St Cloud dares you not to miss it on a busy stretch of Burwood Road: it's put a hot pink street-art-inspired logo on the white facade and the name floats over the front door.

The diner, which opens on Friday, is bringing modern Vietnamese to the eastern suburbs.

The project began when James Klapanis, owner of Quaff restaurant in Toorak, hit it off with Franky Pham and Shaunn​ Anderson, who were then working at Richmond's Feast of Merit. The pair have now teamed up with their former customer, Pham as St Cloud's head chef and Anderson as director.

The menu's focus is on fast, fresh, vibrant Vietnamese food, including some of Pham's family's favourites, vung tau chicken with herbs and chilli and banh khot, coconut and turmeric pancakes with pork belly, shrimp and spring onion oil.

Caramel pork belly has "hit dish" written all over it and there's an "I'm So Hungry" menu at $55 a head for a minimum of two people.

Anderson's drinks menu takes in craft beers, including a St Cloud lager, Asian-inspired cocktails and a succinct wine list.

The former furniture factory has been lightened and brightened over two levels. Lots of white tiles and dark wooden floorboards support colourful Viet-kitsch artwork. Upstairs is a second dining room, which can become a private dining room for up to 80. It leads to a terrace bordered with loads of greenery.

Open Tue-Fri 11.30am-late; Sat-Sun 10am-late.

644 Burwood Road, Hawthorn East, 03 9882 0146, stcloudeatinghouse.com.au