Tam's Kitchen — Restaurant in Ballina

Bad experience for a first time customer 😞

Found Hong's Kitchen through Google, was passing through Ballina and craving a nice hot bowl of pho after having major dental work done and can only eat soft foods for 48hrs.

I looked at their menu online, called and ordered their $15 pho with beef for takeaway. When I picked up I was charged $18.50. I questioned it but the young man behind counter said I was looking at the chicken pho. I paid, took my soup and had a look inside the bag when I got into the car surprised at how small the takeaway containers were for $18.50!

When I got home an hour away, I was starving and looking forward to my comfortin bowl of pho but disappointed again to see there was no bean sprouts, fresh basil, lime or chili pepper included. Wow! Great tasting soup but nope, nope, nope...

Service was quick, there were only five of us. The pork and vegetable spring rolls - reasonably tasty, very hot but miniscule. Not at all value for money for $7 and six tiny mouthfuls. The beef pho on the other hand was filling and the broth superb. We are mad pho consumers and this broth was piping hot earthy, clear and so aromatic. They even had thai basil, that essential je ne sais quoi which seems to be omitted by most Vietnamese outlets these days in their pho. Down note, the rice noodles were overcooked and the beef ratio a bit stingy. It's pricey compared to Brisbane at $17.50 but worth the hit if you need your hit of this scrumptious dish. Service was very lovely,...

Not bad but can’t expect too much since there is not much of Asian cuisine nearby. Staff didn’t really know their product knowledge when we asked some question regarding the specials on the board. We had to repeat 3 times to place our ordered, and pointed at the menu carefully on the food we want but than when it came out, missus food was wrong…🤔 Acknowledged one of the older guy who looks like the boss and immediately change for us. Overall, food was ok but can be better in the sense of the stir fried and more basil if not, mint leaves for the noodle salad to bring out the spark of...