With a significant concentration of the Vietnamese diaspora in Bankstown, the shopping district in the suburb is quite intimidating. Thankfully, I had N and T to cushion the experience, which started at Thanh Vân, a restaurant that specialises in hủ tiếu, a Vietnamese noodle dish.
To start, we have some complementary pandan tea flavoured green tea. It’s a mellow pandan flavour and an enjoyable surprise.
This is the hủ tiếu thập cẩm nước ($15.00), a ‘special combination clear rice noodle soup’. A pork bone-based soup is served with cellophane (or mung bean) noodles with a single prawn, slices of pork and various cuts of offal (heart, ear and intestine) and topped with various herbs and a prawn wonton cracker.
The soup is clear, yet carries a rich pork flavour along with a healthy dose of fish sauce and a hint of sweetness. The noodles are slightly chewy — but less bouncy than potato-based noodles — while the generosity and variety of meats add variation in textures and flavours. The overall effect very comforting.
I finish with a black coffee ($3.00). It’s a dark roasted coffee with a thick syrupy mouthfeel with the resulting bold bitterness and prominent acidity countered by an intense sweetness. I’m not a fan of condensed milk in coffee, but here, it would’ve rounded out the coffee’s acidity and masked its bitterness.
The coffee took some time to arrive — arriving after our meal — but the service was otherwise friendly.
Thanh Vân is located at 327 Chapel Rd, Bankstown NSW 2200.