Rice Pho & Rolls - banh cuon in Footscray

The amount of Vietnamese words I know I could count on two hands.  I know that "bo" means beef and "ga" means chicken.  "Chay" means vegetarian, "mi" means egg noodles and "cam on" means thank you.

Now, all these words might signify delicious things, but there's one word you should definitely have in your repertoire.  It's "banh", and is associated with things that are starchy, bread-like and pretty much always extremely delicious.  I'm talking:

* Banh mi (crunchy Vietnamese sandwiches, pictured two above from Banh Mi Boys)

* Banh khot (mini coconut pancakes, shown above sizzling streetside for the 2014 Rickshaw Run!)

* Banh xeo (giant lacy pancakes stuffed with filling)

* Banh kep la dua (warm coconut-and-pandan-flavoured waffles - find them in Little Saigon!)

Here's an amazing banh platter from Thanh Ha 2 in Richmond, with banh cuon, banh duc, banh bot loc and banh beo!

But my absolute favourite banh is - banh cuon.  You might know these semi-opaque, gossamer-thin rice flour crepes from Xuan Banh Cuon in Sunshine.  I am delighted to report that Footscray now has a first-rate banh cuon provider, too!

Let's back up a little.  Rice Pho & Rolls has just opened right near the corner of Droop and Hopkins Streets, Footscray.

While not as hip as Co Thu Quan or HM Quan, it certainly has a similar contemporary feel.  I usually associate statements of "no MSG" with Anglified suburban Chinese restaurants, but Rice Pho & Rolls makes a similar claim that they use no MSG anywhere on the menu.  So far, so good.

The menu is small - just one page - and dominated by chicken, either in pho or as Hainan chicken.  There's a kid-sized pho that is particularly excellent at $4.  I know the pic doesn't look like much, but this is fantastic chicken soup.  Bright, fresh and cleansing, and all the more amazing for no MSG.

But of course, I only had eyes for one thing - the banh cuon ($10).  They are made here (I checked) and they are FANTASTIC.  They're rolled up with a little pork and prawn, and I think the filling has a more delicate flavour than XBC's, which occasionally can be a little strong on the pork.  What I really loved, though, was the little bowl of hot soup alongside.  This had a piece of springy Vietnamese sausage and a melt-in-the-mouth meatball with black fungus, but it was the broth that was the star.  Squeeze in some lime, add a little garlic and chilli, and it's the most delicious, tangy, soothing thing to sup.

This is fantastic banh cuon and up there with XBC's offering.  The only thing it falls down on is the accompanying salad - just chopped iceberg, mint and coriander.  Some more variety would take it to the next level.  But still - you HAVE to try this.

Prawn, pork and taro spring rolls ($5) were good.  (I hardly ever order these - I don't think there's much between them anywhere you go!)

Bo luc lac - diced beef with capsicum, onion and "saffron rice" ($12) - was pretty good.  While I was there, I ran into Win from the Sunshine Business Association, who happens to be a friend of the owner.  The no-MSG thing is fair dinkum, and Win reports his mate (the owner) is very into cooking really home-style food.  I couldn't get this straight from the horse's mouth because the proprietor had left work early, as he and his partner had had a baby that day!

This is an exciting restaurant and one to watch.  I look forward to exploring the menu a lot more.

Rice Pho & Roll (Facebook)

151 Hopkins Street, Footscray

8 Bit

"Want some of my burger?"

"Is it Mr Burger?"

"No..."

"Is it Mrs Burger?"

This conversation took place between my 4-year-old and I in downtown Droop St, just an hour or so ago.  Yes - we were in the 'scray, talking about not banh mi, but burgers.  And we weren't shivering in the lee of a truck - we were in a real bricks n' mortar burger bar.

HYPERVENTILATING YET????

You should be, because 8 Bit has officially thrown its doors open today, and has brought a new style of dining to Footscray that I am very, very excited about.

The theme is old video games, which is played out in some of the burger names ("1UP" mushroom burger, anyone?) and in the awesome table number thingies.

I could never play anything on Nintendo harder than Mario Bros - I just used to mash all the buttons with my fingers and occasionally my character would do something awesome.  In the face of so much menu awesomeness (smoked frank with bacon, grilled onions and BBQ sauce, anyone?  Crispy chicken burger with slaw and Sriracha???), I kind of applied the same theory to choosing our meal.

