Holy banh mi, I love Vietnamese food! If I could eat it every day of the week, I would. Some days I swear I am more Asian on the inside than anything else.
I had my first taste four years ago during a trip from North to South Vietnam. I have since become a frequent Friday night pho customer at the local haunts in Victoria Street, Richmond and a Hanoi Hannah rice paper roll enthusiast. When I got invited to the launch of St. Cloud Eating House, Hawthorne East’s newest Vietnamese restaurant, I was ecstatic.
My plus one and I were greeted with glasses of sparkling and escorted upstairs to an open air courtyard. I was the perfect summer evening to bask in the sun, sipping bubbles whilst lounging in St. Cloud’s swinging hammock chairs.
The restaurant is trendy. Upstairs is a casual and modern dining room with huge glass windows opening onto a loungy open air courtyard illuminated by string patio lights above. It’s a great atmosphere for Sunday session drinks, or an intimate Friday night date.
photo courtesy St. Cloud
The lower level dining room is retro and urban. An old school Vietnamese kitchen with bare brick walls, pop art, and a trendy inner-North feel. It’s the kind of place foodies would congregate for a Friday lunch to plan their coffee shop stints for the weekend.
The food was also foodie worthy. Tofu rice paper rolls, BBQ pork belly, banh mi, and fried sticky rice squares.
My highlight of the night? St. Cloud’s signature mojito! Lemongrass infused rum and aloe jelly garnished with a stem of purple basil. Tangy, intricate and refreshing!
-Ember Mitchell
Ember is an American turned Aussie. Her love affair with Melbourne goes back three years, and she still can’t get enough of this city! Discovering new hideouts and hidden gems around Melbourne is her hobby. Marketing Strategist by day, spontaneous adventurer, brekky enthusiast, and aerial acrobat by night.
St Cloud
644 Burwood Rd
Hawthorn East VIC
http://stcloudeatinghouse.com.au/
