Annam opens 2nd branch at Resorts World Manila
AFTER the fall of Saigon in Vietnam, the peculiarities of Socialism gave the country different facets to its identity. As happens in many socialist states, it has tried to touch all aspects of culture, including its cuisine, which severely affected its reputation and quality. Emigres from the then- ravaged state, luckily, brought their old traditions to new homes, which is the story of Namnam Noodle Bar’s chef Nam Quoc Nguyen ( fondly called Chef Nam) whose parents fled to Denmark in the 1970s.
Chef Nam’s honed culinary skills have led him to work in Le Canard Oslo (with one Michelin star), and the Sukhothai in Bangkok. In 2012, he founded Namnam in Singapore. In 2016, he brought the concept to the Philippines’ Eastwood City, where it was renamed Annam because of trademark issues with a brand of seasoning; luckily Annam is a term for old Vietnam, according to franchisee Raymund Magdaluyo.
Mr. Magdaluyo opened his second branch in Manila at Resorts World on March 1, holding a press preview on the last day of February.
BusinessWorld got a taste of a few dishes, such as the spicy squid, crispy and perfect as an appetizer because of its spicy zing. The beef pho, meanwhile, with cuts of tendon swimming with noodles and lacy slices of beef, was fragrant and refreshing, as it was meant to be. The beef ’s quality cuts through a broth that might toe the line into saltiness, but was otherwise a good treat, perfect for even the hottest of days.
The restaurant, spilling out onto a promenade, was noisy and busy, perhaps distilling a little bit of Vietnam’s streets.
Mr. Magdaluyo is behind several restaurant concepts, achieved through strategic partnerships. Along with his partners, Mr. Magdaluyo co- owns Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, Red Crab, and Mr. Kurosawa, among others, thus calling himself a “polygamous restaurateur.”
“I wanted to open something that was Vietnamese,” he said. In a market already familiar with Vietnamese food, this was a bit of a challenge.
During a trip to Singapore, Mr. Magdaluyo got a taste at Namnam, which, he said, was serving 700 customers a day. In describing Annam’s cuisine, he places it at just 40% authentic, but this is part of the strategy. A conversation with Chef Nam made him realize that if everything had been 100% authentic, it wouldn’t be different from any others already on the scene.
Mr. Magdaluyo sources sauces and condiments and such from China, Singapore, and Vietnam, but sources fresh ingredients such as meat and seafood locally. “Of course, Chef Nam, when he was here, he went to the market. He wanted to see what was available locally. Of course, that’s key,” said Mr. Magdaluyo.
He promises that another differentiating factor is the quick service, by which he promises that the food could arrive in five to seven minutes. BusinessWorld’s orders came a bit later, but we’re crediting that to first-day jitters.
Mr. Magdaluyo plans to open a third branch in Megamall. —