2/191 Clarence St, Sydney NSW 2000
http://vermicelli.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/vermicelli_sydney/
Pho in the CBD
I'm not quite sure what 'a clean version of pho' means as mentioned on their website but the Chicken Pho ($10.50 large) was served piping hot with lean pieces of chicken in a light tasting broth that bordered on a clear soup rather than a full bodied pho so perhaps that's what relates to the clean version? I guess one advantage is you can confidently walk into your next meeting without smelling too phoish hehe. I didn't spot any hoisin sauce to go with the pho which seemed unusual for a Vietnamese eatery. Single use plastics and cutlery are used when dining in which is a shame for those wanting to have a more environmentally conscious lunch. There's a fair amount of covered seating outside and service is efficient focussed on fast turnaround for your orders. Take your ticket order number and await your meal in a timely manner.
Steam Mill Lane, Darling Square, Haymarket NSW 2000
#marrickvilleporkroll
Banh Mi Game is Strong
The legendary Marrickville Pork Roll opens in Darling Square making their famous Banh Mi an attractive and cheap lunch option for CBD workers. I just missed out on the Crackling Pork Belly but the Traditional Pork Banh Mi ($6) was great with a good mix of ingredients and a lovely amount of crunch from the pickled daikon and carrot. All wrapped in a nice crusty roll. Comfort food happy place achieved. Friendly service in this tiny place and a few tables outside for dining in. Seems like no rubbish bins available though and be sure to grab a few extra tissues from the counter and watch out for those juicy dribbles as you enjoy your eat.
7/250 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
https://www.instagram.com/banh.and.butter/
Banh mi game is strong
Great find for a banh mi fix. Excellent baguettes with tasty quality fillings. Service is efficient and friendly. 'The Classic' banh mi ($8.50) includes steamed pork belly, Vietnamese ham & pate, onion, cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon, shallots, coriander, mayo, soy sauce and house special sauce. Nice crunchy baguette and a decent size wrapped up like a kebab. The lemongrass beef banh mi is very good which I've tried on a revisit. The popular Roast Piggy I still need to try and it keeps running out before I arrive. Cappuccino ($3.30) using Di Stefano coffee was surprisingly good for a reasonable price. There's a bit of seating available at this hidden gem which is located opposite the highly popular Big Bite on Pitt best known for their gigantic sandwiches
