Vietnamese Laundry is a takeaway shop in Da Costa Arcade just off Grenfell Street in Adelaide CBD and when we had the chance to check it out, we were there in a heartbeat! Brought to you by the same owners of Hotel Longtime, we knew to expect satisfying meals. And with another Vietnamese Laundry located on Sturt Street, I guess you can call Grenfell Street’s Vietnamese Laundry the 2.0 version.

Upon arrival it was as expected, a quirky and funky space, consistent with the other two stores. We loved what we saw. We came around 12pm and not long after, there were already people lining up to get their Vietnamese meal ‘fix’. With only 6 stools and a long bar table fixed on the wall from one end to the other we were lucky enough to get our meals before the rush. Vietnamese Laundry has also categorised their meals to make it easier for their customers to pick.

Chicken Spring Rolls, Vegetarian Spring Rolls and Steamed Dim Sim. We couldn’t fault any of these snacks. The spring rolls were freshly made and crunchy. The fillings were tasty and if you have been to Hotel Longtime or even heard of the place, you would know that they are famous for their Cheeseburger Spring Rolls. We voted that they should also bring the Cheeseburger Spring Rolls here! It’s a great crowd pleaser for sure. The Dim Sim were also generous in meat and flavour. Steamed to perfection and prepared with sweet chilli sauce on the side, it’s the perfect portion for anyone craving an entree or snack.

Cold Rolls – Vegetarian, Lemongrass Chicken, Prawns and Combination. This comes two per dish. When we received them, we were excited and impressed by their vibrant and beautiful presentation. With hoisin sauce on the side, the cold rolls were well prepared and very moist which of course is the only way to properly enjoy a cold roll.

Salad Boxes – They come in these cute little takeaway boxes with your choice of toppings; Grilled Lemongrass Chicken, Crispy Spring Rolls, Slow cooked Lemongrass Tofu and/or Vegetables for Vegetarian or Vegan option, and Crackling Roast Pork. If you can’t pick one, great news, they are very flexible and you can pick three out of the options and enjoy the luxury of a Combination Salad Box!

Bread Rolls or what we also like to call Banh Mi. The biggest Banh Mi roll I have seen so far! Thick julliene cut on their marinated carrots and cucumber with meat on top, garnished with coriander and if you like chopped chilli in there as well you can always request some. I know we certainly got some in ours. You can also get a fried egg with your Crackling Roast Pork! Or even just an egg minus the meat. And if you can’t pick which one to order? There is always the combination option.

Open only during lunch time between 10-30am to 3pm Monday to Friday, we got the vibe that this shop is mainly aimed at the busy foot traffic and customers that work around the CBD area in need of some quick & tasty lunch to satisfy their afternoon and fuel their energy. We also asked Alex, one of the owners, if they were ever going to open another shop or restaurant in the near future and he said that there is definitely a possibility and can’t see why not. This is something we all love to hear as raving fans of Hotel Longtime and the Vietnamese Laundry sisters.

Overall, our experience was nonetheless satisfying as predicted. We found out that they also do catering for events. What a great and easy way to celebrate than having scrumptious Banh Mi with your loved ones, correct? Food for thought.

Words by Dee Pene from Adelaide Food Authority

WHERE: 76 Grenfell St, Adelaide