Monkey Magic has been around for a while, but has changed hands multiple times and while previous…read morevisits have been favorable, tonight's visit was pretty poor. The current owners are Vietnamese and while this isn't always a problem, in this case the chef seemed to struggle with how to make the Chinese food dishes we ordered. The result was the food was not at all authentic and each dish was quite the 'surprise' and obviously open to the chef's interpretation. The food wasn't bad per se although, although 3 or the dishes pretty much tasted and looked the same. The more complex dishes like Peking Duck were way over cooked and inferior to what I'd buy pre packaged at Costco. Service was also very poor- our waiter admitted it was his first night on the job and unfortunately it showed- hospitality might not be his thing. Another more experienced waitress shadowed him and was pleasant enough, but unfortunately got our order wrong multiple times and was forever apologising and the third waiter looked like he really didn't want to be there. They tried to palm us to the banquet, which was obviously the staple dishes they could make easily and were confused when we declined; they also decided what dishes they believed were 'entrees' and what were 'mains' and used this as the excuse for delayed food. When we asked them to bring all the food out in one hit (as chinese food normally is), they ended up just forgetting our dishes, or then made the excuse that they were given to the wrong table. They even got orders for glasses of water wrong. The restaurant itself was also freezing cold and quite echo-y- contributing to a really bad experience all round. I've eaten here before in previous years and found it fantastic- unfortunately the current owners (and they've apparently been in business since early 2012) don't seem to have maintained its earlier reputation. Probably give it a miss here on until we hear of a new owner coming on board.

Flavours of Vietnam This family run business is a long time…read moreDickson institution. The food is really good, the prices are very reasonable and the portions are generous. We came for dinner on a Wednesday night and it was super busy. Despite this our food came out really quickly. The owners and staff are friendly and make time to say hello to everyone! BYO for $7 a bottle is a plus!

The ambience is laid-back and it's great for group, single and couple bookings. We were served…read moreright away, led to a table and gave us a minute to decided before taking our orders. Their menu was not over-whelming which was great and was broken up into entrees, entree soups, house specialities, beef rice noodle soups, etc. I went vanilla and since I was craving it, ordered their crispy chicken with tomato rice... Full review: purplecuriosity.wordpress.com/2021/01/26/pho-phu-quoc-vietnamese-restaurant/

Best pho since I left Melbourne. After a spontaneous pho…read morehankering, I visited Latiato and left feeling existentially complete. Fresh basil, lemon, chili and shoots accompanied the dish, served in a ceramic bowl bigger than my head. I left feeling warm, sated, and looked-after. I've been on the lookout for good pho in Canberra, and I'll be returning here for more.

I really like this little cafe. If I am staying in Civic or nearby, I always visit to get my…read moretakeaway dinner. It's a simple restaurant tucked in the corner of Garema Place alongside lots of other cafes and bars. Despite the fact that there are never more than a few people in the place, it seems to have outlasted many of the other cafes and bars that come and go. Typical Vietnamese and Chinese fare cooked fresh to order. On my most recent visit I ordered the Vietnamese Pancake with pork filling. As it was takeaway, that put the pancake in one container, sauce in another and salad in a ziplock bag so I could make it up back at the hotel. It was delicious and very good value at $14.50 as it also did me for lunch the next day. Don't be put off by the fact that's there are not many people in the cafe. They do a roaring trade in takeaway. Service is friendly too.

Had a great bowl of laksa at a really good price…read more My sister is the one who discovered this place and she dragged me back there to try it out. After tasting their seafood laksa, I understand the fuss. It tasted authentic, the portion was huge and the price was very competitive. My sister and I could have easily split the bowl of noodles and both be satisfied. I also love the friendly service and the sweet gesture of offering a bowl of shrimp crackers to snack on while we wait for the food. The place is at a convenient location too so it definitely deserves a visit if you're looking for food around London Circuit.

Suburban Vietnamese restaurant. Pleasant decor and service…read more Free water offered upon arrival. I had the prawn laksa for $16.90. Around eight tasty and crisp prawns. A scattering of vegetables, some noodles and a bland liquid left me wishing I had ordered differently.

Tasty food, quick service and reasonably priced, this is a great little Vietnamese restaurant…read more Chicken in green pepper sauce and sizzling pork were excellent.

My wife and I love pho. In the past few months, we have tried at least five places in Canberra and…read moretwo places in Queanbeyan in the quest for the best pho. Simply put, this little place, tucked away in a nondescript pedestrian laneway off the main street in Queanbeyan, is it. The pho here is so good that I really am in two minds about submitting this review lest it encourage even more people to come here thereby making it harder for us to get a table! What makes it so good? The critical component of pho is the broth. The broth here is quite phenomenal. It has a great depth and intensity of complex, beautiful flavour. You could honestly get away with not adding anything to it and it would still taste great. I could not say the same of anywhere else I have had pho. The first sign that the pho here is going to be superior is the amount and freshness of the bean sprouts and, particularly, the Thai basil. It's fresh as in 'freshly picked straight out of the garden' fresh. None fresher in Canberra. Also, they provide four types of chilli: Fresh chilli, Sriracha chilli sauce (the red bottle at the table), chilli paste in oil and pickled chilli paste. I have not seen this anywhere else. I love chilli and thoroughly recommend adding all four. But for those somewhat wary of chilli, Sriracha sauce is not really hot and the pickled chilli paste is not hot. Of course, there is also the hoisin sauce (the brown bottle at the table) for additional flavour and a touch of sweetness. I recommend adding it. Make sure you squeeze the lemon wedge into the soup for that note of contrasting sourness. My wife and I come here just about every week. Quite literally nearly every week. And we see the same people here every week. This place is clearly inspiring a dedicated following. Beyond the food, the service is friendly and efficient and the place is very neat and clean. Unfortunately, Sai Gon Pho has been closed over Christmas and it is killing me! But they re-open on Saturday 12 January. See you there.

