Travel Channel

Loi-Loi

Ultra-cheap and authentic

364 Victoria Street
Melbourne, VIC 3121

Nearest Train: North Richmond train station (Epping and Hurstbridge lines); tram 109

Phone: +61 (0)3 9429 7161

Although not the biggest, best-known or most glamorous Vietnamese restaurant in Melbourne, Loi-Loi is perhaps one of the most authentic. The decor says it all--homely, if plain, Formica tables and chairs, pot plants and even a little Buddhist shrine. The clientele is a mixture of students and other bargain-hunters and local Vietnamese immigrants. The menu consists of Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, with rice, noodle and vermicelli dishes. There are also seafood dishes featuring scallops, mussels and fish, and a range of regional Chinese items including Szechuan, Cantonese and even Mongolian style barbecue.