By Ms. Taste
For the last week or so, I’ve been watching episodes from Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam to hype myself up for the launch of Fat Noodle, a joint collaboration between Luke Nguyen and Star City. It’s foodie travel shows like these that make me wonder why Smell-a-vision hasn’t been invented yet – or better yet, Taste-a-vision. Now there’s a money making idea!
Fat Noodle consulting chef, Luke Nguyen
Star City has been undergoing major renovations in the last year with the aim of transforming into a world class dining and entertainment complex – in other words, more like the Crown Casino in Melbourne. The launch of the open plan Fat Noodle brings Star City one step closer to realising this dream.
Fat Noodle
This open plan noodle bar is effortlessly inviting and sits right next to the Baccarat tables and 1c poker machines. There’s something very Vegas about the new setup and if this is where Star City is headed, then I am looking forward to the final reveal.
The very glamorous 'Fat Noodle' hostesses
The launch of Fat Noodle was a star studded affair, spruiking the likes of Sarah Wilson, Sean Connolly, Mikey Robbins and Tony Squires to name a few. It wasn’t until Matt Preston’s fashionably late arrival that got us food bloggers excited. Sporting a brown blazer, suede boots and a pink-and-white cravat, Matt was a vision of style and elegance. Chowing into Luke Nguyen’s signature ‘fat pho’ noodle cups, he said, “Luke, what’s with the tiny portions!”
Matt Preston with Luke Nguyen
The food was flavourful and there was plenty of it – a handful of waistaff worked the room holding tasting platters filled with pork neck skewers, prawn and pork dumplings, crisp parcels, rice paper rolls, salt and pepper tofu, ‘fat’ pho and slow braised wagyu. The stand-out for me were the dumplings (beautiful skin with lots of bite) and the slow braised wagyu (tender pull apart beef in a rich aromatic broth).
Crisp parcels with pork
Grilled Byron Bay organic pork neck skewers
Roast duck Vietnamese rice paper rolls
Roast duck with vermicelli noodles
Handmade pork and prawn wontons
Slow braised wagyu beef brisket and tendon with noodles
Salt and Pepper silken tofu
Great food is always complemented by great drinks and a real highlight for me on the night was the cocktails, which included tamarind and palm sugar martinis and lychee margaritas.
Bar staff prepping the tamarind and palm sugar cocktails
Perhaps the thing that appeals to me most about Fat Noodle is its late opening hours – 2:30am on school nights and 6:30am on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s the perfect spot for a late night Vietnamese hit!
Fat Noodle
Star City Casino
80 Pyrmont Street
Pyrmont NSW 2009
# 1800 700 700
www.starcity.com.au
Open from 11.30am to 2.30am on Sundays through to Thursdays and 11.30am to 6am on Fridays and Saturdays.
