Fat Noodle, Star City Casino, Pyrmont

When did Sydney turn into a construction zone?

After three weeks out of town, I return to suddenly notice the new escalators at the north end of QVB and the masses of hoarding in Darling Harbour and all along the front entrance of Star City casino.

Last night we were shepherded toward the main gaming floor for the launch of Sydney's latest dining venture, Fat Noodle, by consultant chef Luke Nguyen.



Luke's involvement does not automatically make Fat Noodle a Vietnamese restaurant. Rather, Fat Noodle offers a mixed menu that traverses the spectrum of South East Asian cuisine: Hainan chicken sitting alongside congee, laksa next to Vietnamese pho, and Shanghai noodles sharing the limelight with Thai pad see ew.

The cordoned-off space sits within clear view of the gaming tables and slot machines, its intent to provide a quick bite to eat for gaming patrons. Distraction is best found in the adjoining open kitchen, which offers a birds eye look at the entire process.

There are no tables and chairs set up for the launch, but the website indicates that seating will be at communal tables.


Tamarind and palm sugar cocktails

The drinks flow freely, and I'm quite a fan of both the tamarind and palm sugar cocktails and the lychee martinis. It's the food that gets the majority of our attention though and I'm pleased to see that everything we eat tonight is available on the Fat Noodle menu.


Lychee martini cocktails


Roast duck, perilla and enoki mushroom Vietnamese rice paper rolls
and King prawn and pork Vietnamese rice paper rolls

Rice paper rolls are always a favourite and I find both the roast duck and King prawn versions have a generous amount of perilla leaves, adding complex undercurrents of cinnamon and star anise.


Crisp parcels with pork, glass noodles and wood ear mushrooms

Initially spruiked as spring rolls, these are renamed as crisp parcels on their next circuit of the floor. The menu does list these as crisp parcels, although I'm guessing most people who order this dish won't realise that these are actually incognito spring rolls.


Orchids and bamboo table decorations


Salt and pepper silken tofu

Salt and pepper silken tofu is a little tricky to eat with a tooth pick on a paper napkin, but the tofu is delicate beneath the pale golden pillowy batter.


Grilled Byron Bay organic pork neck skewers

The grilled Byron Bay organic pork neck skewers are the hit of the evening. Sweet strips of pork are lusciously fatty and tender, marinated in fish sauce and garlic and grilled to a smoky caramelised finish.


Fat pho noodles
Chef Luke's signature beef broth with thinly sliced Angus sirloin,
fresh chilli, Thai basil, mint, bean sprouts and rice noodles

"You must try the pho," says Luke, when he spots it heading our way. "It's my personal recipe."

The broth is dark and rich in flavour, fragrant with cloves, cassia bark, star anise and pepper. Paper thin slices of Angus sirloin cook easily in the hot soup and a garnish of Thai basil, mint and bean sprouts add a freshness to the slippery lengths of fresh rice noodle.


Fat Noodle consultant chef Luke Nguyen


Slow-braised wagyu beef brisket and tendons
with rice noodles in a rich beef broth

Slow-braised wagyu beef brisket and tendons is another dish that is heavily aromatic. I delight in the discovery of tendons in my sampler, soft and gelatinous against the cubes of tender wagyu beef brisket.


Matt Preston


Matt Preston and Luke Nguyen


No, I was definitely not stalking Matt Preston


Large Eastern Australian prawns in XO sauce with glass noodles

Glass noodles and prawns are the perfect vehicle for XO sauce, the Cantonese cooking paste made from scallop, dried fish, prawns, chilli, onion, garlic and oil.

Roast duck is juicy with a glossy burnished skin, served with a tangle of chilli, shallots and deep-fried vermicelli noodles.

Whilst the site seems designed for the punters, I'm thinking it's great to see another pre-theatre fooding option on offer.


Roast duck on vermicelli noodles


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Fat Noodle
Casino gaming floor
Star City Casino
80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont, Sydney
Tel: 1800 700 700

Open 7 days 11.30am-2.30am (until 6am on Friday and Saturday nights)

Related Grab Your Fork posts:
Star City - Sean's Kitchen

Ten questions with Luke Nguyen
Luke Nguyen's Cabramatta food tour
Matt Preston shows us his salami

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