Dining at The District by Hannah An

I’m lucky to live in Southern California where we have a plethora of dining options. I could eat at a different place for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never eat at the same place twice. Although oftentimes I do just that, usually out of convenience. But sometimes I splurge a little and head to a more upscale dining spot. And other times I’m lucky enough to be invited to visit and sample the menu. Recently, I did just that when I visited The District By Hannah An.

The District By Hannah An is an upscale Vietnamese restaurant on 3rd Street in the heart of LA’s fine dining scene. The menu is designed by Chef An and is inspired by her family recipes. It offers a wide selection of options from shellfish to soup to steak. Plus, there’s an extensive cocktail menu which we started with a selection from.

The Hot Asian – a zesty drink with a hint of spice. Normally, I don’t like spicy drinks but this one I enjoyed. Lemongrass and lime flavor was dominant while the spice was a subtle enhancement and it  was the first time I finished a spicy drink.

We then enjoyed a variety of starters.  All fresh and flavorful I was particularly partial to the Vietnamese Herb Bone Marrow. I must admit, I had never had bone marrow before tonight. Sure, I’d seen Anthony Bourdain shovel it down many times but never had a chance to try it myself. I have no idea what I was waiting for. It was absolutely delicious.

Seafood is a particular specialty at The District by Hannah An and naturally we tried a wide variety. The octopus was simply delectable. Cooked to perfection it was filled with flavor and melted in my mouth. The Dungeness Crab was also fantastic. In the past, I hadn’t cared for crab and found it too sweet and rather tasteless. Not so at Hannah An. The crab was packed with flavor and absolutely delicious.

No dinner is complete without dessert and we were treated to a variety. My absolute favorite was the coconut rice pudding. I do love a good rice pudding and this one was unique and delicious. Made with coconut milk and roasted bananas it was a tropical twist on one of my favorite desserts.

I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at The District By Hannah An. Next time I want to treat myself I know just where to go.