Nik


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Sunday, June 2, 2013 @ 5:06 PM PERMALINK


Last weekend I had a hankering for Vietnamese food and really wanted to check out the Vietnamese eateries at Joo Chiat.

I had narrowed down the choices to:

1. Quynh Giao Quan An Vietnam (Vietnamese Delights) - 149 Joo Chiat Road
2. The ever popular Long Phung Vietnamese Restaurant - 159 Joo Chiat Road

When we got to Joo Chiat and parked the car, there seemed to be a pretty long queue outisde Long Phung. Starving and (possibly) believing too much in signs from the universe, I decided that this meant that we should try Quynh Giao.



I had intended to just order pho but ended up ordering the Bun Bo Hue - Hue styled Beef Noodles. Ben had wanted to order fried rice but after my judgmental looks he changed his mind and ordered the pho (He would regret this later. Not because the pho wasn't good. Based on the taste I stole from his bowl, it was amazing..More on how this decision affected the night later on)



Slightly before our food arrived, in true Vietnamese fashion, a dish of bean sprouts, basil and limes were brought to the table.



This is my first time trying Bun Bo Hue so when it was served I was a little startled by the appearance of the dish. My thick rice noodles were swimming in a clear broth with a layer chilli oil floating on the top. Looks aside, the dish was great. There was a strong taste of lemon grass that was balanced by the chilli oil. Spicy and tart. The beef was stewed to melt in your mouth texture and even though I usually hate onions, the onions in the soup provided a balance to some of the sweetness of the broth. My only complaint? There was a dismal amount of noodles.

Ben's pho was great. The sliced beef didn't taste like it had been sitting in tenderizer and the broth was rich with a great balance of spices. I would say more but I only stole a spoonful before he finished the entire bowl.

Pho is usually served with rare beef that cooks as it sits in the hot broth but if you don't like the taste/look of rare beef, most eateries are able to pho bo chin - pho with well done beef slices.

Now, I know most people talk about Vietnamese coffee but I tried lotus tea during my trip there there and have been hooked ever since. Lotus tea is made from mixing dried lotus flowers with green tea. The end product is a fragrant tea that isn't too floral with a slightly nutty taste. It doesn't seem to be easy to find Lotus tea in Singapore so having a hot cup with dinner was really lovely.

We had the fried spring rolls as well. The sweet chilli and garlic dipping sauce was great, it wasn't too cloyingly sweet like many sweet chilli sauces are but the springs rolls were pretty average, still a good side dish to order though.

Still hungry after finishing my bun bo hue, I decided that since I'd already dragged Ben all the way to Joo Chiat that I should try the pho at Long Phung and find out once and for all which pho I preferred.





I ordered the pho and a lime soda. As I waited for my order to be served, Ben started looking very uncomfortable. He had already complained of feeling a little feverish and tired at Quynh Giao but didn't think it was a big deal. After some discussion, we figured that he was either suffering heat exhaustion or was allergic to some of the spices in the pho broth. Probably should have let him just eat fried rice.  Ben survived by the way, I guess he just won't be eating Vietnamese food with me ever again.

At Long Phung no side vegetables were served before the dish. Instead, all the basil and beansprouts are served in your bowl of pho - which works just as well.



Personally, I preferred the pho at Quynh Giao. While both Long Phung and Quynh Giao serve up beef slices that don't tasted overly tenderized and mushy. However, the broth at Long Phung is very sweet. It is probably down to personal preference but I'll definitely go back to Quynh Giao for my pho fix. Long Phung does have a large menu of dishes that I will probably return to sample though.

Atmosphere-wise, Quynh Giao is a little more gritty. The tables and chairs are a little sticky and dishes are cleared only when the tables are needed. Less consideration is also put into the overall decor at Quynh Giao. These things don't bother me at all but if you are looking for a more polished feel, you may be a little overwhelmed by Quynh Giao.

 Both eateries hosted Vietnamese customers so my guess is, no matter which one you decide to go to, you are more than likely to have a pretty authentic Vietnamese dinner.

No regrets pigging out on two bowls of noodles, it was worth it.

Labels: food adventure, Long Phung, lotus tea, Quynh Giao, vietnamese food

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