CONCLUSION

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." - Greg Anderson

The climax of Chopstick Chowdown Challenge was more of an anti-climax. We turned up ready for the last restaurant only to realise we had already been to the last restaurant. So we went back for a third helping of chilli fish.

Now when I walk back along Victoria St, I see new restaurants have sprung up. Others have disappeared. But this is the kaleidoscopic nature of this vibrant strip which we have had the pleasure to thoroughly sample.

It only took about 16 months but we did it! We completed the challenge of eating at every Asian restaurant on Victoria St between Church and Hoddle Streets. And what an epic experience it was. We delighted our palates, we tried foods we never thought we'd try, we made some wonderful discoveries. My mouth waters again as I go through the blog and am reminded of our culinary experiences. It has also been a portrait of friendships (some transient, some enduring), social experiences and the banter that comes with a group of people sharing a meal. People may come and go but true friendships and good food remain!

However, for those who like their conclusions less philosophical and more mathematical, here are the stats.

THE STATISTICS

Participants: 29
Restaurants: 36
Dishes eaten: 196
Number of bowls of pho consumed: 19

BEST RESTAURANT

I performed two types of statistical analysis on the ratings I had from participants for each restaurants:
i) the mean of the top 3 rated dishes
ii) the mean of all the dishes minus the top and bottom ranked.

In both cases, the top ranking resturant came out the same. Drumroll please...

#1 YU XIANG LAPOPO

It seems we just couldn't get enough of that chilli fish. But Victoria St is known for its Vietnamese restaraunts, right? The runner up (or best Vietnamese restaurant) according to the first analysis was...

#2 (i) THANH HA

And according to the second analysis

#2 (ii) THANH THANH

The bronze medal winner was the same...

#3 QUAN 88

Other restaurants making up the top 10 were...

Ying Thai
Vinh Vinh
Tom Toon Noodle House
Binh Minh
Oriental Spirit
Saigon Rose
Thy Thy

Although I have allocated winners, it is only according to the results of this little experiment where ranking were often very close and scores affected by variables (such as who attended, how generous they were with their ratings, personal tastes, experiences on the day, etc). At the end of the day it is a matter of personal preference but hopefully I have managed to capture a sample of the best picks on Victoria St.

BEST DISHES

Overall the dishes which scored the highest (the mean participant rating on the night) over the course of the challenge were:

#1 Vietnamese Salad - Vi'em Cafe (9.1/10)
#2 Pad Kee Mao - Tom Toon Noodle House (9/10)
Chilli Fish Bowl - YuXiang Lapopo (9/10)
Coconut Beef - Quan 88 (9/10)
#3 Peking Duck - Binh Minh (8.9/10)

At the start of this challenge I promised to find you the best pho and a list of other dishes. Here are the results.

Best Pho
#1 Thy Thy
#2 Thanh Ma

Best Ricepaper Rolls
# 1 Tran Tran
#2 Vinh Vinh

Best Spring Rolls
#1 Binh Minh
#1 Thanh Ha
(Special mention for Quan 88's duck spring roll special)

Best Peking Duck
#1 Binh Minh
#2 Pacific BBQ House

Best Green Curry
Tom Toon

Best Satay Skewers
Oriental Spirit

Personally there are some dishes that stand out in my mind, that I continued thinking about for days after. So here are my special mentions:

• Soft shell crab - Thanh Thanh
• Peking duck - Pacific BBQ House
• BBQ pork with Chinese broccoli - I Spicy
• Whole fish with spicy sour sauce - Ying Thai
• Szechaun mud crab - Xiao Ting Box
• Chilli fish - YuXiang Lapopo

Thanks again everyone who participated, especially Steph (for saying "let's do this" and putting in the most ChChCh appearances) and Craig (for being our most enthusiastic and consistent participant once recruited from England).

There is a gap on Sunday nights now - a time when you want to savour the last moments of the weekend and not think about the impending working week. Maybe we can begin a new challenge...the mission to find the best Indian food in Melbourne...Curry Chowdown Challenge?!?

