Phuc Deli Viet

Phuc Deli Viet is located on the bus stop side of Indooroopilly Shopping Mall and sits adjacent to Pig 'N' Whistle. I cannot believe I have walked past this restaurant for so many years and never stopped to try the food. Forget your cheap local Vietnamese cafe that drowns their stock with MSG - Chef Johnny Tran has a palate of a seasoned chef and doesn't need to cut corners to make a strong, standout stock. 

I was recently invited to try Chef Johnny's signature pho. The more I found out about his history, the more I understood why his food was so good. Chef Johnny came to Australia as a refugee and cooked in restaurants to support himself through school. He has worked at a number of noteworthy restaurants in Brisbane before being approached to open a Vietnamese restaurant next to Pig 'N' Whistle at Indooroopilly. This was way back in 1999.

Over 13 years later, he is still the head chef here, leading the kitchen everyday. There weren't many Vietnamese restuarants around back then and I'm impressed that Phuc Deli Viet stood so strongly when Vietnamese food was not as popular. Speaking to some of my colleagues at work, they recall only seeing asian herbs like coriander for the first time about 5-10 years ago in when they were in their late 20s. Chef Johnny has come very far and it certainly shows in his food. 

Hainan Chicken Rice with Chilli Garlic Sauce, Ginger Sauce and Chicken Broth

Burger Urge - Brisbane's Best Burgers. Stop 5

Continuing on with my burger search in Brisbane, I decided to try Burger Urge. It wasn't on my go-to list however BYOB was closed over the Christmas/New Years period and this place was just around the corner. I've heard mixed reviews about Burger Urge but tried not to let that affect my judgement. I find prior expectations of a place can really affect your dining experience.

Burger Urge is a chain restaurant with numerous branches in Brisbane including St Lucia, Kelvin Grove, West End and Fortitude Valley, which is where I ate. The decor had a grunge feel to it and the seating area was small. It was Saturday lunch time but we found the place rather quiet.

I thought the staff was friendly and was a bit suprised when they came to ask how our meal was. It's not something you would expect from a chain store burger joint but it was a nice gesture. 

Zorba the Greek -  Lamb patty, onion jam, haloumi cheese, mayo, pesto, cos lettuce, tomato