This is Hà Nội Oi, a recently opened restaurant in Cabramatta specialising in northern Vietnamese dishes.
The interior centres on a glass-separated open kitchen, referencing a Vietnamese street-stall format while maintaining a more structured dining environment.
Bánh tôm, bánh tôm khoai sợi, nem cua bể ($26.00) – Special Shrimp Cake Set
The sweet potato shrimp cakes were the strongest component. The exterior fractured with a pronounced crunch, giving way to a lightly firm centre that avoided the overt sweetness sometimes associated with sweet potato. The shrimp retained shell-on crispness, with juicy flesh that remained consistent across bites. The West Lake–style version, using potato, was slightly softer in its exterior but maintained the same contrast between crust and shrimp. The crab spring rolls were generously filled, wrapped in a thin rice-paper skin that produced a light crackle, with crab, water chestnut, carrot, and fungi contributing textural variation. These were well executed but less distinctive in context. Wrapped with herbs and lettuce and dipped into fish sauce, each component resolved into a balanced, contained bite. The shrimp cakes, across both formats, carried the clearest technical precision.
Mẹt xôi Đặc Biệt ($25.00) – Special Sticky Rice Platter
The platter was generous but uneven. The fried fish patty held a crisp exterior with a moist interior. The fried egg was overcooked, with a rubbery outer layer despite a still-moist centre. The braised pork presented as firm and chewy rather than yielding. Fried pâté integrated well with the sticky rice, which carried a mild, savoury seasoning reminiscent of chicken bouillon. The glutinous corn added texture without contributing significant flavour. The cucumber pickles leaned sweet. The dish reinforced a pattern where fried elements were more controlled than braised components.
Mẹt Bún Đậu Đặc Biệt ($25.00) – Special Vermicelli Platter (Fried Tofu, Pork Leg Meat, Green Sticky Rice Patty, Boiled Pork Tongue, Mantis Shrimp & Prawn Cake, Crab Spring Roll)
The fried items again held structure, with the tofu and seafood cake also achieving a crisp exterior and moist interior. The boiled meats were evenly cut. While authentic, the shrimp paste dipping sauce introduced a strong, fermented intensity that dominated the palate, limiting integration across components. A lighter nước chấm would have allowed clearer separation and improved balance across the platter.
Overall: a casual northern Vietnamese venue with clear technical strength in fried items, while braised and sauce-led components show less control.
Hà Nội Oi is located at 178 Cabramatta Rd West, Cabramatta NSW 2166.