Unit H,
55 Nuffield Street,

Auckland,


(09) 523 3988

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4 out of 5

Declaration of interest time. I've been eating Hansan's Vietnamese food for at least a decade, so I'll try and make this review objective.

The original Hansan is surrounded by car yards 'under the big Mt Wellington' in Panmure, but tonight we're dining at their newish (it's been open around a year) offering in Nuffield St in Newmarket. Hansan in Panmure is a huge space with basic tables and lots of fluorescent lights, but the Newmarket branch is much smaller with more modern decor. Arty photographic friezes of Cambodia's Bayon temple at Angkor Wat decorate the walls - co-owner Han is actually of Chinese descent and was born in Cambodia - and there's a drizzling waterfall type arrangement that ensures good feng shui as we sit down. Normally the falling water provides a soothing background noise, but on this Friday night it's hard to hear above some tacky Richard Clayderman-style piano music. Still, we didn't come to Hansan for the entertainment.

Service on a moderately busy Friday night is swift and friendly. The restaurant isn't licensed and the overwhelmingly Asian clientele are happy with complimentary jasmine tea or interesting looking drinks I last saw being served in plastic bags on the streets of Hanoi and Bangkok. It's fine to bring along a bottle of wine or a few beers, but if you want a leisurely meal you'll need to ask the wait staff to slow things down a bit.

We start, and that's a relative term because our mains arrive approximately two minutes after our entrees, with a few deep fried spring rolls or cha gio, and lighter shrimp 'summer' rolls. Served with lettuce leaves and a peanut dipping sauce, the cha gio are actually a little disappointing - slightly greasy and not as crisp as we've had before. The fresh rolls are much better with plump shrimps and fresh herbs wrapped in rice paper.

The mains keep the standards up with a hearty bowl of stir fried chicken and vermicelli. Packed with carrot, cucumber, onion, spring onions and lettuce it's easy to tick the 5+ a day box, but to make sure I add a healthy dose of fresh chilli. Our other dish of grilled chicken topped with lemongrass is fresh and fragrant.

We've spent a grand total of $27.50 for four dishes, and while there are also tasty coconut milk ice blocks of offer, we're entirely satisfied.

No wonder we've been regulars for at least ten years.