rice kitchen

a contemporary, yet authentic vietnamese dining experience is on offer here. all the ingredients were fresh and of good quality. the protein was nicely cooked and the flavours well balanced. the serving size was tiny however. the smallest bowl ofphoi have had to date for $16!

the food is beyond disappointment. this must be one of the most tastelessphoi’ve ever had. it tastes like water with instantphocube. same goes with the wagyuphobeef. though i chosephobecause i want to go safe in viet place.
the service is okay though, apart from the fact that they got our main dishes out first before the entree. i don’t mind at all but it’s sure my husband’s pet peeve.
not recommend and will not come back.

the dishes are creative but not overdone. i can still find and enjoy the original flavours. i'm not a fan of beefphoeven when i was in vietnam. i go to rice kitchen for duck noodle salad, young rice popcorn and  iced coffee.

very impressed with our visit to rice kitchen! such a warm and pleasant little restaurant to relax in. 

we ordered:
- fried eggplant bao buns
- chicken spring rolls
- oxtail curry 
- bun cha ha noi

everything tasted fresh and flavoursome. 
the eggplant bao buns were the highlight! couldn't fault the crispy eggplant and pillowy, fresh bao buns. the oxtail curry was also tasty and the serving was generous. would definitely come back to try the other items on the menu (the hashbrowns andphorolls looked so good!!)

arrived with a groupon - $85 to spend on food and drinks (purchased for $55).

i did not think to check the menu this time so expected dishes to be $20-25 and there would be alcoholic drinks, so it would easy to spend $85. we ordered waay too much food for two people. service was lovely, and food came out quickly. 

definitely come here with a group of friends to try out the different dishes.

drinks came first. 
vietnamese iced coffee - flavours were nice but disappointed that it was not freshly made.

house-made coconut lemonade - refreshing, unique flavour.

beef stew withpho- the meat melts in your mouth and carrot was soft. however, the broth was lacking in flavour.

hanoi crab and pork fried rice paper spring rolls - the filling was missing flavour but tasted alright when dipped in the fish sauce.

bun cha pork bao buns - favourite dish. the baos were soft and fluffy and the cha (pork patty) flavours were balanced with the salad. probably would have tasted better if i had eaten them when they were warm (my fault, there was so much food).

grilled lemongrass duck with banh hoi - the meat was dry but when you wrap it up and dip it in the fish sauce it tasted okay. didn't enjoy the salad. it had pickled ginger (japanese style) which isn't vietnamese-like. it would have been better if it was a vietnamese salad such as goi/nom

by this point i thought everything had arrived but there was still more...

rice flake prawn popcorn with salad - this was different. the popcorn had a slightly chewy texture. did not have a strong prawn flavour or many prawns. again, the salad dressing was too strong and reminded me of japanese flavours.

freshphorolls with tender beef with daikon, carrot & thai basil with fish sauce - by the time we got to this dish, we were sooo full. the meat was dry but when dipped in fish sauce, it helped. i don't like having to rely on fish sauce to give a dish its flavour, and this was the case; as the spring rolls.

the restaurant is trying to be creative with their dishes, which is awesome but some dishes are missing the traditional vietnamese flavours. 

also, they have reusable takeaway containers which i've never seen before in a restaurant. you pay a deposit and upon returning your container, it is refunded to you. this should be encouraged, especially if you go past the area or to the restaurant regularly. kudos for trying to reduce your waste!

small, intimate, cozy restaurant serving modern vietnamese dishes. the dishes are of excellent quality although one or two dishes can be improved. the soba is refreshing whereas the hash brown is very unique with glutinous rice in it. the sauce condiments that come with most dishes are top notch.phocan be improved though as it is quite plainn

i don’t want to sound exaggerated, but all the foods at rice kitchen are very tasty!! i love the grilled chicken with any dish. i love the veganphoas well, i think i have veganphomost if the time.
a very recommended place if you like asian and vietnamese especially. :)

simply amazing - the decor, the staffs and the food. we unknowingly went in 15 minutes prior to their closing during the day. they could have turned us away but the staff was accomodating enough to open up an extra 15 minutes. we are fast eaters so it was no issue. really loved the pork bellyphoand the pork bao buns. very fresh and flavoursome. loved the chilli paste as well. tried the vietnamese coffee - nothing against the restaurant - but they are sweet as hell. one sip and am done. no more vietnamese coffee for the foreseeable future.
will definitely be back to try their other dishes.

brilliant surprise for people like me who think of vietnami cuisine comprises of onlyphoand rice paper rolls. we went on a busy thursday night and had so much food 🥰
we had pulled jackfruit on rice cracker( my fav.dish here), hash browns reimagined, spicy edamame, rice paper rolls (not your regular stuff), and sago pudding with tropical fruits. everything was a revelation and i loved the food. will be back soon!

small cosy little restaurant. had the sticky hash brown with chicken and also the rice bowl with bun cha patties. we missed out on thephorolls as they were sold out. the sticky hash browns were the highlight for me. crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. really enjoyable meal. lots of healthy options. not authentic vietnamese flavours but a modern sort of take on it.

really amazing fresh food. the lamb ribs a standout out dish wit soft tender melt in mouth tasty ribs. thephorolls really soft & fresh as well. had the beef. no msg bad feel after as well

how is this store not busy at dinner!? i wouldn't be surprise if the shop becomes the next sought after restaurant for melbourne foodies in a few months time. the eatery is fairly new in the area taking over the formerphoestablishment.

from initial entry and until we left, we had felt welcomed and valued. the friendly waitress was prompt with taking our orders, bringing out the food, and attentive to our needs and feedback.

as for the food, we can't fault on anything that we tried. the food was delicious, well presented, and refreshing to see original flavours creatively delivered like the grill chicken bao and ha noi spring rolls (vietnamese customers will know what i mean). in addition, the salad and veggies that accompanied each dish was fresh and balanced the fried items.

last wednesday my family and i decided to head into rice kitchen south melbourne to sample some of the foods they have on offer at their new establishment.

this place is the “bees knees” and “cats pajamas” for vietnamese food. it’s where the 25th century meets vietnamese food, this is the kind of place you would find buck rogers hanging out eat fresh spring-rolls in zero g.

if you’re looking for a two bit bowl ofphoserved in a old crusty chipped bowl then head down to springvale, otherwise come to rice kitchen and taste the delights of vietnamese food made with love.

on this fine melbourne day i chose the grilled chicken served with sticky rice hash-browns. there was nothing i could complain about the dish, the timelines of ordering to receiving my meal was good, the presentation was superb and the taste delicious. the chicken was grilled to near perfection and the taste was great, it must have been sitting in the marinade since the 25th century as the meat was soft, juicy and oozed with flavor. the four triangle pieces of sticky rice hash-browns where cooked well and tasted just as delicious, especially when dipped in this secret soy sauce combination. and finally the little side salad topped the whole dish off well.

the portion of the meal i felt was perfect, now i am big dude and i can almost fit the titanic in “ma belly”. but i walked away feeling satisfied and content.

so if you are down in south melbourne and keen to see what food delights our future generations will be eating in the 25th century then head down to rice kitchen and let your taste buds party like its 2399.

best bowl ofphoin melbourne literally! very close to hanoi style pho. broth is rich and no msg!
also thephoroll was delicious and fresh. i guess it’s healthier than sushi roll. love the veganphoroll.
good service as well.

lovely atmosphere and staff. the spring rolls should definitely come with big lettuce leaves so that i can eat them without burning my fingers. thephoand vermicelli salad are nice and healthy. overall i enjoy rice kitchen.