Showing posts with label Banh Mi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Banh Mi. Show all posts

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Viet Nam Pho @ Clementi West Street 2 - New Hole in the Wall Eatery Servicing Authentic Vietnameses Food at Affordable Price

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A new eatery has quietly opened in my neighbourhood, bringing the flavours of Vietnam to the West Coast area. Viet Nam Pho has taken over the space that previously housed a Sarawak Kolo Mee stall, nestled opposite the West Coast Community Club and facing the basketball court. As a fan of Vietnamese cuisine, I was eager to give this small, unassuming spot a try, and I’m glad I did.

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Beef Noodle Soup 4.2/5

We kicked off our meal with the Beef Noodle Soup ($7), and the generous portion size immediately struck me for such an affordable price. The bowl came brimming with a variety of beef cuts, which, while not the highest quality, were more than ample in quantity. The rice noodles were silky smooth, and the broth had a well-balanced, comforting, and satisfying sweetness. If you prefer a little heat, I'd recommend adding a spoonful of chopped chillies to give the soup an extra kick.

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Salad 4.2/5

The Salad ($5.50) was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a refreshing and satisfying dish. The fresh, crunchy greens were tossed in a delightful sweet and savoury sauce, with the added crunch of fragrant peanuts. The salad was also studded with tender prawns and slices of pork, making it a substantial and delicious starter.

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Vietnamese Chee Cheong Fun 3.5/5

One of the more interesting items on the menu was the Vietnamese Chee Cheong Fun ($4.50), something I had never tried before. The dish arrived with plain Chee Cheong Fun topped with crispy fried shallots and accompanied by two types of Vietnamese ham. To enjoy it, you dip the rice rolls into a fish sauce-based dipping sauce that is both sweet and savoury, reminiscent of the sauce served with Vietnamese spring rolls. The flavours were simple yet satisfying, making it a nice change of pace from the more familiar dishes.

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Banh Mi 3.8/5

Next up was the Banh Mi ($5.50), a staple of Vietnamese street food. The staff gave the baguette a quick toast before stuffing it with various ingredients. The result was a crispy, delightful sandwich that burst with flavours in every bite. However, my only gripe was that the filling was a bit lacking. While I understand the need to keep costs down, I think the sandwich could benefit from a bit more stuffing—perhaps extra shredded carrot and radish to make it more visually appealing and satisfying. Additionally, offering more variety in the fillings, such as meatballs, grilled chicken, or beef, could give customers more choices.

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Rice Vermicelli with Chicken and Rolls 3.5/5

Our final dish was the Rice Vermicelli with Chicken and Rolls ($6). This dry noodle dish is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine, and to fully enjoy it, you need to pour the accompanying sweet and savoury sauce over the noodles and give it a good toss. The dish came with grilled chicken pieces and crispy fried spring rolls. While it was tasty, the flavours didn't quite reach the heights of the other dishes we tried, but it was still a decent, comforting option.

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Viet Nam Pho is a welcome addition to the West Coast neighbourhood, offering authentic Vietnamese dishes at wallet-friendly prices. While there are a few areas where the eatery could improve, particularly in terms of variety and customer service, the flavours are on point, and the value for money is hard to beat. Whether you're a fan of Vietnamese cuisine or simply looking to try something new, Viet Nam Pho is worth a visit. I'm looking forward to returning and trying more of their offerings in the future.


Viet Nam Pho
Blk 721 Clementi West Street 2
#01-120
Singapore 120721
Tel: +65 92247998
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 201. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Turn left and cut through the food centre to block 721. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Friday, May 26, 2023

Viet'Spice @ Circular Road (Boat Quay) - Authentic, Yummy Vietnamese Cuisine By SG-based Vietnamese

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Viet'Spice, located along Circular Road, is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant founded by 35-year-old Helen Vy in 2021 against the backdrop of the pandemic. Viet'Spice strives to introduce and popularise Vietnamese dishes not commonly found in Singapore. Besides its flagship restaurant at Circular Road, Viet'Spice has another two outlets at Smith Street (takeaway kiosk) and Geylang (Kopifellas Coffee Shop).

