmon hits from the salmon roe. Hà Nội Tumeric Fish - perfectly cooked Black Cod sitting on top of a flavoursome tumeric foam with hints of dill, garnished with a bun noodle on the side. The Black cod literally melted in our mouths, the tumeric foam was not overpowering and just complimented the fish and the bun noodle and dill cracker provided a variety of different textures. A wonderful experience and arguably our favourite dish of the evening, noting that every dish we had was a winner. Seafood spring roll - Crispy spring roll with crab, shrimp and pork, fresh herbs, Nuoc Cham sauce. A beautifully executed spring roll. The filling was tasty, soft and flavourful, surrounded by a delicate, flaky, crispy skin. Once again, different textures combined beautifully for arguably one of the loveliest, high end spring rolls I have ever eaten. Crab Fried Rice - Camau crab, shrimp, pork, spring onion, garlic, onsen egg. Served in a claypot with the ingredients proudly displayed, the first thing to do is mix it all up. There were just so many flavours and textures to enjoy. The softness of the crab meat, firmness of the pork Chinese sausage with bits of crunchiness mixed in for good measure. Grilled Squid - Chargrilled squid served with mango cucumber salad, green herb chilli sauce. Not sure how they did it but the squid had a wonderful char flavour while at the same time had a melt in the mouth texture. How they managed to do this with squid is beyond me. No rubber texture here. Roast Duck Street Style Pizza - Confit Mekong duck, mozzarella, fresh herbs, tamarind and hoisin sauce, grilled rice paper. Take the best Peking duck pancake that you have ever eaten and multiply it by a wow factor of 10. The duck was so tender and full of flavour. The herbs were well balanced and worked in harmony with the duck meat. The sliced cucumber provided bursts of freshness. But what I really loved was the grilled rice paper “pizza base” that while so delicate that you would think it would shatter if you breathed on it, was more than up for the task of supporting the delicious pizza payload. And upon biting into it the crunch was oh so satisfying. Along with the Hà Nội Tumeric Fish, this was my favourite dish of the night. Fish sauce ice cream - Vanilla, fish sauce caramel, Phu Quoc pepper, Nuoc Mam perfume. The vanilla bean ice cream was so creamy and the fish sauce caramel was an interesting and delicious take on classic salted caramel. The Nuoc Mam perfume in its own perfume bottle was a a very nice touch but my recommendation is to spray your dessert sparingly as it is quite strong and fragrant. Young coconut caviar - Young coconut ice cream, Dakar Caviar. The coconut ice cream provided a sweet creamy flavour contrasted by the saltiness of the caviar. The small mint leaves provided a strong punch of minty flavour.

We also ordered the Pho-jito cocktail which was essentially the essence of pho captured in a cocktail. A very interesting concoction indeed.

So thank you Anan for a wonderful dining experience. Absolutely one of our top dining highlights in Ho Chi Minh City. Highly...

To put it simply my wife and I were unfortunately disappointed with our experience at Anan.

To be fair there was a misunderstanding with our reservation as I requested a reservation for the chefs tasting menu, and was replied to with the confirmation of a 9:30pm reservation. What I did not understand was that it was not for the chefs tasting menu but instead for the A La Carte menu. That, I take partial responsibility for. (See attached correspondence).

With that out of the way, I’ll detail the experience as objectively as I can.

Service: 2/5 stars. We arrived and mentioned we had a reservation for 9:30pm. We were led in by the staff to the bar area, which we were confused about (per my last paragraph). The bartender explained that any course could be served anywhere. Ok, got it. The bar was a bar with more upbeat music playing, people just getting drinks really. It felt odd to have a meal there especially one at this price point, and there were plenty of empty tables we saw on the way up and directly behind us. We requested a table from the server. The server said no and that the table was for four people. We were about to leave as we didn’t really want to eat in that setting, so we requested a table again at which they said no again, upon the third time requesting a table as we were about to leave they relented and sat us a floor below in a dining area. We took our seats and browsed the menu. No water was served while we browsed (minor detail, but not what I expect at a Michelin star restaurant). The serving etiquette was not quite polished. We put in our order. Our drinks came promptly. Shortly after the starters arrived. The timing of bringing the dishes out was good. In our periphery the wait staff was on their phone and joking around with each other, I’m no Karen but again is not the poise and professionalism I typically expect of a Michelin star restaurant or fine dining in general.

Atmosphere: 2/5 stars. Before entering I was captivated by the neon signs in the outside! Really spectacular looking. As we walked in there was a bustling dining room with an open kitchen to the rear and it seemed lovely. But as mentioned before we were led upstairs two floors and sat at the bar when there were plenty of open tables. The bar would’ve been great if I just wanted a small plate and a drink but not for a full meal. When we finally did get sat at a proper dining table we took in our surroundings steadily throughout the meal and noticed a large strip mold on the wall, chipped paint, siding sloppily painted over, and missing or damaged siding. The building itself could use some upkeep I think, as I was able to see this in a relatively dark setting.

