Locals may remember it as Hannah Hanoi New Quarter before the lockdown years, but the popular Neo-Vietnamese haunt, now shortened simply to New Quarter, has since changed its stripes. In 2021, the Commune Group (Firebird, Tokyo Tina, Moonhouse) transformed the casual diner into a somewhat more elegant affair both in terms of style and substance. Picture a minimalist fit-out with tasteful timber tones under wicker lights and the soft glow of wall projections.
Head chef Scott Lord, whose resume boasts an impressive history (Sunda, Cumulus Inc), doesn’t shy away from the Vietnamese flavours you know and love, but instead strives to make them shine anew in a modern light. Take the reimagined banh mi “finger,” for instance, or a fish-sauced beef tartare with egg and gelatinised broth. Of course, you could just get a bowl of pho here, but why would you stop there when there are so many other interesting dishes to try?
A recent addition to the menu is the Nem Nuong, a Viet-style kebab that sandwiches a beef mince skewer in blankets of aromatic pork fat and flatbread. Jaew (a Thai-style chilli dipping sauce) and a crunchy pickle respectively throw in some spice and tang – and cut through the fat – so you can have more than one and make a meal of it if you please. With wok-tossed noodles and plenty of piquant proteins rounding out the menu, a feast is in order here, which you can easily arrange by opting for a set menu.
While funky signature cocktails are the major drawcard of the drinks list, you can also wash all that glorious savouriness down with an Aussie wine or beer, or go full Vietnamese-style with a 333 rice lager.