#33 Vi'em Cafe (345 Victoria St)

Attendees: Beata, Craig, Steph, Annabel

The weather has turned in Melbourne (making our Pom very happy) and the next restaurant on the route has an open coutryard-like area facing onto the street.

We've seen some novel decor but I'd say this one takes the cake. Most striking is the feature wall of fake rock with cascading water that makes you feel like you are in an Indiana Jones film. The lighting casts a green tinge over everything. It is like being in a Vietnamese restaurant theme park.

Even the drinks menu is fun. Unfortunately for Annabel they won't give her the three colour drink so she has to settle for the two colour. Don't ask us what was in it. Coconut milk seems to be the base and little balls of green and red make up the colour. At the bottom are chunks of...something. Maybe cream, maybe lard, maybe something else...

Perhaps the waitress has been staring at the green lights for too long because two minutes after taking our order she returns to take our order. Uh yeah, we just did that.

The spring rolls are quite tasty and and rice paper rolls are good. We substitute pho with a beef soup, which is highly disappointing. It has all the ingredients to make a successful dish (chunks of beef, plump noodles and a colourful broth) but it is tasteless bordering on wrong tasting.

For #27 we have a Vietnamese salad, which is light, tasty and refreshing. Steph being a massive fan of these salads doesn't hold back on giving it a 10 in her ratings. We also have calamari with XO sauce (not bad but not as flavoursome as it could be).

And then kang kong. We order this partly because of the name (I'm have flashes of gorillas on tall buildings) and partly to get our nutrients. This green veggie (it seems to be variation of bok choy) turns out to be stringy and chewy and it doesn't go down like hoped.

But it all doesn't matter because Craig is just happy to eat all the rice he likes under the pretext of 'carbo-loaing' for the Melbourne marathon.


Ratings
Rice paper rolls 6.8/10
Spring rolls 7.4/10
Beef soup 4.1/10
#27 (Vietnamese salad) 9.1/10
Calamari with XO sauce 6.4/10
Kang kong 5.9/10

#31 Tom Toon Noodle House (241 Victoria St)

Attendees: Beata, Steph, Craig, Rob


This little eatery is hidden away near the big Hoddle St intersection. Unless you purposely venture this far you are unlikely to accidentally stumble upon it. It has a warm glow amongst the closed stores. The shopfront is non-descript aside from a handwritten board of curry specials. In fact for awhile I am convinced it is nameless. We deduce it is Thai from the flag on the back wall. I finally find the name when I stand outside staring as we are leaving. Tom Toon Noodle House.

The décor consists of wooden shelving with an assortment of knick-knacks (assumedly from Thailand) including vases, jars and children’s toys. Beside our table is a bookshelf filled with books which gives it a homely atmosphere. As does the odd ant parading along the shelving. Maybe.

We are presented with two menus. An A2 laminated page and the extended flip menu. I’m assuming the one-pager is some sort of house speciality menu as it doesn’t match up with the other menu. Of course, if there is no logical thought behind it, that would make sense too. Just in case you don’t have enough menus there are photographs of selected dishes behind the counter and a specials board.
I’m having language difficulties with the waiter. We are trying to order satay sticks, not believing the lack of entrees on the plethora of menus. He is offering us something akin to satay but not quite satay. We agree.

The result is skewered chicken, grilled in spices with a watery, tangy satay-like sauce. On the end of each skewer is a piece of pork. Of course. Whatever they are called, it’s light and tangy. The spring rolls are also good with a light crispness and juicy filing.

Number 27 (on the laminated menu) is described as "rice noodles, meat with spicy flavour". It is outstanding and we demolish it within moments. It’s full of flavours (chilli, sweet soy, ginger) accompanied by a lovely chargrilled flavour.

The green curry is exceptionally creamy and given the thumbs by Rob, who claims he only like Indian curries. Perhaps the language barriers come into the play again because after asking for a prawn curry we clearly receive chicken.

