Huong Lua
There's not many things better than a steamy bowl of pho on a rainy, cold night. The best-known dish of Vietnam is a rare combination of comfort and lightness which guarantees satisfaction every time.
The Pho at Huong Lua is a glistening hug in liquid form. More herbal and spiced than the average offering, the complexity of the flavours in this bowl makes this pho a particular stand-out among all the different phos I have tried over the years. Another point of difference is its treatment of bean sprouts: instead of the usual raw beans chucked on top of a bowl of pho, the bean sprouts at Huong Lua are buried under all the noodles so that they are mildly cooked by the hot broth and mixed in with the noodles. I have to say, I much prefer sprouts this way.
For many years as a kid I believed soft shell crabs were a special kind of crabs, and worried about how they would defend themselves even as I hypocritically munched on them. Now I know that soft shell crabs are actually crabs caught and cooked as they are releasing their old shells and before their new shells harden - and what a soft yet slightly crunchy treat they make! Huong Lua amplifies the regular Vietnamese roll to include this delicacy - and the result is delicious.
This is a rather unusual dish. I have only ever had coconut rice cake in the form of desserts, as the rich creaminess of coconut cream immediately takes me to a tropical island and conjures up images f relaxation and happiness, even when there's a huge list of things I'd rather do than bake myself to a crisp at the beach. So imagine my surprise as I dug into this curiously soft and creamy tofu-like creation topped with shitake mushroom and salmon roe! I would definitely recommend sharing this generous dish with at least one other person (preferably three), because while the flavour is surprising in a good way, it is also rather rich.
Score: 4 / 5
The food here is more delicate than the average cheap-eats Vietnamese restaurant, but the portions sizes are quite generous. I would certainly recommend it.
Price: slightly more expensive than the average Vietnamese restaurant, but considering the quality of food, worth every additional penny.
Address: Shop 3, 1-5 Railway St, Chatswood NSW
Website: www.huonglua.com.au
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| Pho |
The Pho at Huong Lua is a glistening hug in liquid form. More herbal and spiced than the average offering, the complexity of the flavours in this bowl makes this pho a particular stand-out among all the different phos I have tried over the years. Another point of difference is its treatment of bean sprouts: instead of the usual raw beans chucked on top of a bowl of pho, the bean sprouts at Huong Lua are buried under all the noodles so that they are mildly cooked by the hot broth and mixed in with the noodles. I have to say, I much prefer sprouts this way.
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| Soft shell crab roll |
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| Coconut Rice Cake |
Score: 4 / 5
The food here is more delicate than the average cheap-eats Vietnamese restaurant, but the portions sizes are quite generous. I would certainly recommend it.
Price: slightly more expensive than the average Vietnamese restaurant, but considering the quality of food, worth every additional penny.
Address: Shop 3, 1-5 Railway St, Chatswood NSW
Website: www.huonglua.com.au
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