NamNam Noodle Bar (聖淘沙)

Full Nam Nam Noodle Bar review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2014/12/nam-nam-noodle-bar.html

Founded in 2011 under the Les Amis Group, Nam Nam Noodle Bar is riding high on the trend of Vietnam cuisine in Singapore. Owner Chef Nam Quoc Nguyen has hit his stride with quick, casual, Vietnamese street food, serving up popular classic dishes at Nam Nam Noodle Bar that retain the spirit of the traditional, while infusing his own unique modern spin.

Ambience at Nam Nam Noodle Bar is designed to resemble the streets of Vietname, with woodern looking furniture, hard flooring, traditional lanterns, and even a street cinema. Despite the dark colour theme of brown against green, the place doesn't look cluttered, and the spacious interior is able to seat many diners, though ambient noise levels can get a bit high.

Service at Nam Nam Noodle Bar is partially self-service, partially table side service. Seating, ordering and payment is self-service, you'll have to pick a seat, decide on your order, indicate it on an order chit, then queue to make payment. Orders will be served to you, and I notice that Nam Nam Noodle Bar is rather efficient at fulfilling orders, typically taking about 5 minutes or so, even during peak periods. Besides this, you'll have very little chance to interact with staff.

Food at Nam Nam Noodle Bar draws its inspiration from the Hanoi region, and I'm glad they use fresh herbs and vegetables like classic Vietnamese cuisine. The menu isn't too extensive, basically consisting of either Vietnamese noodle soup (Pho), or Vietnamese sandwiches (Banh Mi), with a small selection of classic Vietnamese side dishes and desserts. Portions are sufficient for 1 person, and prices are affordable, budget about SGD $15 per person for a meal here.

I felt the Lime Soda (SGD $3.20) was rather diluted, and not worth the money, although I liked the addition of mint leaves, which made it refreshing. The Mekong Fresh Young Coconut (SGD $5.90) is suitably thirst quenching and fresh, but I find the coconut flesh too tough to properly scrape off, making eating it very difficult.

Mekong Fresh Young Coconut

The Pho Beef Combination (SGD $9.90), or Pho Bo / Vietnamese Beef Noodle, is the star dish on the menu here. They serve Hanoi style Pho here, which features a lighter, clearer broth that is more savoury than sweet, along with a wide, flat rice noodle. However, it isn't pure Hanoi / North style Pho, as the garnishings of vegetables and sauces / condiments seem to be derived from Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon / South style Pho. Still, I must say it's pretty good, with the robust soup carrying a lot of flavour.

The Banh Mi Sandwich here isn't traditional at all, rather, it's more like a modern Vietnamese Banh Mi. The Banh Mi Sauteed Lemongrass Pork, Cream Cheese (SGD $6.90) is a fusion of sorts, with classic savoury grilled pork infused with lemongrass essence, along with a medley of fresh vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, onions, chili, and parsley. The modern addition is the use of cream cheese, which lends a creamy, slightly sweet, cooling balance to the warm grilled pork meat. Interesting combination of flavours.