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Cha gio 4.2/5

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its fresh spring roll, but I prefer the Fried Spring Roll ($9.90) more. The spring roll is deep fried until the rice paper turns crispy and golden brown, stuffed with delicious minced pork.

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Banh Bot Loc 4.2/5

The Vietnamese Rice Dumpling ($12.90), said to originate from Hue in Vietnam, is a small, transparent, chewy tapioca dumpling filled with shrimp and pork belly. It is topped with fried shallots and served with sweet chilli fish sauce for a lift in enjoyment. It resembles the Chinese crystal dumpling.

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Banh Xeo 4/5

Banh Xeo ($14.90) is a traditional Vietnamese savoury pancake made from rice flour, coconut milk, turmeric powder and water. The yellow colouring of the thin and crispy pancake comes from the turmeric powder, filled with bean sprouts, sliced pork, shrimp and onions. The popular street food can be eaten like a roll using lettuce leaves and fresh herbs to wrap the crispy pancake along with the dipping sauce. The result is a delicious combination of textures and flavours, crunchiness, sweetness, and herbal aroma.

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Grilled Pork Banh Mi 4.2/5

Banh Mi is another iconic dish in Vietnamese cuisine, a fusion of Vietnamese and French culinary influences, as Vietnam was once a French colony. We had the Grilled Pork Banh Mi ($9,90). The Vietnamese baguette is light and crispy, stuffed with flavoursome grilled pork and complemented by the freshness of herbs.


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Bun Bo Hue 4/5

Instead of the usual Pho, we decided to go for the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup ($13.90) originating from Hue. The silky rice vermicelli comes in a bowl of complex and robust broth, served with sliced beef, pork rolls and fried pork. Actually, I don't have the bowl of slurping goodness spicy at all.

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Caramel Flan 3/5

Lastly, we had the Caramel Flan ($4.90) for dessert. Unlike the usual flan, the Vietnamese Caramel Flan is steamed instead of baked, served with ice and poured over with coffee. It is my first time having Vietnamese flan, so I am unsure what to expect from its texture. I suspect the flan was slightly overcooked, as it did not have the creamy texture I expected.

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Note: This is an invited tasting.


Viet'Spice
14 Circular Road
Singapore 049370
Tel: +65 97341761
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road. Walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down the road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to Circular Road. Walk down Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 7 minutes. [Map]

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Your Deli Bite Cafe @ Novena Regency - Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine In A Contemporary Cosy Cafe Setting

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Your Deli Bite is a cosy contemporary Vietnamese cafe located at Novena Regency. The cafe owner runs multiple Bahn Mi joints, and Your Deli Bite is her very first cafe concept, serving up some of her finest Vietnamese recipes. Over here, you can savour one of the best Bahn Mi in town and Vietnamese dishes less commonly found in Singapore.

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Spring Rolls 4/5

We started with some familiar bites. The Spring rolls ($7.90) were skillfully wrapped with fresh prawns and fatty pork belly, giving the rolls an excellent meaty bite.

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Special Pho 3.8/5

The owner is from Hanoi but lived in Ho Chih Min City before coming to Singapore. The pho recipe follows Ho Chih Min's style instead of Hanoi's version, as it contains no MSG and is less saltish. The Special Pho ($16.90) features a combination of beef flank, tendon, and meatballs with brisket cooked with the signature 9-hour slow-boiled broth. The broth was light, not too beefy, which I like, and enlivened with a squeeze of lime.

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Crab Noodles 3/5

Crab Noodles ($16.90) was new to me. The broth is made with a reduction of pork bones and prawns, adding starch to give it that starchy consistency. The 'noodles' are actually our Mee Tai Mak, served with a handful of crab meat, prawn, pork meat, and quail egg. While broth has an enjoyable crustacean flavour with a light savoury depth, I don't quite enjoy the gluey texture.

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Grilled Turmeric Fish 4.8/5

I highly recommend this Grilled Turmeric Fish ($14.50), a traditional Hanoi dish featuring grilled turmeric-marinated fish fillet tossed with sauteed scallions and dills. The fish fillets were prepared using whole fish, and each fillet was flaky, firm and tender. I love the amount of dill used, which gave the fish a citrus-like taste. You will be given sheets of dry rice paper with water and a plate of vermicelli and herbs to DIY your grilled fish spring roll.

