Nam Restaurant

This is one of my favorite restaurants in GA.
Lemon Grass Tofu is by far the best I’ve tasted.
All the appetizers (quail, carpaccio, spring rolls, etc) are amazing.
I highly recommend this place for date. Interior is simple but beautiful. Service is great. Setting is smaller than other restaurants so it feels more intimate. Dim lighting with sheer red sheets give it an exotic feeling.
Only con is that they don’t serve desserts here.

Closed. Relocating. Maybe.

I was in this shopping center at least 8 times before I noticed Nam tucked away. Actually, that’s a lie; friends had to show it to me or I wouldn’t have ever found it. But enough about me, let’s talk food.
I haven’t had many of the appetizers, just the fresh rolls. They were okay, but pretty standard. Which is unfortunate, because I think most of the rest of the food is interesting and different than the typical vietnamese food I see elsewhere.
The salads (mango, papaya, lotus root) are all great and I’d highly recommend them. I also absolutely loved the two soups I tried (cabbage dumpling and the tamarind soup), especially the tamarind.
Lemongrass tofu is some of the best tofu I’ve had, and will convert even those anti-​tofu people (like my mother) into fans.
Not every dish is a hit — the noodles are so-​so, and the eggplant is quite good but not special — but overall tend to be interesting and well-​prepared.
The price is very reasonable, although the meat/​fish main dishes are a little on the pricier side.
Also, as many people have mentioned, the décor is very well done. Tasteful and pleasant.

It’s a cold winter day. I’m far away from sunny California. I need some warmth. I get out my smart phone and Unilocal.A long list pops up, but Nam calls out warmth. Yeah, I’d like to be in Nam I tell myself. I head over.
The place is hidden, like a precious jewel. I enter and I’m greeted by a smiling older lady. Chao Ba! I say. A younger lady invites me to sit down. I’m feeling warm already. I don’t even need to look at the menu; I want phở ga or chicken soup. Nope, not available. Beef? neither. They seem to be out of the stock to make the phở. I have to settle for the other beef soup. Similar, but not the same. I specify, nothing spicy please.
I wait for what seems an eternity. This gives me the opportunity to break out my handy dandy mcgiver phone and snap a few shots. I look around and it hits me… this is a nice place. Small but well put together. The lighting, the curtains, the tables, everything is nice. I like the place. There is symmetry, balance and most of all warmth.
Finally the spring rolls are delivered and within a minute my soup comes out steaming. Bad timing, but the food is delicious. I’m able to enjoy my meal as if I was in Nam itself. The bill reaches me and I’m happy that it is within my budget. My only complaint was in how long it took to get my food. Other than that, I recommend the place. Go with plenty of time to enjoy the ambiance. It’s worth it.

