The Thousands

Valley rats and Asian restaurants mate for life – once you pick a favourite pre-drink, coat-the-old-stomach restaurant, you’re forevermore monogamous. If that’s true, I just became a Mormon, because I found the last frontier of authentic Asian eating and it’s got me acting all unfaithful-like to my regular eateries.

Off the beaten China Town track and back towards the city a little, Pho Huang Gia offers more than those others ever could. You’ll soon learn that it takes no promise of impending intoxication to enjoy a meal here. The decor is minimal and clean, a sort of Asian/American diner fusion with lots of bright lights, mirrors and shiny white surfaces that look clean enough to eat off. Sweet little condiment trays on every table come complete with a box of Kleenex instead of serviettes (a tradition I am not familiar with).

A huge menu of Vietnamese delicacies and that authentic order-by-number system are on offer. Sugar cane prawns, vermicelli salads and mango bubble tea are unmatched for freshness and flavour. Corkage is a mere $1.50 per person and portions are so large, you’d have a tough time eating more than $20 worth of food. I recommend anything that is AIY (assemble it yourself) or comes with a side salad. The massive garlands of herbs, greenery and bean sprouts that dress these plates are worth your dollars just in themselves. Apart from pho, rice paper rolls and pork omlette are definitely trending.