LOCATIONTen minutes from the city on Goodwood Road.
PROFILED BY DEGROOTS MEDIAA nice surprise about this restaurant is its style. Vietnamese eateries are loved for their cheap and cheerful appeal with the cuisine being the main drawcard. At Vietnam Palace you’ll find taste and thought put into both decor and dishes. It’s a contemporary room with polished floorboards, funky high-backed chairs and glamorous lighting. Sure, there are the omnipresent claret table cloths and paper serviettes. Yes, there is a fish tank but this one is a rather handsome, regal-looking specimen with a lounge area nearby. Owner and chef Andy Trinh has spent many years in the business but recent times has seen him move his iconic Vietnam Palace from Chinatown to this groovy Goodwood address. Naturally, loyal customers have followed to continue enjoying his well-loved menu.
Hot pots are always a treat and there are six here to poke your chopsticks in. A particularly luxurious option is a dish of seasonal fish cutlets, pork belly, onions, shallots and cracked pepper. Ground chilli is thrown in and all are simmered in a flavoursome fish sauce. The pots keep your food snug and warm making them a cosy way to sup. You may prefer to share the love and spread dishes across the table. This Vietnamese way of eating means most menu items lend themselves to being divvied among friends. Trinh’s grilled pork balls are famous. An authentic Vietnam Palace dish, the golden balls come with steamed vermicelli, garden vegetables and rice paper to wrap it all up. King prawns, chicken, beef and barbeque pork make combination noodles a substantial side. If you’re looking for a wow factor then sizzling steak won’t disappoint with its piping hot hissing platter of thinly sliced meat marinated in special soy sauce and lemongrass. Its heat is a perfect excuse to indulge in a dessert of liqueur ice-creams afterwards.
Roz Taylor