Xeom
194 Smith Street, Collingwood
03 8658 3428
Vietnamese
$
Food
- Beef in Betel Leaf
- Duck Curry with Roti
- Grilled Chicken Banh Mi
- BBH Spicy Beef Noodle Soup
- Spicy Lime Rice Noodles
The Good
It was off to a pleasant start with the Duck Curry. The curry was flavoursome and rich, it’s thick and creamy texture perfectly coating warm slices of roti. The pulled duck within was well-seasoned and tender, and inherited much flavour from the curry itself. The only downside was the roti itself, which was a tad chewier and dense.
We also enjoyed the Beef in Betel Leaf. The lightly grilled outer leaf was fragrant and aromatic. Within wrapped a sausage made of minced beef that was juicy and well spiced, offering plenty of flavourful, juicy goodness. With peanut crumbs scattered across offering crunch, this was a very appetising dish delivering various textures and flavours.
The Bahn Mi wasn’t bad either, though this was strictly a non-traditional rendition. The generous chunks of grilled lemongrass chicken within were flavoursome and tender, well accompanied by a good helping of fresh veggies and pickled carrots. All served in a fresh, crisp roll and smothered with a creamy mayo, this modern rendition certainly did not disappoint.
Our mains consisted of the BBH Spicy Beef Noodle Soup and Spicy Lime Rice Noodles.
Served piping hot, our BBH was fiery red with flavours to match. The spicy and flavoursome broth was exceptionally appetising, well served with round rice noodles that perfectly soaked up the flavours. With a good variety of different cuts of pork and beef, this hot and spicy dish was most definitely authentic and definitely not for the faint hearted.
Equally excitable was their signature Spicy Lime Rice Noodles. Akin to a Pad Thai, the sweet and spicy flavours of this stir-fried noodle dish created an amazing aroma and very interesting flavours. The noodles were soft without being soggy, mixed with chunks of scrambled eggs, spring onion and chicken. This was coupled with crunchy, sizeable prawns and well matched with fragrant leaves of basil. For sweet and savoury lovers, this is definitely s must try.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Xeom offers a modern and casual take on traditional Vietnamese street food. Despite their contemporary interpretations, the traditional signature flavours Vietnam has most definitely remained, and has made every dish as enjoyable as the next.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
We would definitely be back for more BBH when in the area.
Penguineats would like to thank Xeom for inviting us.