Mint Pho & Cuisine, Burwood
Monday, December 09, 2013
Along the main strip of Burwood Road you're likely to find a number of Chinese eateries and shops. A LOT of Chinese shops, in fact - particularly on the southern end of the station (not the Westfield end). It's not hard to find your ubiquitous Asian convenience/grocery store, butchery, restaurant or BBQ meats shop on Burwood Road, which is what draws a large number of the Chinese community to its streets every day. We often visit for a lunch of cheap BBQ Pork and Soy Sauce Chicken with rice at one of the BBQ meat eateries, or to buy some Asian bread from one of the many bakeries along the street.
But what if you felt
like something other than Chinese? True, there are lots of good, cheap Chinese
eateries scattered along Burwood Road, but a newcomer to the Burwood eating
strip is Mint, a Vietnamese joint made modern by its funky, contemporary and slightly
less cheap décor. It would be quite easy to miss this small, unpretentious
restaurant nestled in among the plethora
of Chinese eateries just up from the ANZ Bank, but upon hearing of it from a
foodie friend of mine I was determined to give it a try one lazy Saturday
lunchtime. This end of Burwood Road is much quieter than the section of it in
and around Burwood Westfield - far more peaceful and much easier to get a
parking spot.
Being a relatively
new eatery, when we came in for lunch it was quite busy, filled with locals
who'd come in for their Pho/Vietnamese fix. We were seated at the banquette
seating, right next to a large window that showcased some chefs hard at work
peeling onions (*cry*). The staff are young and friendly, and the menu expands
the length of traditional Vietnamese fare: Pho, Noodle Soups, Vermicelli
Salads, Rice Dishes, DIY rice paper rolls, congee, smaller snacks and larger, pricier mains that are ideal for sharing at lunch or dinner. The drinks menu
is quite large too, featuring a number of refreshing Vietnamese drinks such as
condensed milk coffee, tea slushies, coconut juice and jelly drinks.
Pho tai - Beef Noodle Soup with medium rare beef, $11
Their signature
Wagyu Beef Pho is just under $20, but we try the more traditional Beef Pho,
which comes with thin slices of beef cooked gently in an aromatic master stock.
Upon ordering noodle soups we are given the option of a regular or large, and
the regular is quite large to be honest. The large would be better for sharing
between two, or for one hungry eater. The Pho broth is clear and richly spiced
- almost medicinal in flavour, which is what we like in a Pho. A nice, clean
taste follows, and I can't help but just sip on the broth after Mum had
finished the noodles.
Mi bo kho - Egg noodle soup with stewed beef brisket, $11.50
I ordered the Beef
Brisket Egg Noodle Soup, a favourite of mine because I love the stringly,
tender brisket pieces and soft, gelatinous tendon. The egg noodles go perfectly
with it, and the soup is rich and tomatoey, thickened slightly with a hint of
cornflour to give it an attractive shimmer. Carrot pieces and onion added to
the soup's deep, slightly acidic taste. Sometimes beef brisket noodle soups
come with some muscle or fat still attached, and this one did. I eat it all
anyway. Oh, how I love beef brisket. You are the love of my food life.
Com do ga gion - Crispy skin chicken with tomato rice (here with white rice), $12
GG and CK both got
the fried chicken with rice - a simple, tasty classic that never fails to
please. The crunchy, golden-brown exterior of the chicken encases the moist,
tender chicken inside giving a marvellous crunch when bitten into. IT comes
with a peppery, salty broth on the side and lovely vinegary carrot and daikon
pickles, grated in that cute zig-zag pattern.
Dad got the satay
beef noodle soup and, as the name suggests, it was just like a satay version of
beef noodle soup. We were surprised to find a big clump of cornflour in the
soup, which was thick and almost gravy-like in consistency. It was tasty and quite different, to be
honest, but in the future I think Dad will most likely stick to the Vietnamese
classics which always seem to be the best option when you don't know what to
order. It's good to try new things, but sometimes they're not always what you think they'll be.
For Vietnamese food
in Burwood, Mint is a lovely local place to get your Pho fix at a reasonable
price - not dead cheap like Flemington or Cabramatta, but reasonably priced
between $10 - $20. We'll definitely be back to try some more of their many
dishes on offer, as avid lovers of Vietnamese food. It's good to find new
places on an old haunt once in a while.
Website:
1 comments
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