Inside Calgary's newest Vietnamese restaurant focusing on breakfast favourites
Settling into the 17th Avenue spot that was formerly home to Ramen Taka is An Sang, Calgary’s newest Vietnamese restaurant, which has been brought to life by Danny Truong, Nin Dang, and Chef Eric Nguyen.
“The Pho-tine came from our chef Eric. He lived in Montreal for three years… so he took some inspiration from some of the restaurants in the Vietnamese community there to do our spin on it,”
The name translates as "breakfast," and that's precisely what An Sang puts at the heart of. Truong explains that, as the saying goes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day in Vietnamese culture, and many popular dishes sell out early. "You have to go very early... If you don't eat breakfast early enough, you won't get to try the soup."
A Vietnamese breakfast is quite similar to the dishes Canadians enjoy later in the day: steaming bowls of pho, sizzling plates of meat, and more. Anyone craving Vietnamese food in the wee hours of the morning should know that this is the best way to enjoy it.
Truong also wants to change the perception of Vietnamese cuisine, which is often considered a "cheap" way to eat out, when in reality each dish requires great care and technique. "I want the community to understand that Vietnamese food isn't cheap. It's actually very technical and uses high-quality ingredients. If that has to be sacrificed for cost, it affects the quality of the food and the food in the community as a whole."
The menu caters to all times of day. Perhaps the most typical breakfast dish is the bò né, the house specialty. The An Sang, for example, features sliced Angus beef, eggs, Vietnamese sausage, and homemade pâté, served with bread, fries, and a triangle of Laughing Cow cheese. Mixing and matching each bite is a delight: you get to try a little bit of everything.
Another favorite is the Pho-tine, the Vietnamese version of the Canadian classic. “The Pho-tine was our chef Eric’s idea. He lived in Montreal for three years, so he was inspired by some restaurants in the Vietnamese community there and gave it our own personal touch” explains Truong. The crispy fries are topped with a sauce made with pho soup and a little tapioca starch, with a gravy-like consistency, and then grilled beef, spring onions, and fresh cheese.
For drinks, Truong highly recommends the salted coffee, a strong Vietnamese coffee made with Robusta beans and topped with a sweet and salty foam. Those who don't drink coffee can order the Cocoa Bliss, made with sweet, young coconut milk blended with avocado smoothie: balanced, refreshing, and light, a perfect ending to a meal.