Oh em gee.  So delicious.  I went the classic 8Bit with Cheese, which was great.  The burgers are cooked on a griddle and the patty had a great crust on the outside.  Nice pickles and the now-classic brioche bun...  Yum.

But the fries!  These were bury-your-face-in good.  Covered in melted cheese sauce with quality chopped bacon - they were sensational.

Can we reflect on the prices?  I think they are crazy reasonable.  $8.50 for a burger, plus $3 for a side of beer-battered fries - that's way cheaper than Grill'd, and loads better.

Lest you go howling about "hipsters" taking over the neighbourhood, you should know that two of the three partners behind this enterprise are Footscray boys, born and bred.  The other is from Geelong, so he's got westie wings too.

Anne, who had brought her lovely bub in pram in, was kind enough to let us share her table.  The staff were super lovely and accommodating to the mum and little one, even bringing him a bickie when he got a bit over it all.  When this mama is similarly over it all, I intend to rely on 8 Bit just the same way - hopefully there will soon be some voddy to tip into those strawberry cheesecake shakes!

8 Bit

8 Droop Street, Footscray

Open daily, 11am-11pm

Roti Road

"May the road rise up to meet you," goes the old Irish blessing to the weary traveller.  The road I have in mind, though, isn't going to get a chance to "rise up" to meet anybody - it's about to get hit with a stampede.

Roti Road is a brand-new Malaysian-Chinese restaurant that has just opened in Footscray on the site of the old Yummie. It's had an epic makeover, complete with glossy wood, red banquettes and green-leaved potted plants dotted throughout. 

We were wandering by, perfectly content with our dinner plans at an old favourite, when we saw that it was open for business.  Wild horses etc etc.  Thus you'll have to forgive the quality of the camera phone photos on this instance - I was a bit underprepared!

House-made roti with three dipping sauces of sorts (sweet and almost smoky chicken curry sauce, a lovely dal, and jammy sambal).  This roti is unreal.  The whole plate is $5.90 (YES) and you can add a very excellent chunky lamb (or beef, or chicken) curry for an extra $4.  This roti rivals Mamak - seriously, you have to try it.

Just some good old salt-and-pepper squid in a noodle basket.  This was done well.

These chicken dumplings looked gorgeous on the menu (indeed, most things do - they're beautifully photographed) but I found them a bit lacking in flavour and juice.  A bit of soy and vinegar, though, and Bob's your uncle.  The little "webs" aren't attached to the bases but are separate, which is unusual.

We were busy gorging ourselves when suddenly, an upbeat dance track came on and the stereo got turned up.  We peered about, wondering what was going on, but the staff were all looking at the floor with knowing smiles.  Suddenly, out of the kitchen bounded a chef, twirling and flipping a tissue-thin sheet of roti pastry like pizza!

He popped and locked his way through the whole track, all the while spinning his roti in the air, while the patrons whooped and cheered.  It was so unexpected and so joyful.  Apparently this happens every evening!

Can you find the roti?

One half of Roti Road is David Tran, who is the son of Yummie head honchos John and Annie Tran.  Devotees of their dumplings can rest easy that yum cha is still on offer daily until 3pm.  I had a quick chat to David after our meal and he confirmed that their head chef is Malaysian, and everything is made here from scratch, from the roti to the laksa paste.

Speaking of which, here's what you have to look forward to!

David shouted us this Matterhorn of a dessert - roti with condensed milk and icecream.  Completely OTT fun.

Roti Road is officially opening today, Friday 2 May.  I love the decor, which feels smart but not slick.  The food is really good and I can't wait to try more.  The toilets need some TLC but I believe that was meant to be happening over the last few days, plus some more artwork going on the walls.  Oh, and it's BYO for now but a licence is in the works.

No need to divert to Flemington, Footscrazies - when it comes to Malaysian food, we can go our own way now!

Roti Road (Facebook)

189-193 Barkly Street, Footscray

Phone:  9078 8878

Footscray Rugby Union Club and the Bulldog Burger

If I had to buy a beer for everyone who helped out on the Rickshaw Run - well, let's just say we'd be on a baked-bean diet that week.  The way the westie community pulled together to pull it off was just amazing.  I do need to say a special thank you, though, for a very special collaboration between the Rickshaw Run and the Footscray Rugby Union Club.

