Light, herb-driven cooking shaped by Chinese and French influences. Fish sauce, lime, mint, coriander, Thai basil and chilli give every dish its lift; rice noodles and rice paper supply the structure. Long-simmered broths like pho, grilled and fresh-rolled meats, and table-side assembly with herbs and lettuce define the experience.
Rice flour, turmeric, coconut milk and water make a thin yellow batter. Filling vegetables, mushrooms, sliced onion, tofu, are sautéed in a hot pan; the batter is poured over to form a thin pancake; beansprouts pile in last; the lot is folded in half and slides out crisp. Pieces are wrapped in lettuce with herbs and dipped in nuoc cham.
This dish works best with raw beef that has been sliced paper thin, as it cooks in seconds when placed in the hot broth.
Go Bo Hoi An is a piquant Vietnamese beef salad featuring thinly sliced seared beef tossed with crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a bright tamarind-lime dressing. This dish has delicate undertones of lime and garlic which carry through the tamarind flavours perfectly. The combination of tender beef, crunchy vegetables, aromatic herbs, and crispy rice papers creates a textural and flavourful celebration of Vietnamese cuisine. Quick to make but requires advance preparation, ensure the salad, dressing, and toppings are made and ready to use before cooking the beef.
Vermicelli noodles cook briefly and get tossed with sesame oil to stop sticking. Tofu pan-fries until golden. Rice paper rounds soak in warm water until pliable; everything stacks on each round and rolls tightly. The peanut sauce blends in seconds.
Onion and ginger char black on a flame to give the broth its signature smoky depth. They go into water with toasted spices, dried mushrooms, kombu (kelp) and a few aromatics, simmering for an hour to extract flavour. The broth strains clear; tofu poaches in it briefly. Rice noodles cook separately; everything assembles in bowls with a pile of fresh herbs and chillies.
A classic Vietnamese pho featuring paper-thin beef slices cooked in a fragrant broth spiced with star anise and cinnamon, served over rice noodles with fresh herbs and sprouts.
A fragrant Vietnamese curry that blends French colonial influences with traditional Southeast Asian spicing. This dish showcases the Vietnamese love of balance, aromatic spices like star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon partner with earthy lemongrass and fresh chillies. The result is a warm, comforting curry with subtle sweetness and complex layered flavours. Even though Vietnam was colonized by the French, the traditional cuisine has more in common with their Chinese neighbours.
Two cuts of pork (sliced belly and seasoned mince patties) are marinated in a fish-sauce, garlic and shallot mixture, then char-grilled fast over high heat to keep them juicy. They land in bowls of warm fish-sauce dressing alongside cooked rice vermicelli, fresh mint, Thai basil, lettuce, pickled green papaya and a sprinkle of garlic and chilli. Diners assemble each spoonful at the table from the components, lifting noodles and herbs into the broth.
