Another World

May 25, 2000

Ana Mandara brings not only the food of Vietnam to San Francisco, but the culture as well. Once you pass through the entrance and foyer, where the maître d’ station is located, you might as well have traveled through a wormhole and been transported to another time and another place. I walked in, mouth agape, admiring the strikingly beautiful décor.

This is one of the rare places I have dined that made me forget that I was in a San Francisco restaurant. From the potted plants placed throughout the dining area and the artwork hung upon the walls—to the furniture and columns, which were imported from Vietnam—the restaurant has a truly authentic design. The food service further created an atmosphere of colonial Vietnam.

Needless to say, the wait staff at Ana Mandara was top notch. My dining partner and I were there for a nice, quiet evening of food and conversation. The waiters recognized this and they were appropriately unobtrusive. They all spoke in hushed tones as they served and cleared our plates. This is not to say that the wait staff is inhospitable, however. I observed two separate, larger dining groups who were obviously there to have a fun. Their waiters were lively, engaging them in small talk as they served food and poured wine.

We began the meal with the Escargot, Hanoi style with Light Ginger Sauce, which consisted of minced escargot, mixed with pork filling and formed into a 1 1/2 inch square. These small patties were then wrapped in small leaves and steamed. Though the dish was innovative, I thought the preparation didn’t allow for all the flavors of the escargot to come out.

The Dungeness Crabmeat baked in Green Bamboo was much better. Its presentation in half a bamboo shell was aesthetically pleasing, while the clean crab flavor was wonderfully refreshing. My dining partner felt this dish was the most delicious of the meal.

My entrée, Lobster Tower with Fragrant Rice, Avocado and Daikon Sprouts, arrived at the table with such a majestic and dramatic presentation that I was pleasantly surprised. Executive Chef Khai Duong had taken the head and upper body shell of a lobster, filled it with the succulent meat and positioned it on the plate upright with its antennae pointing skyward. I made the mistake of eating from the top down and it wasn’t until I had eaten all the lobster that I discovered the fragrant rice, some fresh avocado slices and daikon sprouts at the bottom of the tower.

Chilean Sea Bass steamed in Banana Leaf with Shiitake Mushrooms and Miso Sauce was a creative twist on a popular Vietnamese dish. The steam brought the sweet flavors from the mushrooms and miso sauce into the fish. However, I found the inconsistent texture of the dish slightly unappetizing. The center of the fish was tender, though in my opinion, undercooked compared to its exterior. I was later told that fish prepared in this manner is meant to have this variation.

The standout dish of the meal was the Seared Mekong Basa with Scallion Flowers in a Spicy Lemon Sauce. The basa is a fish native to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. It is flown into San Francisco on a regular basis, kept alive throughout transport. That process proved to be crucial as the pan seared filet, which sat atop a tiny bed of stir-fried snow pea sprouts, had a delicious freshness, especially with the accompanying spicy lemon sauce dotted with chili flakes.

By presenting this dish, Chef Duong has introduced a new fish to the San Francisco dining scene. I wouldn’t be surprised if its popularity might one day rival the current trendy Chilean sea bass.

From the short list of side dishes, we selected Stir-Fried Snow Pea Sprouts with Garlic and Oyster Sauce and the house special Ana Mandara Rice with Shrimp, Chicken and Vietnamese Sausage. The snow pea sprouts were stir-fried without the excessive oil and garlic you expect at most Asian restaurants, giving way to a fresher and more robust tasting plate of greens. And the Ana Mandara rice was the special house version of sweet rice steamed in a leaf. While delicious, I found the flavors too subtle compared to the same dish you can get at some of the finer dim sum houses in the Bay Area.

Dessert was a treat. Apparently the table next to us had ordered Banana Flambé with Dark Chocolate Mouse & Vanilla Anglaise but it was brought to our table by mistake. Although we were full, the dessert looked so good that we proceeded to take large bites out of the bananas, which was covered with a layer of phyllo dough and a dollop of dark chocolate mousse atop that. The dark cocoa flavor of the mousse contrasted with the sweet balance of the rest of the dessert, satisfying both my partner and myself.

Chef Khai Duong’s innovative menu is enough to set this restaurant apart, but the fine service and the outstanding décor and atmosphere all meld it into a unique and wonderful dining experience. Ana Mandara should soon be elevated to one of the destination restaurants in San Francisco.

Ana Mandara—891 Beach Street, San Francisco, 415-771-6800

Dungeness Crabmeat, Baked in Green Bamboo - $9

Lobster Tower, with Fragrant Rice, Avocado and Daikon Sprouts - $22

Chilean Sea Bass, steamed in Banana Leaf with Shiitake Mushrooms and Miso Sauce - $16

Seared Mekong Basa, Scallion Flowers with Spicy Lemon Sauce - $15

Stir-friend Snow Pea Sprouts, Garlic and Oyster Sauce - $3

Ana Mandara Rice, Shrimp, Chicken & Vietnamese Sausage - $5

Banana Flambé, with Dark Chocolate Mousse & Vanilla Anglaise - $6

Written by Tony Wong · Filed Under Arts-Entertainment

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