This place never disappoints!…read more The owners sponsor/support several orphans in Vietnam and tips go towards this great cause.Front of house staff leave a little to be desired (reminders for cutlery, if you are outside you may nee to wave them down to order, delivery of food isn't always great etc), however they are friendly and seem happy to be there. However what may be lacking up front is certainly made up for in the kitchen. The food always is fresh and tasty and covers off on all of the favorites, plus they keep it interesting with changing specials. Outdoor seating is great during periods of warmer weather with enough action happening in the local area to keep you entertained (if your dinner guests aren't up to the challenge), however not too much so as to be distracted if deep in dinner conversation.

This place has been in the ponds for ages, for some reason my work mates and I never considered…read morelunching here despite the fact we love Vietnamese food and eat at the other 2 Vietnamese restaurants on puckle street often. I guess we just forgot this existed? Anyway we corrected that right away when we realized the fact and had Friday lunch here. Prices are a bit steep compared to the other places. Just a tad though. But couldn't help but let this become a factor as the portion size of food we ordered was on the smaller side. It was incredibly tasty though! I ordered the pork skewer vermicelli salad and the others the same but with grilled chicken instead. I was surprised they dunk the dipping sauce in your bowl already - efficiency I guess? Not something I'm used to seeing but I didn't really mind it, but what happens if you diner couldn't tolerate chili or something like that? Vietnamese iced coffee (cafe sua da) was good. They do it legit - and I say this because I know some places where they just use like instant Nescafé blend 46 coffee or something!) A huge plus with this place is because it's right next to the wine bar you get to order booze from them and have it sent over to you. That or you can go to the wine bar and then order from here and they deliver to you - love the partnership here. All in all. Of the 3 Vietnamese restaurants in moonee ponds, this is my second best pick. I wouldn't avoid it but I'll def come here if I'm after a change.

Ended up going on a whim and it was the best decision! Extensive vegan options and everything is…read morevery affordable. The spicy Pho is so good and spicyyyy, rice paper rolls were huge and the peanut sauce was such a good compliment alongside, the vegan pad viet was to die for!!! Highly highly recommend, I could have had two serves! The place was cozy and very warm for winter nights, definitely recommend and would visit again!!

Saigon Soul is an effortless 4.2 for me…read more Gosh, I wish this was our local Vietnamese restaurant. It's a cute understated place with adorable food. It doesn't have stereotypical Asian decor, instead going for an engagingly quirky look that screams comfort and warmth rather than style. It's quite a sizeable place with a decent back area and we liked it very much. Today we chose prawn dumplings which were soft, flavoursome and lovely and very well made. This was our first introduction to the subtle spicing and seasoning in the dishes here. The dishes don't hit you between the eyes but rather creep up on you. The duck spring rolls were in the same style. Lovely and crispy with great filling and with that subtle flavouring that was by now really beginning to intrigue me. As if the entrees weren't good enough, the mains really hit the heights. The excellent East meets West dish consists of beautifully tender and flavoured grilled chicken. It's a really lovely dish with chilli, garlic, lemongrass and coleslaw topped with mixed herbs. I could eat chicken this good any time. Our dish of the meal though was Week to Week, which is a steamed barramundi fillet - a huge one at that - with caramel, soy, fish sauce and garlic topped with cilantro and pepper. This dish is off the charts good. The barramundi fillet was huge and just magnificently cooked. The flesh just fell away but was still full of abundant moisture. The spicing and seasoning again here was masterful. Delicate and understated yet lovely enough to leave that wonderful residual warmth on the lips. We adored this dish which is one of the world's great food steals for $19. We had a wonderful meal here. With places like Saigon Soul in Ascot Vale, Cochin in Richmond and Tien Day in Box Hill I'm pretty much convinced that the best Vietnamese food is off Victoria Street these days. We'd like to thank Thien for the kind invitation to dine here. Could you give higher praise than wanting Saigon Soul to be your local.

