This place is putting the cool and hip into the normally drab upper west side of Exhibition Street - I am actually not sure if it is west but thought I would sound directionally profound.
It is small in so many ways - the stools are small, the bar width is small, the people feel small, the leg room is small and the space between a dripping sauce bowl as the waitress clears the table and your body is small. But the food is big. It is a cross between modern and traditional Vietnamese.
It is a tick the box menu which is fun but also problematic for someone like me who likes to tick all boxes - and not just when it come to food.
We started with roast duck and banana flower rice paper rolls. They came in a pristine little white box which felt like unwrapping a present. The balance of flavours was spot on.
Next up, scallop and prawn dumplings. The dumpling was perfectly glutinous (a word I learnt from the Gourmet Traveller - my bible) and the seafood flavour came through with a bang. The traditional pork hanoi fried spring rolls - crispy on the outside and juicy in the centre - bring it on.
The green papaya salad was a bit too watery but the prawn and crab net salad was really interesting.
We ate too much but I could have eaten more.
This is a place I will keep coming back to, even for a nice break away from the office for lunch.
And the price for 2 - $52. We did not have alcohol but that included some quirky drinks. How cheap is that?
7.5/10
Adles
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