As a 10-year-old in Vietnam, Quyên and her five siblings watched their father push off in a small boat filled with other refugees; they didn’t know if they’d ever see him again. But five years later, with the help of some kind souls from the small town of Wichelen (East Flanders) where their father took up residence, the entire family was reunited for good in Flanders. And Quyên (pictured) hasn’t sat still for a moment since.
First, she worked as cleaning help in restaurants while studying Dutch. Then she got the idea to open a comic strip shop, and later a snack bar. The Vietnamese fast food outlet in the centre of Brussels was a raging success, so in 2004 she transformed it into the sleek, popular restaurant it is today.
Quyên’s brothers and sisters make up the bulk of the serving staff. The women wear long, elegant dresses in white and turquoise, and the men are stylish in black. All are very friendly and speak English, Dutch and French.
My fervent foodie friend and I order two aperitifs: Gin Fizz for me and a Caipirinha for her. Next to the à la carte menu are three set menus – Discovery, Little Asia or Vegetarian. They come with choices of main dish, so we order two different Little Asias.
The first course is Pho Bo, a traditional Vietnamese vermicelli soup. The steaming broth is both sweet and sour, slightly spicy and filled with noodles and succulent strips of beef. A plate of fresh herbs and vegetables – bean sprouts, spring onions, lime wedges and pungent sweet basil – invites us to add our own texture and flavour to the soup.
Next up is an assortment of starters: a fat prawn decked with crispy puffed rice and sesame seeds, a deep-fried pork spring roll, a soft steamed roll stuffed with veg and a flavour-packed soy bean and prawn pancake. These come with two sauces.
My friend’s main is a line-up of grilled prawns infused with turmeric, lemongrass and fragrant herbs. These rest on a bed of thin glass noodles and come with a plain side salad. She assures me it’s delicious, although I can’t help but sense a tinge of envy when my main arrives.
My duck breast is expertly cooked, with a tender, rosy centre and a buttery soft thin layer of fat that’s slightly crisped on the outside. Shitake mushrooms and cashew nuts add to the earthy character of the dish, while sweet and spring onions, turmeric and ginger give it a spicy punch. Together with a side of fluffy, aromatic white rice, this dish is very healthy given all its flavour. I wash it down with a glass of rosé.
Desserts are a trio of sorbet and a duo of coconut beignets, fried coconut balls rolled in sesame seeds with a scoop of ice cream. Finally, after three hours, the night ends with a pot of fresh jasmine tea and a round of goodbyes to our newly made friends at the (very) nearby tables. The bill comes to about €60 per person.
Sint Katelijnestraat 8, Brussels
Mon-Tue & Thurs-Sat, 12.00-15.00 & 18.00-23.00
Mains: €18-€40
Refined Vietnamese cuisine in a trendy, lounge-like setting
Contact Bite at flandersbite@gmail.com
Flanders Today is a 
11°C / 22°C