When traveling for work we like to make the most of the trip and dine locally and so this week's…read morejourney was to the race course up north. The most popular choice for dinner was laksa but we've been there so instead went for another top 5? Hem27 Vietnamese. Located on the block in front of coles it's a deceptively small front with plenty of seats that extend towards the back. This is the area of shops right before Showground on the same side. $17+ stirfry this place is more expensive than your average minimal deco Vietnamese place. We picked it because it looks cleaner than the average too, with Vietnamese the nicer it looks the more expensive it is. The main seating area, when we left. It was almost full during service. Arriving as one person we were sent to the loners lane, the hallway. You can face the fridge or towards the back. Wonton Soup $6 - Starting with a soup, there were four wontons, I love mom's version but she's not here and I can barely cool. These wontons were plain though the broth was good, they aren't authentic. Fine Net Seafood Spring Rolls with Fine Rice Vermicelli $12 - A platter! To be eaten leaf cup style, watch out for the fish sauce running down your arms! There were enough cups for all but the last three spring rolls. The spring rolls themselves were crispy and held their own light. I've never had these before, lightly seasoned they weren't too salty nor did I encounter an unwanted pepper! I do prefer normal spring rolls actually. You don't actual need fish sauce for the spring rolls, but rather the vermicelli. The verdict? Delicious and I'm falling at a fast and steady rate into a food coma after these two dishes. At $12 this is standard pricing which I'm very pleased with, as these could go for $14-16 with the deco of this place. Sweet Steamed Rice Cake (BÁNH BÒ) $6 Made from rice flour with a slight aroma of coconut served with coconut cream What they didn't say was that this dessert is designed for 2-3 people! It's a spongy but not cake cake thing, made of rice flour. It's like lola's white cake in Hawaii. I like it! It's a bit sweet and sour, dipped into a creamy coconut cream, all that was missing was some sesame seeds! Service? They do take card. Service was good though a bit lost in translation when I ordered off the menu (that vermicelli in my main, a different type was paired with the spring rolls, though I asked for a different noodle). Foreign but friendly. Their website is great, minus the lack of a pdf menu download, very easy to use with a full menu. Most Vietnamese places don't do this. Will we be back? Sure, if we're in the area.

Travelled across town to Hem 27 based on the review in "The Weekly Review". Very disappointed…read more I think the reviewer had mixed up their notes from another restaurant as this place was nothing like the review. Muddy tastes the norm, no different to any other second rate place.

I love this place and regularly truck across town for the excellent bánh mì that they serve. I've…read morenever had anything other than the "Vietnamese Pork" option here. They also have BBQ pork and chicken options, but trust me, you don't want anything other than the wonderful mysterious (also possibly listerious, but don't let that get in the way of your belly) selection of sliced and spreadable pork that makes up this great lunch sandwich. They also bake bread and other things, but pay no attention to these distractions and order the sandwich. Apparently nobody has informed the lovely owners of this shop that it is no longer 1958, because incredibly, the sandwich costs $4. Four dollars, that's like the modern day ha'penny. I bought a Coke that cost more than that yesterday (up yours 7-11). I ate a banh mi on Smith St a couple weeks back that cost more, tasted less, and had me lined up down the footpath for 10 minutes before I could even order it. I should have headed across town instead...life is too short for bad sandwiches. I should mention that you can't really dine-in here. There is a dilapidated table with a few questionable chairs but you'll most likely end up sitting on a bench on Racecourse Rd while stuffing your face and trying to convince your thoughts that a second sandwich at lunch really is a little excessive.

I love the tiger rolls here with vietnamese pork filling. The crunchy roll really makes the…read moredifference. It the one thing I look forward to when I go through Newmarket. I try to go on Saturdays cos they're open then, but not on Sundays. It's a pity there are no good coffee shops in the area (the place on the cnr of Pin Oak and Norwood is the best around). Cos you have to drive to Kensington for coffee.

I was a phene for pho in my university days - my housemate introduced me to my first bowl of…read moresteaming Vietnamese deliciousness at the tender age of 21. How I lived without it for all those years, I don't know. Thank gosh for friendship. Good Days is a hip new Vietnamese eatery in Brunswick that I wish existed in my neighbourhood. It's a cozy and welcoming reprieve from the bustle of the street, and a great mid-week dinner. I was catching up with an old friend, and we nabbed two bar seats which was a good life choice as you can watch the chefs prepare the food as you await your food coma. The menu is short and sweet featuring four Vietnamese classics (pho, rice paper rolls, chicken rice, and noodle salad) but with a point of difference. The impressive twist? Good Days is vegan-friendly and all the meat is ethically sourced - unheard of, I know! The free range pork is from McIver Farm Foods, the free range chicken is from Milawa Farms, the pasture raised organic beef is from Creighton Creek and Australian prawns are from North Queensland. Now for the real 'jump on your chair' moment - they have vegan pho! The aromatic vegetable broth (shiitake mushroom and kombu base) was exceptional, and the grilled and braised Asian mushrooms on top gave a 'meaty' vegetarian touch to the dish. My friend got the pork and prawn noodle salad with homemade rice paper rolls and we both agreed we could drink a gallon of the nuoc cham sauce it comes with. I have a weakness for rice paper rolls and highly recommend the mushroom and tofu vegan entree. The drinks menu features coconut water, Vietnamese iced coffee and jasmine tea. Speak to the staff if you're gluten-free and they will happily help you out. Good Days is an undersell - it's more like Great Nights and life-changing mushroom pho!

