We're so lucky in Sydney because our vibrant migrant culture means we have pockets of areas where you step off the train and could almost believe you're in a different country. Cabramatta is such a place. Yes, it took 2 hours on the train for us just to get there, but the amazing food we got was worth it.
What's Cabramatta best known for? Vietnamese food, of course.
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| Pho Tau Bay lunch |
One of the oldest and most famous pho eateries in Sydney is Pho Tau Bay. Established in 1980, Pho Tau Bay boasts a 'secret recipe' for its delicious pho broth.
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| Large Special beef pho, $20 |
The special beef pho comes with the lot: rare beef, beef briskets, beef balls, tendon and tripe (that's cow's stomach y'all). I am normally a rare beef-only gal, but since we're at Pho Tau Bay, we decided to go for the whole hog. Just in case you're interested in what tripe tastes like, it actually doesn't have much of a taste - certainly not gamey or strange in anyway. We have it for the texture, mostly: it is a bit crunchy like jelly fish.
The famous pho broth does not disappoint. It is absolutely light and clear, yet the flavours are complex and nuanced. The addition of lime and basil is a must; and I highly recommend dipping the beef parts or even the noodles into hoisin or fish sauce.
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| Pork chops, $5 |
The pork choc was a little bit on the dry side, but the flavours are great.
The bill for the meal at Pho Tau Bay came to $20. That fed two of us (the large pho was HUGE), so that's $10 each - you can't say that's not a bargain.
However, as we stepped out of the restaurant, we kept getting distracted by the small bakeries and fruit shops that line the street; and the tempting aromas that came wafting out made us believe we were still hungry. To feed what I believe to be very much a phantom hunger, we kept eating.
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| Sesame bread, $1 |
Plain and boring at first sight, this sesame bread is actually rather sweet. The dough is chewy and quite oily, but oh-so-satisfying.
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| Pandan cake, $1.50 |
Pandan is one of my favourite flavours for dessert. Messina does a pretty mean pandan flavoured gelato, for example; and yes - pandan does make everything it touches an alarming radioactive green. This pandan cake wins on texture: it is light, fluffy, moist; just like an angel-food cake.
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| Grapes, $8.50 / kg |
I have never seen grapes shaped like this before. They're apparently a product of Australia, so please - if anyone knows where to get these long grapes outside of Western Sydney, let me know. I need them in my life. They're a lot crunchier than regular grapes, with an almost pear-like texture. Amazing.
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| Cassava cake, $4 |
Cassava is a woody shrub native to South America, and it looks like a sweet potato (except grayish). This cake is absolutely gorgeous - it is sweetened with condensed milk. However, if prepared incorrectly, Cassava contains cyanide; and some people (especially those with an existing latex allergy) are allergic to the plant, so consume at your own risk. I did not know this as I munched on these dense, moist, slightly sweet cakes; and I'm happy to report I am still alive, so these cakes must have been prepared correctly.
Score: 4 / 5
Not a grand, beautiful meal that you would remember for a long time to come (that would be
Gastro Park); but that doesn't take away from the fact that we had so much fun eating in Cabramatta.
Price: cheap as chips.
Address: Pho Tau Bay is located at 12/117 John St Cabramatta
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