Vietnam has one of the tastiest and most versatile food scenes in Asia. No longer just a street-food paradise, today’s Hanoi is a culinary capital that’s heaving with haute cuisine, which is exactly what An Nam brings to Festival Walk. Overlooking a busy ice-skating rink teeming with window-shoppers, you’d be forgiven for assuming that this eatery is just another run-of-the-mill mall pit stop. But head inside and you’re immediately transported back to 1920s Vietnam, with lashings of teal and warm bronze. French colonial era-inspired decor wows as affectionate waitstaff usher you into the dining space, which offers authentic food that’s spearheaded by Vietnamese-Chinese executive chef Giang Muoi. Our recommendation? The steamed coconut crab—roll up your sleeves and surrender yourself to the mucky business at hand. The white meat is superbly tender and subtly sweet, served in a pepper- and shallot-sprinkled egg-white soup that comes with hefty chunks of coconut meat.

What to order

• Eating crab may be messy when done properly, but the Steamed Coconut Crab–served in a pepper-, shallot- and egg-drowned coconut soup–is a must-have crowd-pleaser.
• The An Nam Pearl Snapper Hot Pot comes with a punchy finish and is served alongside supple vermicelli–it’s ideal for sharing.
• The Dessert Platter features traditional sticky Sago Pandan pudding as well as an impossibly sweet coffee-drenched panna cotta, among others.

Tatler Tip

When choosing the An Nam Pearl Snapper Hot Pot, ask waitstaff to prepare at your table for added authenticity.