Disclaimer: I know Nam personally (the mastermind who created Good Days Brunswick). We went to…read moreVietnamese school together back in the "good old days" when you could get a solid Banh Mi for 2 bucks at lunchtime (sold out of an esky by a little VN granny). Long story short, Nam is a quiet achiever and nothing has changed. Continue to read my food review if you like. As I was visiting from outta town, I just had to skip my usual "benchmark dish" the Beef Pho and went straight to this mysterious Mushroom Pho. I must say I am converted. GDB use fresh succulent mushies. My fav is the innoki and the 2 slices of char grilled oyster mushroom cooked before me. The way it is beautifully presented reminded me of a scene from the 1985 Ramen movie "Tampopo." And just like in the movie, I caressed those 2 slices of oyster mushroom in that beautiful dark kombu broth and whispered "I shall meet you towards the end and eat you". One final note that sums up this dish is "delicate". I am not sure if pho from VN is delicate because of the portion size, the price or the way it is cooked. All I know is modern Aussie pho often lacks the subtlety of its motherland origins. In creating something unique, GDB is actually paying homage to an iconic dish. Pro tip: if you like the whole slow eating concept, I suggest you sit at the bar and kindly ask the chef to blanch your bean sprouts. This will help retain the temperature of your broth and you can savour every last drop, piping hot 'til you hit the spot. I also had the Saigon samurai beer which is ?locally brewed beer on tap. It is a light beer very similar to a 333 or Saigon bia (all it needs is some ice cubes and it's like being back in VN). Finally, I really wish someone else would create their version of this Mushroom Pho dish and battle Nam and his GDB team because then it would actually become something (just like in Japan you have different ramen based on different regions).

Every time I come here I leave disappointed. I should have known from the first time I went and…read morewaited 30 mins for a ridiculously small sized $6 avacado shake that tasted like ew! While staff are very nice, the food is not. The ice coffee is good, but obviously you want to come here predominantly to eat. One time I had beef pho - beef slices were real thick and soup bland. Another time was grilled chicken and rice - "grilled" was more like boiled then a thin glaze of something. Then spring roll rice vermicelli salad - bland. There's much better Vietnamese down the road, I suggest to walk the extra few blocks for it.

Simple tasty Thai pho. Service very quick, which makes me think that food id pre made.read more

I came here with a terrible flu and I needed the nourishment that only pho could provide me. I…read moredon't usually order the chicken pho since most places don't do a great version of it but I took the chance because I thought it would've been better for my health. Luckily, the version here is really good. The broth tasted super clean, with a nice heat from what tasted like fried shallots or onions. The chicken was also very moist and it came with a lot of noodles. I couldn't finish since my appetite was small from being sick so I took the rest of the broth home to enjoy again later. The broth alone helped me feel better when medicine and rest couldn't.

Overall this pho place is pretty good. Good service, nice and bright and airy. The problem for me…read moreis that I'm a fusspot when it comes to food. The noodles were slightly overcooked, and the broth was non classical. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but not top tier. Moderately priced I guess it's fair value for money. In other areas it would do well but here where there is so much competition.... well the busyness or lack thereof says something. Also portion sizes are slightly smaller when it comes to meat. All I all... good but not top tier

Awesome Banh Mi rolls and coffee! Reminds me of visiting Vietnam last year…read more Dining companion had the Beef Pho and after taking a taste you can tell their chef knows what they are doing as it had a great flavour. Friendly personal service from all staff. The front door explains that Ba Sar is phonetic for Ba Xa (with whatever letter accents my current keyboard can't do) that translates to "My darling wife" so I guess its a close family running this shop.

From the owner: Ba Sar is a Vietnamese Eatery sharing authentic, housemade family recipes. Fresh, healthy food in a…read moreuber cool suburban setting,