DIVINE ELEGANCE– NAM
When one thinks of Vietnamese dining in ATL, Buford Highway and any number of Phở and Noodle dives comes to mind. But, tucked away in the Midtown Promenade across from Piedmont Park there is a gem that has re-​shaped this cuisine’s terrain. Created in 2003 by the Kinjo brothers, Alex and Chris (MF Sushi), Nam offers exhilarating tastes that will wow any palate. To bring the grace and elegance to the foods that this Southeast Asian culture demands, the brothers’ mother, Anh Hoang (78 years young), prepares amazing authentic dishes as the chef and matron of this eatery. The lively, fresh flavors of these foods reflect the distinctive Central region of Vietnam where Anh grew up as a child.
The charm of Nam extends beyond the sensuous décor, outstanding artwork, and dramatic lighting; here the service is absolutely exquisite. Our waitress, Crystal, dressed in a traditional floor length Áo Dài, carefully explains each dish as it is presented to the table, and suggests different ways to enjoy the pleasures cooked up in Anh Hoang’s kitchen. An integral part of the Vietnamese dining experience is the use of various condiments served with each dish. The sauces, spices, peppers, and herbs are carefully selected to allow the diner to create different textures and tastes throughout the meal.
Equally important as the condiments, rice plays a major roll in most dishes in one form or another, including the beer. Beer 333 also known as Ba Ba Ba in Vietnam is a smooth refreshing rice lager. Another option is the wine selection — well thought-​out and reasonably priced. Try the Hugel Gewürztraminer, or Don Miguel Gascon Malbec as both compliment this cuisine’s flavors well.
Each dish is literally a work of art. The Rice Flour Tamales are rolled and steamed in banana leaves imparting a fresh fruit-​like flavor onto the minced pork, shrimp, wood-​ear mushrooms that with a sprinkle of chili sauce becomes strikingly sassy. I can guarantee that there is no spring roll in the city that will make you pause in between each bite like the Seafood Net Spring Roll. Making a lettuce wrap of this crispy blend of shrimp, crab, vermicelli, and mushroom with a splash of the coconut-​lime sauce is a treat not to be missed. The French influence is apparent in the thinly sliced filet mignon — Beef Carpaccio. This delight teases the palate with these lime-​cured morsels of melt-​in-​your-​mouth meat that’s topped with pickled onion, and rice paddy leaves. Don’t hesitate dipping into the richly flavored ginger-​lime fish sauce — simply divine.
The Green Mango or Green Papaya salads (the skins are still green on the fruit) are a blend of crispy fruit slivers, succulent grilled shrimp, mint leaves, and roasted peanuts that’s lightly rinsed with nuoc cham. This slightly sweet fish sauce has a salty, pungent character with tart citrus overtones that imparts contrasting flavors to the sweet fruit. The contrasting flavors are even more apparent in the Lemongrass Tofu– crispy fried cubes with loads of citrusy flavors. For folks who shy away from tofu, this could be a life altering experience. If you have a craving for Phở, the national dish of Vietnam, you are in for a treat. The noodle soup has comforting, rich flavored broth with either thinly sliced beef or chicken that can be enhanced by adding a little basil, mint, lime, sriracha or hoisin sauce that’s served with this tasty dish, your choice — enjoy playing.
Of the rice plates, there are two Chilean Sea Bass offerings– can’t go wrong with either, but they are so different in their flavor profiles and presentation. The Steamed Sea Bass served in a steaming basket with banana leaves, cellophane noodles, shitake mushrooms, and ginger is lush and buttery. Whereas, the lip-​smacking Clay pot Sea Bass is caramelized pieces of fish served in a sweet and spicy sauce with onions and chiles. The dish that made me gasp for a breath is the «Shaking» Filet Mignon. The ultra-​tender Niman Ranch filet is carefully cut into bite size delights and quickly tossed with a garlic sauce in a wok. It’s served with a simple seasoning blend of lime, salt, and pepper, and a lime dipping sauce — don’t miss it.
After having these picture-​perfect foods you just might need a pick me up, try the strong flavored, Vietnamese Coffee. The brothers, who raised the bar with sushi in ATL, didn’t miss a beat in bringing Nam to us to enjoy. The sophistication, elegance and fresh flavors are a treat to experience, and beckon a return visit to explore other foods of this culinary treasure.
LGBT FRIENDLY ***** (Fantastic Staff/​Service)
FOOD ***** (Wed. Night Prix Fixe $ 24.95/ Great Lunch Menu)
PRICE **** (Foods That Make You Go Wow)
AMBIENCE ***** (Simply Elegant/​Patio Dining)
DRINKS **** (Wine and Beer Only– Both Go Well with Foods)

