GET TO KNOW YOUR BYO with Kellie Larson

Great flavour – Low prices

Great flavour – Low prices

BYOs are often viewed as the “cheap” alternative, not a dining experience. I’d like to think this isn’t entirely true. BYOs on the North Shore are integral to the local restaurant scene that we love to rely on for great food and a friendly atmosphere. Relaxed, in a good way. Not lacking in flavour. Just delicious, enjoyable dining experiences in our local communities. But these BYOs aren’t always easy to find. Online searches produce very little for the North Shore, and personal references tend to only take you to someone’s local Thai restaurant. So I have placed it upon myself to seek out the best BYO experiences
to add to my “black book”
of restaurants.

New Vietnam Cafe
Shop 10 at 62 Hurstmere Road
(in the alley way)

Kellie's rating:
Food:        9/10
Atmosphere:     7/10
Service:         9/10

The deal of the century has been found on one of the side streets of Takapuna – and with such great flavour at such low prices – I am telling everyone about New Vietnam Cafe.
I am always looking for something different, so when New Vietnam, located at Shop 10 at 62 Hurstmere Road (in the alley way across from Narita’s), was recommended to me – I jumped at the opportunity to sample the cuisine.
The restaurant itself is a typical food court type atmosphere however big, round tables afford you the opportunity to feel like you are sitting at the family dinner table – even with large groups.
Upon arrival, we were offered our choice of seats in the restaurant and wine glasses were promptly brought for everyone. We were also offered tea for the table – a nice touch.
As it was a Friday night, and copious amounts of wine were perhaps going to be consumed, we ordered a variety of entrees to begin our feasting. Amongst our selection were Crispy Spring Rolls, Summer Rolls with Prawns and Chicken and Vietnamese-Style Deep Fried Tofu with Chilies. At less than $5 per order – we stuffed our faces with these Moorish morsels that were both deep-fried and fresh at the same time. Fantastic!
For mains, with a group of 5, we ordered quite a variety of dishes to share. The best dishes were the Lemon Grass Chicken on Vermicelli, Crispy Chicken with Preserved Bean Curd on Rice and Dry Fried Beef Noodles. These dishes were so good that they each warrant their own description…
Lemon Grass Chicken with Vermicelli – a large bowl of cold rice noodle vermicelli with a savoury dressing topped with pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, crushed peanuts and, of course, lemon grass marinated chicken.
Crispy Chicken with Preserved Bean Curd on rice – crispy, rich chicken that is incredibly moist served on a bed of rice. So finger-licking good that we could have probably eaten another plate or two.
Dry Fried Beef Noodles – the perfect plate of egg noodles and tender beef stir-fried with a slight glaze of sticky, rich sauce.
We were quite full after we finished our meal, so we passed on dessert; but I have had and would recommend the original bubble tea – a creamy, sweet black tea with tapioca pearls at the bottom of the glass.
New Vietnam has already become a staple in my weekly diet, and I encourage you to do the same. With incredibly friendly staff, most meals under $12 and tasty food, this BYO restaurant is a real find.

Kellie Larson is a local ‘foodie’ who lives in Takapuna. Email: kellie@channelmag.co.nz