Vietnamese Street Food comes to town
Rainbow Woks opened last month and is now serving up Vietnamese Street Food. Alistair and Yen Kirby arrived a few weeks ago, and with them a whole new cuisine for Rainbow – with salads, broken rice, noodles, marinated BBQ meats, roast duck, stew and clay pot dishes.
“Vietnamese Food is all about clean crisp tasty food,” said Alistair, passionate about what they offer.
They pride themselves on authentic Vietnamese dishes, “We make it all ourselves and meat is marinated for 24 to 36 hours. It’s quality food.”
Alistair said, “We had two Italian restaurants in Vietnam, and I did all the cooking, now it’s Yen’s turn!”
Since then they have lived in Australia – Darwin, country Victoria and South Australia, and say the weather is much better than Adelaide, and that people here are friendly and welcoming.
Their five year old son, Ezra, is looking forward to Prep at Rainbow Beach next year, he has been attending Kindy and day care in Tin Can Bay.
Originally from Vietnam, Yen (pronounced “Ing”) said, “My Grandfather taught me to cook – I learnt everything from him, including our pate. He was a great cook.”
Everything is homemade, Yen even makes their Vietnamese dressing (like a French dressing or mayonnaise) and the pickles herself!
It is not only evenings they are open. Drop in for some healthy, good food at lunchtime – you could try a traditional baguette with roast pork belly and crackling, salads, rice paper rolls with chicken or with the popular BBQ marinated pork and prawn.
Or try their Bun Thir Nuong. It sounds delicious – rice vermicelli, Vietnamese basil and mint, marinated BBQ pork belly and crackle, shallots, bean sprouts, fresh pickled carrots, drizzled in fish sauce.
You may like to sample their drinks as well: Vietnamese tea, Grass Jelly, or some of their Vietnamese coffee, blended in house using Arabica and Robusta, grown in the highlands of Vietnam.
“It’s very good, and really strong. Vietnamese have been drinking coffee for over 200 years because of the French occupation, not something that you might expect of Asian diets, but have taken it and made it their own,” explained Alistair.
The unusual “three colour drink” has grass jelly, tapioca jelly and served with coconut milk, and red kidney beans, and is more like a dessert.
Located next door to Ocean Breeze Seafoods, you can dine in or take-away. Pay Alistair and Yen a visit, 12am- 9.30pm, (closed Tuesdays), or place an order on 0459030904.
