Wrap & Roll

"It's only WRAP & ROLL but I like it!" is the tag line for the Vietnamese offering called Wrap & Roll at Westfield Sydney.

I was definitely keen to check out this place as there were many interesting dishes that you don't normally see at Vietnamese restaurants in Sydney, let alone in the cbd. As it's tag line suggests, it's largely wraps and rolls - you won't find beef noodle soup or pork chop rice. I was immediately drawn to the Bánh cuốn which is on the starters section of the menu. It's described as "Mushrooms and minced pork rolled with transparent freshly steamed rice paper, topped with fried shallots. Served with bean sprouts and fresh herbs and a Northern style sauce. A signature dish and a classic from the north."

Check out the steamy action!

It's worth checking out how they make the freshly steamed rice paper as the roll making counter is visible through glass. They pour the milky looking batter onto the steamer, cover it with a lid and in no time at all you have a delicate sheet of rice paper. It's a light dish, the pork mince and mushrooms make for a simple and homely taste, made complete by the fried shallots which adds a crunchy contrast to the rolls as well as giving the taste a stronger accent. The sauce is also light and fresh so that it doesn't overpower the dish. It's a light and fresh dish and I really enjoyed it. So much so, I've had it 3 times already and still can't bring myself to try the other dishes on the menu - that will have to wait til next time, assuming I can stop myself ordering the Bánh cuốn again!

Bánh cuốn

What: Wrap & Roll
Where: Shop 5004, Retail Level 5, Westfield Sydney (188 Pitt St Sydney) 0280727050
How much: Bánh cuốn will cost you $8.90 - dishes range from $8.90 to $15.00

Pho TK

Back when Market City first opened, there was a Hong Kong style eatery called Roxy which I loved eating at. So when Roxy closed and was replaced with another, there was not much appeal because the Roxy I had known and loved was gone. Fast forward many years and I find myself at one of the subsequent re-incarnations of the Roxy space - it's called Pho TK. Now I don't normally opt to eat pho in Chinatown as I prefer places out in the 'burbs but hey, it wasn't going to hurt to give this place a try.

So naturally I got the pho tai (beef noodle soup). The mandatory plate of bean sprouts, lemon and Vietnamese mint are placed on our table soon after ordering and it's a good sign as it looks fresh. Next is the bowl of noodle soup. There's a big clump of beef slices changing from pink to meaty-grey in the hot broth. It's alright, could be a little more tender and thinly sliced though. The soup is alright too - the flavour is decent though quite light but it's not too salty and doesn't leave you with msg-parched-ness (yes, I made that term up, it's called poetic license!). As for the noodles - they taste fine but as I ate them I started to get frustrated, they kept breaking up, making them difficult to eat. All in all, not a bad pho but not outstanding either, it's nice and I'd eat it again but I wouldn't go to Market City just to eat it.

If only them noodles would just stop breaking...

What: Pho TK
Where: Level 1, Market City, Haymarket Ph: 02 9211 8278
How much: Pho Tai costs $8.95

Sick days 2... Pho from Vermicelli

It's another day at work feeling sick and even so I don't really want to have soup every day. So instead, there's noodle soup :) I decided to try the beef noodle soup from Vermicelli on King St as I remember liking their rice paper rolls a long time ago. Since I'm still sick I opt for the regular size, it's pretty small and probably would only be filling enough for a healthy person with a very small appetite. The takeaway container is quite small too, so it's hard to manoeuvre the contents around and I can't get to the bean sprouts til I get to the very bottom of the container. Asides the bean sprouts logistics, the taste is nice - it's flavoursome and doesn't have the msg taste that leaves you feeling so thirsty you want to down a litre of water. And they've got the all important herbs too. Sickly me gives it a thumbs up for taste and quality, healthy me thinks it could be a bigger serving.

Beansprouts nowhere to be seen, they're waaaaay down the bottom.

What: Beef noodle soup
Where: Vermicelli on King Street
How much: $7.50 for a regular ($9 for large)