I pretty much know the menu like the back of my hand. I love the ambiance, not so much the seating. Get a corner booth whenever you can. The waiting areas aren’t so bad either; usually no one sits there so I just grab two of the tables and make it mine. Parking is atrocious; I’ve been waiting for them to move to a new location.
Here are some stuff I recommend:
Appetizers & Salads:
BEEF CARPACCIO — Very thinly sliced beef with ginger sauce, lime, and saw-​leaf herb. Flavorful and delicious.
RICE TAMALES — Rice flour steamed in banana leaf. Add a drizzle of undiluted fish sauce and it goes along great. Be conservative with the sauce because it’s VERY strong.
SEAFOOD NET SPRING ROLLS– Wood-​ear mushrooms, glass noodles, seafood. Wrap it around a piece of lettuce and dip it, it’s delicious!
GRILLED QUAIL — If you can get past eating around bones, this is pretty tasty. It’s very well marinated.
VIETNAMESE CREPE– A little bit oily, but if u eat it the right way it becomes awesome. Cut it up and pour the sauce over or wrap it around lettuce. Make sure you add sauce, or it’ll be pretty bland.
MANGO SALAD — Tangy, sweet, just right. It’s seasonal, so the quality varies.
MOM’S CABBAGE SOUP — I usually don’t like cabbage. But I like this. Add a little bit of the chilies nuoc mam, and it’d be delish! Don’t add too much and watch out for chilies.
Entrees (comes with rice, additional rice is free of charge):
SHAKING FILET MIGNON — They use beef tenderloin, not just any part. This is very tender. I recommend rare to med-​rare. Squeeze the lime and salt and pepper mix on the side or just skip it. No, this doesn’t come shaking at you table. «Shaking» is the cooking method.
STEAMED BANANA-​LEAF SEABASS — Contains rice vermicelli, wood-​ear mushrooms, lily blossoms with ginger fish sauce on the side. Cooked to order and takes around 15 – 20 minutes. I recommend ordering apps while you wait.
SHAKING TUNA — Like its counterpart, very tasty. Only difference is the sauce and it comes over a bed of watercress. I recommend this rare.
LEMONGRASS TOFU — This is one of the spicier dishes so if you have an aversion to spice, get it chilies-​free. Eat it while it’s hot and crunchy. If you’re with a party of 4 or more, order this as an appetizer and I’m sure it’ll be everyone’s fave!
Not so recommended:
SPRING ROLLS– Chewy. I like the sauce though…
CLAYPOT SHRIMP/​CHICKEN — If you must get it, eat it with rice as it is sweet and salty. It’s just how the dish is. I do like the seabass version. But still needs to be eaten with rice.
LEMONGRASS BEEF – the lemongrass dishes are normally sauce-​free and spicy. I like me some sauce! Good flavor regardless…
The service is very attentive, and given the overall appeal and quality of the restaurant as compared to other Vietnamese restaurants, I give it a 4.45÷5. It could improve on some things, but this is pretty great as-​is.
On a final note, Nam specializes on modern Vietnamese cuisine and Phở is only served on weekdays as this isn’t really a place for it. If you’re looking for nice ambiance, or if you want to try something that’s not TOO bizarre, this is the restaurant for you!

Although this place is a little small, you are able to get an intimate setting. The food is deLISH. I remember sitting in the section where they had these thin sheets in between the tables… I was thinking… wow, are they serious… people are going to hear my conversation… i’m not going feel like I get any privacy… I was wrong. Although all you heard was everyone talking up a storm… you were still able to hear yourself and your other guests. I didn’t even really notice the people sitting next to me. I love their filet mignon.

Nice ambiance!
Good starters and amazing soups, but main courses were non de-​script chinese-​style dishes and too salty. Clay-​pot, dishes did not appear to be cooked in a clay pot, but stir fried in a wok, and just served in a clay pot! pointless.
Probably wont try again, too many other Vietnamese restaurants in the ATL.

Dumplings and broth in Mom’s Cabbage Soup is comfort-​y goodness. «Cabbage» suggests smelly and German-​like stews, but this is the exact opposite of that… delicate yet flavorful dumplings filled with shrimp, crab, wood-​ear mushrooms and some clear skinny noodles in a light broth with cilantro. A little pricey for the 5 – 6 dumplings it comes with but I was feeling under the weather and I think this cured it!
I also had an order of fresh spring rolls… shrimp, lettuce, bean sprouts and noodles wrapped in fresh rice paper dipped in peanut sauce… completed my dinner. Again, pricier than the whole-​in-​the-​wall type Vietnamese places I usually get this kind of food from, but for VA Highlands and a classy serene fine dining setting, not bad. Prompt and friendly service, beautiful interior, convenient location… if this place served phở noodle soup at dinner instead of just at lunch, I would be here everyday!

