Melbourne Nang, also known as cream chargers, have been used as a culinary canvas for innovation. From trendy bars to hidden gems, Melbourne boasts a diverse range of nang-inspired dishes and drinks.
Indulge in the classic vanilla bliss nang to savor a velvety blend of sweet and light textures. This flavor is a timeless favorite for many nang enthusiasts.
Pho Bo Ga Mekong Vietnam
A super casual eatery on Swanston Street near Chinatown. Pho Bo Ga Mekong Vietnam is always packed and serves its customers at rubber-burning speed. The pho here is generally lukewarm and doesn’t quite have the same flavor as some of the better pho places in Melbourne. But for those who need their fix on the go it’s still pretty decent. Chinese tea is offered free of charge and there’s a small selection of drinks available including smoothie, juice, black coffee and Wang Laoji.
The ingredients at Pho Bo Ga Mekong Vietnam are mainly chicken timely, beef and beef miscellaneous. But there’s also the option of shrimp or squid as well. The broth is made with a mix of chicken or beef stock and fish sauce, then seasoned with sugar and ginger.
This restaurant in Foots Cray serves up a great bowl of pho thanks to its relatively pared-back menu. With a range of toppings including tendon, offal and liver. There’s something for everyone here, but the standout is the punchy broth, perfectly balanced to pull together all the elements and provide the classic taste that pho is famous for.
Straight Outta Saigon
The Russell Street space that was once home to all-night pho joint Twenty Pho Seven has had an overhaul and transformed into the neon-lit Straight Outta Saigon. Owners Madewell Phal, Thai Ho and George Do (who also own Hochi Mama) are keeping their vibrant Vietnamese flavors in the mix. But they’ve added a touch more intimacy to the restaurant and focused on long 6pm dinners instead of speedily slurped bowls of 3am noodles. They’ve also spruced up the menu and included plenty of modern snacks and dishes to pair with drinks like their namesake Straight Outta Saigon cocktail.
The dinner menu features a strong focus on traditional dishes with an occasional modern twist, and includes labelled vegan options including. The abalone mushroom rice paper rolls and crispy vegan pork belly bao. The cocktails are equally fun and creative, with a range of exotic ingredients including grass jelly, chia seeds and kombucha. A set menu is available which includes a large and small dish plus two drinks for a great value meal. The vibe is edgy and energetic, but not so loud that it drowns out conversations.
Old Man Pho
Pho is an aromatic noodle soup hailing from Vietnam that’s topped with awesome things like bean sprouts, basil, and a squeeze of lime at the end. It’s healthy, delicious, and easy to prepare in your own kitchen!
This pho bac recipe uses Old Man Que Huong. A savory spice mix that is typically found at all Vietnamese restaurants. It contains all the spices needed to make a classic bowl of pho. It comes with a cloth bag that you can use to hold all of the whole spices while simmering. This will help prevent overcooking the spices and allow you to remove the bag once the broth has reached your desired taste.
Unlike other pho recipes that require you to blanch and roast the beef bones. This recipe uses store-bought beef stock or beef bouillon. You can also add any meat toppings you like to your pho, including well-done steak, tendons, tripes, or beef balls. If you choose to include sirloin, it should be thinly sliced and cooked briefly in the hot broth before serving.
Pho Hung Vuong 2
Pho Hung Vuong 2, located in Springvale, may not be as fancy as some other pho restaurants on this list but the quality of their soup is still top-notch. They serve huge servings of restorative pho, with options for everyone from vegan to seafood lovers. The basic decor makes the soup the star, which is probably why there are always lines out the door.
The menu here is pretty straightforward, with the standard pho ga (chicken), pho bo (beef) and pho chay (vegetarian). The broth at Pho Hung Vuong 2 is slow-cooked with traditional ingredients to create a soul-satisfying soup for anyone who tries it.
The noodle dishes here are also great, especially their footlong rice noodles that are cooked perfectly and served with plenty of mint and coriander. They also offer a variety of add-on condiments, like sliced cucumber and chilli sauce to help you get the full flavor experience. You can also experiment with adding savory toppings to your Nang, such as roasted garlic or herb spreads. Pairing a crispy Nang with a velvety whipped topping can also create a textural interplay that elevates the experience.
Spiced Chai Infusion
Chai is a comforting and warming drink that can be enjoyed at any time of day. This recipe features a blend of spices like cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, ginger root, cardamom pods and more. It has a small amount of caffeine in it (unless you use decaf tea) which boosts energy and metabolism. It also has anti-inflammatory and gut health benefits thanks to the ginger.
The ingredients are combined in a pot and brought to a boil over medium heat. Then the mixture is simmered for about 3 minutes. This gives the spices a chance to release their flavors before the tea is steeped. After about 3 minutes, the tea leaves are added and a teaspoon of vanilla extract is added as well. The chai is then removed from the stove and placed in a glass cup.
It can be served hot or iced with milk, sugar or honey. It can also be mixed with boba for an extra treat. This is a great recipe to have on hand when you want a quick and easy cup of chai.