From the specials we have the duck with lemongrass. The lemongrass is a bit overpowering with crunchy slices throughout the dish. The duck itself is well cooked but without the crispy skin of Chinese BBQ duck.

We are still hungry so order another Thai classic – Pad Thai. We make a second attempt at ordering prawns and speculate whether this one too will come out with chicken. But this time they get it right. For me the Pad Thai is not flavoursome enough and I feel there are too many crunchy beanshoots in it.

As the name 'noodle house' suggests, it should be famous for its noodle dishes and if you ever come here, try the Pad Kee Mao. Although the portion sizes are disappointingly small, the flavour and cheap price makes up for this.


Ratings
Spring rolls 6.5/10
Chicken skewers with satay-like sauce 6.5/10
#27 Pad Kee Mao (rice noodles, meat with spicy flavour) 9/10
Green curry (chicken) 8.5/10
Special (duck with lemongrass) 7.6/10
Pad thai 7.4/10

#30 Ying Thai (235 Victoria St)

Attendees: Beata, Craig, Steph and Rob

And so we move into the home straight of the Chopstick Chowdown Challenge and the first restaurant on the odd-numbered side of the road. There is some confusion as we think we’re going for Indian. I am mislead by the Spice Guru sign, which does not actually correspond to an eatery. Instead we find Ying Thai unassumingly tucked between some computer repair stores.

It must be good. We are the only Caucasians there and every table is full. We are given menus and told to stand in a corridor. It immediately feels authentic with its gaudy orange décor and over-lit nature, just like some of the most authentic restaurants on this strip.

As soon as the food comes out there is silence, as we and the tables around us tuck into its deliciousness.
The satay skewers are a shiny golden colour and delicate. They come with satay sauce on the side which has a healthy layer of oil. As much or as little sauce as you want seems ideal for condiment lovers like us. It also comes with white toast. I’ve never seen that before. But our apprehensions are soon displaced as the toast proves useful for sopping up the remaining sauce. There are extra half marks being thrown around when it comes to the ratings for the bread.

Everyone seems to be ordering a dish involving mince meat, which we conclude is larb and decide to get on board. We get the pork larb and having minmum experience with larb, I conclude it is very larb-like. Chopped chillies are piled on the top and the dish has a great kick but is also very refreshing with shredded red onions, cabbage and coriander and a light dressing.

Thai green curry is one of the Thai standards for ChChCh and we pick the seafood option. The seafood is generous with prawns, squid and reconstituted fish. It has the necessary hotness to it and a flavoursome sauce.

Number 27 is penang beef. It’s overwhelmingly beefy and I am disappointed with the lack of vegetables. Steph comments that they mustn’t use artificial beef tenderiser as the beef is quite tough. The sauce however is very tasty and has a great blend of flavours including a strong hint of lemongrass.

The dish of the evening for me is the pla nun manow - a whole fish. It is oh so fresh and fun to eat communally. Dipped in the hot and sour dressing it bursts with flavours as well as fresh herbs and chillis. Picking away at a whole fish is like having it straight out of the sea and the primal novelty factor is enjoyable. We manage to get all the meat off leaving just the head and bones.

Again Craig declares this is one of his favourites so far (doesn’t he say this every week?) Indeed he enjoys it so much (particularly the rice bucket refills) that we almost need a stretcher to carry him out of there.

Ying Thai serves authentic Thai food and is not afraid to lay on the spice. Its food is fresh and highly satisfying.


Ratings
Satay skewers 8.4/10
Green curry (seafood) 7.6/10
#27 (penang beef) 7.3/10
Special (pla nun manow – whole fish) 7.9/10
Pork larb 8/10

#28 Oriental Spirit (54 Victoria St)

Attendees: Beata, Craig, Steph, Penny and Andrew

After a few Sunday afternoon 'brewskis', I arrive at Oriental Spirit convinced that it is larger than it is and that my other friends are tucked away in another section. It must be the oriental stone statues and indoor plants at the entrance that confuse me. Or perhaps it's the black and red theme.

