Thi Le and Jia-Yen Lee changed our understanding of Vietnamese food when they snipped the ribbon on Bridge Road. A decade on, they continue to push the cuisine to places Australian diners have seldom seen. The couple work in an almost mind-meld synchronicity: Le out the back arranging rosa radicchio with juicy smoked duck fragrant with galangal, Lee out the front flattering those flavours with, say, a Sierra Reed riesling engineered with her partner’s food front of mind.

An abalone sandwich showcases Le’s playfulness with Australiana, the bouncy abalone meat a sweet stand-in for fried fish on soft white bread. Prawns and papaya are accompanied by the prawniest prawn crackers you’ve ever had, a glory of crisp oceanic funk. It’s food imbued with the soul of its owners, delivered with pride in a convivial room, and it’s essential Melbourne dining.

Good to know: Can’t get enough? Head next door during the day for a wood-fired banh mi at well-loved sister venue, Ca Com.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.