The food is tasy and relatively authentic, the ambiance is cozy yet modern. I like having a Vietnamese place in my neighborhood, even if it’s not the same as those on Buford Hwy. Service could be faster, but they were friendly.
I’m still dying to try the Phở (recently added but only avail on weekdays), so I’ll be back soon.

I was more than excited to find out a Vietnamese place with such good Unilocal ratings was less than a mile from my highrise! My mom and I stopped by Nam for the first time today, and we were both disappointed. I left depressed, actually.
The inside is beautifully decorated, but fairly small and intimate. Service was very slow, but the staff was friendly and accommodating. We started off with the shrimp spring roll appetizers. The menu said they did not have vermicelli noodles in them, but they came stuffed with them (I’m not a fan). The rolls were very bland and did not have any fresh herbs like the basil or mint I typically find in the rice paper rolls. The shrimps inside were a little tough. I strongly prefer the rice paper rolls with shrimp and crab at Publix.
The fish sauce saved my main course. Typically, Vietnamese meats are smoked with a deep charcoal flavor, and it’s completely original and unable to be recreated at home. The shrimp in my main dish was prepared with a very light breading and absolutely no spice whatsoever. It was forgettable.
I urge the others who have rated Nam highly to please go to Buford Highway… anywhere. Com and Château Saigon are two great picks. As we walked out of Nam, my mom summed it up nicely: «How could we ever eat here again? Com has spoiled us!!!»

Cute small space… Had a good noodle bowl with Beef…
Tasty and fun.
I liked the fact I was able to have a pretty private business lunch there.
Good stuff.

The space is modern and minimal. There’s cool, low lighting and slung tapestries of female figures on the walls. The acoustics are a little unusual — you overhear just about everyone’s conversation without even cupping a glass against your ear.
Our server was fantastic. She was attentive, friendly, and efficient. We ordered the spring rolls, the mango salad, the lemongrass beef, and the claypot sea bass. I would love to be able to rave about it, but the dishes were really just average with above average prices. The claypot sea bass was shockingly salty; it had been described as extremely sweet by our server several times prior to its arrival. I don’t know if it was my expectation of sweetness that made the dish seem so overwhelmingly discordant, but, I drank 6 gulps of water for every bite of sea bass. I don’t like those kind of ratios, man.
I wound up having a whole lot of water for dinner with a dash of regret.

