Paperboy Kitchen

320 Little Lonsdale St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://paperboy.com.au/

I miss lunch. When I was still at uni, I took for granted the privilege of being able to pop into the city between lectures (or heck, skipping lectures altogether) for a delectable lunch of whatever I happened to be feeling like on that day. Now that I’m working full-time however, my lunches are restricted to whatever I can be bothered to make, or disgusting and disgustingly overpriced food from the few cafes near work - $3.5 for a single over-salted rice paper roll, anyone? So what better way to spend my day off than to visit the new kid on the block – Paperboy Kitchen – for a nourishing Vietnamese meal?

Space is a valuable commodity in the CBD, and Paperboy Kitchen makes the most of what room it has by turning the small restaurant into a character-filled canteen. Though you’re free to sit down for a bite if you can find a spare seat, most people opt to have their food made to go. The menu is succinct, with just 5 items served either in a traditional Vietnamese roll, or as a rice noodle salad – your choice.

Drinking Coconut

It was a muggy day, and though there were gourmet colas and ginger ale on offer, I couldn’t resist a fresh Drinking Coconut, served whimsically with a cocktail umbrella and a swirly straw. I love the use of little animal figurines instead of table numbers, though I wish we had gotten the dinosaur instead of the zebra. 

Lemongrass Meatball Bowl ($11.5)

Lemongrass Meatball Bowl ($11.5)

For all of you who are sick of having nothing but rice noodles at the bottom of your Vietnamese salad, Paperboy Kitchen is your answer. Our Lemongrass Meatball Bowl ($11.5) was mouthfuls after mouthfuls of fresh veggies, herbs, and slippery noodles, tossed through with sriracha mayo and a splash of vinegar. The light, healthful salad was augmented by a scattering of nutty sesame seeds, and a skewer of slightly dry, but smoky and flavoursome meatballs.

Slow Cooked Beef Roll ($11)

The sandwiches here are not your regular Vietnamese Rolls. Take our Slow Cooked Beef Roll ($11) for example; the beef was lovingly simmered in a barely-bubbling broth for over 6 hours, resulting in luscious, melt-in the mouth slices of meat to be stuffed in a baguette with a myriad of crunchy herbs and veggies, and drizzled with sriracha mayo. On the side is a shot of concentrated pho stock, intensely umami in flavour, good to sip but even better to dip the sandwich in. Move over French dip sandwiches – slow cooker beef and French onion soup has nothing on the bright herbs and succulent meats in this roll!

Paperboy Kitchen was destined for success the moment it opened its doors. The menu may be limited, but what they have, they do incredibly well. It’s the perfect dining destination for those who are short on time, but in need of a healthy, satisfying, and flavoursome meal; it’s such a shame they’re not open for dinner (hint hint)!

Rating: 13.5/20 – ending noodle tyranny.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Sweet and Sour Fork dined as a guest of Paperboy Kitchen.