Vietnamese cuisine, simple, fresh, vibrant and delicious but overlooked in our city. It’s to our detriment, I can think of few foods more comforting than a bowl of Pho. We had our first proper Vietnamese restaurant open a couple of years ago opposite the magistrates courts, Viet An, but I think that’s gone now. Then there’s Viet Moon on the other edge the Jewellery Quarter, so including Nom Nom that makes two but that’s all. And no if you think Cafe Soya is Vietnamese then you need to get out more.
Nom Nom Noodles opened with little fanfare late 2012. Situated on the ring road next to the massive Tesco in Spring Hill it’s an unlikely location. The interior is basic, functional and clean. But the food is wonderful. Deeply rich yet clean tasting bowls of Pho Bo and tender morsels of grilled pork with vermicelli are the highlight of the small menu. Wash it down with some strong Vietnamese drip coffee sweetened with evaporated milk or try one of fluorescent dessert jellies.
Due to their location they’re finding business tough and have recently decided to close on Sundays. Please support them and help reverse the trend. Soon there may be nowhere you can get this lovely cuisine in our city.
I’m excited about this place and could really use a bowl of pho right now to help with my cold. But a word of warning, the time we went en masse on a Sunday afternoon the service was glacially slow (although very friendly and apologetic). I would expect it to be better if you go on your tod or in a pair.
We shoud check out Viet Moon, they bill themselves as a Chinese/Vietnamese karaoke bar but the menu looks pretty good.
Good idea. Just had lunch at Nom Nom. It was very quiet in there and dishes came out in a flash (and were good again!)
How come they’ve opened at that location – were they already based there, or is there passing trade/a Vietnamese community there? Any chance of them deciding to relocate somewhere more central or where there is more passing trade? Would love to try what they have but the likelihood of me being in that location over the next few months is about zero 🙁
It’s pretty suicidal as a location, unless you are a very keen shopper at Tesco, or walk from the Jewellery Quarter…
More central! Are you afraid of walking a little? Nom Nom is about 1/2 mile out of the absolute city centre. What you have to realise is that small restaurants, often independent start up’s can’t afford absolute city centre rents so get up off your behind and support a niche restaurant or would you prefer the bland chain food that alone can afford high central rents. Interesting life doesn’t come to you, you go to it! Get busy with your legs and live a little!
Thanks for stopping by Keith. I’m one of the believers (I write this blog with Lap!) and we go out of our way regularly to support Nom Nom. But unfortunately when we do we find it commonly empty, and I suspect location plays a factor. I realise high rates in the city centre prevent small independent businesses opening there, and I wish the council would do more to encourage non-chain offerings.
An update on Viet Moon: the Vietnamese chef quit so it’s Chinese food only in there! Nice place though.
There you have it, apart from a couple of reportedly ropey cafes in Handsworth, Nom Nom is the only Vietnamese food you can get in this city.
OK well that makes choosing easier then… I had a Banh Mi today at Banh Mi Bay in London. It was pretty good, not stellar, but wish we could get these in Brum somewhere…
Having only recently stumbled upon your great foodie website, we decided to give Nom Nom a try.
Delicious starters. Clean, fresh decor (though quite basic), however we were both a little disappointed with our mains, which were billed as house specialities, but, didn’t taste particularly special, or even all that good! and, unfortunately, we had to wait about 40 mins for any food (there was only one other person eating, and this was lunchtime, so we didn’t really want to linger). Our bill also came to a little more than we would normally want to pay for this type of meal in a basic environment (the specials bumped the price up)
I really wanted to enjoy this place, especially after the good reviews on this site . . . and . . . well, it was enjoyable in parts (particularly the starters), but the long wait, in the very quiet restaurant, and not very tasty mains, means that we’ll probably opt for take-away next time, and stick with the starters (or, at any rate, try different mains).
Oh that’s a shame. You win some and you lose someone suppose. It’s a wonder how that place stays open. It’s always so quiet.
What did you order Sarah? We always have the pho or the grilled pork with vermicelli noodles, and it’s usually good.