Pho Chu Le, Springvale MELB

Quite often, I find myself craving for a certain type of food and unknowingly, wanting to have it for at least a few days or weeks. Pho so happened to be one of them considering the cooler weather and the thought of a comforting bowl of pho after an intense week sounds promising.

With a myriad of options to choose from at Springvale, I am slowly but surely getting to know most of the restaurants and bakeries in the area. Oh, and not to mention the many little grocery shops tucked into every corner of the street.

Service is always fast at most Asian establishments and it was no exception here. Ranging from small to medium and large, there is a bowl of pho suited to your needs, be it extremely peckish or if you are just eating for the sake of it.

Vietnamese iced coffee - I lean towards lighter types of coffees such as lattes on my good days and when in need of an extra caffeine pickup, the stronger version wins hands down. This colour of this coffee says it all - intense when you need it the most, with a slight tinge of sweetness to tone the intensity down by a notch.

Beef pho served with freshly sliced beef pieces and meatballs - broth was moderately packed with flavour and there was enough meat and carbs in this small sized bowl to fuel me for the rest of the day. Not a single fault although in my personal opinion, the dry chilli served here is a little too watered down (yes, I like fire in my chilli).

My Cambodia, Springvale MELB

I love trying out new cuisines at unfamiliar places, be it suspicious looking or not, and whether I walk out knowing that I have discovered a hidden treasure is entirely a different part of the story. The thrill seeker in me would still be glad to have at least ticked another place off my books.

Among the three of us, I was the only one who had not been to Cambodia and so, was probably the one who should be the most curious at the menu. Sadly, my companions disappointed me by not knowing much about the local cuisine despite having visited the country prior. Oh well, so that makes three of us on a new venture then...

A mix of Vietnamese, Cambodian and Thai cuisine is evident in their menu, with a few simple Chinese dishes such as fried koay teow and chicken rice. Staff were very friendly and prices were quite affordable.

Avocado smoothie - very milky and could improve with more avocado incorporated into it.

Prawn spring roll - a little greasy but served us well as entrees.

Three colour drink - one of my favourites in Melbourne by far. Reminded me of a Malaysian shaved ice dessert but only loaded with beans, sweet potatoes and yams. Bliss.

Phnom Penh noodles - interesting how this arrived unexpectedly loaded with the other organs of which, I did not really touch and passed them on to my companions. Probably not my cup of tea but still worth a try if you prefer simple, unpretentious meals.

Combination broken rice - one of those staples that is hard to mess with. Crisp and juicy pork served with a side of acidity to cut through the fatty sensation, all served atop a bed of broken rice that had been slightly soaked in the fish sauce dressing.

Cambodian vermicelli green curry fish soup - the highlight of our meal. It is certainly an unfamiliar taste for us although my companion did mention that it is decent tasting. Again, I cannot comment having never tried it before.

Thanh Nga Nine, Richmond MELB

It has been such a long time since I last had Vietnamese food and fortunately, the sister and her male companion were easy going enough to bring me to Richmond and get my fix. We randomly walked into a what appears to be a busy restaurant and had our eyes fixated on favourite go to dishes on the menu.

Iced coffee - no coffee for me this late but it did look good :)

Three colour bean - my go to drink at a Vietnamese restaurant. Would have liked more red beans in the concoction and perhaps for the ice to be shaved slightly finer (imagine all that yummy goodness easily slipping through the shaved ice).

Combination spring rolls - slightly smaller than what I anticipated it to be. A little difficult to distinguish between the different types of meat as everything was finely minced.

Pho - as with most Vietnamese restaurants, the serving size is generous.

Combination broken rice - served with an assortment of meat side dishes and all very tasty and juicy. Highly recommended for the carnivores out there.

Vermicelli with grilled pork - me being the adventurous foodie decided on a fresh take and ordered this without a second thought. Pork pieces had a lovely charred aroma to it and perfectly balanced in terms of sweetness and saltiness. The sister and her companion questioned my semi-vegetarian order tho!

