Hochi Mama CBD

Overview

The team behind Melbourne's first pay-what-you-want pho pop-up has come a long way. Hochi Mama now has two venues: the CBD original, which has moved to Little Bourke Street, and a sibling on Richmond's Swan Street. The menu has wandered well beyond Vietnam, taking in Thai, Malaysian and Japanese flavours, all filtered through Mama's habit of reinventing the classics.

Open for lunch and dinner seven days, the menu is split into smaller and larger plates designed to share. The signature Hochi chicken bao, stuffed with crispy chicken, kimchi and spicy mayo, is still the one to beat. It has good company in lobster pani puri, roast duck wonton crisps, salmon sashimi in coconut cream, and bánh mì sliders with prawn patty and mushroom truffle pâté. Bigger plates run from a Hanoi-style pork hock curry and a lamb shank massaman to crispy whole barramundi with spicy Thai slaw and a soft-shell crab fried rice.

A word of warning to spice-phobics, though: this mama still packs a punch, so keep an eye on the chilli markers before you order.

The bar is stocked with local and international beers (Bia Hà Nội included), cider and a mostly Aussie wine list, plus a playful run of cocktails. The Tokyo Drift, made with Aubrey Elderflower Liqueur, Midori, sake, rhubarb bitters, cucumber and lemon remains the post-meal pick. For something refreshing, try the Lycheezy (Havana 3 Años, lychee liqueur, Voir Cherry Blossom, pink grapefruit and lychee) or the namesake Hoochi Mama, a gin, elderflower, cucumber, ginger beer and fresh mint cooler.

Ravenous pairs (or trios, quartets and quintets) can make a beeline for the Feed Me Now menu: two smaller plates, two larger and a side, for $50 at lunch or $55 at dinner. Bigger groups get banquets from $79 a head. It might not be Ho Chi Minh City, but Hochi Mama is still very much worth a visit.

Images: Supplied.

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