LOCATIONA few minutes’ walk down Palmer Street from Oxford; enter via the courtyard.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIANeighbourhood whispers have grown to a shout, transforming Phamish Vietnamese restaurant from popular to sacrosanct. The local eating house has gained cult-like status among the echelons of foodie society, luring in the converted and the curious with its fresh and fast Vietnamese cuisine. The former Paddington institution recently shuffled a few blocks west, bringing with it its band of efficient staff and highly revered menu. The addition of extra seats hasn’t reduced the queues, however, with waiting lists and belly rumbles the norm. Leave your name and number and bide your time at the nearby watering hole. Good things come to those who wait; and in the case of Phamish, these are tastebud-tingling, mouth-popping things. Now tucked away in the shelter of the Republic 2 courtyard, rubbing elbows with Universal, Wow Thai and Lucio Pizzeria, Phamish’s glossy, red stools are scattered throughout the interior and across the pavers.
Chopsticks at the ready, nibble your way through the fresh flavours of Vietnam, with its infusion of aromatic herbs and wok-swept produce. The Phamish menu has been tweaked slightly, its ingredients revolving on a seasonal basis, featuring beans, tofu and mushrooms in summer and lotus root when the cold sets in. Originating from the tourist Mecca of Hoi An in central Vietnam, Phamish’s particular style of pancake sees duck and prawn snuggled together in small sheets of rice-paper. Summer’s offerings include daily vegetarian specials and a range of zesty salads – green papaya and beef, duck and banana blossom, and chicken and prawn. Alternatively, the lightly pan-fried fish of the day or moreish bowl of salt and pepper squid pleases the palates of Phamish’s many devotees. The curse of popularity, many of the restaurant’s specialties sell out before night’s end, so get in early to avoid missing out.
Lauren Barker