Uncle Collins Street, CBD MELB

A week ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited by Uncle Collins Street to sample a few items on their menu, all centered around Vietnamese cuisine. Located close to the end of Collins Street, a few blocks away from the Parliament station, the restaurant exuded a warm, relaxed atmosphere, perfect for winding down after a long day at work or even for hosting a small celebration.

The menu may seem a little intimidating initially but there are always staff members available to answer any food related queries, of which, I gladly took on board. All except the fact that I shouldn't get too excited ordering more than one dish listed under the Big Guys section for the sister and I. You will see why after scrolling through the pictures.

Raw kingfish, longan, sesame, wasabi peas, soy with a coconut and tamarind foam. I loved how fresh and vibrant the flavours of this dish paired well with the subtle kingfish. I am not a fan of fishy tasting seafood and if you are like me, do give this a try. Lots of added crunch and spice from the wasabi peas and pieces of longan, seasoned beautifully with a drizzle of soy.

Peach and palm iced tea - because any alcoholic beverage is a no no until the weekend for me. Quite a refreshing little number tho.

Clarence river school prawns, silken tofu, white fungus, garlic shoots and cured egg yolk. Another delicious little number, boosting simplicity at it's finest. Again a clever play on Asian flavours, given a brilliant twist by incorporating the crunchy school prawns, soft tofu and bouncy white fungus texture.

Braised beef short rib bao with morcilla and flavours of bun bo hue - the meat alone verged on the saltier side of the scale for me but after sandwiching it with the shredded salad into the pillowy soft steamed buns, it was definitely a taste to remember. The meat was indeed juicy and glistened temptingly under the restaurant's dim lighting. Worth ordering a couple more buns just to lap up everything on the plate!

Bo luc lac, shaking porterhouse cubes with confit onions, smoked tomato salsa, garlic and watercress - the sister and I had this with a bowl of steamed coconut rice and after we finish the entire dish, it dawned on us how filled we were. That aside, this is a well presented dish, balanced in terms of vegetables and meat portions. Meat was cooked medium rare, cherry tomatoes slightly blistered and inviting; fresh herbs carefully placed atop the dish for added aroma.

Master stock crispy pork hock with banh hoi, lettuce wraps, fragrant herbs and nuoc cham. On of my favourite dishes for the night and something that I will have again (but with more reinforcements). The pork hock was so beautifully cooked that I find it hard to find any faults with it. Well, except that it makes me wish I could stomach more of it! Soft, succulent meat locked in by a crunchy, well caramelized. We were served lettuce to wrap this fella with a bit of banh hoi (vermicelli noodles) but heck, I could eat this on it's own. Highly recommended.

Strawberry tart with black vinegar curd, basil meringue and pistachio ice cream - Desserts were fashioned around the concept of a lighter way to end a meal, albeit still banging on a good flavour profile. Loved the buttery tart shell that pairs well with the cooked strawberry pieces, sweet basil meringue and pistachio ice cream. Sadly, I had to share this with my sister.

The sister and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here and wouldn't be surprised to find ourselves heading here again for dinner. Not stinging on flavour and value, owners Rene and Dai should be proud of how far they have traveled in their restaurateur career because darn, it is one of the better ones I have been to in Melbourne ;)

 

Indochine, Box Hill MELB

Box Hill would not cross my mind when I think of Vietnamese food. Due to my hectic work schedule coupled by the need to hit the gym as much as possible, dinner time is usually a bit later for me and so, very rarely do I get the opportunity to head to Springvale for good Vietnamese food.

Vaguely remembering a decent Vietnamese restaurant visit in Box Hill with a few friends last year, I suggested this place to WL and now, it seems to be one of my favourite places to go, much to his displease :p

Quail, marinated in five spice and fried - not bad although a little steep in price.

Spring rolls - so many different types to choose from and after much contemplating, we opted for Hanoi, a pork, prawn and mushroom deep fried version. Delicious but can be a bit messy to eat, that is, if you want to enjoy it the traditional way by somehow juggling all the ingredients on a thin, crisp piece of lettuce leaf.

