Hanoi Café

In its owners' own words, Hanoi Café offers 'homemade Vietnamese cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere', which is a pretty accurate description of this charming 'mom and pop' eaterie. There's no fussiness about the easy-wipe tabletops and the black and white photographs of Vietnam on the walls, nor do the dishes come intricately plated. We had plenty of fun with the rustic 'roll your own summer roll' platter, which arrived with personal bamboo mats, circles of rice paper wrappers that had to be soaked in an accompanying bowl of water, and mounds of shredded vegetables, herbs, and vermicelli noodles. Our choice of lime chicken filling, however, was more paltry than poultry - mostly batter rather than anything resembling meat. The menu features pho (noodle soups) and bun (rice noodles), served in massive bowls. Hanoi bun topped with sautéed beef, chicken and king prawns was a satisfying meal in itself, especially when accompanied by a strong Vietnamese iced coffee. Hanoi Café might not be the fanciest joint in town, but the food is honest and comforting.