Hoa Tran

When Miss XS first arrived in Melbourne five years ago, she wasn't sure what to expect from this city. She was expecting a city though, something with a skyline like the CBD area of Melbourne. Like me, she wasn't expecting a suburban collection of housings and weathered buildings found in Springvale (a nearby Vietnamese town) or Clayton (where our university is). When she first arrived in Melbourne, the first thing she did was to look for home appliances in Springvale. The entire vibe of the town just screamed "run-down-Asian-town". which, as a first impression, tempered her view of Melbourne as a city quite a bit. 

Five years later, on her last day in Melbourne, it seems only fitting to come full circle and go to Springvale for a last round of Vietnamese food. Time has mellowed our impressions of Springvale, which is now one of our favourite lunch destinations. What's not to like about simple, honest, authentic, cheap and generously-portioned servings of Vietnamese cuisine? 

Flamed grilled meat with vermicelli and salad

Located just a little way across Gong Cha in springvale, Hoa Tran is a 2-storey restaurant popular with the Vietnamese locals (and us international students on a budget!) 

The Deep Fried Prawn and Chicken Springrolls ($9) was great, and came to us fresh, hot and crispy. 

I also tremendously enjoyed their Flamed Grilled (Pork or Chicken) Vermicelli ($9.50). Like most Vietnamese dishes, it came alongside with a huge portion of vegs.  Since I probably don't get enough vegetables in my usual diet, it's something I don't mind at all, though mu friend felt that it was too healthy for her taste. Don't be shy about asking for extra sauce; we mixed two bowls of sauce into the vermicelli.

I also had their Avocado milkshake, which I recommend highly. 

Hoa Tran's service is excellent and we got our food in 10 minutes. It's no mean feat, considering their restaurant always seem to be at least half-filled. It's inexpensive, reliable, and great for a quick meal out. (And for those with a small appetite, their huge portions mean lunch and dinner). 

As traffic in Springvale can get a little hectic around lunchtime, it's best to head there for an early lunch. The area has a less-than-savoury reputation among the locals, so students generally go to Springvale during the day and avoid going after dark. The carpark at 8 Balmoral Avenue is the closest to Gong Cha and Hoa Tran.