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Slizzing Pancake 4/5

We were surprised by how tasty this humble-looking Sizzling Pancake ($14.90) was. This pancake was yellow-tinted by turmeric, with a slightly charred glaze on the skin, giving it a tasty wok-hei flavour. It has a hint of sweetness, which melded well with the savoury filling of sauteed beansprouts, prawns and pork. Even the filling was laced with wok-hei flavour from the beansprouts. It was a tad greasy but lightened by the accompanying herbs and vegetables.

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BBQ Pork Bahn Mi 4.5/5

As mentioned, one of the specialities here is Bahn Mi. The crusty and airy baguettes are worth coming back for. Our BBQ Pork Bahn Mi ($7.50) was loaded with flavourful BBQ pork with a drizzle of sweet chilli, with that iconic layer of pickled radish and carrot lining the baguette. Coupled with a rich Vietnamese Ice Black Coffee, they make such a satisfying meal!

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Pear Chrysanthemum, Ice Black coffee

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Egg Coffee

The Egg Coffee here came with a creamy creme brulee-like cap, but the foam-to-coffee ratio can be improved for a more full-bodied and creamy consistency. There is also a good range of housemade ice teas available. My ice Pear Chrysanthemum was refreshing with Nata de coco and diced pear bits.

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Bánh Flan 4.5/5

Another must-try is the Bánh Flan. It is the Vietnamese version of the French crème caramel, which uses condensed or evaporated milk and is steamed instead of baked in an oven. Ours is served with ice and poured over with coffee. It was light and mellow sweet, and serving it in iced coffee gave it a depth of toasty bitterness, reinforcing the caramel notes.

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Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Your Deli Bite Cafe
Novena Regency
275 Thomson Road
#01-03
Singapore 307645
Tel: +65 88667262
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Novena (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Thomson Road. Turn right and walk down Thomson Road towards the overhead bridge. Cross the road using the overhead bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

The Sampan @ Boat Quay - Pan Asian Flavours And Avant Garde Cocktails

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If I were to just tune up my imagination and visualise a vast white beach in front of me, replacing the Singapore River, this is The Sampan at Bali, not Boat Quay. Though I'm not, with the whitewash tiled walls, wooden furnishing and homeware, former Ku De Ta Bali General Manager, Steve Collinson has quite successfully brought that atmosphere into this 3-storey high restaurant and bar. Drawing inspirations from restaurants and cuisine in Asia, both food and beverages here exude a strong deal of pan Asian flavours and characters.

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White Sangria 3/5 and Mango & Chili Smash 4/5

White Sangria ($18) is an elegant cocktail with white wine, june liqueur, clove, calamansi and Asian pear. The woody nuances of the clove stands out which complements the sweetness and acidity of the cocktail. Mango & Chili Smash ($17) surprised me more with its rather simple ingredients - tequila, mango, mint, sugar and lime. It tastes almost like a full-bodied mango juice but accented with an alcoholic bitterness and elevated with refreshing herb, spice and acidity.

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Pork and Chicken Choi Bao 4/5

As a start, accompany your cocktails with Light Bites & Salads. I have tried Choi Bao in one of Melbourne's bars before and what's left of that memory is its intensity of wok hei that hit me. If that is the defining trait of this dish, The Sampan's version Pork and Chicken Choi Bao ($3.50/pc) is even more successful with the integration of lap cheong into the pork and chicken bites. The smell of the caramelised dark soy sauce when it is served, will tempt you as much as a plate of black carrot cake.

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Mushroom San Choi Bao 3.5/5

A meatless option would be Mushroom San Choi Bao. Texture itself is similar, thanks to the good mix of black fungus, enoki and shitake mushrooms, and the level of wok hei is pretty intense too. But that lap cheong bits are still the winner.

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Blue Swimmer Crab and Pomelo Salad 3.8/5

If you like the flavours of Thai and Vietnamese salad, Blue Swimmer Crab and Pomelo Salad ($14) will be right up your alley and beyond, with all the greens adorned with pieces of fresh Blue Swimmer crab meat.

