Viet Star

750 Glenferrie Rd 
Hawthorn, VIC 3122

Do you ever eat somewhere despite knowing that the food probably isn’t the greatest? I try and avoid it because it’s almost always a waste of money, and it makes me grumpy and a little spiteful. But laziness is a big motivating factor (ironically enough), and I was just too much of a sloth last Monday to think of a better place to eat, so Viet Star it was. 

Walking inside, my fears were confirmed – no cheap and cheerful Asian restaurant that looks this nice could possible serve good food, right? The interior was clean and spacious, one wall panelled with wood, the other with back-lit pictures of a bamboo forest.

Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Chicken ($10)

Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Chicken ($10)

On the rare days when I’m craving Vietnamese but am not too keen on the pho, I usually want a bowl of Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Chicken ($10). There are so many reasons to love this fresh, warm salad, and this bowl covered most of them. The chunks of chicken are tender in a way that only the Vietnamese seem to know how to achieve, and the overall flavour, whilst mellower than I would usually like, was livened up by the occasional burst of mint and basil. 

Egg Noodle Soup with BBQ Pork ($10)

Chris was also after simple and comforting today, so he had the Egg Noodle Soup with BBQ Pork ($10). A nest of bouncy egg noodles swam in the depths of the light vegetable soup, hidden by pieces of pork and vegetables. The meat was tough and bland, but I had an abundance of good chicken in my salad and I was all too happy to share (for once), so it all worked out in the end.

So once again, I look like an ass for ASSuming that an Asian place can’t serve decent food AND be easy on the eyes. Viet Star provided us with a pleasant meal that was exactly what we wanted, with no surprises. I’d joyously return if I were in the area craving for some Vietnamese, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll try even try their pho.

Rating: 12/20 – making an ass out of u and me.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. And the angle the moon made with Jupiter.