(Quan An) Ngon and (Nha Hang) Ngon

(Quan An) Ngon and (Nha Hang) Ngon... Same Same but different.

Ngon means delicious in Vietnamese. It's also one of the most recommended restaurants for tourists to visit in Ho Chi Minh City if you want to eat like the locals do.

It gets confusing because everyone still refers to this place by it's old name, Quan An Ngon, even the hotel map says that. Then when you get to the place, you see a place called Nha Hang Ngon, which looks like a nice, busy (and perhaps pricey too) place. In the end, you're not sure if you are where you're supposed to be and everyone you ask speaks the kind of English that any English native speaker has trouble understanding.

Since my picky eater daughter refused to eat there the first time we checked it out, I was able to do proper research online to get to the bottom of this delicious (NGON) dilema. If I understand the story right from the different trails I've picked up, it seems like Quan An Ngon was previously located at 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, they have since moved to a new location at 160 Pasteur St, changing their name to Nha Hang Ngon in the process. It starts becoming confusing and controversial because someone continued using their old name Quan An Ngon (but it's actually a fake one) at their old location - fooling many tourists and foreigners, so when you look at reviews of Quan An Ngon - they are totally mixed. Some are full of praises, while some call the place totally over-rated and some reviews refer to the location at 138 while some refer to the location at 160. The only way to get to the bottom of it is to try it. But go to the real one. Hahaha. 


In fairness, if the you look at the reviews of Nha Hang Ngon, most of the feedback is good. Here's what we think.

This is the entrance for the popular Quan An Ngon.
go figure.

It had a beautiful hall, fresh flowers and candles that gives an impression that it might be pricey,
but it's not.

candles by the entrance.

They ask if you want to sit outside.

Or inside (see table in the corner).
It doesn't make a difference because there's no AC.

Some of the inside tables are beside the water.

We chose to enjoy the ambiance outside and they gave us the table beside the tree.

If you need extra validation if this is the correct place,
they are the chain with branches in Hanoi and Phnom Penh.

Ordering can get complicated because they give you a menu, but the also tell you to look around to see the food being prepared and order what you want.

Ingredients are nicely prepared at every station.

In France, they would call this escargot.

The food prepared here originate from all over the country.
or so I've been told.

Some are very similar to Pinoy food.
This is the inihaw station. I wanted some...

Until I saw this! Lechon Kawali for the win but they called it Roasted Pork.

They serve it with all the spring roll condiments.
I ordered it from our table by showing them the picture I took.

Ready rolls.

They also had fried prawns and fried mystery meat. hahaha. 

This is food from the center of Vietnam, Hue.
My friend took us to a place that had really good food from there.

Pork (like a meatloaf) and glutinous rice with shrimp inside.

Tourist taking food shots are a common sight.

Ewwww... I don't want to order anything chicken.

They serve rice noodles in all forms with almost everything. 

Greens too! Mostly mint which is really good.

I want to learn how to make the dipping sauce because you can use it for everything.

Bowls of dessert.

This only looks like Ginataan.

After checking everything out, we ordered from the menu.

Coconut from Vietnam is Yummmmy.

The Roast Pork is served with the rice paper and condiments.

Starfruit... or Balimbing.

This is by far my favorite Spring Roll. 

We hoarded Rice Paper from the supermarkets so we can make it at home.

See that yummy crunchy pork skin?

I also ordered the beef salad (similar to the Thai one) with Lime Sauce.
I learned from my friend that it's a similar base to the dipping sauce.

They served it with prawn crackers... or kropek.

Sofia ordered "Rice Soup" or congee. 

With shredded chicken. (eeeewwww.)

Shaun the Sheep was waiting for us to finish eating.
Sofia was patient with dinner because I she just bought Shaun the Sheep.

We wanted dessert because one of the reviews I read said Che lanh is a must-try.
It has ground mung beans, jelly strips, water chestnut, tapoica in coconut milk.

The seller was the most adorable little girl.
Oh! she's my daughter pala so I'm biased.

It's the Vietnamese version of Halo-Halo. (the Filipino dessert literally translated to mean mixmix popular in Summer)

I finally figured out the ordering!
If you like something from the food stalls you order it, then they give you a sheet of paper.
At your table, you need to give it to the waiter, or your order will never come.

We managed to order the same thing I saw in the review.

Sofia claimed it as hers.

Mix-mix before eating.

The bill was a pleasant surprise.
Three dishes, three coconuts and one dessert in this nice place was only SG$25 (around Php800).
Cool. I want to come back and so does Fif.

After stuffing ourselves, we wanted to walk around the area in front of Notre Dame Cathedral.

It's a popular Friday night hang-out for praying and picnicking.

Sofia and our newly adopted Shaun the Sheep.

The vendors approach the picnicking groups to sell them some snacks.

There are already cardboard strips lining the pavement for the people to sit on.

There are also vendors that cook things on the spot.

These girls had a system.
The younger one puts in the ingredients, the older one cooks it.
The output is like a toasted crepe made of rice paper and quail egg with filling.

Sofia liked the dinner so much that we were back the next day.

This time we were given a table inside after a five minute wait.
I guess it's more crowded on weekends.

Sofia ordered the same rice soup but I wanted to try something different,
ie their version of the classic prawn and pork roll.

One roll, three dipping sauces.

I wanted the roasted pork wraps again,
but I think my arteries were still clogged so I got grilled pork meatballs instead.

It was also so yummy.

I like my rolls with loads of greens and NO rice noodles.

This is another yummy variation we can do at home.
I can also use IKEA meatballs.
Thought Bubble: I can actually cook this dish by myself!

Our Vietnamese spread.

As usual, my contrary daughter only tried a meatball wrap when we were finishing the last meat ball.
Then she declares she loves it and we need to come back again tomorrow.
Nyahahaha.

This place is really Ngon (delicious). I don't mind coming back. My arteries have cleared so I can order the roast pork again. Just Saying.

Nha Hang Ngon

160 Pasteur Street

District 1

Ho Chi Minh City