#11 Thanh Ma (172 Victoria St)

Attendees: Beata, Steph, Andrew Bl, Craig

It is the Sunday before Christmas and with many of our friends frantically busy with the festive season, we still manage to get 4 people together for the last Chopstick Chowdown of the year. Craig enjoyed Chopstick Chowdown Challenge so much the week before, he is back for another dose of Victoria St dining.

The first page of the menu announces that they have added new dishes to their 'traditionally family favourites'. Indeed the menu is extensive and unable to distinguish what might be family favourites or otherwise we stick with formula. Although from looking around it seems like Vietnamese pancakes are a speciality here.

Service is a little slow and we grab our own bowls. They are not on the ball with our tea either, as it unexpectedly runs out between mouthfuls of spicy food. Our conversation is distracting and far-reaching, from starting a union for over-worked young laywers to not realising you are being set-up at a dinner party where everyone else is in couples.

As chance might have it, number 27 is rice paper rolls. They have a tail of long chives strands. Again the rice paper rolls fail to impress with a dryness.

Upon Steph's request we have the pork and prawn Vietnamese coleslaw. It is crisp and refreshing, with a touch of dressing.

We scour the menu for pho. There is a variety of soups listed, but where is the pho? Judging by the corresponding menu photo we go for the han. If it sounds like pho, looks like pho and tastes like pho, we will count it as pho. And this is one of the best we have had. The noodles are exceptionally thin and light. The broth is so delicious I don't even bother searching for my usual condiment additions. Particular exciting is the bonus hard boiled quail egg floating in our soup.

From the chef's specials we go for the 'salted and pepper squid'. Despite the Vietna-glish, it's pretty good. It looks appetisingly golden and fresh chilli gives it the right kick. We play it safe with the other main getting the chilli and lemongrass beef, which also goes down well.

We celebrate the last Chopstick Chowdown for 2009 with a couple of beers and plenty of laughs across the road at the Avairy, and look forward to the gastronmic delights that await us in 2010.

Ratings

Beef han soup 8.4/10

#27 (pork and prawn rice paper rolls) 6.3/10

Special (salted and pepper squid) 6.4/10

Vietnamese coleslaw with pork and prawn 7.5/10

Chilli and lemongrass beef 7.6/10