Thanh Binh, Cabramatta

The shopkeepers are rolling down their shutters as dusk settles in Cabramatta, but the Thanh Binh still has plenty of patrons.

Thanh Binh has a popular sister restaurant in inner west Newtown, but I'd always prefer to patronage the sibling that is further out in the suburbs. Here there are Vietnamese menus under glass-topped tables, hand-written specials on the wall, a peek into the kitchen at the end of the room, and the ubiquitous condiments tray on every table for any inspired dressing you may desire.

There are 251 menu items. Who says you're not spoiled for choice?


Table condiments


Vietnamese spring rolls fried $8.00
Cha gio

The cha gio Vietnamese spring rolls are our first delight, made in the southern style with the clear rice paper skins used for summer rolls. These starchy papers have an extra delicious chewiness to them. The rounds are usually dipped in sweet hot water, the sugar turns a caramel brown when the rolls are deep-fried in oil.



Filled with sweetened pork and shreds of carrot, these were delicious wrapped in a bit of lettuce, some mint leaves and dipped in the accompanying nuoc cham.


Beef fillets with lemongrass sauce $13.00
Bo xa ot

Beef fillets in lemongrass sauce were delicious. Soft tender beef was dressed in a sweet spicy lemongrass sauce that had the perfect balance of spices and flavours.


Fried bean curd in spicy salt $10.00
Dau hu rang muoi

Fried bean curd in spicy salt was reasonably good, the tofu inside was delicately soft.


Pork in caramel hot pot $15.00
Thit heo kho to

Pork in caramel hot pot was not as sweet as I anticipated, more a vinegary sweet dish that reminded me of canh chua sour fish head soup.


Pickled vegetables accompanying the hotpot
that have been cooked in soup

The vegetables that accompanied this dish were exactly like the ones from canh chua, a flotsam of pickled carrots and radish, slivers of cucumber, barely cooked bean sprouts and crunchy bulbs of baby leek.


Calamari in spicy salt $13.00
Muc rang muoi

Calamari in spicy salt was disappointing, the seafood a tad chewy and overcooked.


Beef fillets with lemongrass sauce $13.00
Bo xa ot

We are still salivating at the recent memory of the beef fillets that we order one. Our second order is significantly more generous with beef but alas it's over oily and not quite as delicated spiced as our first one.

We're satiated but happy though. And across the road there's a dessert house with an avocado shake just waiting for us.



Thanh Binh Restaurant
52a John Street, Cabramatta Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9727 9729

Open 7 days 9am-9pm

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