Located along Hanson Road in Woodville Gardens, Nhu Lan Vietnamese Cuisine specialises in Vietnamese food with some of their dishes only available during the weekends. It proved to be very popular, with a large crowd present when we visited during lunchtime on a Sunday. We had to wait for a table.
Nhu Lan is one of the restaurants that we are aware of that grill their pork chops over a charcoal fire. This gave the pork chops in their Broken Rice with Pork Chops a characteristic delectable charred taste. The flesh of the pork was succulent with a hint of lemongrass flavour. In addition to cucumbers and pickled vegetables to provide some freshness, the dish also came with Nuoc Cham dipping sauce.
Broken Rice with Pork Chops (Photographed by Jonathan Phoon)
The beef in the Rare Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Tai) was tender and the broth had a degree of spiced flavour of a good Pho. A bit of extra texture was provided by the shredded spring onions that was scattered over the dish. Served with the dish were bean sprouts and a mixture of hoisin and sriracha dipping sauce. If you are not a fan of the raw taste of bean sprouts, you can request for them to be cooked.
Rare Beef Noodle Soup (Photographed by Jonathan Phoon)
For those that prefer something with a more subtle taste, there is the Pork Hock Tapioca Noodle Soup. The pork hock was cooked just right and was complemented nicely by the firmer chunks of fried tofu. The chunks of reddish cubes in the dish were pig blood curd, made by letting pig blood coagulate before cutting it into cubes and cooking in water. Compared to the rice noodles used in the Rare Beef Noodle Soup, the use of tapioca noodles provided a chewier texture.
Pork Hock Tapioca Noodle Soup (Photographed by Jonathan Phoon)
Their Stir-fried Beef Vermicelli Salad Bowl had a generous amount of beef which was not too tough. It was partnered nicely by pickled vegetables and Asian herbs. A topping of crushed peanuts provided some crunch. The dish is best enjoyed by pouring the Nuoc Cham sauce over all the ingredients and mixing everything thoroughly to infuse its flavour through them. Those that desire some heat can add minced chilli to the dish.
Stir-fired Beef Vermicelli Salad Bowl (Photographed by Jonathan Phoon)
Presented like a drink, the Logan & Seaweed Drink was not too sweet, with the seaweed and logan providing a delightful chewy texture. It also had a good amount of crushed ice to ensure that the drink was ice cold. A spoon was provided to help with consuming the ingredients that cannot be sucked up through the straw.
Logan & Seaweed Drink (Photographed by Jonathan Phoon)
For those desiring a quick eat, the front of the restaurant offers Banh Mi and various dishes that can be taken away. Among them were banh mi, chicken wings, banana fritters, and a pastry with mung bean filling and a topping of toffee. If you are looking for a place offering yummy Vietnamese cuisine while at Woodville Gardens, consider paying Nhu Lan Vietnamese Cuisine a visit.
(Photographed by Jonathan Phoon)
(Photographed by Jonathan Phoon)
