I discovered Drunken Pot & Pho Ngon Vietnam by chance while buying tarts at June Bakery. Both are tucked away on the B1 level of The Plaza.
We were there at 11am+ and they’d only just opened for business. First customers of the day. The usual drill these days is scanning QR codes on tables to place orders, but since we were the only diners, staff just came over and took our order in person.
First Impressions: Too Quiet for Comfort
My husband immediately noted that the ambience was just too quiet – no background music at all. Maybe they forgot to turn it on? The silence felt a bit odd for a restaurant setting.
The name Drunken Pot & Pho Ngon Vietnam actually gives you a pretty clear idea that this restaurant runs on two concepts – Chinese hotpot and Vietnamese cuisine. Looking at the menu confirms this approach.
Menu Madness: Something for Everyone
Besides traditional Vietnamese food like pho and banh mi, they also do Sichuan hot pot, Thai hot pot, drunken chicken pot, Western food like chicken chop and chicken cutlet, plus Asian and local dishes like curry chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs rice, and braised pork belly rice.
Looking at the prices, I’d say they’re very affordable compared to many other dining establishments in this area. The daily set lunch runs from 11am to 3pm – mains cost just $8 and come with a canned drink. We chose Coke Zero. Staff simply hand you the cans with straws, no glasses or ice. Functional, not fancy.
The Food: Generous Portions, Honest Flavours
Shrimp and Meat Spring Rolls – $8 for 4 pieces
When this arrived at our table, we were genuinely surprised by how big the portion size was. For an appetiser, it sure looked substantial. Four rolls for $8 – very good value for money. Looked like it could be a meal on its own.
The skin of the spring roll seems handmade, so it’s slightly thicker than usual. Each roll was very plump, packed with pork slices, prawns, vermicelli and vegetables. The accompanying dip was peanut sauce dressing that, when mixed properly, got quite spicy with a proper kick.
Thick Noodles with Crab
On the menu it says “soup with pork ribs and chicken” but I think they meant the soup is cooked with pork ribs and chicken – basically a pork and chicken broth. It doesn’t actually come with pork or chicken toppings.
The bowl only had 2 quail eggs, 2 prawns, plus a side plate of coriander, lettuce and a wedge of lime. I thought this would taste like the bun rieu I’d had in Hanoi, but it doesn’t have that sweet and tangy taste from tomatoes.
This version is more like regular pho broth – homely, not heavily seasoned. What’s interesting is that instead of using rice noodles or thick beehoon, they actually use mee tai mak. Their mee tai mak has a slight chew, not the soft variety you’ll get at bak chor mee stalls.
The prawns were crunchy fresh and peeled nicely for easy eating. Very thoughtful since I absolutely hate shelling prawns. I drank up all the soup because it wasn’t salty at all.
I like this dish as it is, but if you’re used to bolder flavours, this might be too plain for you.
BBQ Pork Rice
The pork chop didn’t look amazing at first glance. I was expecting the meat to have some charred surfaces, but it didn’t. However, it tasted way better than it looked.
The lemongrass flavour really shone through – properly aromatic and fragrant. The sides provided nice crunch, and the sunny side up had that perfectly runny yolk. The rice texture is like sticky rice, which was different but worked well.
Service: Simple and Efficient
Good service throughout, handled by two Vietnamese staff members. After eating, you just go to the counter outside the restaurant to make payment.
The Bottom Line: Honest, Hearty, Affordable
Drunken Pot & Pho Ngon Vietnam offers what I’d call homely food without heavy seasonings. Very reasonable prices (no service charge or GST!), generous portions. It felt like a hearty yet healthy meal that wasn’t overwhelming at all. I didn’t feel thirsty after finishing all that noodle broth either.
The restaurant itself is nothing fancy – just no frills dining that focuses on substance over style.
Pro tip: June Bakery is just opposite this restaurant. If you’re here for lunch, remember to grab some tarts before you go.