Nam-1975

2 Photos

by Stephanie Sherrill
on Monday, April 27, 2009 12:00 AM

Hidden down a dark alley off of Huaihai Lu is Nam - 1975 (also called Yue Lou), another addition to the budding Vietnamese food scene in Shanghai. The menu is quite large and includes all the traditional Vietnamese favorites. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is quite nice with pictures and artifacts along the side and staff, dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing, further add to the authenticity of the decor.

Our meal began with two (imported) Saigon beers (25RMB) and an appetizer platter (128RMB) of staple Vietnames favorites such as egg rolls, sugar cane prawns, preserved meat sausages and Vietnamese-spiced chicken wings. They also served the platter along with a tangy dip and lettuce to wrap up the egg rolls for eating. For mains we found the Diced Beef Steak, French Style (68RMB) to be quite tender and peppery. The Preserved Bean Curd Fried Chicken (68RMB) was our favorite dish. Although it did not scream Vietnamese to us, it was perfectly roasted resulting in a tasty juicy dish. The preserved red bean curd dipping sauce combined perplexing flavors that were alluring addicting. While not a favorite, the garlicky Stir Fried Dragon Beans (35RMB) were appreciated for their unique character. These beans are large and slightly stalky in taste.

The biggest hit of the night was their Special Beef Pho (33RMB). The broth alone had great complex flavors. The soup contained a true plethora of meat from beef tenderloin pieces, to sausage to tripe. We added the accompanying mint, basil, hot peppers and other sauces and found the soup to be savory with all the flavors of Vietnam trapped inside.

If you find yourself walking along Huaihai and see a couple of ladies dressed in Vietnamese costumes, follow them inside. They will lead you to great pho and real Saigon beer.

Bottom Line:
Nam-1975 serves a great, traditional pho soup and plenty of other Vietnamese favorites in a beautiful setting.