Huu Huu Thanh Take Away — Restaurant in Melbourne

Update 080726 Had the small bun Rieu for $14. Quite disappointing but I think it's the dish not the specimen. Tasty soup but very little in terms of ingredients. Minced pork and pork blood. Left us wanting more food that was meatier and more substantial. They don't serve the canh bun anymore which I've always wanted to try.

Update 040625 So there are actually two shops with very similar names and menus: Huu Huu Thanh is near a Barkly Street entrance. Huu Thanh is facing the food court tables.

The previous posts were actually about Huu Thanh. This updated post will be about Huu Huu Thanh. Chao long comes in small medium and large at $14, $15 and $17 respectively. Medium was good for two of us. Larger bowl than Huu Thanh for the same price with more ingredients and similar flavour. But Chinese doughnut was not crispy at all.

By 1pm on a Wednesday, most other dishes were sold out except for pho and Chao long.

Chao long is tasty, generous with ingredients and even has pigs blood. Side of Chinese fritters if you're early. Make sure to ask for no bean sprouts. Bun bo hue is ok. Also has pigs blood. Combination noodles has choice of egg or rice noodle. The one prawn they give is really bouncy even though it's frozen from gold star. The more expensive Thailand prawns. Prices going up but still one of the cheapest places to eat in Melbourne. Seafood congee is very average compared to...

I've been to many pho places, but I saw this one on social media and had to give it a try, and it did not disappoint. The broth reminded me of the old-school pho from the 2000s—salty yet hearty, which definitely made me thirsty. It arrived piping hot, which I really appreciated, and the meat was tender and flavorful.

I ordered the number 4 to sample a variety of ingredients, including rare beef, beef balls, and other combinations. The medium bowl was $15, and I added $5 worth of extra protein, like chicken and tendons, which were also great. The portion size was generous, and it came with its own broth.

I noticed that you could order the beef bone if you asked, so I decided to try it. It was huge and quite fatty, but that's what makes the pho broth so tasty.

The service was excellent; the cashier described and recommended what to order and pointed out the ingredients in the pho that some people might not typically enjoy, which I appreciated. I arrived at 11, and it was packed with lots of people ordering takeaways. Last time I came around 12:30 or 1, and all the pho options except for the pork were sold out, so be sure to arrive early to avoid disappointment when the best dishes are gone.

I would definitely rank this place among my top...

This is hands down the best pho I’ve had while living in the Melbourne CBD. The broth is clear, rich and full of flavour, and you get so much meat and noodles. I always order the large number 4 (combination beef) and it’s perfection every time. They only take cash or PayID, so come prepared. The first time I visited I ordered takeaway and felt a bit lost waiting, but they somehow remember exactly who ordered what and where everyone is standing. It’s busy, old-school and runs like a well-oiled machine.

Seating wraps around the store and into an aisle of the Footscray Market. If there are spare seats at a table, you just sit and share, very communal! The chicken pho usually sells out before 11am, and the beef bones go early too, so get in quick. If you want bones for takeaway, bring your own container. Now that I’ve been a few times, I order and then grab a salted coffee from the Vietnamese café next door while I wait. It’s on the ground floor of the Footscray Market opposite the fruit and veg stalls and the lottery store. There’s another place with a similar name in the food court on the other side of the market, but don’t get confused if you can’t see the lotto shop, keep walking!

Seriously such a great spot, a true Melbourne...