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Sichuan Pepper Chicken Spare Ribs 3.8/5

Among wings, drumsticks and spare ribs, I would choose the latter. Sichuan Pepper Chicken Spare Ribs with Spring Onion Salad ($12) is almost like chicken tenders but more succulent and flavourful. The exterior remained crispy even after a while.

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Stracciatella and Curried Lentils 4/5

Stracciatella and Curried Lentils ($6/2 pcs) may appear to be modest in many ways but each and every of this modish Pani Puri is a darling to be savoured upon. The original recipe calls for sweet, spicy and tangy flavours, and this unique blend of milky stracciatella cheese, cucumber and mint yogurt and curried lentil, not only hit all the quintessential notes that the original recipe calls for, it is even tastier with the freshness of the yogurt mixture soothing out the spiciness of the curried lentils.

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Mini Banh Mi 3.5/5

Similar to Choi Bun, Mini Banh Mi ($12) is small in size but big in flavours. The grilled pork neck was well marinated, with slow cooked pickled cucumber to cut its richness. I like the use of rye bread which is firmer and drier compared to a brioche, giving this rich filling a more balanced support.

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Crispy Chili Beef 3/5

Crispy Chili Beef with Green Mango Salad and Crispy Noodles ($18) is too overly done with seasoning and dressing. The wok-fried beef itself is quite salty to begin with and the gluey salad dressing weighs the entire dish down even more. It would have tasted a lot better should the green mango salad be clean of sauce and seasoning, and simply toss in to complement the beef.

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Valrhona Chocolate and Tofu Mousse 3.5/5

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Mango Pudding 4/5

For desserts, you can't get any more Asian with this Mango Pudding with Coconut Sago and Mango Sorbet ($12). The pudding was almost like a solidified puree and the mango sorbet was mango to the core. On the other hand, the chocolate mousse in the Valrhona Chocolate and Tofu Mousse ($14) with Chai Spiced Shortbread and Passionfruit Curd was quite addictive with its saltish-sweetness, coupled with tang from the passionfruit curd.

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Boat Quay does need some rejuvenation and I think The Sampan has come in pretty strong with its concept and offerings. Level 2 and 3 spaces are available for private functions or corporate events as well, if you are keen.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Sampan
63 Boat Quay
Singapore 049851
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 12midnight
Sat: 430pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down Upper Circular Road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down Boat Quay. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Monday, September 11, 2017

Kaiyi's Wonton Noodle @ Golden Mile Food Centre - I Have Found My Best Banh Mi In Singapore

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Located at the corner of Golden Mile Food Centre on level 1, facing the main road is Kaiyi's Wonton Noodle stall that sells traditional Vietnamese wonton noodle. What exactly is the difference between our local wanton mee and the Vietnamese version?

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Char Siew Wonton Noodle 3/5

To find out the different, we got a bowl of Char Siew Wonton Noodle ($4.50). The bowl of noodle comes with slices of lean char siew, fried wonton and lettuce. The noodle is that those springy type, a bit like our mee kia with a bite. It is tossed in a dark sauce which I found it rather light for local palate. We had the spicy version which I have to applaud the stall owner for making it from scratch. However it is way too spicy, throwing the balance off.

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Wonton Soup 3.5/5

Beside the noodle we also ordered a bowl of Wonton Soup ($4). The plump wonton has more vegetable to meat stuffing, giving it a more crunchy meat. However I thought the seasoning was a bit heavy with the the pepper.

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Chicken Sticky Rice 3.8/5

Besides the Vietnamese style waoton mee, the stall also sells a variety of noodle and rice dishes. A value for money dish is the Chicken Sticky Rice ($5.50). For the reasonable pricing, the plate of rice comes with a whole chicken leg that is braised to an enjoyable tender texture.

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Chicken Curry 3/5

The other chicken dish we tried is the Chicken Curry which comes with 2 huge pieces of chicken. However the Vietnamese curry is not those lemak type and it is actually sweet. It is not the usual curry that we are used to. It may take quite a bit of effort to win over the local palate.

