Nguyen Brothers - Alexandria

Inner West Sydney locals are spoilt for choice when it comes to fantastic Southeast Asian food, whether from a swanky restaurant or from a hole in the wall pork roll kiosk. Those in the know are probably familiar with Yen For Viet on Marrickville. Well, here’s that delicious sister’s brother, or rather brothers. Nguyen Brothers occupies one of those fantastically repurposed ex-industrial/commercial spaces down Alexandra’s Fountain Street, and they’ve done a great job furnishing the place so you feel at home but can focus on the reason you’re here – the mouthwatering, delicately-flavoured Vietnamese cuisine on offer. Book for brunch or lunch and try signature dishes like the Nguyen’s famous Vietnamese rolls or perfectly-balanced pho. Bring on the crispy Vietnamese pancakes to begin dinner before attacking caramelised claypot fish, pork belly slow-cooked in fresh coconut juice with a son-in-law egg – a fried boiled egg that’s a staple delicacy in every Thai and Vietnamese kitchen.

When it comes to Southeast Asian cuisine about Sydney, those in the know are probably familiar with Yen For Viet on Marrickville – it’s been a go to for some years. Well, here is the brother, or rather, brothers of that Marrickville eatery: Nguyen Brothers. It’s on Alexandra’s Fountain Street, housed in a building which is simply stunning. For those not so in the know about Southeast Asian cuisine, in a nutshell it’s is all about freshness and simplicity. It’s about zing and being able to taste every ingredient, with a constant strong showing of chilli, ginger, lemongrass, then soy and fish sauces.

The menu at Nguyen Brothers is vast, authentic and, sure enough, there’s a good presence of those core ingredients. Stop by Alexandria for lunch and tuck into a Vietnamese bread roll – also known as street food favourite Bánh mì – filled with grilled meats and pickled veggies, or, if you’re over in the evening there’s Vietnam’s national dish, pho, as well as mains in the way of stir-frys, rice noodles or zesty salads. What can we tell you, Sydney, the great thing about Vietnamese food is that because it’s so light, you can keep on eating, and eating, and eating...