Bun bo hue tends to get overshadowed by pho, but the rich beef-bone broth – deeply fragrant with lemongrass and chilli – deserves equal star billing. The hearty dish from Central Vietnam is a soul-reviving bonanza of proteins: lean beef brisket, sliced pork, hock and a shimmering slab of blood jelly piled on top of thick, chewy vermicelli noodles. Celebrated for its sweetness, spice and umami intensity, the soup is the most popular dish at VBites, a bustling eatery with seating that spills into the main shopping strip of Bankstown.

It’s hard to miss the neon decorations, floor to ceiling timber, colourful menu photos or massive flatscreen – often showing live rugby league and Ultimate Fighting Championship matches – mounted on one wall. The menu is 70 dishes strong, including Southern-style pho and crispy skin chicken to meet customer demand, plus a strong showing of vegan and vegetarian options.

Steamed banh nam and banh bot loc dumplings arrive wrapped in banana leaves like tiny presents; banh beo steamed rice cakes are another Hue staple, are piled on a plate and loaded liberally with pork crackling, pork mince, house-made tom kho prawn floss, sauteed shallots and thick hunks of cha hue steamed ham. There’s only one dessert – pastry-wrapped deep-fried ice-cream – or you can simply finish with a takeaway fruit smoothie and walk off the noodles.

Good to know: For drinks, there’s also Vietnamese iced coffee or you can try the traditional egg yolk and condensed milk soda. BYO is free.

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