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Banh Mi 4.5/5

For me the star at Kaiyi's Wonton Noodle is actually their Banh Mi ($5.50). The Vietnamese style sandwich roll. Unfortunately this is only available on Fridays at the moment. The best Banh Mi I had exactly is from Melbourne, Lee's Bakery. I have not find something close until I tried Kaiyi's version.

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 The baguette made with a mixture of rice and wheat flour is extremely light and crispy. It is already so good on its own, imagine when we stuffed it with all the flavourful ingredients. Freshly put together, you can find carrot, cucumber, pickle, chicken, chilli, mayonnaise and cilantro sandwiched in between. You get a firework of flavours and different play of textures with each bite in to the banh mi.

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Kaiyi's  Wonton Noodle
Golden Mile Food Centre
505 Beach Road
#01-109
Singapore 199583
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Fri: 10am - 9pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the overhead bridge and cross over to Beach Road. Walk down Beach Road along the flow of traffic. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Sunday, June 15, 2014

SEN Restaurant and Bar @ Geylang Road

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After the discovery of Saigon Vietnamese Delicacy at Geyland Road, I met up with Chenyze and Bee Bee to check out another Vietnamese restaurant just across the road in SEN Restaurant and Bar. Chenyze has been telling me about this place and I was looking forward to find more from her recommendation.

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Grilled Shrimp Surimi 4/5

We started off with the Grilled Shrimp Surimi ($7.90). Hailing from Hue region, the grilled shrimp surimi is wrapped around a sugarcane stick. A yummy starter to kick start the lunch. One can actually suck on the sugarcane stick to cleanse the palate.

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Grilled Pork Rice Vermicelli Dry 4/5

For Vietnamese noodle dish, patrons usually go for the Pho but Vietnamese dry rice vermicelli is also quite popular too. The Grilled Pork Rice Vermicelli Dry ($12.90) comes with a mixture of fried spring rolls, fresh vegetables, grilled pork with rice vermicelli. To eat, pour the sauce and mix well to enjoy the smooth and silky rice vermicelli in a mix of sweet, sour and spicy.

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Special Mixed Beef Noodle 4.2/5

A must try at SEN restaurant is their Special Mixed Beef Noodle ($14.90). Served with rice noodle in a robust beef broth and brewed with the finest Vietnamese spices. The Pho Bo is served with tender sliced beef, beef balls, beef brisket and a side garnish of Asian basil, long parsley, bean sprouts, lime, chilli sauce and black bean sauce. The noodle was smooth and silky, the broth was robust and tasty, it was a great bowl of pho that is both comforting and hearty.

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Vietnamese Sandwiches 3/5

Vietnamese Sandwich or Banh Mi is another staple Vietnamese cuisine. Three different types of banh mi are served here. Chicken ($7.90), Mixed Ham ($7.90) and BBQ Pork ($8.20). The French influenced baguette sandwich is completed with fries and salad which is quite an substantial meal. While I applauded the flavourful and well marinated bbq pork, the baguette was a let down for me. It was hopefully for something that is more toasty and filled with more salads.

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Tofu Pasted Duck Soup 4/5

The Tofu Pasted Duck Soup ($12.90) caught my attention as it is something unique. A family recipe inherited by the chef from her grandfather, this is a rare dish even in Vietnam. The duck was cooked to a nice tender soft. The soup with homemade tofu paste served with silky rice vermicelli has a complex flavour that is somewhat rich, sweet and comes with hint of sourness that is very delectable.

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Overall I have enjoyed the food at SEN restaurant. The restaurant is pretty hard to be spotted from the outside due to its dark exterior. However once you step inside, a warm and pretty interior welcomes. SEN restaurant also has pretty decent lunch set offer at $14.90 that comes with 2 courses and a drink.


SEN Restaurant and Bar
704 Geylang Road
Singapore 389620
Tel: +65 68415653
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SenBarRestaurant
Website: http://www.sen.com.sg
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk towards the junction of Paya Lebar Road and Geylang Road. Cross the road at the junction and turn right onto Geylang Road Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]