We pick up the menu and all the entrees are appetising. Spring rolls? For sure. Satay sticks? Definitely, it’s one of Thai standards! Thai rice paper rolls? Well rice paper rolls are one of the standards for Vietnamese so we should try them. Peking duck? I love duck! No, there is some conjecture that $6.80 is pricey for one piece. Should we cheat on number 27 and get entrée scallops instead?

As for mains, well... Green curry prawns is a standard and there has been a special request for Pad Thai. Number 27 is a mixture of garden salads. The prospect is so uninspiring we pretend number 25 is it and get the green papaya salad.

My enthusiasm for the spring rolls burns my mouth. The pastry on them is quite thick and the insides don’t hold much excitement. The satay chicken skewers are delicious. Tender chicken covered in a creamy satay sauce that has a great texture and the right balance of spicy and sweet peanutty flavours.

The Thai rice paper rolls are different from the ones we’ve been having at the Vietnamese restaurants. They seem to be warmer and amongst the fillings are bean shoots and cabbage. Maybe I’ve been watching too much Masterchef but I detected a soapy flavour to them.
From the specials we have soft shell crab. It’s colourful and delicious with a medley of reds and greens on fried noodles. The crab melts in your mouth.

The green curry is spicy, as it should be. There’s a good serving of vegetables including beans, carrots, bamboo shoots and eggplant. It’s a light colour (almost has an orange tinge to it) and kicks you in the back of the throat.

I’m not a great fan of the papaya salad. It is strandy and chewy, composed of thin strings of papaya, carrot and bean shouts with a dash of sweet chilli dressing.

The Pad Thai has a nice kick to it. Peanuts and chilli powder come on the side delicately placed on a spoon, for those anaphylactics out there.

Finally, bonus points are given for the music selection. It was enough to bring out the karaoke-er in the best of us. “You were always on my mind...” lalala. Camy’s Shanghai Dumplings has a new competitor in the background music stakes.



Ratings
Spring rolls 6.2/10
Thai rice paper rolls 5.5/10
Satay skewers 8.5/10
Special (salt and spicy soft shell crab) 8/10
Green curry 8.1/10
Pad Thai 7.7/10
Cheats’ #27 Green papaya salad 7.1/10

#24 I Spicy 2 (80 Victoria St)

Attendees: Beata, Craig, Annabel, Chloe

We have hit our first Thai restaurant on the Chopstick Chowdown Challenge as we approach Hoddle St. The name is intriguing. I Spicy? Is there an “am” missing? Is it trying to tap into the Apple IPod, IPhone, IPad phenomenon? Should Apple be claiming royalties?

It’s another tight space, with the majority of downstairs taken over by an open kitchen, leaving room for only about 20 diners. It’s like a cooking demonstration is going in, as throughout our visit one of the chefs cooks an unending stream of coconut pancakes. At least that’s what I work out they are from a video on the plasma screen.

Alas! At I Spicy a key component of the Chopstick Chowdown Challenge is missing. Chopsticks! We make do with forks.

With Thai comes a new set of standards: satay sticks, green curry prawns and, of course, number 27 and a daily special. After some deliberation at the menu (which gives a description of each dish and its Thai name) along with a lack of any specials, we decide to cover all major meat groups.


We open with Thai spring rolls and satay sticks. The spring roll pastry is rather thick and filled with vermicelli and an unidentifiable mince. I can’t remember what the menu says it contained. The presentation of the satay skewers is pretty, though we are not sure what to do with the accompanying watery substance with cubes of cucumber and chilli.


Number 27 is a hot and sour chicken feet stew. Despite some opposition we stick with formula and take a plunge. The chicken feet are less than visually appealing (in fact they have a resemblance to wrinkled granny hands) but I find the broth addictive. It is clear and very spicy, reminding me of tom yum with its tangy hot and sour flavours. The scraps of meat we scrape off the chicken feet just taste like braised chicken.

