A Rugged Elegance Inspiration Network Exclusive by Jennifer King

Look for the name "Sai Gon Nho" in San Francisco's Tenderloin and you will know you have officially entered "Little Saigon."

Sai Gon Nho is the capital of the former South Vietnam, renamed Ho Chi Minh City at the end of the Vietnam War. It is a symbol for all the Vietnamese American immigrants who had to leave their homeland.

Fortunately for us, the Vietnamese American culture has found roots here in the Bay Area, and especially in the city's Tenderloin -- now formally known as "Little Saigon."

In January, 20,000 people were drawn to The Tet Festival, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration. 250 Vietnamese American-owned restaurants and other businesses abound in this part of the city. There are also community groups for youths, veterans and the elderly.

Soon, two 8-foot pylons, at Larkin and Eddy, will serve as the gateway -- not as beautiful but equally as symbolic as Chinatown's Dragon's Gate located at Grant and Bush.

"Everyone knows if you want something Vietnamese, you come to the Tenderloin," said Kim Nguyen of the Little Saigon Project Task Force.

After losing talent and businesses to San Jose, a coalition of community organizations and institutions developed to promote the great culture and business community here in San Francisco.

As project manager, Nguyen, a former South Bay software engineer, was responsible for lobbying for the name Sai Gon Nho / Little Saigon. She also helped spearhead raising $20,000 from the Mayor's Neighborhood Beautification Fund and an additional $5,000 for the first phase of informing the public of the new designation. Kim's father, Van Canh Nguyen, is a noted Hoover Institution scholar who is well-respected in the Vietnamese community.

Today, the Vietnamese American community is thriving in San Francisco - not just at Larkin and Eddy - but throughout the whole city.

Three Vietnamese restaurants are featured in The Rugged Elegance Companion...Your Guide to Places of Taste premier Spring Edition:

Le Colonial, is located at 20 Cosmo Place in the culinary historic building where Trader Vic's came to fame. The restaurant serves some of the city's best French-Vietnamese cuisine. Le Colonial can be found on The Rugged Elegance Theatre District / Nob Hill Guide.

Ana Mandara which means "beautiful refuge" is a modern Vietnamese restaurant owned by actors, Don Johnson and Cheech Marin and operated by Executive Chef, Khai Duong. Duong is a 42-year-old native of the coastal Vietnamese village of Nha Trang. He brings "beautiful" cuisine, culture and credentials to Ana Mandara, having previously come from the Boca Raton Resort Hotel and New York's acclaimed Le Bernardin.

Ana Mandara is located at the NE corner of Ghirardelli Square. This local's favorite has been selected as one of eighty-five establishments in The Rugged Elegance Companion...Places of Taste Guide to the City's Hidden Treasures.

Slanted Door's New Home as of April 2004

Slanted Door by Charles Phan is currently in South Beach. Because they are moving to The Ferry Building this spring, Rugged Elegance has placed them on The Rugged Elegance Companion...Places of Taste Guide to The Financial District.

In addition, Slanted Door has been selected as one of This Year's Most "Rugged Elegant" Establishments in The Financial District.

Online profiles of Le Colonial, and Slanted Door have been created by Rugged Elegance, and can be found by clicking on their name here or above.

A link to the restaurants' web sites, as well as a review of Le Colonial are easily found via RuggedElegance.com and here at RE: San Francisco.

Congratulations, Kim and the entire Little Saigon coalition.

~Jennifer

P.S. Please let us know if Good Morning Vietnam star and local San Francisco celebrity, Robin Williams is on the docket for your formal ribbon cutting ceremony. The Oscar-winning actor, who was nominated for his role as Armed Forces Radio disc jockey, Adrian Cronauer would make a dream MC.

Other Articles Related to this Story:

San Francisco Chronicle, S.F.'s 'Little Saigon' Stretch of Larkin Street named for Vietnamese American, 2/16/04

I think it's really cool that we now have a Little Saigon. When will the pillars be placed at the entrance at Eddy and Larkin?