This place is very plain and not if you want fancy dining or exotically-prepared food…read more However, this has the real Vietnamese classics, with a good selection of tasty soups, served properly with sprouts, lemon, herbs and fresh chili on the side. Genuine and tasty banh mí made to order from the window at lunchtime. Most of the clientele appear to be discerning about getting the real thing, and it's tasty and arrives fast. $12 for a hearty noodle soup is great value for money. Not quite the range if Pho Phu Quoc in Dickson, but this is a good option for cheap cheerful dining in Civic.

Had dinner here yesterday. Its quite a perfume'y broth, not bad but a bit strong. The rice noodles…read moreare thicker than we get in US based places but OK I guess. Did not try anything else but wanted the Hot Vietnamese coffee with sweet cream but the people were not sure they had it as the owner was not in. Not a big thing and admit it was not on the menu but just don't put it over ice. Just OK

Food: I really hate to say this, but I think Tu Do put me off pho from the very first time I had it…read more(which happened to be at Tu Do). The broth was extremely sweet and the beef was just a little chewy, which is surprising for thin sliced beef. The only things I do recommend on their menu is their entrees, which are out of this world. Be aware, though, that some of their fried entrees are extremely greasy. Let it sit and drain for a while more before tucking in. My favorite: fresh spring rolls. Service: abrupt, sometimes down right rude. When I go to Tu Do, I often go by myself and I find that they tend to ignore me in favor of their larger groups. Yet, when I go with a group, they tend to perform better. Atmosphere: Tu Do is a small little restaurant that can sit large groups, albeit with tiny corners and space between tables. It can get very busy during their lunch/dinner times and you will find that your party and you might have a hard time hearing each other as the night wears on. For couples and singles like me, I also find that sometimes the cashier will just sit there and stare at you. Quite discomforting. Conclusion: get take away and picnic in your balcony.

Friendly staff, good food…read more Pretty good pho, which is what attracted me initially. I've branched out a little in recent visits. The whole fried fish was pretty glorious at just under $30. With a vege side that makes a hot meal for two. The best thing about the place is how friendly the owner/manager is. Always smiling, always chatty. Here's a story though. Last time I went a kid was eating at the table next to me with her mum. Maybe 4 years old. As she gets up to leave, she takes three steps towards me and then start projectile vomiting. Hurling. This beige, chunky stream. Team America all over again. Halfway through this exorcism, her eyes shift. BAM! She's looking at me right in the eyes. I'm staring at this little girl, she's staring at me. She's got a fountain of regurgitated rice-paper roll (otherwise delicious by the way) connecting her mouth to the floor. And her face is emotion-less, so free of embarrassment, with maybe only a hint of confusion. Very memorable! NOTE THAT THIS EXPERIENCE IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PLACE. In fact, the waiter came over and he was so cool about the whole thing. He saw the funny side, and was cleaning it up before the mother could even apologise. I think their prices may have gone up recently, but it's still decent value - you can get a meal for about $15 each.

Excited by the prospect of this restaurant but let down by the food, good service nice workers. The…read morefood was either incredibly bland and boring or overpoweringly strong. Two stars...

Fantastic Vietnamese/Asian all vegan. Very diverse menu,…read moreeverything was great, service good. In the heart of trendy Dickson.

Hello. It's Brendo here. I write very, very few reviews. And, I only do so when I moved by…read moresomething being so good, Nguyen's Bistro has moved me. We arrived here by accident on a sunny Sunday afternoon as our first choice being inside Verity Lane was closed. Sitting on the corner of Northbourne Ave & Alinga street near the light rail terminus we enjoyed Fresh Vietnamese Rolls, chicken satay with peanut sauce, fish cakes and Bao pork buns. Just superbly fresh & delicious. Finished off with a glass of Clonakilla Riesling. Life doesn't get much better! I fully commend Nguyen's Bistro for gastronomic delight.

We happened on this place by chance. A minor plus is that it was open, since for some reason so…read moremany restaurants in the vicinity seem to be closed on Sundays. Another pro was that the staff were friendly and the food came out relatively quickly. The food was average. I had the pork chop on broken rice. The chop was juicy with a nice crust, although the portion was a bit small, about the size of of 2 credit cards. My daughter had the beef pho. The broth was less than average, although the meat was tender. Oddly, there was a small bird flying about the restaurant's interior. The backdoor was open and the bird would come and go, landing on some of the lighting fixtures above our tables. The staff didn't seem to mind or do anything (such as shut the door), so I can only imagine that the bird is a "regular" there. The bird really scared my daughter, and she could not relax during her meal. Other customers were holding the door open trying to shoo it out. It's not really sanitary to have a bird flying above while you eat. Imagine the dust that it's kicking around and whatever might be dropping from it. For some reason they don't take American credit cards. Luckily, I had some cash with me. I won't be going back here.