Hot off the heels of a recent very good meal at Ha Noi Quan in Marrickville was a visit to the Campsie branch of the same restaurant. We weren’t sure that it was in fact the same restaurant until we arrived, thinking that perhaps Ha Noi Quan might be a common name, similar to Hot Bread, but the mention of their Marrickville branch on their signage out front cleared that up for us quickly. While I wouldn’t normally bother to write a whole new post about a second location of the same restaurant, the experience at Ha Noi Quan Campsie, was significantly different enough that I think that they warrant their own entry.
I really enjoyed the pho at Ha Noi Quan in Marrickville, but the one in their Campsie restaurant actually had significant differences. The Special Beef Noodles Soup ($17 -Phở Dặc Biệt) in Campsie had a less salty and tasty soup than than the Marrickville store, with a lighter shade of colour as well. There was significantly less greenery on top, lacking the almost full coverage of shallot and coriander seen previously, with more onion in this one. While I really loved the general hotness of the Marrickville soup, this bowl of pho did not exhibit the same thermal properties, and did lose a significant amount of temperature after the addition of a smaller serving of bean sprouts. I don’t know if this was soup, or possibly even crockery related. Though the serving of bean sprouts and Thai basil was relatively small compared to their sister restaurant, I should count myself lucky, as the patrons on the table next to us did not get any with their pho as the restaurant had run out by the time they had ordered (to be fair, they walked in half an hour before closing.) Personally I would’ve chosen something else, as I think the bean sprouts are some of the best parts of a good bowl of pho. Other things to mention here are that I thought that the beef ball was actually better in Campsie than in Marrickville, which really begs the question of why, and is it just my imagination, because surely they would have the same supplier? I guess a day-to-day variation rather than an inter-branch variation could also be the cause here, but there was not even a week between eatings at the two restaurants.
Taking a look at the meat specifically, I think that this bowl of pho was actually extremely generous in the quality and quantity of rare beef, brisket, balls, tripe (omasum), and tendon, with more than enough of all to go around. It did feature the interesting addition of just a slab of fat from the brisket, but I can’t complain about it because my partner actually enjoyed this.
Capitalising on Ha Noi Quan Campsie’s vast Vietnamese menu we had the shaking beef with tomato rice ($17), which was really good. The black pepper flavoured beef cubes were super tender, and well cut in a way that limited the presence of any difficult to chew bits. This dish was also the best tomato rice I’ve had in my entire life, which I guess is a big statement to make but I don’t think I’ve enjoyed it this thoroughly anywhere else. (Readers should take note that this meal was consumed at 8:30PM, and prior to that my total oral intake for the day consisted of two soy flat whites (flats white?), 30g of whey protein isolate, 15g of psyllium husk, and a bunch of water.). I also never knew, but found out today, that there was egg in tomato rice, but I suspect that it was yolk used to both flavour and colour the rice. Super umami, and I couldn’t stop eating it.
The grilled pork and hanoi spring rolls with vermicelli ($17 – Bun thit nuong va cha nem) was pretty good. In particular the spring rolls were super cripsy with a very umami prawn and pork filling, whilst the grilled pork was fine but nothing to write home about. If I had my time again, I might’ve ordered the nem by themselves, as our late neighbours did.
OTHER THOUGHTS. Pho Ha Noi Campsie is different to the Marrickville store in many ways. It has a much larger physical footprint, is much more elaborately decorated, and has a broader menu. Even the menu items that are shared between the two outlets show significant variation. While Pho Ha Noi Quan Marrickville is a very pho and noodle soup focused, small “dive restaurant” (am I coining that term right now?), The Campsie store is a much more formal setting.
Whilst writing this review I took notice of a Pho Pasteur branded plate as seen in the photo of the pho. I wonder if that has something to do with it.
Ha Noi Quan Campsie
94 Beamish St, Campsie NSW 2194
(02) 9787 2707