Healthy eating in the Winter months can be a bit of a challenge. A salad certainly isn’t the first thing you think of when you’re wearing thermal leggings and a puffy jacket.
This is where a big bowl of warming, healthy pho fits the bill nicely. While on the hunt for a big bowl of this nutritious deliciousness, I stumbled upon Brisbane’s newest Vietnamese restaurant located in Woolloongabba.
Than Nuong translates to ‘charcoal’, and char-grilled meat has cold-weather-eating all over it.
So is it possible to eat delicious warming Winter food and not break the diet? Let’s find out.
This is where a big bowl of warming, healthy pho fits the bill nicely. While on the hunt for a big bowl of this nutritious deliciousness, I stumbled upon Brisbane’s newest Vietnamese restaurant located in Woolloongabba.
Than Nuong translates to ‘charcoal’, and char-grilled meat has cold-weather-eating all over it.
So is it possible to eat delicious warming Winter food and not break the diet? Let’s find out.
Bright coloured lanterns are the first thing you see when driving down Logan Road looking forThan Nuong Vietnamese Restaurant and Bar. The lively vibes continue when you step in to the restaurant, with a full-stocked bar lining the back wall which is decorated with great snapshots of life in Vietnam.
We started our dining experience with two entrees: the Local Tiger Prawn Rice Paper rolls with Fresh Herbs and Hoi Sin Peanut Sauce, and the Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab Marinated in Special Spices, with a Purple Salad and Prawn Crackers.
Both of these dishes were fresh and fantastic.
The prawns used in the rice paper rolls were sweet and full of flavour. They went so well with the rich hoi sin peanut sauce, which had lots of subtle flavours infused in it and was massively addictive.
The stand out entrée though was the soft shell crab. The crispy crab served in the crispy prawn cracker made for a party explosion in your mouth. The crab itself was top quality and complimented by some absolutely delicious herbs.
We started our dining experience with two entrees: the Local Tiger Prawn Rice Paper rolls with Fresh Herbs and Hoi Sin Peanut Sauce, and the Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab Marinated in Special Spices, with a Purple Salad and Prawn Crackers.
Both of these dishes were fresh and fantastic.
The prawns used in the rice paper rolls were sweet and full of flavour. They went so well with the rich hoi sin peanut sauce, which had lots of subtle flavours infused in it and was massively addictive.
The stand out entrée though was the soft shell crab. The crispy crab served in the crispy prawn cracker made for a party explosion in your mouth. The crab itself was top quality and complimented by some absolutely delicious herbs.
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As we’ve hit the depths of Winter, we had to order a large bowl of the Wagyu Beef Hoi An Pho, with Bean Sprouts, Thai Basil, Chilli and Chilli Sauce.
The beef in this pho was tender and not at all chewy. It basically melted in your mouth. The broth was infused with a myriad of flavours, indicating that it had been well-made from scratch.
may even have to call this some of the best pho in town.
We also ordered the Lemongrass Chicken Cooked Over Charcoals with Rice, Salad and a Tangy Pouring Sauce.
Charcoal cooking brings out so many of the subtleties of the herbs used in Vietnamese marinades, and that’s exactly what we found with this dish. The flavours of the chicken were genuinely fantastic, and the slightly charred skin was ridiculously tasty.
The beef in this pho was tender and not at all chewy. It basically melted in your mouth. The broth was infused with a myriad of flavours, indicating that it had been well-made from scratch.
may even have to call this some of the best pho in town.
We also ordered the Lemongrass Chicken Cooked Over Charcoals with Rice, Salad and a Tangy Pouring Sauce.
Charcoal cooking brings out so many of the subtleties of the herbs used in Vietnamese marinades, and that’s exactly what we found with this dish. The flavours of the chicken were genuinely fantastic, and the slightly charred skin was ridiculously tasty.
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A solid range of wines, beer, sake and cocktails are available here, including the Than Nuong Vietpresso Martini with Vodka, Kaluha, Espresso Coffee and Star Anise Syrup. Given Brisbane’s penchant for espresso martinis, this offering is right on the money.
We knocked back a couple of Tiger beers and Heinekens which we were told are all the rage in Vietnam these days.
From the range of cakes available for dessert, we opted for Apple Pie Served with Dragon Fruit. The fresh dragon fruit was actually a really nice authentic touch alongside the warming apple pie.
We also couldn’t leave without a traditional Vietnamese Coffee, drip-filtered straight into our cups and served with a generous dollop of condensed milk. This was so satisfying. All meals should end with one of these sweet, warming pick-me-ups.
We knocked back a couple of Tiger beers and Heinekens which we were told are all the rage in Vietnam these days.
From the range of cakes available for dessert, we opted for Apple Pie Served with Dragon Fruit. The fresh dragon fruit was actually a really nice authentic touch alongside the warming apple pie.
We also couldn’t leave without a traditional Vietnamese Coffee, drip-filtered straight into our cups and served with a generous dollop of condensed milk. This was so satisfying. All meals should end with one of these sweet, warming pick-me-ups.
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Cold Winter nights are the perfect excuse for a big bowl of satisfying pho, and it’s hard to find something better than a bowl from Than Nuong.
A satisfying hot meal and I can still wear skinny jeans? This Vietnamese meal is exactly what the diet book ordered.
A satisfying hot meal and I can still wear skinny jeans? This Vietnamese meal is exactly what the diet book ordered.