Given the generally positive reviews for this place, I decided to take my wife here to celebrate our 1 month anniversary.
The short of it: I wish we went somewhere else.
The (very) long of it: We ordered 3 dishes– 1) Shaking Filet Mignon, 2) Crispy Lemon Grass Tofu, and 3) Claypot Seabass (caramelized sauce). I will address their quality (or lack thereof) in that order.
1) I have no complaints about the shaking beef dish– actually I’ll heap praise on it (which is why I put it first). Actually, it was so good that it made my wife (who does not eat steak) say that she liked it. Actually, she said this– «I like this, and I don’t even like beef!» It made me happy that she actually kept going at the beef (here’s to hoping I’ll get more beef for dinner!) So I’ll definitely give this dish a thumbs up. This dish alone kept me from giving the place a 2 star rating. The flavoring of the beef itself even without the dipping sauce (lime juice plus some salt and spices) would stand on its own. Medium rare= perfectly done.
2) Crispy Lemongrass Tofu– The flavor of the tofu/​breading was good– but the texture– especially that of the breading, which I expected to be actually crispy– was neither crispy, nor soft. This is one instance in which taking the ‘middle road’ is NOT the way to go. It seemed obvious that the chef missed the mark if the entrée name calls it ‘Crispy’ when it really wasn’t.
3) «Claypot» Seabass– This dish was truly the ‘rotten apple’ of the three. First of all, the flavor was so heavily weighed down by soy sauce and sugar that you tasted those elements more than the seabass, which has plenty of flavor on its own. We were debating between this dish and the banana leaf wrapped rendition of the seabass. The hostess recommended this dish because it was more flavorful and that it went very well with the rice. She’s partially right on that count– you couldn’t eat the dish without rice because it was really that salty! For those of you who are familiar with Chinese cuisine, think «Hong2 Shao1» flavoring that went way overboard with the soy sauce and the sugar. All in all, a very unfortunate way to cook seabass. I think if we went with the Banana leaf rendition of the seabass, our perspective of this meal would’ve changed dramatically. Alas, we will not come back, as the prices are rather prohibitive for a newlywed couple like us. Oh, and there was no claypot in sight. :(
Now to address things not quite as important (but significant nonetheless) as the taste of the food.
Ambiance: This place is super dark! Even after my pupils adjusted to the place, I still felt like I was dining in a cave of sorts. I understand the desire for the red torch-​like lights to look like fire to give warmth to the place, but the very first thing I thought as I came in was, «Sterile». Not warm at all.
Service: When my wife and I stepped in, the hostess looked emotionless. Half alive, could I say? It was as if she couldn’t care less if we ate there or not (as she quipped, «Do you have a reservation?» even though the tables were almost all empty at the time). The coldness really turned me off and probably didn’t help my impression of the place. We didn’t get a real smile from her until we got our check. Was she that happy for us to leave now that she had our money? Okay, I’m gassin’ a bit here… but seriously, a smile does wonders for a dining experience. The woman who actually bussed our table was pleasant at least.
Overall– When a restaurant like Nam seeks to please a more upscale clientele, and charges over $ 20 for their premium dishes which are rather small in portion– it better pay CLOSE attention to how these dishes taste (ahem, claypot seabass). I wasn’t looking for huge portions– but I was looking for a bit of creativity in regards to flavor as well as presentation. I forgot to mention– all 3 of our dishes were ‘garnished’ with sliced red onions and scallions– hardly creative, nor artistic.
While I’ve chosen to be nice and give this place a 3 star, it really only deserves a 2, especially because of its price.

We thought we weren’t really hungry when we stopped at Nam. I only ordered the seafood net spring roll and a glass of wine. Jeff ordered the whole snapper in caramel sauce. The spring rolls were good but I couldn’t discern the items inside. it seemed it contained a minced filling.
Jeff’s «whole» snapper wasn’t whole after all. it was about six or so ounces of cubed fish meat in a broth like sauce. The sauce was really good. The décor was nice. I’d go back.

This is a small, beautiful modern themed restaurant serving upscale Vietnamese cuisine. The interior is very pretty and service is decent if bashful at times. Although the food ranges from good to quite tasty, I found the price too high for what amounts to a Vietnamese version of the P.F. Chang restaurants – which give credit where its due, are more reasonably priced.
A few dishes are way too sweet and I could not finish my clay pot chicken because as I got to the bottom I felt like I was eating sugar syrup. The Shaking Beef lives up to the signature dish in taste, but I can find better places on Buford Highway to spend $ 23 on four meals put together that all have something similar in taste even if not using the expensive fillet cut. Vietnamese Crêpe was worse than expected – I’ve had better at little Vietnamese cafeterias. Mom’s Cabbage Soup was interesting with cabbage wrapped dumpling that you dip into a special fish sauce I haven’t seen elsewhere, but I would not exactly recommend that even.
Non-​booth tables are too small for party of four, but they try to squeeze you anyway. And the servers scramble to rearrange things every time food arrives.
The sister restaurant MF is far better than this passable establishment.

