Ha Long Bay

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

Before I rabbit on about how much I love Ha Long Bay Restaurant, I wanted to foist my holiday snaps on you of the actual Ha Long Bay.  Weaving through the breathtaking limestone outcrops was absolutely magical.

Ha Long Bay - such surreal beauty

Now to other things of beauty of the culinary kind.  The one consistent menu item we always order at Ha Long Bay is the Rice Noodles with Pork and Prawn.  I much prefer the pork broth versus the beef broth in say a traditional pho bo.  Ha Long Bay's broth is so clean and pure and delicate - I want to immerse myself in a bathtub filled with the stuff.  The bowl of noodles comes with all sorts of interesting textural nibbly bits - cubes of pork crackling, fried shallots, slivers of chives, strands of mung bean sprouts.  I have tried a lot of rice noodle soups in my lifetime but this place is hands down the best.

Rice noodles with prawn and pork.  Let me bathe in that broth...

Another favourite is the grilled beef in vine leaves with rice vermicelli.  So light yet flavourful on a summer's day.  It comes with a bowl of nuoc cham to pour all over it.  The little beef rolls are so more-ish.  I could easily eat about say twenty or thirty if I had no conscience.

Grilled beef with rice vermicelli

One look at the Garlic Beef, you know the vampires will be kept at bay.  Look at all the nubbly bits of garlic pepper throughout - yum!  It comes with a salt and pepper dipping sauce which you squeeze lime juice over - it's sour, it's peppery, it's garlicky, it's good!

Garlic Beef with Rice

 Vietnamese Chicken Coleslaw salad is very refreshing with crushed peanuts on top for crunch.

Vietnamese Chicken Coleslaw

 Last but not lease, rice paper rolls.  These are suitably plump ie with enough filling and comes with a peanut and hoisin dipping sauce.

Prawn and Pork Rice Paper Rolls

And if I have not yet convinced you that Ha Long Bay Restaurant is almost as wonderful as the actual Ha Long Bay itself, then let me tell you that most rice and noodle dishes between 12pm - 3pm are AUD$8.  Yes, $8!  Well, you get one or two dishes that are $9 but really who cares?

The deets:

Location:
Ha Long Bay Restaurant
82 Victoria St, Richmond VIc 3121
ph:  03 9429 3268

Costs:
Less than $10 for rice and noodle dishes

Ambience:
Casual dining

Nom Again:
Absolutely



An update for you!  We revisited this awesome place again and sampled a few more dishes.  For more info, go here. If you are hankering for a vegetarian Vietnamese experience, Fina's Vegetarian Cafe is just down the road.  More info here.  Speaking of down the road, Thanh Ha2 is also worth a look-in.  It's filled with Vietnamese people - that's gotta be a good sign.  More info here.

Until next time,
Nom Seeker, Glutt