PHO-king good Vietnamese food at The Little Rickshaw

Vietnamese food is one of my all time favourites, so when I heard there was a new joint in town serving nothing but the good stuff I couldn’t get there quick enough- it also seems half of the population of the Fleurieu had the same idea.

I present to you- The Little Rickshaw.

Tucked away in a old stone cottage in the Blacksmith Hub, The Little Rickshaw is a restaurant paying homage to their Vietnamese heritage. Owners Trini and Mike found this spot on Old Coach Road, gave the interior one hell of a fit out and the rest is history.

The whole family is hands on deck in this eatery, with Trini’s mum known as the spring roll queen- her Pork Spring rolls are TO DIE FOR.

The interior of Little Rickshaw is decorated with hues of navy, plenty of timber and black, indoor plants (the way to my heart) and pops of colour throughout. It’s a mix of modern and eclectic, and the neon sign even gives it a bit of a street food vibe.

It’s bright, its fun and the busyness makes it feel like you’re in the depths of a local Vietnamese restaurant.

On each occasion we have struggled hard to narrow down our lunch choices. On this occasion we opted for some snacks and small bites to start- the Satay Chicken Skewers with home style peanut tamarind sauce, Prawn Dumplings and Hanoi Spring Rolls.

We all decided that we could have eaten the satay sauce by the spoonful- it was so tasty and chunky. The prawn dumplings were nice and plump with loads of filling, with the ginger mirin dressing being another winner of a sauce. The standout for me were the spring rolls. Slightly different to the traditional spring rolls, these bad boys are made with rice paper and were super bubbly and crispy.

In terms of mains these guys have got you covered, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, as well as their take on some classic Vietnamese dishes.

You’ll see options like Lemongrass Chicken Curry and Slow Cooked Beef Stew, as well as their Xa Xiu Pork Spesh Fried Rice- this was high on my to eat list- extra pork and pickles. Shut up and take my money. However I already told my stomach prior to visiting that I was going to go for Pho, so the Pho Bo was a no brainer. My favourite’s also struggled to decided on mains, but both ordered the Crackling Roast Pork Belly, Green Papaya and Mint Salad.

PHO-KING hell. The Pho was good. You can always tell a good Pho by the broth and this one was a winner- slow cooked for 18 hours, the marrow bone broth was what pho dreams are made of. This pho was also quite meaty, with three types of beef in my broth- meatballs, brisket and strips of rare beef. The rare beef was my favourite, just melting away in my mouth. The pho came with a huge amount of rice noodles as well as plenty of fresh herbs and sauces. Perfection.

The others raved on about their salad- full of fresh ingredients, moreish pork belly and loads of sauce that packed just the right amount of heat. The presentation was lovely and it looked super healthy- I feel like this may be my new go-to lunch option.

To wash all of this goodness down we sipped on Double Shot Vietnamese Iced Coffees (a must if you love a sweet Viet coffee) and a pot of Oolong Tea- both drinks utilizing leaves and beans from their grandmas farm in Da Lat in Vietnam. They got me right in the feels.

If you are looking for pho-king good authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a cottage with one damn good vibe, check out The Little Rickshaw. You’re taste buds will thank you for it.

You can find The Little Rickshaw at 24 Old Coach Road, Aldinga.