AN NAM

We were at a very recently opened Vietnamese eatery, or rather an up-market joint that won a general thumbs up from our dinner party.  An Nam, the previously incarnation of the country, is located at the old Lowry Steak House spot at Lee Garden. With the walls taken down the rotunda effect less claustrophobic and much nicer.

It says An Nam is managed by 1957 @ Co and whoever they are, these must be smart F&B folks. I reached that conclusion from the way the menu is designed, priced and presented. The appetizers and simple meat dishes at the front all look harmless, as they should because ingredients, like Thai cuisine, are not expensive. Hidden in the middle of the menu are seafood dishes, where the profits lie I am sure when a single crab is $600-$700.  Other must-haves are the ritual raw beef noodles, rice dishes where prices return to acceptable levels.  All quite crafty, well orchestrated and raised no eyebrows.  I could not find my favorite, the always crispy and mouth watering baguette sandwiches Vietnam is famous for, the curt reply was ' .... but that is street food'.  Hello? When did Pho, the other world renown street food, get promoted to fine dining? If I were to design the menu I would dress up the sandwiches either as lunch selections or as canapes at dinner. That said, it was a good meal all around, and cost efficient at $500 per head x 6 - with a simple bottle of white.  To me the highlights were; softy shell crabs and the classic roast chicken, both excellent.

One last remark, the service was well above average ... beautiful smiles from soup-to-nuts at no charge, via native Vietnamese speaking staff either imported or who have been around the blocks here in Hong Kong.

AN NAM : 4F Lee Garden One 33 Hysan Avenue 2787 3922 ... Manager Clinton Lai