Jason King
AmyHuangNon La
April 22nd 2006 13:51
59 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills 2010 - 9332 1050
Non La is a family run Vietnamese restaurant which has been around for many years, and was born from their previous restaurant Le Bich in Balmain. In moving it has taken it's dedicated following along; being very good school friends with the family (the Phungs) we are part of that contingent. Non La has avoided much publicity, giving it less fame, but more room for regulars. After all, to quote John Saxby (SMH), "look what happened to Spice I Am" (or "the Spice I Am syndrome" where one restaurant gets overrun after a couple of reviews).
Non La serves traditional Vietnamese food with a southern Vietnamese emphasis in what is a converted terace. This means there is seating both downstairs where the action is, beside the interesting glass wall; or upstairs, in more quiet and romantic surrounds, complete with an old fireplace. The service is friendly and discrete, and best of all they bring out the dishes one or two at a time, instead of all at once. You can pace yourself and give each plate the attention it deserves, instead of having to fight off your other diners to taste everything before it gets cold or eaten.
You're in good hands at Non La and whatever you pick will be vibrant, strongly flavoured, and delicious. Begin with the banh xeo, a dense pancake filled with pork, prawn and sprouts. Or the fantastic pork and prawn salad with pickled carrot; a fresh salad of plump prawns and the sliced processed pork which is so synonymous with Vietnamese food (think pork rolls), dressed with a chilli, sweet and tangy dressing, lifted by some scattered mint.
Similarly with the green papaya salad with spicy beef. Much different to the Thai som tum salad, here the beef is cooked and dried to the extent that it resembles thick jerky; it's chewy saltiness matching perfectly with the crunchiness of the papaya and the same sweet dressing.
After the entrees there are a variety of choices, seventy in total. So let us promenade; the pan fried chicken in lemongrass and chilli has a sweet yet salty sauce, with a hint of the lemongrass and chilli, and is perfect with a bit of rice for the less adventurous, the calorie conscious, or the protein-needy. Caramelised pork (or fish) in earthen pot is a sticky, sweet, caramel delight. The fish flakes a bit more into the sauce but is lighter and asserts its own flavour more, whereas the pork's flavour melds into the sweet sauce. This is a definite must.
The bo lan - beef curry, braised in coconut milk with glass noodles and peanuts - is something completely different once again. A rich, spicy, soup-like curry with soft rice noodles and the crunch of the peanuts; like a satay but a million times more intriguing and tasty.
There are a range of traditional Vietnamese soups and rice paper rolls, the soups a light and intense broth, and the rice paper rolls made with fresh ingredients and heady with strong herbs.
The rice vermicelli dishes are also definitely worth a try. Less richness than the beef curry, this is a wonderful light and fresh stir fried mass of rice noodles with vegetables fish sauce and mint; it looks impressive on the table, and the flavours are different to the rest of the dishes.
It is possible to eat forever at Non La, because they offer a multitude of different flavours; sweet, spicy, rich, tangy, salty; and with each dish a new direction is taken. It is in this way that Non La delivers so much in Vietnamese food at a very reasonable price. A wonderful example of a richly diverse cuisine, Non La is a fantastic restaurant which makes us thankful we have the opportunity to eat there.
Photos thanks to yourRestuarants
After the entrees there are a variety of choices, seventy in total. So let us promenade; the pan fried chicken in lemongrass and chilli has a sweet yet salty sauce, with a hint of the lemongrass and chilli, and is perfect with a bit of rice for the less adventurous, the calorie conscious, or the protein-needy. Caramelised pork (or fish) in earthen pot is a sticky, sweet, caramel delight. The fish flakes a bit more into the sauce but is lighter and asserts its own flavour more, whereas the pork's flavour melds into the sweet sauce. This is a definite must.
The bo lan - beef curry, braised in coconut milk with glass noodles and peanuts - is something completely different once again. A rich, spicy, soup-like curry with soft rice noodles and the crunch of the peanuts; like a satay but a million times more intriguing and tasty.
There are a range of traditional Vietnamese soups and rice paper rolls, the soups a light and intense broth, and the rice paper rolls made with fresh ingredients and heady with strong herbs.
The rice vermicelli dishes are also definitely worth a try. Less richness than the beef curry, this is a wonderful light and fresh stir fried mass of rice noodles with vegetables fish sauce and mint; it looks impressive on the table, and the flavours are different to the rest of the dishes.
It is possible to eat forever at Non La, because they offer a multitude of different flavours; sweet, spicy, rich, tangy, salty; and with each dish a new direction is taken. It is in this way that Non La delivers so much in Vietnamese food at a very reasonable price. A wonderful example of a richly diverse cuisine, Non La is a fantastic restaurant which makes us thankful we have the opportunity to eat there.
Photos thanks to yourRestuarants
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Comment by Laura
The caramelised pork DOES sound good! I wonder how they came up with the name "Non La"? Doesn't quite beat Le Bich does it?
Comment by edward
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by edward
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Comment by Bunbury
So hungry now.....
Comment by amy
Fortunately I don't have any cafe owning friends so I can never be guilty of such corruption.
Unfortunately, I don't have any other friends either. *a tear*
I quite liked City House Vietnamese on George Street (just near Hay Market) but Xi Clo on the other hand always disappointed... (provided that's not Malaysian.. hm)
So it's one all for Vietnamese food - might try and break the thai (BOOM TISH) with your recommendation =P
Comment by edward
Rocky's Running Diary
I know City House, I pass it pretty much every day, maybe I should stop in! Also, Pasteur next door is meant to be pretty good.
Nice play on words, I'll pay that
Comment by Cibbuano
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I don't what it is, maybe opium in the broth? Nicotine in the beef balls?
Comment by Anonymous
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