SIN: Tonkin Vietnamese Noodle and Coffee

Virgin experience with Vietnamese coconut coffee!

Tonkin Vietnamese Noodle and Coffee is a humble eatery housed inside KINEX Mall (previously known as OneKM Mall) located not far from Paya Lebar MRT station. For the uninitiated, the name Tonkin was used from 1883 to 1945 for the northern region of present-day Vietnam that was under the control of France.

I didn't take note whether the restaurant is Halal-certified, but it definitely doesn't pork and lard.

Cha Gio S$4.90

Taste: 8/10 

I enjoy both Vietnamese fresh and fried spring rolls, but since I was looking for something crunchy, I decided to go for the latter. The three spring rolls cut into halves were filled with minced chicken, carrots and mushrooms. Not dripping with oil, thankfully, they were tasty. Besides that, I found the fish sauce used for the slightly spicy dipping sauce to be quite potent.

Bun Ga Nuong S$8.90

Taste: 7.5/10

My craving for Vietnamese vermicelli salad was the reason why I ended up at the restaurant that evening. The grilled chicken seasoned with lemongrass was pretty tender, but I thought it could be slightly less sweet. The vegetables were delectably crunchy, complementing the bouncy vermicelli. The sauce was similar to the one for the fried spring rolls, though a bit more flavourful.

Pho Dac Biet S$9.90

Taste: 7/10

Let's move on to something soupy. I also had the opportunity to try the rice noodle featuring beef slices, shanks, tripes and meatballs. Frankly speaking, I was hoping for the beef slices to be more succulent. The soup was mildly sweet, but I've had better ones elsewhere with more beefy goodness. The toppings of beansprouts and herbs were adequate.

Ca Phe Dua S$7.50

Taste: 7.5/10

The moment I saw Vietnamese coconut coffee on the beverage menu, I knew that I'd go for it instead of dessert. Served cold, the drip coffee was aromatic enough, though it could certainly be stronger. It was complemented by the subtle richness of coconut milk, which made it a bit velvety as well.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 7.5/10

Ambience: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

The restaurant is quite spacious, though it was rather empty when I was there on a weekday. Pika's advice: You may want to consider their all day long buffet, which features a fraction of the full menu. It's priced at S$19.90 per adult and S$12.90 per child aged 6 to 12.

Tonkin Vietnamese Noodle and Coffee

11 Tanjong Katong Road

#02-22 KINEX Mall

Singapore

(Daily: 10.00am - 10.00pm)

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)