A little Viet is now sadly closed. We recommend trying The Little Banh Mi House instead for great Vietnamese eats nearby, or Sloppy Joes Sandwich bar if you’re just looking for great food! (Both open daytimes only).
The Overview…
Food: Chicken Ribs, Hanoi Style Spring Rolls, Slow Braised Beef Cheek, Lemongrass Chicken Banh mi, Crispy Chicken Vermicelli Salad,
Ratings:
Food: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value: 5/5
The details…
We get to visit a lot of new places as food bloggers, but A Little Viet is that great local restaurant that we always go back to because of it’s delicious cheap eats. It was the first place we tried when we moved to Bentleigh and I think we’ve visited at least once a month since then (I actually can’t name one other place we’ve visited that often since living in Melbourne).
The atmosphere is casual, and it’s ideal to pop in for both a quick feed and a longer meal. Tables are comfortable and well presented with all your condiments. They also have a liquor license so you can enjoy a cheeky cocktail or beer with your food. On this visit we tried the chicken ribs and hanoi style pork spring rolls to start. Both dishes had lots of flavour. We like how authentic the spring rolls are, and we love that there’s little extras with all the dishes, such as sauces, dips, and herbs.
It was my first time trying a banh mi at A Little Viet and it definitely won’t be my last. It was huge, and such good value for $8.50 (yes, I know it’s probably cheaper in Footscray, but once you add on the Citylink Toll and the 40 minutes drive to get there it kind of negates the $2 saving). The banh mi had a perfect crunch with a soft inside and was packed full of tasty chicken and slaw! I was amazed how filling it actually was – I’ve avoided ordering them before as I didn’t think it would be enough!
For mains we tried the slow cooked beef cheek and crispy chicken vermicelli salad. I’m glad the waiting staff recommended the beef cheek to us. The beef just melts in your mouth and the chilli gives the dish a nice kick! The flavours were really sophisticated and it was a much more refined dish than I expected.
The chicken vermicelli salad is my favourite thing EVER – like I know it shouldn’t be, it’s just a salad, but it is (even just writing this is making me want to go back for another one)! It’s literally crispy chicken, noodles, some veggies/salad, chopped peanuts and nuoc mam (a fish sauce based dressing), but it’s such a fresh dish. There’s enough of everything that each flavour or texture stands out, but not too much that you get bored of eating any part of it. There are healthier versions, such as tofu if you don’t want the crispy chicken, but I love the flavour of the chicken and the extra crunch it brings. It’s simple and unpretentious, and for me is everything Vietnamese food should be!
Everything else…
Address: 441 Centre Road, Bentleigh
Opening Times:
Mon Closed
Tue 12pm to 4pm and 5pm to 9pm
Wed 12pm to 4pm and 5pm to 9pm
Thu 12pm to 4pm and 5pm to 9pm
Fri 12pm to 4pm and 5pm to 9pm
Sat 12pm to 4pm and 5pm to 9pm
Sun 12pm to 4pm and 5pm to 9pm
Parking: Car parks run along the back of most of the shops along that side of Centre Road. They’re mostly 2P all day and some of them have no restrictions after 6pm, so you’ll have no problems finding a park.
Getting here on PT: A little Viet is approximately a 7 minute walk from Bentleigh train station on the Frankston line.
Disclaimer: We dined as guests of A Little Viet, Bentleigh (but we also visit lots as paying customers too). Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a restaurant won’t change (including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting