Nam Food Of Vietnam

Doesn't Recommend

pl76

Joined 9 years ago

Worst Service Experience. Wait staff was unattentive; service was slow and noone checked on us throughout the entire dinner. In the middle of dessert, the waitress silently passes by and drops the check. We speak to the manager about the terrible service and laying down the check before we were done with dinner.

The manager replies, "It's what we do. It's a high volume restaurant where we need to turn the tables quickly." Unless you want to be treated like a revolving door, don't come here.

Admittedly the food is flavorful and enjoyable, but I left in the end with a bitter taste--and for the first time in my dining experience, left no tip.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Refined Vietnamese flavors take root in a breezy, attractive Tribeca space.. The Scene
This handsome Vietnamese restaurant puts an urbane spin on a cuisine often associated with ramshackle decor and rock-bottom prices. Soft lighting, wood floors and lemon-custard walls set a serious tone, though the noise level gets high at peak hours. Service can be a distraction. Understaffing is a problem, and the kitchen tends to drag its feet when confronted with a full dining room.

The Food
Nam plays familiar Vietnamese classics like rice-noodle and beef soups, spring rolls and crepes, but its most worthwhile efforts are more elaborate seafood preparations. Sure bets include a crisp-skinned sauteed red snapper in a viscous, faintly sweet sauce of chile and lime, and a steamed sea bass served with an earthy mix of mushrooms and stewed tomatoes. Chicken-based efforts are less compelling. Desserts--warm banana bread, ginger flan, chocolate mousse cake--are simple but effective.

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catm24

Joined 9 years ago

Loved it!. My boyfriend and I have been to Nam twice and we absolutely loved it! The soft glow of the lights, the bamboo wall, and the coziness of the room made for a very amiable setting. The food was delicious and the portions were perfect, not too big and not too small, contrary to what others have written. Also, all of our food arrived steaming hot and in a timely fashion (we HATE to be rushed, but we don't want to starve, either!). The prices were also quite reasonable, including prices for the wine. We also received wonderful service both times. The servers were friendly and pleasant, but not obtrusive. They were also knowledgeable and made great wine reccomendations. We will definetly be back!

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hxxnyc

Joined 10 years ago

excellent food, a bit noisy, waiters ok. I've been to NAM twice, and both times the food was delightful. However, the music is a bit too loud and it can be difficult to have a conversation. The waitstaff is friendly but butts in, brings new dishes before we're finished with the old ones, and is hard to find when we want the check. Nevertheless, this is quite a delightful place and I intend to go back again.

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iditarod

Joined 11 years ago

Deeelicious!. Great food and great value - the food was fun, different, and quite tasty and when the check arrived it was a pleasure.

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johnphu

Joined 10 years ago

An elegant alternative. An elegant room with great lighting and style. Its a good alternative for those scared of Ctown dives. But didn't the designer go downstairs to the bathroom? It was is if they ran out of money abd left a saloon's restroom in the basement, and I can tell the cleaning staff hadn't ventured there in some time.

The manager/maitre'd was pleasant and efficient, Unfortunately, our waiter could not have been less interested in his job or the experience of his guests.

Stick with the cocktails (the lychee martini and the NAM cocktail were both good), but the wine list is innapropriate for the cuisine - bad choices across the board.

The food was wonderful, with clean, bright, and focused flavors. It is some of the best Vietnamese in town.

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restaurant_goer

Joined 11 years ago

Great bargain. For the money you pay and the ambience and service you get, Nam is one of the best deals in town. The food is very good, with certain unique dishes (such as the shrimp dumplings). Some dishes have a "Chinese take-out" style about them, however. The wine list is small, but adequate for the food - stick to the whites. Cocktails should be avoided. Definitely worth a visit.

Doesn't Recommend

maximillion

Joined 11 years ago

Vegetarians Beware!!. An otherwise fine meal was trashed when i realized that the dish i had ordered contained chicked, despite my asking for no chicken, no pork twice. OK, so anyone can make a mistake, but it would've been nice to have it comped and to not have the waiter ask me "do you want to take that home?"

tacky: service, and the manager had worse attitude. like their food is good enough for them to affect attitude.

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nelliec313

Joined 11 years ago

Not worth hype-but not altogether bad. Went to Nam last night. Didn't understand poor service ratings from other respondents. Our waiter was sufficiently good. Food was decent. Red snapper was good. However, this food can be had in Chinatown for a lower price.

If atmosphere is more important to you, check this place out. If not, save your money and goto greasy outposts in Chinatown.

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dguzman

Joined 11 years ago

Great food for the price. Nam is a great place for tasty food that won't set you back. 2 people can easily have 2-3 appetizers, 2 entrees and a bottle of wine for under $100. I wouldn't go for the tasting menu because that is not what they are best for. Focus on their regular menu and you can't go wrong. Eat family style. You'll have a really nice meal for a very good price, and the atmosphere is really nice too. We'll definitely go back. I'd skip the desserts, they don't warrant the high price tag. You're best off getting another entree. Definitely worth the visit.