St Albans, my local eats and the go-to place when I’m craving for something mum can’t make and my wallet is crying and waiting for payday. My usual eatery was Quang Vinh but that’s gone downhill so Miss Pandan suggested Thuan Phat and it’s always chock-a-block with locals which is always a good sign. Luckily for us, we got there at 6PM on a weeknight and there were plenty of tables to spare.
Now, if you know anything about me, I’m a GINORMOUS Durian fan (yes the king of the fruits) and absolutely adore it in everything. So obviously I got the durian smoothie and guess what? They used real durian and it was VERY durian-y. For those who do not know what durian smells like, let me explain. For those who love durian, it smells like angel dust and for those who hate durian, and I quote from Mr D “smells like ass”.
Durian Smoothie – $5
I have three go to dishes when I go eat at Vietnamese restaurants: Combination crispy egg noodles, beef stew egg noodles or roast duck with egg noodle soup (I basically LOVE egg noodles if you haven’t figured out). Today in particular, I was craving for roast duck so that’s what I ended up getting. The duck was FANTABULOUS. Crispy and crunchy on the outside with supple meat and very flavoursome. Definitely a great feed! The noodle soup itself was surprisingly good as well. Very tasty and not the usual bland soup that I would get served at other places. They were also very generous with the egg noodle servings so you’ll definitely be full.
Roast Duck with Egg Noodle Soup – $11
Miss Train got the crab noodle soup and the price of this dish is dependent on the market price of the crab for that day. This soup base is on the thicker side with a more intense flavour. The noodles are a thick Vietnamese noodle made of tapioca flour and has a very distinct smell and taste. I’m not a fan of this dish but this one of Miss Train’s fave dish to get here.
Crab noodle soup – $30
Thuan Phat has great food for a very decent (cheap) prices. The service isn’t top notch but it’s an asian eatery where people just walk in to get fed and leave. No one dilly dallies here and it’s always busy. So if you’re on a budget and still want a great meal, drop by Thuan Phat because this will become my new local feed from now on.
56 Alfrieda Street, St Albans, VIC 3021
Tel: (03) 9364 3872
Facebook