Walking restlessly up and down the three-story building near HCMC’s wet market is Harper’s Bazaar’s Chef of the Year Peter Cuong Franklin. He speaks quickly, brimming with ideas of traditional ingredients and trendsetting new food concepts. With thoughts running through intertwining alleyways, the conversation easily matches Saigon’s hectic traffic.
What’s the logic behind his chaos? Take a look at his menu and you’ll soon understand.
“We take something from outside [of Vietnam], mix and match it with something from inside, and we end up with something completely new, completely different, and very exciting.”
Anan (Peter’s restaurant on the first and second floor) and Nhau Nhau (its sibling bar on the third floor) serve up adventurous adaptations of Vietnamese street eats, like trà đá, bánh mì, and bánh xèo. They’re elevated, however, with the likes of foie gras, Wagyu beef, and truffles.
“We take something from outside [of Vietnam], mix and match it with something from inside, and we end up with something completely new, completely different, and very exciting.”
“Very exciting” is an understatement. Especially when this graced the table: two adorable squirming coconut worms, about to be put into our shots.
We shall attempt to describe this delicious shot without making it sound scary
Anan and Nhaunhau
Coconut worms have been a delicacy for Vietnamese for decades, often when they’re trying to prove their rugged virility. The invertebrate are usually eaten alive, and doused in chilli fish sauce in an attempt to drown out their wiggling intimidation.
At Nhau Nhau, however, the worms are served with a bit more finesse. Skewered and coated with sugar, they’re blow-torched into a crystallised sweet. Caramelized, crispy, yet chewy outside, with a smooth and buttery larvae centre.
Anan and Nhaunhau
Coconut worms live in coconuts, so it’s only fair to bury them with a shot of coconut cream, ruou, and a drop of fish sauce. The cold, creamy, refreshing shot follows the freshly torched worm in a choreography of heats and textures.
Then there’s Anan’s, with its signature Bánh Xèo Tacos.
Bánh xèo, usually referred to as Vietnamese pancake, is a rice and turmeric crêpe with pork belly, shrimp and peanut sauce. Simply fry and shape the usual bánh xèo mixture to resemble a hard-shell taco. And there it is – the food critics go wild.
Vietnam meets Mexico = fresh, elaborate & colorful
Anan and Nhaunhau
You may also want to try Peter’s take on the beef taco while you’re here. A cross between stewed beef (another Vietnamese staple) and Mexican carne asada, it creates a lovingly wholesome flavour in a crisp shell.
New Vietnamese cuisine
Chef Peter sums up the philosophy behind the food of Anan and drinks of Nhau Nhau in one phrase: New Vietnamese cuisine.
That doesn’t make it “fusion” food. To him, everything is still distinctly Vietnamese, albeit with some modern techniques and international twists. There is still the heritage and the flavours he grew up with sewn into every dish.
Another signature drink from NHAU NHAU is the Phởjito: Phở and Mojito, self-explanatory
Anan and Nhaunhau
Peter states that, “[New Vietnamese Cuisine] is about food that is not only up-to-date, but has a history, a story and reference points in traditional techniques and local ingredients. My goal, first, is to learn as much as possible from the traditional food culture and then search for new and innovative ways to modernize humble dishes to gourmet level… while retaining the spirit and flavor of Vietnamese cuisine.”
This new Vietnamese cuisine is part of something much bigger.
Throughout the country, a new era of Vietnamese culture is thriving with a similar mentality. Whether it’s music, theater, film, food, pottery, paintings, anything. A wave of new creators are taking traditional Vietnamese materials and giving them a hipper twist.
This new zeitgeist is drawing in international audiences – from bands like Limebócx to artist groups like Vẽ Về Hát Bội, and now to restaurateurs like Peter.
This is, undoubtedly, an exciting time to be Vietnamese.
“I think this international trend will continue. Hopefully we will also see more local young Vietnamese bartenders and chefs emerge to do interesting and innovative things.”
Be proud, and make proud Anan and Nhaunhau
ANAN And NHAU NHAU
So what sparked the obsession with elevating Vietnamese tradition? To Peter, it seems, it’s his national pride.
“We have a lot to be proud of. Our people are strong, smart, creative, and free-thinking. Our cuisine is among one of the best in the world because it is fresh, flavorful and balanced with a unique combination of culinary influences from French, Chinese and southeast Asian cultures. ANAN And NHAU NHAU
In addition, the cuisine is blessed with a regional diversity of ingredients and dishes from Hanoi in the North to Hue and Hoi An in the centre, and Saigon and the Mekong Delta in the south.”
Peter lavished praise on the distinctly Vietnamese yet regionally diverse ingredients like mắm (fermented fish) and herbs. He praised the bustling local markets where you can spot genuine glimpses of Vietnamese life, and finally, the current football wins of the national team.
From French to Chinese to SEA influences, thus distinctly Vietnam
Anan and Nhaunhau
What differs Peter from the millions of redshirted fans celebrating football wins is that he doesn’t stop at national pride.
His vision for Anan and Nhau Nhau is to create distinctively Vietnamese experiences that can fit into any global cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York and London. ANAN And NHAU NHAU
Peter set out to prove that Vietnamese food can be more than just cheap and convenient. It can be creative, nuanced, and story-telling. He gets satisfaction when he is recognised, but when Vietnamese food is. This was visible when a group of foreigners ate at his restaurant and exclaimed the (Vietnamese) food here was the best food they’d ever had.
“We have to be proud of Vietnam, but also have to do things that make other Vietnamese proud,” Peter he explained.
“We have to be proud of Vietnam, but also have to do things that make other Vietnamese proud,”
ANAN And NHAU NHAU
ANAN And NHAU NHAU
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