Red Lantern on Crown

For mine and Boyfriend’s anniversary last weekend, we headed to Red Lantern for dinner.

Our reservation was for 8:15pm but we ended up getting there at 8pm. This wasn’t a problem, we were shown to our table and a lovely waiter provided us with our menus and an explanation of what our options to order were. There was a choice of the A la Carte menu or two tasting menus. The second tasting menu (the bigger one, ‘Delicious Dalat’), also comes with the option for matching wines but we decided just to buy a bottle and do the menu without.

Inside the restaurant, it was a lot smaller than what I anticipated. Boyfriend and I were sat at a corner table so were sitting next to each other, this wasn’t a problem except for the fact that the tables and chairs were quite small and I copped Boyfriend’s chopsticks to my face a couple times when I lent over to far. Was a little funny!

After ordering, food was pretty quick to follow. Looking around the restaurant, the tasting menu’s looked like they were quite a popular option.

The three starters arrived at our table at the same time…

Thit Bo Xao Me Cuon Banh Trang (Rice paper rolls with tamarind beef, pickled daikon, perilla, mint, cucumber and vermicelli)

So Diep Nuong (Char grilled scallop with peanut crumble and mint)

Muc Rang Muoi (Chilli salted squid with fresh lemon and white pepper dipping sauce)

Each one of these was just as yum as the last. The rice paper rolls were made really nicely, nice fresh flavours and packed with lots of filling. Scallops were cooked perfectly, peanut crumble was a perfect match flavor match while adding some crunch. The twisties looking plate squid was one of my favourites. I could have eaten this all night. Cooked perfectly, coated perfectly and the sauce that it came with was so full of lemon, YUM!

Two salads were next on the menu, they came to the table together.

Goi Ca Hoi (Chargrilled salmon, banana blossom, heirloom tomato and Vietnamese herb salad)

Goi Du Du (Green papaya salad with tiger prawns, twice cooked pork belly, pickles and herbs)

These were both really nice and fresh. Both bowls had plenty of each ingredient, including the seafood and pork belly. Prawns were nice and fresh, pork belly portions were also a good size. I love pork belly, nom nom nom!

Empty bowls were collected with our plates and our table was cleaned (we’re messy eaters!). We were given new plates and bowls for courses to follow. 
The next two to come out together were clams and swordfish.

Mien Xao So Sot XO (Shellfish wok tossed with glass noodles, witlof and snake beans in Red Lantern XO sauce.

Ca Thu Nuong (Chargrilled swordfish with caramelized fish sauce and black pepper)

I haven’t actually eaten too much swordfish myself, but a lot of people have told me that when they have, it hasn’t been that great. The swordfish we got was cooked really nice, soft, evenly cooked through. Big pieces as well… by this time, we are starting to get a little full!

The clams were nice, but a lot of them had fallen out of the shell, so we were trying to find them among the noodles. Flavour wise, still really nice!

Almost there… 3 more plates and dessert to go!

The three plates left came to our table together, we take a some deep breaths and dig in!

Vit Quay (Oven roasted lemon grass, chilli and garlic marinated duck with orange and fennel salad)

Bo Luc Lac (Black angus strip loin wok-tossed in oyster and sesame served with green papaya and shrimp salad)

Ray Muong Xao Chao (Water spinach wok tossed in beancurd, ginger and garlic).

The duck was cooked perfectly, still tender and the orange gave good little flavor burst and was quite refreshing. 

Actually, looking back at this menu now, with the angus strip, I don’t recall the salad including shrimp (I could be mistaken, my memory isn’t all that great). 

The spinach and beans were a good side to have at this point, I was getting a bit meated/proteined out!

At some point in the night, we did let slip to the waiter it was our anniversary. So it was a really sweet touch when they brought out our dessert with a sparkler!

There were three desserts on our platter and I didn't quite catch the explanations of what each was from the waiter. They looked delicious which is enough for us, so we didn't ask him to repeat himself.

First one was some sort of sticky rice ball with sweet corn and peanuts maybe? I have never had sweet corn with dessert before and I had it for the first time just the night before at a little Thai place just down the road from here. I don’t mind the flavor combo, Boyfriend isn’t a fan but each to their own.

Next was a sort of panacotta – delicious!! Could have had three of these on their own, yum! Not sure what flavor exactly, but it was a fruity flavor. Mmmm…

Third was a sesame ball with ice cream, yum! This had a really nice texture and flavor.

And then we were done! YUM!! Pretty happy overall and for $80 each, it was heaps of food! I think if I did it again, I’d do the same without the wines and just buy my own bottle.

Next stop, Red Lantern on Riley…