Photo by Luke Mears

When these guys came on board and agreed to staff an entire shift, I offered to write a post about the club on Footscray Food Blog.  What I didn't know was how perfect a fit the club would be for the Rickshaw Run, and how genuinely happy I'd be to spread the word about them.

So read on for more about this dynamic, friendly grass-roots club - plus a very cool, very westie foodie connection, and how you can get a piece of it!

Photo courtesy of FRUC's Facebook page

Footscray Rugby Union Club was founded in 1928.  The Dewar Shield is the premier Victorian rugby competition, fought out between nine teams who represent 125 years of rugby in Victoria.  Footscray currently have senior men's teams contesting at this top level.

Photo courtesy of Footscray Rugby Union Club

Footscray also has a junior pathway program that starts with kids aged 6 to 10 who learn the game in a fun and safe environment while building on their motor skills and coordination.  There are U12, U14 and U16 rugby teams that compete against other teams across Melbourne.

Photo courtesy of Footscray Rugby Union Club

FRUC's women's teams are comprised of three independent rugby clubs, with a strategic viewpoint to grow the game across the western suburbs of Melbourne.  They include Brimbank, Footscray and Melton rugby clubs. There are currently six women's teams contesting this season, with FRUC's team - the Western Districts - having been very successful in preseason fixtures.

You don't have to be an expert to come and play.  The club currently has four different grades, which means that everyone can find a level at which they're comfortable.  Leki Sisifa of FRUC explains: "We have rugby teams to cater for players looking to push for higher honours to the weekend warriors hoping to throw the ball around with some friends.  Footscray Rugby Union Club is happy to accept players of all shapes and sizes regardless of skill level.  We are a very inclusive club".

Photo courtesy of FRUC's Facebook page

Rugby Union in Victoria obviously plays a very far second fiddle to AFL, but to me, there's something good in that.  The Rebels (Melbourne's state-level rugby team) are required to play in comps for clubs that are at Dewar Shield level.  To me, this means more genuine involvement between top-level players right down to kids just starting out.

Photo by Luke Mears

Footscray Rugby Union Club's volunteer representatives got so many positive comments from guests on the Rickshaw Run.  They made such a great impression that they even got a mention in Federal Parliament!

And that foodie connection?  Sean Donovan of the Station Hotel (on the right) is a keen player for the Footscray Doggies, and the Station Hotel is a proud sponsor of the club!

Sean has been instrumental in creating Footscray Rugby Union Club's signature home-game offering - the Bulldog Burger.  For a mere $8.50, you get a Station Hotel-quality two-hander - a beef patty, pickles, bacon, cheese, mustard, mayo and ketchup on a brioche bun. 

It's drip-down-your-arms good!

The next home game is this Saturday 26 April at Henry Turner Reserve at Footscray Park.  Everyone is welcome to come down and enjoy the game.  The fixture is 3rd grade at 12 noon, 2nd grade at 1.30pm, 1st grade at 3.10pm and 4th grade at 3pm.  The Bulldog Burgers start sizzling at about noon.  There's also beer for sale from Broo, brewed on the Mornington Peninsula.  Love that it's in tinnies!

Photo courtesy of FRUC's Facebook page

From my own experiences with my kids' sports, running a sports club is darn hard work.  In my dealing with FRUC, I've been genuinely impressed with their professionalism and commitment to the club.

If you're interested in being part of FRUC, the club invites you to please come along and check them out.  Keep an eye on their active social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) for game dates and also check out their new website, complete with lots of videos.  You're also welcome to give the following folks a call with any questions:

Junior Co-ordinator - Jessie Treherne (0425 742 736)

Seniors/Club Secretary - Andre van der Schee (0458 911 000)

Western Districts (women's division) - Zerlina Dyer (0432 033 776)

Photo by Luke Mears

One more reason to join - the Station Hotel do the after-training meals for players!  We're talking spicy bolognaise, steak sangers, and sausages with mash and onion gravy.  PS:  Did you know the Station has a blog, complete with the recipe for their lick-the-plate-good bearnaise sauce???

YOU'RE WELCOME.

Golden Horse yum cha

What are the three sweetest words in the English language?

"I love you"?

"Marry me, please"?

I say they're...

"YUM CHA DAILY" !

The Golden Horse has just opened on possibly Footscray's best corner site, and is ready to feed you these sweet nothings seven days a week.

