Dong Ba 2 - St Albans

Only place I trust to eat great food and beautiful people

Bun bo hue (spicy beef noodles) is one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes and my favourite in Melbourne has always been dong ba in footscray. I’ve recently discovered they have another store in St. Albans. I’m not certain it’s the same franchise however the taste is very similar and the name is the same so one can only assume. I love this BBH for its strong lemongrass and chilli flavour and it has a pungent aftertaste. The noodles are served with pork and beef slices, Vietnamese ham, pig blood jelly and onion. Lettuce, cabbage and bean sprouts is also served on the side. Its a perfect meal in cold weather as it’s warm and hearty. We also ordered the fried flounder which was really crispy and well seasoned. I highly recommend for good bun bo hue.

Located on the other side of where we normally go for food, this place is actually pretty good. We had diced beef and grilled chicken on rice and they were both very good. It came in decent portion as well. Too bad that we didn't really enjoy the chilli and the side soup was just average. We will come back again to try different dishes.

Best special combo beef pho Ive had in a long time. It has a good amount of meat which are of a good variety of cuts. I know it doesnt usually come with it but I always wish it comes with some raw beef too.

Dong Ba 2 is surely the hidden gem of stalbans restaurants! When you think of this area and Vietnamese cuisine you think Quang Vinh and the others near that vicinity, however travel just a little further, up were KFC used to be (veterans will remember) and across the Woolworths, and you will find a delightful surprise called Dong Ba 2. Apparently specialising in Bun Bo Hue which sadly Emily and I do not necessarily prioritise, we went in and were surprised with just how good the service is. Having been to a myriad of similar restaurants, you expect service as not being a priority due to the language and cultural differences however Dong Ba 2 is different- you are welcomed, and spoken to in fluent English or Vietnamese, whichever you want! Staff are friendly and definitely create a happy eating atmosphere.<br/ <br/ Today we ordered the chicken ribs on tomato rice and my favourite, broken rice special. Let me just start by saying this is my favourite broken rice special (Com Tam big suon). The first bite of the pork made sure of this immediately. Juicy, soft and tender, with flavours oozing throughout. Most porks I have in this dish are dry and tough however this was cooked perfectly. Matched with the best chicken soup to date, fish sauce, egg, and patay (could have been a bit more soft) and you have a beautiful dish. Emily's chicken ribs were also notably better than most being tender, not too battered and succulent in flavour.<br/ <br/ Definitely a hidden gem in St Albans and one that sets the standard high. If this was located amongst the popular area where Quang Vinh is, we have no doubts it would kill it. Highly recommended for all your Vietnamese cuisine needs!<br/ <br/ Food: 4/5<br/ Service: 3.5/5<br/ Ambience: 3/5<br/ Value: 5/5<br/ <br/ Overall: 4/5