Pad Thai - truthfully, one of the better versions I have tried in Melbourne. Each strand of noodle was well coated with the tamarind sauce and given a good dose of peanuts and beansprouts. Would happily reorder this on my next visit.

Beef pho - a standard bowl of noodles and as a general rule of thumb, always better value at Springvale but for convenience and ambience, it's a decent feed.

 

So Pho So Good, Glen Iris MELB

Feeding myself with fresh and nutritious food is utmost important to me lately and often times, hard to accomplish when dining outside, especially non-salad friendly restaurants or cafes. So Pho So Good's owner Leo takes great pride in ensuring that his food is made without added preservatives and flavouring, a feat and claim that is hard to match these days.

The shop's interior,from the floors to the tablets and walls are kept tidy and cleaned on a regular basis. Something about this place gave me a sense of relaxation.

Nuoc da chanh - homemade Vietnamese iced lemonade. A refreshing number that has a good punch of acidity.

Fresh whole coconut - what's not to love about the health benefits from slurping up coconut juice?

Bo tai chanh aka rare beef salad - Although labelled as rare, the meat was a cross between rare and medium. Absolutely loved how fresh this dish was, every single ingredient still had a lovely crunch and vibrancy to it. Highly recommended.

Broken rice with lemongrass beef - one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes and this was recommended by Leo after knowing how much we loved broken rice dishes. The meat was tender and heavily perfumed by the lemongrass, something I have never had before. Best part was the chicken broth that we ordered along with it. It was very flavourful, rich and most importantly, not lashed with MSG. Broth dishes here are a must have and I can safely say yes, you can slurp up every single drop of broth.

Vietnamese banana ice cream - a traditional snack that Leo grew up with. Banana, chopped nuts and coconut cream are the core ingredients here. A light snack and perfect way to end a delicious meal.

 

My My, Mount Waverley MELB

Mount Waverley is the next closest suburb from where I am at and a suburb that has a limited number of good restaurants. Adventure beckons on a Friday night and with an Entertainment book voucher at hand, we headed to one of the busiest Vietnamese restaurants located in the Pinewood shopping area.

Service is efficient despite being packed full of customers although did notice a few confused moments among the staff members when delegating tasks - such is life at any work place.

Pho beef special combination - soup was lacking much needed oomph that comes from prolonged hours of simmering beef bones in a herb and spice concoction. Decent serve of meat but may not suffice for the big eaters out there.

Fried rice noodles with pork and king prawns - again, lacking in the taste department and verging on the oily side of the scale.

Vietnamese My My special - scallops wrapped in prawns and topped with a salty oyster sauce like mix. Not sure if I liked the oyster sauce mix.

Mama's Buoi, Malvern East MELB

I must have been in and out of Chadstone for at least 5 times since the newly renovated site has been up and running. And each time, I indulge at a different venue depending on my preferences and budget, of course.

As I wandered up to the newer end where the cinema is located, I cannot help but notice how each restaurant is brightly lit and have crowds of hungry diners queuing up just for a spot in these elusive restaurants. Does not help me when I am hungry tho.

Service at Mama's Buoi is efficient and friendly. The menu is pretty much concise, making it much simpler for me to pick a few favourites.

Special crab fried rice - I loveeee every bite of this flavourful dish and could easily polish off the entire plate by myself. Every grain of rice has been evenly coated by the seasoning used and it has a sweet, savoury fragrance from the crab meat incorporated.

Again, my memory has failed me and I am unable to recall the name of this dish, leaving you to do your best to describe this dish to the waiter should you choose to order it. This brinjal dish was well flavoured and overall, a pretty tasty vegetarian dish.

Wagyu beef with broccoli, chilli and oyster sauce - not bad at all although I do question if the beef used can be deemed as wagyu.

A happy feed nonetheless. Would like to meet mama one day too;)