A shining star

With no changes made to the original recipe, Sao Nam restaurant already has a real advantage. 

Sao Nam HartamasP36, 2nd FloorHartamas Shopping CentrePlaza Damas50480 Kuala LumpurTel: [phone]Business hour: Open daily noon to 9.30 pm 

It’s taken a while, but Malaysians have taken a shining to Vietnamese cuisine in the last few years. Sao Nam has earned a reputation as a pioneer of genuine Vietnamese cuisine in Malaysia (by ‘genuine’, I mean it hasn’t been ‘Malaysianised’ to cater to the least discerning local palates) through its first outlet in KL’s Tengkat Tong Shin a few years back. Building on the success of Sao Nam KL, there is now another Sao Nam restaurant in suburban Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas. 

Yellow:Sao Naminterior isa littlestark.

But what sets Sao Nam Hartamas apart from Klang Valley’s growing gaggle of imitators? It claims to be the only Vietnamese restaurant in Malaysia which specialises in Northern and Central Vietnamese cuisine. And to make sure it’s the best dining experience possible, the food is prepared by young, award-winning Vietnamese Chef Tran Luong who offers dishes from an informative menu. (Psst, here’s a hint at how good he is: before he came to Malaysia, he worked at the Mandarin in Ho Chi Minh City where he won “The Best Restaurant in Vietnam” award for four years!) But I’m getting ahead of myself. 

The place 

Sao Nam is located in trendy Sri Hartamas outside the Plaza Damas shopping centre, next to Mont Kiara. Parking is no problem and, as such, it has proven a big hit with both daytime shoppers looking for a tasty light lunch, as well as being easily accessible to Damansara, Bandar Utama and Sri Hartamas residents as a dinner destination. 

The interior is a little stark. The walls are plain concrete, parts of which are warmed by yellow paint. However, this is mellowed by their funky rising sun logo and an otherwise engaging interior befitting contemporary Vietnamese cuisine. The floor-to-ceiling windows are perfect for people-watching. 

The food 

If you can’t travel to a country to experience the culinary journey, the next best thing is to have that culinary experience brought to you. Or, put rather more eloquently by respected American food editor Margo True: “A memorable meal on the road has to do with more than just the taste or the sight or the smell of the food. It has to do with the way food can carry you into the heart of an experience, how it can become THE journey.” 

Sweet: Crispy Duck with OrangeSauce.

Food is one of the best reasons for travelling to Vietnam (or for Vietnam to come to you). The country was once under the control of the Chinese and French and, through history, it has traded extensively with Portuguese and Indian merchants, as well. All four cultures have left their impressions on the Vietnamese gastronomic kaleidoscope.  

The end result? Vietnamese food is light and subtle and full of flavoursome surprises. It’s not spicy by Malaysian standards although many dishes, including the ever-popular pho (pronounced fur) or soup, is usually served with a side dish of cut red chilli (watch out for the fiery orange variety). 

While there are similarities to Chinese-styled cooking, the use of distinctive herbs and seasoning rather than sauces, provide its uniqueness. Many Vietnamese dishes tend to be boiled rather than stir-fried, making them a healthier option as well. 

Too pretty:Banana FlowerSalad.

Generalities aside, there are many distinctive regional variations. While the Vietnamese have adopted noodles from China and the use of cooking in woks for the occasional stir-fried dishes, soya sauce has basically been discarded and replaced with nuoc mam (fish sauce) that has been described by great cooks and poets as “edible perfume”. Nouc mam is made from fermented fish to which salt has been added. 

Depending on how far north you go, the smell of the sauce is increasingly pungent but when added to food, it adds a distinctive flavour. 

No Vietnamese meal is complete without herbs, either as garnishing oras an integral ingredient of the dish. Sauces are another essential accompaniment and the staff explains the appropriate sauce for each dish. Many dishes are eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves with herbs like fennel, coriander, mint basil and dill that add a delightful twist to the overall flavours of each dish.  

Back at Sao Nam, starters include deep fried/fresh spring rolls and shrimp on sugar cane sticks. Try the crispy pancake with chicken, prawn and bean sprouts in a turmeric-coloured pancake. Seasonal salads of pomelo, dragon fruit and mangosteen are served. The latter was created by Chef Tien and has been widely heralded by critics and copied (unsuccessfully) by others. 

For mains, try the beef stew, duck in orange sauce, fish with dill, lamb in coconut milk, beef pho and fragrant curry laksa. 

Whether diners stop in for a quick bowl of pho or are there for a more serious dining experience, the over-riding impression is that Vietnamese food is light and subtle but full of flavour without the chilli heat found in many other Asian cuisines. In the end, the subtler flavours speak loudest of all.