There are few Vietnamese restaurants worth mentioning in Singapore, so whenever there is a new one entering the scene, I'm always eager to give it a try, hoping that someday I will find a worthy alternative to Le Dalat Indochine in Bangkok. The name Nuoc reminds me of the delicious fish sauces that accompany most Vietnamese dishes, and the thought of digging into fresh handrolls and salads got my mouth salivating before I even got to the door.
I love the location of the restaurant, located on the top floor of the Orchard Central building, amidst tropical greenery and a water garden. The restaurant's decor was modern and stlyish, even slightly eclectic Asian. We were there for lunch, and even though there was a set lunch menu, we decided to try the signature dishes from the a la carte menu.
First up was the banh beo, steamed rice cake with croutons, dried shrimps and chili. it's been a while since I've had this dish, and this one's much better than the version at Vung Tau in San Jose. We also ordered the beef pho soup, which, I admit was the best I've had in Singapore for many years. The fried spring rolls were very well done, crispy and juicy.
The tri-season salad was another highlight of the meal, a tasty combination of prawns, sliced pork belly and lotus stems over crushed peanuts and fresh chili. For the main course, we ordered the caramelized pork in clay pot, which was cooked very similarly like the catfish dish Cá khô.
All in all, we had a fabulous Vietnamese lunch in Singapore. It's always good to know that there are decent Vietnamese restaurants in in town for a change. I'm hoping this one sticks around for a while.
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