Cuisine: 4/5 stars. We had the Butter Shrimp Sautéed Vegetables, the Foie Gras Spring roll, Grilled Calamari, the Lamb Chop, the Mekong Delta Fish, and Fish sauce ice cream. My only real gripe is with the Butter Shrimp Sautéed Vegetables as the three pieces of a baguette we were served was cut in a fashion that made it difficult to put the Butter Shrimp topping onto. And even if I was able to keep the toppings from rolling off the bread since there was no flat side, there was also far too little of it to eat all the toppings with. We ended up just eating the rest of it out of the dish. It was tasty but disappointing. The Foie Gras Spring roll was quite good, we enjoyed the mix of flavors and the mango purée was a nice subtle touch on top. The Calamari was tasty. The Lamb Chop was good, properly cooked and plated well. Although the potato purée and sauce left something to be desired. What I was most impressed with was the Mekong Delta Fish. The presentation was gorgeous, the fish itself was fried in a way that it looked frozen in motion with its tail up to the sky. The fried cubes of fish were fried well, flaky, crispy, not greasy at all and served with pickled onions and a cilantro sauce. It was delicious. And to finish it off we had the fish sauce ice cream which was interesting, unique, and not at all overwhelming....

Anan Saigon: Reinventing Vietnamese Cuisine with a Michelin Star Anan Saigon, a trailblazing one-Michelin-starred restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, stands out for its bold and creative reimagining of Vietnamese cuisine. Under the visionary leadership of Chef Peter Cuong Franklin, Anan Saigon bridges the gap between traditional street food and elevated fine dining, creating a unique and dynamic culinary experience.

The Visionary Cuisine Chef Peter Cuong Franklin, a Vietnamese-American chef with a background in investment banking and training at Le Cordon Bleu, brings a truly distinctive perspective to his "Cuisine Mới" (New Vietnamese Cuisine). His approach at Anan Saigon is characterized by taking authentic street food recipes and classic Vietnamese dishes and applying modern cooking techniques and global influences. This innovative fusion results in enticing flavors and unexpected textures that redefine what Vietnamese food can be.

The tasting menus, such as the "Saigon Tasting Menu" and "Chef's Tasting Menu," offer a comprehensive journey through Chef Franklin's philosophy, showcasing a range of dishes that balance tradition with inventive twists. Signature creations that have garnered widespread acclaim include:

Bánh Xèo Tacos: A playful and delicious fusion where the crispy Vietnamese savory pancake (bánh xèo) is ingeniously transformed into a taco shell, often filled with flavorful shrimp and pork.

Dalat Style Pizza: Inspired by a regional dish from Chef Franklin's hometown, this pizza features local artisanal cheese, premium charcuterie, and fresh Vietnamese herbs.

Foie Gras Spring Rolls: A luxurious elevation of a traditional Vietnamese favorite, blending rich foie gras with delicate spring roll elements.

Wagyu Beef Bone Marrow Pho: A sophisticated take on Vietnam's iconic noodle soup, featuring rich Wagyu beef and bone marrow, highlighting the depth of flavor possible within the cuisine.

Chef Franklin's cooking consistently balances well-judged flavors, vibrant aesthetics, and a deep respect for Vietnamese culinary heritage, while daring to push creative boundaries.

Unconventional Ambiance and Lively Service Anan Saigon's location is as unconventional as its cuisine, situated within a lively old wet market (Chợ Cũ) in the heart of District 1. This unexpected setting, housed in a narrow, multi-story "tube house" typical of modern Vietnamese architecture, creates a fascinating contrast between the bustling street life outside and the refined dining experience within. The main dining area often feels like a vibrant, upscale eatery, rather than a formal fine-dining establishment, with a palpable energy.

The building also houses the Nhau Nhau cocktail bar and the Pot Au Pho noodle bar on higher floors, culminating in a rooftop dining bar that offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city's skyline. This multi-level concept encourages guests to explore and immerse themselves in the "Anan Experience," blending urban energy with cultural heritage.

The service at Anan Saigon is noted for being friendly, hardworking, and efficient. While the staff may be young, they are enthusiastic and dedicated, contributing to the restaurant's lively and welcoming atmosphere. The team strives to provide a pleasant experience, reflecting a desire to bring a high level of hospitality without losing the authentic, unpretentious spirit of Vietnamese dining. Anan Saigon truly represents the dynamic convergence of old and new Ho Chi Minh City, offering a unique and exciting...