With a Vietnamese population of nearly 80,000 people, Melbourne sure knows how to make great Vietnamese food. This Lunar New Year we turn to the streets to see what’s happening not only amongst the Chinese New Year celebrations but also Tet - the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture heralding the arrival of Spring (more on Tet celebrations here).
Prahran-based neo-Vietnamese restaurant Firebird is putting on a show-stopping seafood tower, for the Year of the Dragon, thought to be one of the most powerful and auspicious animals symbolising power, nobility, honour, luck and success.
Firebird seafood towers with three tiers will be available until sold out from Saturday, February 10 to Sunday, February 11, featuring Vietnamese delicacies including grilled King prawns, lemongrass squid, grilled bun rieu octopus, oysters, tuna tartare, sashimi, fresh leaves, tamarind dressing and pomelo, pineapple mignonette and more.
Meanwhile, Moonhouse over in Balaclava, inspired by Chinese cuisine and fresh flavours, will also be pulling out all the stops for the Chinese New Year, where the dining room sits as a transient haven for smell, touch and taste.
The Lunar New Year menu will be available strictly for three days from February 9 to 11, where all guests will receive a red envelope upon dining, a symbol of luck and abundance, containing a lucky Commune voucher ranging between $5 and $100.
The menu is rich in variety, choice and flavour but the standouts may be the always-appealing chicken and prawn wontons with chilli vinegar, the beef and bone marrow spring rolls and of course, the longevity noodles with soy, garlic, chives, shiitake and soft-shell crab.