As Chloe fights back watery eyes at her first ChChCh, she comments “someone should have warned me it was going to be spicy!” Maybe the name and the accompanying chilli graphic should have given that away!


The green curry is based around beans and eggplant and has a fragrant kick. The penang curry is a striking reddish-orange colour garnished with slices of fresh red chilli and a dollop of yoghurt. It is even more spicy and full of creamy flavour.

The hit of the night is the crispy pork with Chinese broccoli. The greens have been infused the smoky, BBQ flavour of the pork and have a good crunchiness.


The pork has a wonderful crispy skin and is supple inside. Even with streaks of fat it only takes a few bites before melting down your oesophagus. Here’s one dish without the spice.

When Annabel asks for the bill, the waitress quizzes her about what we thought of the chicken feet soup. When Annabel says we liked it, the waitress remains friendly but sceptical, “but there was so much left behind.” Unfortunately gnawing on chicken feet is not our cup of tea.

I Spicy lives up to its name. And with so many restaurant skimping on spice for a Western market, it great to have some Asian food full of heat and flavour.


Ratings
Spring rolls 4.8/10
Satay skewers 6.9/10
#27 (hot and sour chicken feet stew) 5.9/10
Green curry prawns 7.4/10
Penang curry beef 8/10
BBQ pork with chinese brocolli 8.3/10

#20 Minh Minh (94 Victoria St)

Attendees: Beata, Craig, Penny

I have fond memories of large group banquets upstairs at Minh Minh after a day at the MCG with plate after plate of delicious dishes coming out. It’s certainly a popular restaurant with Westerners and as I looked around on the night we go (coincidentally Mother’s Day) there is nigh an Asian face in sight.

After experiencing so many delightful, little, authentic Vietnamese eatiers, I am now a little skeptical coming into Minh Minh. Serving Vietnamese, Thai and Lao are they spreading themselves a bit thin?

To attract the Westerners some effort has been put into the décor. The black tables contrast with the oranges walls. Traditional musical instruments and colourful material squares are arranged on the wall. There is no plasma for distractions. Tea is charged at $1.00 per head, which seems a tad fascist after the cornucopia of free tea we have been experiencing. As is the sign about dinner sitting times on busy nights and recommendations to order the banquet. However, the service is spot on the night we go.

We choose a mixed selection of spring rolls but neither taste nor look can tell them apart. Whatever the mush inside it, they are quite tasty. The rice paper rolls have a generous filling of prawns and pork with a good sauce.

Number 27 is egg noodle soup with wontons. A wheel of bbq pork with chopped spring onions and fried onion adorns the top, hiding a mass of thin egg noodles. The broth has sweetness to it which I find quite intoxicating. Even sweeter are the pork wontons themselves.

A handwritten scribble announces today’s specials and we take a plunge on the third one. Stewed rat beef? We can’t decipher it. When the waiter confirms our order, it still sounds like rat beef. More likely ‘red’ beef, though. It comes out in a rich mahogany soup with tender slices of beef and chunks of carrot on top of another lot of thin egg noodles.

It makes me think of rendang. Penny comments that it tastes like “Indian with thai…Indian-Thai”. Craig just says it’s “gorgeous”. The kitchen must have been excited about us ordering the dish as an Asian lady comes out offering us “beautiful” bread to soak up the sauce. It’s got a good kick to it and a unique flavour that makes it the hit of the night.

I remember having enjoyed Minh Minh’s duck last time I was there and noticing another specials board we go for the Mongolian duck. It comes out on a sizzling plate with lean piece of duck slightly charred. I’m not entirely sure Mongolian sauce and duck are the ideal combination and the flavours are pretty standard.

I can see why Minh Minh is popular as the dishes are overall tasty. Best of all Minh Minh serves up another culinary treat in the rat(red) beef thanks to the ChChCh formula.


Ratings
Rice paper rolls (pork and prawn) 6.8/10
Spring rolls 7.2/10
#27 (Egg noodle soup with wontons) 7.5/10
Today's special (stewed red beef) 8.7/10
Special (mongolian duck) 7/10