MissChu

A little piece of contemporary Vietnam has popped out a bamboo shutter onto Bourke Street. Located right down by the busy William Street junction, it’s an unexpectedly brilliant hole-in-the-wall hawker food experience. As well as exceptional food, the talented Nahji Chu has managed to create a quasi-oasis where hands of green bananas sway, leafy green palms border and an uber-cool sense of design extends right down to the biodegradable banana leaf serving plates. Vegetarian fresh rice paper rolls have never had as much flavour as these Free-Range Egg Omelet, Avocado and Balsamic Caramelised Onion ($6/2 pieces) offerings. Nahji’s house-made Traditional Peking Duck Pancakes ($2.20) are thinner and more pliable than Sydney’s best stalwarts. She’s even renovated the humble Deep Fried King Prawn Spring Roll ($4.50/3 pieces), and it’s definitely added value. BBQ Pork Char Sui Buns ($2/each) are a bench mark dish for me; these combine fluffy white dough with a generous, mostly savoury filling, and I’d order them again. My darling little take-away box of Steamed Coconut Mousse in Pandan Leaf ($3/2 pieces) lasted about two blocks before I had to try them. Amidst tiny crunches of water chestnut, I laughed like a mad woman – yep, they’re that good. Time for a restaurant…

MissChu
1/150 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst
Ph: (02) 8356 9988 www.misschu.com.au
Vietnamese $