Roast Pork

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Master Roll Vietnam – South Yarra – Tuesday 22 December 2015 – Lunch

Bahn mi

Bahn mi

There are so many great looking casual restaurants in Melbourne that you need an enhanced memory, or method of remembering, to note them all down for future return visits. Master Roll Vietnam fits into this category nicely.

A few weeks ago Catherine and I were walking along Toorak Road when we passed by, after breakfast, on our way to dessert! The modern Vietnamese eatery, using clean and minimalist décor, with an eye catching logo, made an impact.

Knowing the main game was catching Spectre at the Como Centre, my mate Simon and I wanted a quick lunch that was good quality. Some brief research that morning revealed that the sleek design translated into popular Vietnamese cuisine, with a line to boot. On that guidance we decided to meet at midday to beat the rush and we had done just that, with little time to spare.

Duck rice paper rolls

Duck rice paper rolls

To get a small spectrum of the offerings we tried both the grilled chicken and crispy roast pork bahn mi. To start we shared a serve of the duck rice paper rolls. Everything here is reasonably priced, but with competition down the road from another Vietnamese bakery, not to mention the number of places like Roll’d popping up, you need to do better than just that. And it was.

I was a little surprised because having my first bite of the roast pork bahn mi, there was the usual distinct flavours coming from the pate and pickled vegetables, but the pork really shone. It was generous and delicious with a good amount of crackling making the saltiness perfect. Then I tried the grilled chicken and somehow it was bettered by a small margin. The rolls are a nice quality, but I think that might be the main point of improvement.

The duck rice paper rolls are good, but I think I need to lower my expectation on the quality of duck you get in relatively cheap rice paper rolls because it is not amazing. The wrapper was firm around the duck and other usual ingredients, but I think the pre-wrapped nature means the duck dries a little and I think the only way around that is to do it fresh and incorporate the hoi sin sauce into the roll rather than have it as a dipping sauce.

I often have a craving for a great bahn mi and as well as being the shortest walk from my place, Master Roll Vietnam is also of such a quality that those cravings are unlikely to subsist any time soon.

Master Roll Vietnam Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Hong Kong BBQ House – Northbridge – Thursday 8 October 2015 – Dinner

Roast Duck

Roast Duck

While I had been to Hong Kong a couple of times as a pre-teen, the time I travelled there as an adult was informed, food wise, mainly by visits to Northbridge dim sum joints, and the great Hong Kong BBQ. This temple of roast duck and pork has been around for over twenty years and I have been eating here almost as long.

These days it has been tastefully renovated and is a slick version of what it once was décor wise. Luckily there is no difference in the friendliness of the service, or indeed the quality of the food, at incredibly reasonable prices.

Tonight we are out for my Brother’s birthday and while there are a few pre-requisites, the main requirement is to order more than just duck and pork, and to order liberally! It is a must to do at least one roast meat and we opt for the roast duck. As you must expect, the duck meat is succulent, while the skin is crisp and flavoursome. Vying for the breast pieces in the middle initially then turned into scrapping for any remainders, such is the deliciousness of this skillfully prepared roast bird.

Satay beef

Satay beef

We have several other mains including the satay beef. It is simply presented on a large iceberg lettuce leaf, oozing in delicious satay sauce and nicely cooked to stay tender. There is not a drop of the sauce by the end as it is used to mop up the remaining steamed rice.

The seafood fried rice is superb, with large chunks of calamari, prawns, and even scallops. The rice is not overly oily, but has enough soy for that addictive salty taste. We also have the honey king prawn, which features huge fresh prawns. However, it is probably my least favourite dish, mainly because the others are great rather than this being average.

Honey King Prawn

Honey King Prawn

To freshen things up we also had a dish of Gai Lan with oyster sauce which is excellent. Nice and simple without glutinous texture making it more refreshing than many other versions.

Here the service is brisk, but friendly, and the BYO policy for wine adds to the value. Even the glassware is above average for a restaurant that allows BYO. There is plenty of beer like Tsing-Tao to go around and the final bill is a pleasant reminder that you actually can eat great food cheaply in Perth.

Gai Lan in Oyster Sauce

Gai Lan in Oyster Sauce

Hong Kong BBQ is one of those established places that I feel very comfortable. I’ve eaten here in large groups of family and friends, but also come alone to enjoy simply cooked roast meat, some vegetables and a beer. It will hopefully be around for many decades to come, and I’ll continue to visit.

Hong Kong BBQ House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato