Firebird Is Windsor's New Flame-Driven Vietnamese Restaurant from the Hanoi Hannah Team
Expect smoke aplenty, across both the food menu and the cocktail list
For its latest culinary adventure, the crew behind Tokyo Tina and Hanoi Hannah is once again tackling the flavours of southeast Asia. Its new flame-driven Windsor restaurant Firebird. Inspired by the smoky street food stalls of Vietnam, while rocking a distinctly Melbourne edge, the High Street haunt is here to dish up a taste of two worlds.
With room for 110 diners and interiors by Ewert Leaf, the space has a modern industrial feel with exposed beams, distressed concrete and soft timber pendants. Custom-built chargrill and woodfired ovens take pride of place in the open kitchen, and you'll spy splashes of green and 70s-style tiling throughout.
Here, Head Chef Steven Ngo (Long Chim) heads up a modern menu celebrating the traditional flavours of his native Vietnam, abundant with smoky finishes and charry elements. Expect snacks like black pepper crab with green mango, charcoaled squid skewers and beef carpaccio, leading into a slew of rice and noodle dishes. You might find the likes of a wood-roasted wagyu green curry with kaffir lime, or a whole fish grilled with turmeric and galangal matched with rice noodles.
Parker Blain
A reimagined duck l'orange features a half or whole slow-roasted bird with burnt orange and a punchy sauce, while fire-tossed pipis are done in a sour tomato broth and paired with pieces of grilled Chinese doughnut. You can jump into a four-course chef's selection for $58 a head, or a vegan version for $48.
To match, there's a tight, but well-travelled wine selection and a handful of crafty brews. You can stay right on theme with something from the smoke-driven lineup of cocktails, too — try the burnt grapefruit paloma or the Spiced Pineapple Rum — a heady blend of charred pineapple, white rum and spiced pandan syrup.
Find Firebird at 223 High Street, Windsor. It's open from 12–11pm daily.
Images: Parker Blain and Jana Langhorst
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