Today I craved Vietnamese food – a good bowl of beef pho in particular. That was how I ended up at The Orange Lantern at Killiney Road. I’ve seen their restaurant many times, but only decided to step into their warm, inviting interiors just now. They’ve been around since March 2005, and have other branches in Hougang Mall and Harborfront. Somehow, I’m attracted to the warm shophouse vibe that their original Killiney branch emits, so I opted for that location instead. Once I stepped inside, their extensive menu of Vietnamese delights kept my eyes busy for a bit. Their list of appetizers alone was pretty impressive. They had bacon wrapped in squid paste, spring rolls, vietnamese salads and so much more. After much debate, I settled on their Fresh Prawn Rolls ($6.50) [***] and Prawn Mango Salad ($7.90) [****] for appetisers.
The prawn rolls (pictured above) was accompanied by a light sauce that was mildly sweet and tangy. The vegetables were fresh, and the overall combination didn’t taste too raw. The skin wasn’t too dry and the taste of mint wasn’t overpowering. All in all a good appetiser to whet your tastebuds.
Next came the prawn mango salad. Unlike its Thai couterpart, this Vietnamese version of the mango salad wasn’t spicy, resulting in a rather zesty combination of flavours. Topped with fried onions, this salad wasn’t soggy with mango juices, and the mango was fresh. I’d say the same for the prawns too.
For my main course, I decided on Sliced Beef Pho in Chilli Soup ($7.90) [****]. This pho came with a spicy broth brimming with chilli flakes but it tasted oh-so-good…(no MSG added too). The sliced beef was tender and wasn’t overcooked, while the dish was peppered with floating onion slices and beansprouts. On the side, we’ve got a dish of raw beansprouts, chilli sauces, and fresh lime to go with the pho. I was very satisfied with my beef pho. Ever since Nick’s Kitchen on Thomson Road closed down years back, I’ve not had a decent bowl of beef pho. Kudos to The Orange Lantern for rekindling my love for Vietnamese pho. I guess my next stop for Vietnamese will be Va Va Voom over on 36 Seah Street.
/ prices stated above not inclusive of ++
The I-wanna-know[s]:
Taste – 8/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 7/10
Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes
Tel: +65 6732 8032
Address:
73 Killiney Rd
Opening hours:
11 am – 10 pm daily
Website:
http://www.orange-lantern.com/Home/main.htm
Dress code: Casual
Nearest MRT: Somerset
Charlinary 