The Rice Hut Vietnamese Bistro
Kenmore
The Rice Hut Vietnamese Bistro in Kenmore offers up a menu that is full of fresh, local produce and tantalizing flavours. This is an authentic Vietnamese food experience (with a little French twist) - and one visit here is never going to be enough.
Owners and sisters, Janine and Janette greet diners with a warm welcome and happily explain and recommend dishes on their menu - and the variety of options here is impressive. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options abound and with dairy not being a part of the Vietnamese diet, menu items are almost 100 per cent dairy-free. It's also good to know that MSG is not used at The Rice Hut.
An all-day breakfast is available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with Vietnamese baked eggs proving to be the most popular dish to kick start the day.
Rice paper rolls (3 large rolls per serve) walk out the door at lunch time and are filled with fresh crunchy salad, herbs, a choice of meats and a tasty dipping sauce that complements the rolls beautifully. Also popular is the Banh Mi (Vietnamese French baguette), baked in-house daily. Rice noodle salads look almost too good to eat and are a great choice for those looking for something a little lighter - but don't be fooled, these salads are super filling.
There are way too many menu options to list them all, but suffice to say, nobody would leave this great spot still feeling hungry. The food is fresh, flavoursome and very reasonably priced and importantly, the service is prompt and very friendly. The vibe here is relaxed, with indoor and outdoor seating providing the perfect setting for a truly delicious meal.
Aside from the usual tea and coffee options, The Rice Hut's drinks menu includes traditional Vietnamese drip coffee, lychee and mint frappe, cumquat soda (in season), coconut frappe and traditional Vietnamese drip coffee. Try a Vietnamese iced coffee and enjoy the blend of smoky coffee beans and sweet condensed milk. And here's some good news - BYO is available here, with no corkage.
Janette and Janine's grandmother owned and ran a very successful restaurant in a small Vietnamese fishing village. They have been strongly influenced by their grandmother and later, their mother and have a real passion for preparing fresh, healthy Vietnamese food. The fresh produce (much of it spray free) used at The Rice Hut Vietnamese Bistro is sourced from local producers.
Need to know: The Rice Hut has both a take away and dine in menu. Bookings are highly recommended for those looking to dine in. The Rice Hut is available to cater for private functions.
Nice to know - This is a dog-friendly bistro, where four legged companions are welcome to join their owners at street-side seating.
By Sandy Ludinski
The menu may have changed since our visit.
