Bà Lý arrived in Sydney in 1985 and opened a small noodle stall on John Street three years later. Today the restaurant on the corner of Park Road is run by her son Quang, his wife Mai, and their two daughters Linh and Hà.
Our recipes haven't changed. Our broth still simmers for twelve hours. Our chillies are still grown by the same farm in Mulgoa we've used since the kitchen opened.
Our grandmother's recipe. Twelve hours of beef bone broth, star anise from Hà Nội, hand-cut rice noodles, three cuts of brisket and rare sirloin laid over the top at the table.
Served with the herbs the way she served them: basil torn by hand, lime in halves not wedges, chillies on the side.
The spicy beef noodle soup from the old imperial city. Lemongrass and shrimp paste broth, thick rice vermicelli, slices of pork hock and beef shank, with cubes of pork blood for those who want them.
This one is hotter than the phở. We don't make it less so.
A crisp turmeric crêpe folded over prawns, pork belly and bean sprouts. We make the batter the southern way — with coconut milk for the colour and the crackle.
Eat it with the lettuce leaves and herbs, dipped in nước chấm. It is meant to be eaten with the hands.
Broken rice with a lemongrass-marinated pork chop grilled over charcoal in the courtyard out the back. Served with a fried egg, pickled daikon and carrot, and a small bowl of nước chấm for spooning over.
A southern Saigon dish, eaten any time of day. Quang grills the pork himself, six days a week.