Parts of the internet claim that Phú Quốc in Cabramatta has the best spring rolls in Sydney. Despite often walking past Phú Quốc on weekends and feeling skeptical due to the predominantly Anglo-Saxon customer base—unlike most other local restaurants, which were frequented by Vietnamese patrons—we were eager to test this claim, having not yet found any spring rolls better than those made by D’s mother.
Bún Đặc Biệt ($19.50), ‘combination vermicelli salad’.
Generously drizzled with the accompanying nước chấm, this dish offered a delightful way to sample a variety of menu items, including chạo tôm (sugar cane shrimp), chả giò (spring rolls), thịt nướng (lemongrass pork), thịt bò lá lốt (betel leaf beef), and nem nướng (grilled pork sausage).
The spring roll, wrapped tightly in crisp rice paper, was densely packed with a generous mixture of pork, carrots, and glass noodles. They were among the best we had in Sydney, though we preferred the juicier pork mixture and added crunch from the water chestnuts in D’s mother’s version. The lemongrass pork, betel leaf beef, and grilled pork sausage were tender and well-seasoned, while the rest of the bowl featured a generous mix of fresh salad textures.
Surprisingly, the highlight was the sugarcane shrimp, which was delectably light, freshly fried, and had a springy texture. Prior to this, we hadn’t fully appreciated the allure of sugarcane prawn, but this dish changed our minds, making it the item we return for —
Bún chạo tôm ($18.00), ‘sugar cane shrimp vermicelli salad’.
The sugar cane shrimp had the same satisfying texture and flavour when ordered again on its own. However, there wasn’t enough salad or meat to balance the large portion of vermicelli for our preference. The deep bowl left many bites of just vermicelli with minimal salad at the end.
Phở Đặc Biệt ($18.00)
Their phở featured a more flavorful broth with a sweeter and richer beef profile than the version at Phở Tàu Bay, making it more suited to our tastes, though still a touch weak on the spices compared to our favourite at 3Q Quây Quần Quán. The noodles were silky smooth, albeit slightly softer than we prefer. The selection of beef was tender but lacked the wider variety of cuts available at Phở Tàu Bay. This was reflected in the smaller portion size and correspondingly lower price.
Pandan Tea (complimentary)
We enjoy the complimentary pandan green tea often served at Vietnamese restaurants in Cabramatta.
While we might not go back specifically for their spring rolls, the sugarcane prawn alone was worth a return visit. We enjoyed the dishes sufficiently to try more dishes from their extensive menu, which boasts a variety of Vietnamese and Chinese comfort foods.
Phú Quốc is located at 11/117 John St, Cabramatta NSW 2166.