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Nam Vietnamese Brasserie: A Favorite Daughter Ventures Out On Her Own

Anne Le Ziblatt in the kitchen of her new Nam Vietnamese Brasserie.
Anne Le Ziblatt in the kitchen of her new Nam Vietnamese Brasserie.

When you grow up in a legendary restaurant family, it’s not surprising that you follow in the same path.

Anne Le Ziblatt’s parents opened the 12-table Vung Tau restaurant in San Jose in 1985. It was such a hit that less than two years later, it moved to a larger location nearby that now serves more than 150 diners daily. Le Ziblatt later went on to co-found and manage with her aunt, the restaurants Tamarine in Palo Alto, and the now defunct Bong Su in San Francisco. She also worked in restaurant public relations for a spell.

But one thing she hadn’t done was open her own restaurant.

Until now.

Her Nam Vietnamese Brasserie opened its cheery doors a few weeks ago in downtown Redwood City.

The signature Nam Noodle Soup.
The signature Nam Noodle Soup.

It’s a fast-casual concept, where you order at the counter, take a seat at a table, and wait for your food to be brought to you.

The dining room that has far more personality than most fast-casual concepts.
The dining room that has far more personality than most fast-casual concepts.

But Le Ziblatt prefers to call it “fine casual.” Indeed, it’s far more stylish than most other fast-casual concepts that lean more utilitarian in looks. When I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant last week, I was surprised by how lovely the decor is. It takes inspiration from the fishing village in Vietnam, where she was born. It’s done up with a fish scale-tiled floor, fishing basket ceiling lights, and colorful murals.

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