Tan Nhu Y Restaurant - Adelaide, South Australia

The area around Hanson Road offers some great Vietnamese options, but Tan Nhu Y (meaning "as you wish, as you like") is at the top of our list. Tan Nhu Y was closed for a couple of years for renovations and reopened in 2010. The new building has large windows facing Hanson Road, letting in plenty of light. Guests are warmly welcomed by owner Hang, a bright and bubbly personality who takes the place from good to great by ensuring her guests always enjoy their experience here.



The restaurant owners are Vietnamese and the chef is Chinese so the menu has an expansive range from both of these cuisines. We've tried a few Chinese dishes which were excellent, but the Vietnamese lunch specials and drinks are what have kept us coming back. The cold rolls are very fresh with a both prawn and pork fillings in every roll. A serve of 3 Cold Rolls is $6.20.



I reckon half the fun of eating at a Vietnamese restaurant is exploring the drinks menu and one of my favourites is the classic Three Colour Bean Drink ($4).



They also offer a nice and thick Avocado Milkshake for $4.



But the absolute pick of the drinks menu is the Tropical Fruit Drink for $4.50. It comes in this bowl of a glass with a spoon and a straw so you can both eat and drink it to your heart's content. The drink contains actual fruit pieces such as jackfruit and lychee plus coconut cubes and various jellies in pretty colours with sweet coconut milk and shaved ice bringing it all together. I haven't seen this drink anywhere else, which is yet another reason why I'm a big fan of Tan Nhu Y.



On to the food...the lunch specials are awesome. Here's the Special Broken Rice (small - $10). You can get it with Pork Skin if you want, but we usually go without. I've not had a better broken rice plate anywhere. It's top notch every time.



A new favourite dish of mine is Rice Vermicelli with Prawn-Pie on Sugar Cane (small - $12). If you dig under the noodles you'll find sliced cucumber, lettuce, and herbs. Pour the sauce and shredded carrot over the top and mix around for a great feast. This dish is also available with Spring Rolls or Steak instead of the Prawn-Pie if you prefer, but this one is my pick of the three.



The pho (beef noodle soup) is also fantastic. If you're new to pho, I'd recommend the standard Sliced Rare Beef (small - $9). The broth is divine with great depth of flavour and has minimal oil. It's a very cleansing meal and leaves you feeling refreshed. Here is the Sliced Rare Beef & Cooked Beef Brisket Pho (small - $10).



A nice finishing touch is the complimentary Vietnamese jellies, which are brought to your table. These are not overly sweet, but rather a more subtle flavour with the emphasis on the texture.



Pay a visit to Hang and her staff and you're sure to have an enjoyable meal. If there's anything you're unhappy with, just let her know and she'll happily replace it for you. Tan Nhu Y is open 7 days for dinner and Fri-Tues for lunch.

Blond Coffee - Angaston, South Australia

You'll find Blond Coffee situated at the corner of Murray Street and Sturt Street in Angaston, directly across the street from the Angaston Hotel.



Step inside to find plenty of space and seating.



Walk up to the counter to place your order. There's certainly no shortage of hot drinks to choose from, including coffees, T2 teas, chai lattes, and a variety of hot chocolates.



On our most recent visit, Darren went with his usual Cafe Latte (large - $4.90).



I went with the White Hot Chocolate ($4.40). I especially enjoyed the amazing froth with bubbles that continued to burst for a few minutes after arriving at the table. The flavour was impressive too, very smooth and creamy as a white hot chocolate should be.



The breakfasts at Blond are brilliant. Darren's favourite is the Blond Big Breakfast ($21.50). Seems a little pricey for breakfast but the quality and quantity is all there so it's money well spent. You get Rosie's free range eggs cooked the way you like, Mount Pleasant bacon, breakfast sausages, spinach, mushrooms, tomato & sourdough toast.



If you're looking for something smaller, go for the Scrambled Toastie ($10.50). It's filled with Rosie's free range scrambled eggs, Mount Pleasant bacon, tomato and cheddar cheese. I usually get strange looks if I ask for scrambled eggs in a breakfast sandwich, so I was delighted to find this sandwich on the menu. The cheese helped hold the egg in place so there were no problems with anything falling out.



On another visit, I was lucky enough to find this special on the menu - Blond Potato Hash, Chorizo, Cheddar Cheese & Spring Onion, topped w/a Poached Egg. The dish was delicious and refreshingly different from the usual standard bacon and egg breakfast. Specials change depending on the day so keep your eye on the specials board.



Before you leave, be sure to also check out the shop at the back of the cafe where you can buy gifts, T2 teas, and local produce such as Rosie's free range eggs and Mount Pleasant bacon.



Blond Coffee is definitely my pick for breakfast in the Barossa Valley.

La Cantina Co - Adelaide, South Australia

On 14 August 2012, hungry Adelaideans welcomed the newest food truck La Cantina Co with a nice long queue. The truck, cleverly named Truck Norris, was looking great with a shiny fitout and orange decor. They even had a working EFTPOS facility from day one. Very professional.



The large turnout presented a challenge for the 3 staff working in the truck. However, they were quite organised and did an excellent job for their first go. Quesadillas were also on the menu but these have since been scrapped and it's just tacos now. Probably for the best as the quesadillas were difficult to eat standing up. Here's the Chicken Taco (left) and Beef Taco (right) from the first ever service.



Week two was set to involve a showdown at high noon between La Cantina Co and Burger Theory in Hindmarsh Square. However, the driver of a black Porsche SUV decided to abandon his car for almost 3 hours in a 1 hour parking zone and poor Truck Norris was unable to fit. Apparently the Porsche driver was rightly told off by the angry taco mob when he finally returned but it was too late for me as I was already back at work by then. I vowed to return the following week.



The taco gods were smiling for week three which was, thankfully, free from parking dramas. The new chalkboard menu listed four different tacos at $5 each or 2 for $9:

• Beef, black bean & chorizo with pico de gallo, cheese & guacamole
• Smoked Chicken al cabron with pico de gallo, sour cream & corriander
• Spiced Pork & potato with pineapple salsa & corriander
• Zucchini & mushroom with cheese, lime & corriander

All sounded great and I couldn't decide so I ordered 4 tacos, one of each. This way I got to try them all and take some home for dinner as well. Protip: They reheat quite well in a skillet or fry pan on the stove top.



You may have spotted Jarritos sodas around town. These are imported from Mexico and available from the truck for $4. Very refreshing!



With great new additions such as La Cantina Co and the continuation of Splash Adelaide to the end of Dec 2012, the future of street food in Adelaide has never looked brighter.