Opened by the Les Amis group, NamNam noodle bar is a nice small cafe/restaurant serving casual Vietnamese pho and bahn mi at very reasonable prices! The bahn mi start from $5.90 while the various types of pho start from $7.90.

My colleagues and I went for their lunch sets at $9.90 (LOVE lunch sets) which comes with the spring rolls (1st photo) as a starter, choice between chicken or beef pho (you know I'm going for the beef) and a choice between ice coffee with condensed milk or lotus tea.  I triple love the fact that the prices stated are inclusive of GST and they do not charge for service.

First off, I must say that I really dig the decor which was simple but yet a bit of a throwback to the 1970s with the enamel serving mugs.  Their efficiency astounded me.  Our drinks were served even before I walked back from the cashier! Service-wise: as expected from the Les Amis group. Friendly, professional and I felt guilty for making the cashier run to the kitchen because I had forgotten to mention that I didn't want spring onions in my pho. Oopsy...

Taste test! We weren't impressed with the thick rice paper used for the spring rolls but I must say that the balance between rice vermicelli and the basil leaves was very well done. Just give us less chewy rice paper.

Lotus tea was tasteless. Colleague said that her ice coffee was bitter but then sugar level is quite a personal affair.

My habit of eating noodles is to usually finish up the meat and vegetables before eating up the noodles so I found the beef really tender and juicy.  My colleague who doesn't have that habit found her beef a little tough towards the end.  I loved the soup.  It had that right balance between sour and savoury and you know it's more refined than some other Vietnamese restaurants simply by the fact that I couldn't see any scum in the soup.

Would I go back again? Oh yes I would. I really want to try their bahn mi for breakfast one of these days but I find it ridiculous that their breakfast only starts at 10am. Us working folks tend to get breakfast before 9am yeah.  It took me this long to try out NamNam was also because of the LOOOONNNNG queue that started even before noon! (0_o)  I think their soon-to-be-opened branch at Wheelock Place (slated to open in Nov 2012) will also face the same issue.  Good news is that the queue moves fast...so try it one day and have a pho-tastic meal ;)

NamNam Noodle Bar
250 North Bridge Road
#B1-46, Raffles City Shopping Centre
Singapore 179101


Website:  www.namnamnoodlebar.com.sg