Owner and chef Ben Nguyen has done things his own way for nearly three decades. From the kitschy interior filled with knick-knacks to the eclectic menu that spans a lengthy repertoire of Vietnamese favourites beyond pho,there’s no restaurant like Hai Au Lang Nuong in the country.

Locals are here for the grilled dishes,and the silver perch is a seriously good display of cooking – crisped skin with aromatic flesh that pulls away from the bone at a touch. Barbecued pork skewers,slightly sweet and kissed by charcoal,are served with rice paper,salad and noodles to wrap your own rolls.

And it’s not just about the grill:seafood hot pot is reminiscent of what you find in Vietnam with scallops,pipis,mussels,periwinkles and cockles arriving in a creamy,laksa-like broth. The impressive array of dessert guarantees a fruity finish to what feels like a night out in Ho Chi Minh City.

Continue thisseries

South Sydney

Up next

Phu Quoc

Evergreen favourite with a perennial queue.

The Pines

Hamptons-channelling eatery in a prime beachfront position.

Previous

Fontana

Casual tratt with a confident kitchen and informed,warm service.

See all stories