PROFILED BY DEGROOTS MEDIALet’s be honest here – the Kew end of Glenferrie Road, with its view of trams coming and going from the terminus is not likely to be the best location for a restaurant. But inside Oanh’s Kitchen, all is peaceful and much quieter since the renovations were completed. The newly refurbished dining room is now a study in elegant simplicity. Big cylindrical light shades reach down from the ceiling, providing both light and stylish decoration. White rectangular plates with chopsticks, fork and spoon sit upon the white-clothed tables, patiently waiting to be picked up once the feast begins.
Oanh’s Kitchen sticks to a simple pricing structure: $14 for entrees, $30 for mains. The food is Vietnamese in origin, but innovative, thoughtful and modern. Oysters set in mirin jelly are a crowd-pleasing favourite with their silky texture and great balance of salty and sweet. The crab salad is another standout on the menu but if you’re finding it hard to choose, the entree tasting platter gives you a sample of everything. Main courses include duck served with a range of mushrooms and a particularly good salmon cutlet which are all good enough to share (though you might not want to!). For dessert, you can’t beat the toasted coconut ice-cream served in a wonderfully dramatic wide-rimmed plate. Sometimes the food can be slow coming out from the kitchen – don’t be too fussed about it and be sure to savour each dish when it does arrive.
Rita Erlich, April 2008