There aren't many small yum cha restaurants like this around.  Usually when a yum cha place is small, it means no trolleys, or a very small range of food.  That's not the case here.  Golden Horse have a great range of dim sum, and it's not dumbed down - I spied chicken feet, pork ribs, tendon and silken tofu with prawn.

The small space does mean it's tricky to get a table of exactly the size you require, which means you might have to share a table.  I felt pretty sorry for the couple who had to share an eight-seater with me and my three grotty kids, but luckily the first trolley hit within seconds of sitting, so I could plug them with food straight away.

Shu mai, or "the ones with the dot on top" as they're known in our family.  They're made from prawn and pork with a wonton wrapper enclosing the bottom and sides.  These were really chunky and quite awesome.  Love how you get four to a basket rather than the usual three!

An equally generous serve of har gao or prawn dumplings.  Great.

Ridiculously amazing pastry - short, flaky, feathery and totally melt-in-the-mouth.  It was curled around a jammy BBQ pork filling.  Pounce the minute you see these come out of the kitchen.

These prawn noodle rolls are one of my favourite things - big noodle sheets (like lasagne sheets) flopped around prawns.  Pro tip - attack these with an empty bowl, ie, not one full of soy sauce.  The sauce with these is really light and sweet and deserves to be enjoyed on its own.

Crisp prawn rolls, I believe wrapped in rice paper, served with a little dish of mayo.  Also try the very similar golden brown-coloured variety, where the prawn is wrapped in fried bean curd skin (those ones come with a violently coloured yet delicious sweet-and-sour sauce).

Forgo the standard jasmine and order some chrysanthemum tea.  It has a fresh taste, a little like chamomile but much more gentle.

Ham sui gok, aka "football dumplings".  These have a glutinous rice flour batter around a filling - normally pork mince and a bit of mushroom.

These ones had a pretty filling with chopped pork and a little (what I think is) Chinese chive.  With the perfect crisp exterior and warm, slightly gummy interior, they were great.  Try these with chilli sauce.

Wasn't a fan of these panfried dumps - they were not hot enough.  Honestly, I'm never a huge fan of this type of dumpling (jiao zi) at yum cha.  If you want fried dumplings, go order a whole plate for ten or so bucks at 1+1 across the road.

This squid obviously never skipped leg day.  Even though these calamari tentacles were really big, they weren't tough, and the light coating was great.

Just enough room for char siu bao - fluffy steamed buns with a warm dob of BBQ pork in the middle.

Something to keep the kids quiet while I go to pay the bill (which, for all of the above for a very greedy adult and three kids, came to $61.80)...

...and after paying, I got chatting to Barry Diep, whose family restaurant this is.  All the yum cha is made in house.  There are some serious dumpling smarts going on here - one of the chefs is the ex-head chef of a Gold Leaf restaurant, and was coaxed out of retirement to saddle up the Golden Horse.  (Barry's uncle is one of the owners of the Gold Leaf chain, which includes Sunshine's Gold Leaf - a big favourite of mine.)

Barry's dad is also a chef at the Golden Horse.  He did his formal training in Hong Kong in the 1970s with an apparently very highly regarded chef of the time, and one of his fellow students was the current head chef of Laksa King.  He has been cooking since he was eight, including up and down the length of Vietnam.  As such, Barry reports that he was exposed to French techniques and ingredients.  His signature dish is snow crab with foie gras.  CAN YOU SAY HELL YES?!

Dad's other specialty is his XO sauce.  Barry kindly gave me this little pot to take home and try, while the kids all got a mango pudding each.  The sauce is a knockout and the puds were all fantastic - they had tiny little real mango bits in them.

I really like the Golden Horse.  Eating yum cha in a big dim sum barn can feel like you're on a conveyer belt, but this is a really friendly little place.  This site is an iconic one for the suburb, and it feels so right to have a big, busy yum cha restaurant full of people right here in the guts of the 'scray.  I love that everything's made here, and afterwards the insatiable salt/MSG-induced thirst that normally attacks me after a yum cha session was nowhere to be found.  Can't wait to come back in the evening and try the a la carte stuff.

You could say Footscray is now a one-horse town, and I think it's all the better for it.

Golden Horse

Cnr Hopkins and Leeds Streets, Footscray

In case you missed Friday's post - Footscray Food Blog's next round of independent tours is now on sale!  Get the dates and details here...