City’s best-value Vietnamese moves to new venue

Such was the demand for the Vietnamese foods at this popular Brisbane eatery it was forced to move into bigger premises.

After days of apocalyptic rainfall, floods, threats of storms with giant hail and a direction from the Premier to stay home, you could forgive diners for twitching nervously as the ceiling of the restaurant resonates with loud thudding.

Thunder? Imminent structural collapse? No, just apparently a lot of heavy weights being dropped to the floor on a frequent basis at the gym above Paddington restaurant Ngon.

Patrons at the 100-seat Vietnamese, which moved down Given Tce to new digs opposite the Paddington Tavern at the end of last year, appear to take it in their stride, with a reasonably loud soundtrack also working as a masking measure.

Tuan Nguyen opened Ngon in a smaller shopfront up the street in 2019 but burgeoning demand forced the move. Now a flotilla of brightly coloured lanterns bobs from the ceiling of the street-facing terrace that marks the entry to the roomy, brightly lit, industrial looking space with polished concrete floors, exposed airconditioning ducting, huge murals and a feature wall of carefully arranged bowls.

Ngon in Given Terrace, Paddington. Photograph: David Kelly

Along with the expanded space the menu has similarly grown and they’re also now trialling breakfast (think bacon banh mi or maybe pho) on Saturdays. The drinks list too is more substantial, with cocktails such as a refreshing Mekong Delta mojito resplendent with lemongrass, mint and lime, teas, house-made sodas, beers including bottled Saigon and Hanoi lagers and Tiger and a house pale ale among those on tap, a dozen Australian and New Zealand wines, unusually all $10 for a good-sized glass or $45 a bottle, and 11 additional more expensive bottles from around the globe. This is a very busy operation, with staff whizzing around at top speed but despite the place being almost at capacity and a stream of takeaway bags being dispatched by the kitchen, service is smiling and efficient if no-frills and the timing of the meal is spot-on.

Ngon, Given Terrace, Paddington. Photograph: David Kelly

The kitchen hasn’t made it easy for itself, with an extensive menu including a 10-strong vegetarian and vegan repertoire, and more than 30 other small (perhaps corn ribs, salt and pepper tofu or pork dumplings) and large plates (the signature pho, duck salad, twice-cooked pork belly) and chef’s specials (ginger garlic prawns, a whole, deep-fried fish or Moreton Bay bugs in black bean herb butter).

Ngon’s pho bo - beef noodle soup. Photograph: David Kelly

We opt for the vegetable spring rolls ($12) stuffed with a mix of tofu, mushroom, carrot, leek, glass noodles, taro and potato and they arrive piping hot, lolling on the plate like four fat, golden cigars with a robust and well-matched sweet chilli plum sauce for dipping.

Young rice-coated prawns ($14) are even better, the seafood clad in rough cloaks of crisp, puffy, pale green rice flakes (a Hanoi specialty, with rice harvested when green, roasted and then pounded) and ready to be dredged through a saucer of kewpie mayonnaise. A larger dish of Ngon fried chicken ($20) is a very generous serve of lightly coated fried chicken breast chunks topped with carrot batons, bean shoots and salad leaves resting on a bed of crispy curry rice, with a little kaffir lime and sweet chilli sauce. The duck curry ($20) is a smaller portion but more than adequate, particularly given the price, of roasted duck, sweet potato, lychees and potato bathed in a silky yellow curry sauce.

Ngon fried chicken Photograph: David Kelly

We share a pandan brulee ($12) topped with chopped strawberries but dessert enthusiasts could opt for deep-fried ice-cream, with taro gelato wrapped in pastry and fried then drizzled with coconut caramel, golden custard buns or Vietnamese ice coffee panna cotta. Ngon offers a solid dining experience, with the dish selection and spice levels mainstream but elevated by the amount of choice and value for money.

And the odd celestial reverberation aside, it’s a laid-back zone suitable for families, groups (there’s a $30 lunch and $40 dinner banquet menu) and couples alike.

NGON

183 Given Tce, Paddington

ngonbrisbane.com.au

Open

Tue-Thu 11am-3pm,
5-close,
Fri-Sat 7am-close

Must try

Young rice-coated prawns

Verdict

Food

3.5 stars

Ambience

3.5 stars

Service

3.5 stars

Value

4 stars

Overall

4 stars

For more reviews

visit delicious.com.au/eatout