Friends leaving for new lives interstate and overseas is both exciting (for them) as they have a new world of opportunities open to them, but sad (for those of us remaining) as when and where our next meeting will be is uncertain and time is measure in years and decades rather than months.
But whatever the reason, it's always nice to catch up with friends for dinner. This time we chose somewhere we were familiar with and seemed suitable for a rainy and windy Melbourne summer day: Pho Dzung City Noodle Shop.
Surprisingly, even though we were at one of the best pho restaurants in the city (which has the added bonus of being away from the hectic nature of Swanston St), two of our party didn't order pho. Sacrilege!
Instead they ordered Bun with spring rolls; and crispy chicken with tomato rice.
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| Bun with Spring Rolls |
Bun is Vietnamese for rice vermicelli, so what arrived was a dish of rice vermicelli, without soup, topped with assorted vegetables and many mini spring rolls. I believe they were pork but as I didn't get the chance to try one, I can't be sure. Decent value and filling and quite tasty from what I gather.
A similar story with the crispy chicken with tomato rice.
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| Crispy Chicken with Tomato Rice |
No prizes for presentation, but it was consumed pretty fast. The thought of tomato rice is still somewhat strange to me, but I suppose it would be slightly sweet and salty? Maybe I should just try it for myself.
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| Beef Combination Pho |
The food at Pho Dzung City Noodle Shop is tasty, cheap and filling and the staff are slightly friendlier than the other Vietnamese restaurants in the city. I'm guessing that being a little less busy would have something to do with it. If you get hit by a pho craving while in the city, my advice is to avoid the popular restaurants in Swanston St and take the time to venture into this establishment instead.
Pho Dzung City Noodle Shop
234 Russell St, Melbourne
Mon-Sun 9am-10pm
