We all love secrets don’t we? What I’m about to show you is a place that I’ve been gatekeeping for a realllyyyyy long time. But I think it’s finally time for me to reveal this hidden gem.
You ready…
The place is called Trang Restaurant.
Now let’s get straight into why I think this place deserves to be called a “hidden gem”
What makes it a hidden gem?
The thing about Trang that I really like is that it doesn’t try too hard to be flashy and quirky. It just does its thing, which is making spectacular Vietnamese food. If you read a lot of food blogs, you will notice that Trang Restaurant doesn’t show up on most top 10 lists. This is because it’s pretty easy to walk right past it if you don’t pay attention. It’s kinda funny how being distracted like that is way more common than you think since people are glued to their phone, or glued to the music they are listening to. However, one thing you will definitely notice is that the locals have been swearing by this place for countless years.
What kind of food do they serve?
Now let’s dive a bit deeper into the food. They pretty much are the experts of classic Vietnamese cuisine, with also a side of Chinese influence. The owner of the shop actually reminds me of the olympic Turkish shooter during the olympic games in 2024. They both exemplify how calm and casual they are in high stress situations. No matter how busy the store gets, the owner always seems to find a way to finish the incredibly high amount of orders, especially on the weekend. One dish that I really like is the combination broken rice. This is solely because the sweet sauce they give to you adds a little kick to the whole dish.
What’s the dish that keeps people coming back?
One dish I did notice that everyone keeps coming back to is the poached chicken laksa. I tried it once a few months ago at an Indonesian restaurant in Darwin. And to this day… I still remember how awfully hot that dish was. So because of that, I’m absolutely and utterly shocked at how people actually enjoy that dish. I mean like don’t get me wrong, the chicken laksa does taste pretty good. But the spice tolerance you need for this dish has to be out of this world. You literally has to be one of the greatest when it comes to not only tolerating, but also enjoying spicy food
How did you find out about it?
I actually found out about this place from one of my mates who works for an asbestos removal company. He was going out for smoko with a few of his colleagues when they stumbled across Trang Restaurant. They decided to give it a shot as they felt pretty lucky that day and boy did it not disappoint. I remember the first time he told me about this, he couldn’t stop rambling for hours on end. And by the end of his story, he explicitly said not to talk about it until after a few years have gone by. It was the week after he told me about Trang that I decided to go visit there with my missus.
Why should someone go out of their way to eat here?
If you’re thinking about whether or not you should go out your way and eat at Trang’s, I would say go do it! The place is cheap, delicious, fast, and unpretentious. In my mind, I think it’s perfect for when you want comfort food without any fuss or hassle. The people who are working there are really nice and you can tell they sincerely care about making the food as best as they can for you to enjoy. If you’re thinking about what time you should go, definitely go around at night since the vibe is immaculate. Or you can go in the morning, it’s all up to you in the end.