13/1/26 at 11:20am - To my great surprise, I was customer #2 today🤔 As a creature of habit, Nam Nam has been my lunch venue for almost EVERY visit to Raffles City in the past 10 years. But after today, I will NOT be returning here for lunch ever again. Because prices are now higher, portions are smaller and food quality is down. 👎 no more lunch sets of a bowl of noodle with protein, side dish & drink. Now I pay more for the bowl of noodle. 👎 today my hot lotus tea is $5.50😱 which is unbelievable for a hot drink with some flavour. 👎 the soup standard has slipped throughout the years. Today’s version was weakest. It’s just a bowl of brownish liquid that looks like soup but the robust flavours of the version I loved at first slurp from years ago are gone. For good. 👎 the beef slices came clumped together and the texture was not appetising. I don’t believe the higher price was justified for a REGULAR portion that didn’t even fill me up properly. There was a serving of basil leaves and bean sprouts but these looked like visual distractions to make up for the lack of a free side dish 🙄 👍 service staff was cordial and attentive but their readiness to serve means nothing when there are only one or two diners. By 12pm, the only people who came in were a handful of tourists. Then some office workers came but the scenes of long queues and packed restaurants are no more. Today’s lunch here cost $23 but I was still hungry and had to buy a bun from a bakery, which meant total spent was about $26. For that amount, the next time I come to Raffles City, I will find a new lunch venue that gives me more value. Bye bye Nam Nam 👋 it’s not me, it’s you!

I am really glad that they now have the Small / Regular Pho size options, allowing for more variation in the meal with a Small bowl with sides. I got the set meal comprising of the Chicken Pho (S) with 1 Fried and Fresh Spring Roll, 1 Fried Prawn and a dessert. Major shoutout to the Fresh Spring Roll, unique tasting with a mix of prawn and marinated chicken filling. Adding a Beef Pho (S), the total bill came up to be ~$30 for 2 pax. It was all very enjoyable and only downside might be that tables are all closely packed to one another to optimize for more seats. You will need to order at the cashier and take your own utensils as they do not charge for service.

The Pho broth here is incredibly flavorful, and the sliced beef is tender. It tastes just like what I had in Hanoi! While I still miss the authentic small pan breakfast sets from Hanoi, this place is definitely good enough to satisfy the craving without hopping on a plane. Make sure to try the warm coconut dessert; it is well worth it.

NamNam at Raffles City is located at Basement 1. Always having long queues during peak hours. The value set meal was a good touch. Bánh mì was average / nothing special, the side fries were served cold. The coffee with milk was normal but in a small cup to recuperate the value meal set cost. The cashier and staff (supposedly to usher customers to their assigned tables) were distracted. Both of them were chatting/gossiping with each other during peak hours. The cashier was loudly complaining and unhappy about customers most of the time (in front of other customers). The whole experience was bad.

Been a fan of Nam Nam since its opening but I honestly haven’t had it in the last few years since the menu change and there isn’t crab noodles or seafood pork noodles anymore. Still tastes decent but I have to say it’s unlike before. Still find it tastier in the past. Pho used to be served with a small plate of herbs (mint leaves, basil, bean sprouts, chilli and lime wedge) but seems like they don’t anymore — you have to request for it and even then they don’t give you everything. There is a limit of 45mins eating time (to ease the queue), though it’s not strictly enforced but it’s quite stressful. I can’t enjoy to the fullest because I feel like I’m being watched when I’m done with my food and they want me to leave. I would say there are greater Vietnamese options out there but if you do have some cravings and Nam Nam is close by, give it a go.