My boyfriend and I are avid fans of MF Sushibar, so it was only natural that we went to the other restaurant by the Kinjo brothers. But since we are not fans of Vietnamese food, we refrained from going. But some friends of ours really wanted to try the restaurant, so we got a reservation and went. And boy, are we glad or what?
As everybody said, the service is incredible. We went on a weekend night. Although we made a reservation, seeing as how packed the restaurant was, I expected a small wait, like any other restaurant. However, such thing did not occur at Nam. We were seated right away, which I really appreciated.
Yes, Nam is not really an traditional Vietnamese restaurant. It’s more Vietnamese-​influenced, or fusion. My friends and I ordered Rice Flour Tamale, Mom’s Cabbage Soup, Lemongrass Chicken, Crispy Lemongrass Tofu, «Shaking» Filet Mignon, Caramelized Shrimps, and Basil Duck. I heard no major complains from anybody but heard some great opinions from the «Shaking» Filet Mignon, Caramelized Shrimps, and Crispy Lemongrass Tofu. (Those are highly recommended!)

I’m actually a big fan of Nam — more so than MF Sushi Bar. Nam is upscale, trendy — complete with stylized portraiture on the walls, and deep woods and reds. The waitresses are uniformly dressed in vietnamese dresses, with the long over-​tunic with high-​sideslits, and white long pants. The music is trendy also, in keeping with the style of MF Sushi.
Drink selection pulls from asian beers and drinks with a small but punchy selection of wine.
Here’s where I have to diverge a little from the other reviewers– I’d call this place Vietnamese French fusion food. And frankly, it’s menu is quite similar to many other vietnamese-​french fusion places I’ve been to in a number of other cities. Additionally, the vietnamese cuisine it draws from is more from the formal, banquet style food, rather than the «home cooking» style. I’m actually beginning to wish that review sites allowed for that differentiation when categorizing ethnic foods.
Just like you wouldn’t put hot dogs and hamburgers in the same category of American as steaks and Americanized Italian, formal, urbane cooking in other ethnic cuisines are similarly distinct. And so too is Nam — with all its’ French influence.
As an additional aside, during the colonial period in Vietnam, a lot of French culinary culture became part of certain aspects of vietnamese culinary arts — whether at the casual, home cooking level, or at a more «imperial» style.
Alright, back to Nam.
I’m a huge fan their Chilean Seabass. They’ve changed their recipe once, and I’m more of a fan of the version they had about a year ago, but the current iteration is still delightful. Seasoned very lightly, the Omega-​3 rich fish oil of the Seabass gave the seabass all that it needed. It’s a very asian preparation, with minimal seasoning, allowing the fish’s charms to be most deeply appreciated. Big fan.
The Shaking beef is also excellent. (Never figured out where this word comes from.)
I’d pretty much agree with Yuna P.‘s assessment of recommended dishes.
So… Final rating a Solid 4. I’m not actually familiar with any other vietnamese fusion restaurants who fit this category in Atlanta, so, maybe a 4+

I liked this little gem hidden in a strip mall.
The «Shaking» Fillet Mignon was delicious and tender.
There are a lot of very nice seafood dishes that all were prepared perfectly. The red snapper was well-​prepared and flavorful. The only disappointment was the fresh spring rolls. They were very gummy.
The wine list was a bit strange. There weren’t a good range of prices/​options when I visited, but the wine I picked was nice. Expensive for what it was, but nice.

Nam was a favorite spot of former award winning Creative Loafing food critic Bill Addison, who has since moved on to review for the San Francisco Chronicle and Denver Post.
The food here isn’t authentic. You won’t find phở or bun on the menu. But you will find flavorful and original dishes and formal, friendly service.
You can spend a little at Nam or you can spend a lot. The shaking filet mignon is priced at $ 20 and is worth every penny. But the lemongrass tofu, which costs only $ 8, is my favorite. It may be the best tofu dish in the city, with a subtle spice that goes great with a Tiger beer. Or two.
The restaurant is small and gets crowded on the weekends. You’ll often times find yourself seated next to a stranger, with a semi-​opaque piece of silk draped between you for privacy. If you don’t mind the close quarters, this is a great spot.
Also try: The cabbage soup and Japanese eggplant.
Avoid: The papaya salad. It’s a little fishy. The mango salad with shrimp is much tastier.