O’Kane Vietnamese
173 Sydney Road, Brunswick
03 8592 4687
Vietnamese
$
Food
- Beef with Betel Leaf
- Bao Buns
- Caramelised Pork Belly
- Wok Tossed Silken Tofu
- Combination Pho
The Good
It was pleasant start to our meal with the Beef with Betel Leaf. The juicy rolls of minced beef were wrapped in a very fragrant and nicely charred betel leaf. Served in skewers of three, these small bursts of juicy goodness were exceptionally tasty and appetising. What a way to start the meal, especially served with a crisp papaya salad that was both sweet and tangy.
We also enjoyed the Bao Buns. The soft fluffy white buns held together slices of tender BBQ Pork dressed in a sweet and sticky hoisin sauce. The thin slices of pork were soft and light, nicely accompanied by sliced carrots and and leaves of fragrant coriander. A comforting and Western take on the traditional Baos from Vietnam.
Our mains consisted of the Caramelised Pork Belly, Wok Tossed Silken Tofu, and Combination Pho.
The Caramelised Pork Belly was served piping hot in a clay pot. Uncovering the lid reveals an inner filled with chunks of pork belly cooked in a sweet dark soy sauce. The pork belly chunks were sizeable and offered plenty of porky flavour, though could’ve been cooked to greater softness. Meanwhile, the sweet soy sauce carried an intense sweet and salty sensation that’s best paired with a bowl of rice.
The Wok Tossed Silken Tofu certainly did not disappoint either. The round slices of tofu were fried to a perfect golden brown, it’s delicate and crisp outer skin enclosed a soft and silky smooth inner that effortlessly melted away in your mouth. This was accompanied by chunks of juicy, meaty eggplant that were pillowy soft, and contested by crisp green beans and snow peas. Definitely a tasty vegetarian stir fry that offered no compromise.
No Vietnamese meal can be complete without Pho. Our Combination Pho definitely impressed in more ways than one. The beautiful presentation made way for a delicious bowl of noodles. Thanks to the beautifully aromatic broth with great depth in flavour, the whole noodle soup was brought to a whole new level. The silky rice noodles were cooked just right, perfectly accompanied by sliced of tender beef slices, beef brisket and poached chicken. The beef slice brisket was just delicious, beautifully tender with a good mix of fat and lean, offering amazing flavours and tenderness. Meanwhile, the poached chicken was perfectly cooked, juicy and succulent without any hints of toughness.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
O’Kane is amongst the many Vietnamese eateries dotted along Sydney Road. With their authentic recipes and fresh, quality dishes like the Pho, it’s no doubt proving to be popular with the locals. Coupled with amazing specials on offer, you can count on O’Kane for a delicious yet affordable Vietnamese feed.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Sure! We would love to be back for more Pho.
Penguineats would like to thank owner Duc for inviting us to O’Kane.