Thanh Nga 9

Amazing value for money some of the most traditional vietnamese dishes u can find in melbourne triet the owner is also super friendly and helpful when it comes to meal selections!

Great lunch deals, slow service however.

First I ordered the vietnamese pancake with seafood expecting to be good! However it turn out not matching the picture they provided on the window nor the menu. It was not made in the traditional way. The egg dough was hard, bland and powderly. So it did not folded like omelette. And the bean spout at the bottom were raw, which supposedly slightly stir fry. Staff were not friendly, dishes delivered slow, and careless. Very disappointed and never go back again!

It’s damn hard to find damn good Vietnamese food here in Sydney. So when I venture down to Melbourne, I tend to load up on some Vietnamese food which tends to be better down there.
Thanks to Unilocal,I was able to find Thanh Nga 9 and try it out. Not just once, but hell, I came back a second time (which is a lot when you’re just there a few days). Check it out and don’t forget to order some pancakes!

This Vietnamese joint jumps ²⁴⁄₇. Well, a slight exaggeration as Little Saigon in Richmond closes by 10 (other than the requisite Anglo-​bars).
I used to live in this neighborhood and have sampled a shite load of the cuisine and I can tell you, without fear or favour, that this place is the best southern Vietnamese food you can procure with an Aussie dollar: full stop… Therefore I give it 5 stars. Not because it is like Vue de Monde in scope and quality, but because it is the finest example of Uncle Ho’s chow.
By the way, I’ve been to Vietnam and speak with a modicum of experience.
Do yourself a favour: stump up the premium (it’s the most expensive in Vic St) and let your gastronomic juices revel in your alacrity.
S.

The Banh Xeo pancake with prawn and pork is amazeballs. You get two crispy pancakes ON TOP of a pile of bean shoots (rather than folded around them). When asking why they do it this way and not the traiditonal way of having the shoots inside we were told «that’s how my Mum in the kitchen makes it so the pancake stays crispy».
Ahhhh, clever.
Eating this monster dish, a piece of pancake, some shoots and herbs wrapped inside some lettuce and then dipped in nuoc mam is one of the tastiest and messiest things you could do at lunch.

Their non-​alcoholic drinks are impressive! But not quite as impressive as their HUGE menu. If you’re taking people out to dinner and want to give them a lot of dish choices, this is definitely the place on Victoria St to go.

The day I found out that Thanh Nga Nine had a vegetarian menu and that their vegetarian phở used vegetable stock, I did an internal happy dance. And I’ve been doing happy dances (some internal; others external) since my first meal there.
I always order the vegetarian phở (you can choose between pure vegies or the mock meat) and mini pancakes, which are little parcels of crispy goodness. The sweet tofu balls (battered fried egg tofu served with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with syrup) might sound weird, but trust me — the flavour combination actually works! I’ve also been assured that the non-​vegetarian part of the menu is just as good and on par with other good places down Victoria St.
Now, I’ve long realised that you go to cheap Asian restaurants not for the service, but the food — service is just an added bonus. That being said, the bad service (rude waiter, food dumped on the table, and having to follow up on our drink and food orders multiple times) is what stood out for me the last time I dined here — which is a real shame, as the good food should’ve left the lasting impression.
Nonetheless, I’ll risk the bad service; the food is too good (not to mention cheap).

Victoria Street is a cornucopia of good Vietnamese cuisine. If you can’t find a decent, cheap meal here there you simply aren’t looking very hard!
Most the restaurants share common dishes, it’s the ones who offer something a little different that stand out. Thanh Nga Nine is one of these places. A few old family recipes have been included to add a little uniqueness to the menu.
Do not miss the little pancake … things! I can not explain it any more than that; however, when you get there you’ll know what I’m talking about and so will your waiter. It’s a specialty of this restaurant. Little crispy cups of delight.
And despite the bad press tofu gets, DO NOT pass up on the tofu balls for desert. Like little balls of crème caramel exploding in your mouth. Light, sweet and very more-​rish!
I’ll be back!

Good ol’ Thanh Nga 9.
I love their little pancakes filled with bean curd and shrimp, served with sweet coconut cream and chili. I’ve actually not seen them at any other restaurants on Victoria St.
The menu here is a hybrid Chinese-​Vietnamese one, with a huge variety on offer. I’ve had duck, phở, noodles, stir fry vegetables, beef dishes… look, suffice to say I;ve eaten here a fair bit. The only gripe is, the busier they are is directly proportionate to the quality of the food, which can be inconsistent.
Thanh Nga 9 holds a particularly special place in my heart — as someone who doesn’t really celebrate Christmas, I don’t generally have leftovers hanging round to eat on Christmas Day night (that makes sense, right?). Thanh Nga 9 — OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY! Total win.