Cam Ranh - DARRA

We came home from a day in town the other day, a bit tired and hungry, so we went over to Darra for a quick Vietnamese meal. For those who don't know Darra as a... read more We came home from a day in town the other day, a bit tired and hungry, so we went over to Darra for a quick Vietnamese meal. For those who don't know Darra as an eating place, the area of the Centenary suburbs from the bridge at Jindalee south to Darra and Inala there are a large number of authentic Vietnamese/ Chinese restaurants, usually not particularly posh but serving good food at good prices.They nearly all have, for us, forgettable Vietnamese names, and I don't know what Cam Ranh means but it used to be known by the anglo community as "My Frens" mainly because an early proprietor used to address everyone as "My Friend", and the pace back then was furious. But he's retired, and the place is now more relaxed, with room to move your elbows.We have a tendency to end up ordering Chinese food even when we're in a Vietnamese run establishment. Must be force of habit, but this time we consciously ordered Viet, vermicelli meals.We ordered three things between us which was unnecessary as we each received a large very full bowl of food, delicate and light and loaded with subtle flavours.We were drinking red wine so I didn't order one of those brilliant cold drinks base on coconut milk and mung beans or something. You don't see them everywhere, and if you haven't tried one , do yourself a favour.Just one last word. If you are a bit uneasy about venturing into a "multicultural" suburb, don't be. This whole area is about as safe as it gets anywhere in Brisbane, and if you live near a railway station, this area is right at the Darra Railway station with trains every 15 minutesfor much of the time.

We went to Camh Ranh after being unable to get a seat at our usual Chinese local. It was pretty busy but there was one spare table, fortunately for us. We order... read more We went to Camh Ranh after being unable to get a seat at our usual Chinese local. It was pretty busy but there was one spare table, fortunately for us. We ordered a range of dishes - the Camh Ranh tofu which was a fried tofu dish with seafood, shantung chicken, pork spare robs with special sauce and a fried sole with salt and pepper. The food was actually pretty good overall. The tofu was excellent and the other dishes were good.It was very reasonably pricedd and the waitresses were helpful and friendly. We will be back.

This restaurant seemed to go off for a while and is back better than ever. very good crabs served in about 6 ways and the veggies were fresh and very well prese... read more This restaurant seemed to go off for a while and is back better than ever. very good crabs served in about 6 ways and the veggies were fresh and very well presented. As it is small the dishes come out very fast so this needs management. Good staff who agree to every thing so get the prder right and double check. Not flash but sound.

We decided to try a different Vietnamese noodle shop since our favorite one was closed. This new place could definitely use some improvements in terms of cleanl... read more We decided to try a different Vietnamese noodle shop since our favorite one was closed. This new place could definitely use some improvements in terms of cleanliness and customer service. It seems like the staff is lacking energy. My duck noodle soup was delicious, but my friend's dish was just okay. If they clean up and improve their service, this restaurant could really thrive.

We recently visited Darra for a quick Vietnamese meal after a long day in the city. Darra, located across the river from the suburb of Jindalee, is home to a va... read more We recently visited Darra for a quick Vietnamese meal after a long day in the city. Darra, located across the river from the suburb of Jindalee, is home to a variety of authentic Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants. While not fancy, these eateries offer delicious meals at affordable prices. One restaurant, formerly known as My Frens, has now been rebranded as Cam Ranh. The new owner has created a more relaxed atmosphere for diners to enjoy their meals. Despite being in a Vietnamese restaurant, we found ourselves ordering Chinese dishes out of habit. However, this time we opted for the vermicelli meals and were pleasantly surprised. Each dish was flavorful and filling, leaving us satisfied. We enjoyed our meal with red wine, forgoing the unique coconut milk and mung bean-based drinks on offer. The area surrounding Darra is safe and accessible, with a train station nearby offering frequent services. Overall, Darra is a great spot for those looking to explore multicultural cuisine in Brisbane.