I knew I wanted Rue De Thanh to succeed from the moment I entered. Maybe it was the calm and inviting energy, the warm welcome from the host behind the bar or my spider-sense-like gluttonous intuition for greatness kicking in. But atmospheric intangibles had me rooting for them before my derrière hit its chair.
Rue De Thanh is situated on the quiet end of Brunswick Street, and on a particularly frigid Tuesday night, we're part of a mere sprinkling of diners. This can make you feel vulnerable and a bit awkward, but the venue is cleverly designed to have "malleability", so it adapts well to any energy that fills it, and I'm left feeling comfy and cosy.
White-painted exposed brick walls and black details create a shrewd blend of sophistication and casualness, which aptly foreshadow the menu. Owner Thanh Tran has more than twenty years of restaurant experience, and he's paired with Head Chef Thi Hong Nguyen (who moved to Melbourne from Vietnam four years ago) to create a menu that celebrates Vietnamese food.
The result is a familiar assortment of Vietnamese favourites with a contemporary flair and dash of French technique. Take, for example, the Bò tái Chanh ($25), which is a rare beef salad but instead comes in the form of Melbourne-y beef carpaccio – sumptuous pink beef fillet topped with shallots, herbs and crispy garlic. It's vibrant, fresh and has the well-rounded, sweet-salty-sour-profile that's the signature of Vietnamese cuisine.
Oysters come grilled or fresh ($4.50ea), the latter topped with zesty nuoc mam and popping citrus finger lime pearls, an invigorating one-biter that leaves me cursing myself for only ordering one. Bánh khọt ($18), coconut and turmeric pancakes are crispy-outside-gooey-inside perfection. When wrapped with fresh lettuce leaves and herbs and dipped in the sour-sweet nuoc cham, it's a fragrant, want-for-nothing bite that my dining partner and I agree we could happily eat for every meal for the rest of our lives.
Melbourne has no shortage of East-meets-West-fusion-style venues (ironically, the name of the former venue that occupied the space). Still, Nguyen's deep understanding of Vietnamese flavours and French techniques is eminently apparent during the mains. Vịt Giòn ($42), crispy duck, looks straight out of a Parisian brasserie and comes swimming in an intensely earthy jus ripe with plump shitake mushrooms, red and black dates and lily flowers. Aesthetically, it's all France, but flavour-wise, it's a complex blend that knows no geographical bounds.
Continuing on in meat-heavy style, we have the Thịt heo kho ($40), braised pork belly. The pork is rich, gelatinous and some of the finest braised meat I've ever enjoyed. Sliced chillies cut through the richness; however, I find myself craving a bit of acidity to break up the sweet soy it is served in. My prayers for an acidic reprieve are answered by the Gỏi đu đủ ($17) green papaya salad. Crunchy and crisp, it's the perfect compatriot to our unctuous mains, and with a bowl of steamed rice ($4) to soak up excess sauce, I'm one happy camper.
Regarding drinks, Tran has kept the wine menu brief. There's a good selection of skins and fizzes to satisfy the new-wave Northside drinkers, but in my humble opinion, a tinnie is the way to go. A can of Bia Ha Noi ($9) or Stomping Ground Laneway Lager ($12) matches the food well, and even on a winter night, you can kid yourself that summer is in the air. The cocktail menu is irreverent and playful, and I'm tempted by the Oolong Island Ice Tea ($22). Surrepticiouosly boozy, the hefty serving of lemon juice and bitters makes it deceptively drinkable. However, I wish there was a stronger bite from the included Szechuan peppercorn syrup.
We're beyond satisfied, but titillating visions of mango-ey coconutty desserts dance through my mind. Alas, Tran tells us their dessert menu has yet to be finalised, but they're hoping to have something sweet available soon.
Although we're dining á la carte, Ru De Thanh also has a chef counter that serves up an $80 degustation. Tran describes the dishes as "izakaya-style Vietnamese street eats".
Elevated street food and fusion dining can be clunky and gimmicky. But, when handled by experts like Nguyen and Tran, the results are nuanced and rewarding. As usual, my spidey sense was correct, and my feelings on Rue De Thanh cemented. I hope they succeed; Melbourne will be better for it.