Gangnam Vietnamese restaurant for crispy banh xeo: Anan

Whenever I’m craving Vietnamese food around Gangnam Station, I think of Anan in Gangnam! Actually, I used to visit it all the time even before the Gangnam location opened, when I was living in Yongin. I loved it so much that, at the height of my obsession, I went about once a week—and I was so happy to find it had opened in Gangnam too!

Anan, a great pho spot near Gangnam Station

It’s near Exit 10 of Gangnam Station, so getting there is easy too. It’s a great location for a Gangnam meet-up, lunch, or even a dinner date. The banh xeo and pho are the best.. >_<

What is the atmosphere at Anan near Gangnam Station like?

Anan catches your eye from the exterior, but it’s even prettier once you step inside! It feels more like an atmospheric restaurant than a typical pho place. The wood-toned interior is clean and comfortable overall, so I saw plenty of people on dates; it also looked great for meals and get-togethers with friends.

Ordering pho and banh xeo

You order from the menu via QR code! There were more options than I expected, but I always know what I’m getting here! Normally, I make sure to order the seafood fried rice, pho, and banh xeo, but since there were only two of us that day, it felt like too much food, so we ordered just pho and banh xeo. And a cold beer each, of course!

Adding a princess-like photo of my friend too.

First, they served rice paper and pickled onions to wrap the banh xeo in.

Why Anan’s pho broth tasted so clean

The pho came out first! Seriously, this pho is one of the reasons I love Anan so much! The broth is incredibly clean, haha. It’s not overly intense, but it’s not bland either—just perfectly balanced. It’s the kind of broth that makes you keep scooping up more after one bite. There was plenty of beef, and the noodles were soft, making it easy to eat without feeling heavy! Above all, the broth is truly the charm, so we asked for extra stock while eating, and they kindly brought us moreㅠㅠ Thanks to that, we enjoyed it warm and deliciously right to the end.

And then, the beer that absolutely could not be left out that day. Vietnamese food and beer—what more is there to say? A bite of banh xeo with a cold beer, followed by a sip of pho broth, is perfection. In the middle of Gangnam, it even felt like a little trip to Vietnam, and with the lovely atmosphere, it was such an enjoyable meal haha.

How do you wrap and eat banh xeo?

And today’s star: banh xeo! Whenever I come to Anan, this great pho spot near Gangnam Station, I absolutely order the banh xeo. It’s honestly one of the reasons I come. Banh xeo is a Vietnamese savory pancake, and Anan’s is incredibly crispy on the outside. Inside, though, it’s packed with ingredients such as bean sprouts and shrimp, so there are lots of textures. Anan was where I had banh xeo for the first time, and afterward I became someone who simply loves banh xeo..!

This combination is seriously the besttttt. Love it.

Put the banh xeo with the lettuce and vegetables that come alongside it into the rice paper, roll it up, and dip it in the sauce. It’s easy even for first-timers to eat! I loved this combination so much the first time I had it that I went searching only for banh xeo when I later traveled to Vietnam, haha. Every bite has that crunch plus the freshness of the vegetables, so you just keep eating.

The sauce goes especially well with it. It’s savory and full of umami—the best. This is how you make it! The chewiness of the rice paper, the crispness of the banh xeo, and all the ingredients come together so wellㅠ The mint inside is totally the key.

Then have a beer each, and it’s heaven! It’s a flavor I really want to have again.. phew.

How busy was it at dinner time?

We visited a little early, but as we ate, people started streaming in. By around 7 PM, it was full! I can definitely see why it’s known as a great pho spot near Gangnam Station. There were lots of couples on dates as well as groups of friends.

Anan is not simply a place with good pho—it has a great overall atmosphere and high-quality food too! The banh xeo, especially, was one of the most satisfying I’ve had anywhere so far. The pho also had a clean, easy-to-drink broth that anyone could enjoy:) If you’re looking for lunch near Gangnam Station, a good date restaurant, or Vietnamese food, I really hope you’ll visit at least once. I’ll definitely be back whenever I start craving banh xeo. Personally, I highly recommend Anan if you’re looking for great pho near Gangnam Station. If you love banh xeo, you especially have to try it!