If left to my own devices, Vietnamese cuisine is not one I would usually go out for, since Vietnamese to me means rice paper rolls, pho, pork rolls or nem nuong (Chargrilled pork sausage skewers).But hey, I was pretty wrong about that :) .
We booked for 7 PM, and were seated at Table #1 at the very edge of the restaurant. I personally found this more spacious and having a better view, but others may prefer a seat further inside more absorbed into the atmosphere of the restaurant, although it felt a tad cramp. The atmosphere was very chill and relaxed, with a nice red theme painted across the entire venue, with jazz music playing in the background. And right near the front, a chalkboard sign of the top picks Vui Va Say.
We were attended to quite swiftly and ordered an entree to share, two mains and two cocktails. I was fairly surprised at their included vegetarian menu and extensive list of cocktails, from their "Nek Minut Long Island", to their "Venom", which was Jagermeister, Blue Curacao and Cranberry Juice. Such an interesting concoction, who would've thought of mixing Jagermeister with Cranberry Juice! For drinks, we ended up getting a Taco Cat ($10) and a Blue Jube ($15), which were "Tequila, Bitters, house-made lemongrass syrup & ginger beer" and "Vodka, Bunderberg rum, Gin, Chambord, Triplesec, Blue Curacao & pineapple juice".
I found the Blue Jube tasting very average in terms of cocktails. It was nice, but just had the subtle flavour of Curacao (similar to Alize) with a stronger alcoholic aftertaste. However, the Taco Cat was a clear winner. Bitters, Ginger beer and Tequila is something I have never considered, but mix together so well as completely mask the flavour of the Tequila. Somewhere halfway between a Lemon Lime Bitters and Ginger Beer.
Lime, Chilli & Lemongrass Crocodile Skewers 3pc. $12.00
Feeling quite adventurous today so decided to try some Crocodile skewers. Where else can you get crocodile skewers? Friend wasn't too game to try but I ended up convincing her to give it a shot. The crocodile itself was a bit tough and chewy, but the Vietnamese style undertones were quite evident, with the lime, chilli, and lemongrass being distinguishable with each bite. Which is the type of food I enjoy; that lets you enjoy the dish without excessive amounts of flavour or sauce.
Vietnamese Braised Caramel Pork Belly $15.00
then caramelized with quail eggs and served with steamed rice. Funnily enough, I was expecting a crispy pork belly but instead I was pleasantly surprised with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly drenched in a sweet caramelized sauce. In my opinion, I would have preferred more fatty pieces of pork, but I cannot complain that there was an abundance of lean pork belly. The quail eggs were nice and mellow too, similar to the Japanese style of Soft Boiled Eggs but miniature and provided a strong contrast to the bite-sized pork belly in terms of texture and flavour.
Vui Va Say
127 King Street, Newtown
02 9517 2446
admin@vuivasay.com.au
Monday - Wednesday 6pm -10pm
Thursday - Saturday 6pm - Midnight
Sunday 5pm - 10pm
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