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 name translates to “eat breakfast,” and that’s precisely what An Sang focuses on. Truong told Dished that, true to the popular saying, breakfast is the most important meal of the day in Vietnamese culture, with many popular dishes selling out early in the day.

“You have to go really early… If you don’t eat early enough, you won’t get the soup,” he explains. 

And if you’re wondering exactly what Vietnamese breakfast looks like, it’s largely similar to the kind of dishes that Canadians would enjoy later in the day: steaming bowls of pho, sizzling beef plates, and more. So if you’ve ever felt a craving for Vietnamese food in the early hours, just know that’s how it’s intended to be enjoyed.

However, Truong also said that a huge motivation behind opening a Vietnamese restaurant in Calgary was trying to change how Vietnamese food can be perceived, noting that it’s often considered a “cheap” way to dine out when, in reality, a lot of care and technicality goes into each dish.

“I want the community to understand that Vietnamese food is not this cheap food. It’s actually very technical, and quality ingredients go into it. If you have to sacrifice that for the cost, it affects the food quality and the food in the community itself as a whole,” he explains.

What’s on the menu?

Regardless of whether you’re eating morning, noon, or night, An Sang has a wide menu to choose from. Perhaps the most “breakfastty” of the bunch is the Bò Né, the spot’s signature sizzling plates.

We opted for the An Sang sizzling plate, loaded with sliced Angus beef, eggs, Vietnamese sausage and house-made pâté, served with bread, hash browns, and a triangle of Laughing Cow cheese. It’s fun to mix each bite, grabbing a bit of everything in the process.

Another An Sang favourite is the Pho-tine, and as the name suggests, it’s giving a Vietnamese spin on the classic Canadian dish.

“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,” Truong says.

The crispy fries were topped with gravy, which is actually made with pho soup, mixed with a little tapioca starch to give a gravy-like consistency. It was then topped with grilled beef, green onions, and cheese curds.

While visiting An Sang, don’t skimp on the drinks. One that Truong highly recommends is the Salted Coffee, a strong Vietnamese coffee, made with Robusta beans, topped with a sweet and salty foam. 

But if you’re not a coffee drinker, another hit is the Cocoa Bliss, sweet young coconut milk mixed with an avocado smoothie. It’s balanced, fresh and light, and the perfect end to a meal.

An Sang is open from 9 a.m. daily.

An Sang

Address: 843 17th Ave. SW, Calgary

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