By Kathy Chouteau
The Standard’s series, “A Few of My Favorite Things” takes a look at some of this reporter’s top local treasures—be they food, drink, places or faces—from Richmond and beyond. Up this week: Anh’s Chicken Cabbage Salad.
I first had the good fortune of encountering Anh Restaurant & Bar’s Chicken Cabbage Salad at a business luncheon during which my editor, Mike Aldax, offered me a more formal role working for the Richmond Standard. Given how much I love writing about the community I live in, suffice to say I now consider it a lucky dish.
When I visit Anh’s in Marina Bay—a Vietnamese restaurant—I usually sit on the outdoor deck, which has breathtaking views of the bay and which I highly recommend if you visit. Just remember to bundle up in the colder months!
The Chicken Cabbage Salad dish is a flavorful blend of pulled chicken, crispy shredded red and green cabbage tossed up with carrots, daikon radish, red onions and crushed peanuts in nuoc mam dressing. The daikon radish—a personal fave—gives the salad a little kick, while the nuoc mam is an essential recipe in Vietnamese cuisine that consists of chile, lime and sweet and sour dipping sauce that’s often used as a vinaigrette. The salad is $18 and it’s worth every penny.
Another close incarnation of the Chicken Cabbage Salad is Anh’s Papaya Mango Salad ($18), which is served with shrimp and almost all the other ingredients of the recommended salad. Also, Anh’s Lobster Garlic Noodles ($39) are another star of the restaurant’s menu that my husband always orders.
The waterfront eatery, which opened in 2017, features an attractive, modern décor, a bar and indoor/outdoor seating, is owned by Lara Choe, who also owns Lara’s Fine Dining next door. Anh’s name was chosen by former owner Candice Nguyen in honor of her mother, Anh, a talented chef and Vietnamese refugee who brought her family to the East Bay in the early 80s.
Although Anh’s is closed on Thanksgiving, its sister restaurant Lara’s Fine Dining—right next door at the former Salute’s—is open. There you’ll find a full turkey dinner, other specialties and pianists if you want to celebrate the holidays by going out.
As for Anh’s, it’s open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday, except Thanksgiving and is located at 1950 Esplanade Dr. in Richmond. Call (510) 680-5292. Click here to learn more.
