Hem Nine Nine - Glebe, NSW

Momentum is a fickle thing...some days, you're on a roll and you feel like nothing can stop you while others, you've lost all motivation to continue. The task that you previously found fascinating and enjoyable has become monotonous and you find yourself procrastinating again and again. That's how I've been feeling lately with food blogging. I love eating and I love spreading news of delicious food and amazing restaurants but lately, that love has fizzled a bit and it's really reflected in the frequency in which I post content. It had gotten to the point where I'd actually considered quitting and just when I'd come close to calling it, something comes along and you're reminded again of why you do what you do. For me, this came in the form of an invitation to dine at Hem Nine Nine.



I'd first seen Hem Nine Nine's photos float around on social media and I'd always been intrigued by their food and I had personally set out to try their food one day but I hadn't gotten around to it. Lo and behold, an invitation reaches the Mrs and I sent from Hem Nine Nine themselves, asking us to come and dine with them! You would not believe how ecstatic I was when I received this email as not only had I wanted to try this place, this was also the first time we'd received and personal invite from the owners to come try their food! Of course, I booked us in immediately and anxiously anticipated the day we would go and try their delicious Vietnamese fare.

The name Hem Nine Nine or laneway 99 is a reference to the lanes in Vietnam where you can find delicious Vietnamese street food and their decor definitely reflects this. As soon as you walk in, the vibrant red walls and beautiful looking asiatic decor make the place really inviting and an interesting place to dine at. As soon as we sit down, we order two Vietnamese iced coffees to sip on as we casually study the menu. Whilst not as extensive as the Vietnamese restaurants you might frequent, from reading the description, you can really tell how special each dish is from the amount of thought put into the ingredients and the innovative ways in which they've been able to re-invent these classic dishes.

The first thing to come was our appetiser of grilled lemongrass pork skewers and boy, was this something to be excited about! You're served three skewers of lemongrass pork skewers with a side of slaw made of bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, spring onions and this spicy sauce. The sauce that glazes the pork is sweet, savory and full of umami which really helps compliment how delicious the pork itself is. The outside of the meat is grilled to a perfect char and the aromatic lemongrass flavour permeates each bite. The meat is also super tender and juicy which makes it a joy to eat.

Soon after that, the Mrs order came: Squid ink bun rieu! As soon as this dish arrives at our table, my mouth starts to water as the smells coming off that hot, steaming bowl of soup is simply irresistible! The Mrs had never had bun rieu before but being more experienced with Vietnamese fare, I was actually really excited to see how this dish turns out. Squid ink can be a bit of a daunting ingredient to work with and even more so to eat (black is considered a rather ominous colour in relation to food) but it's a flavour that really works here and it's impact is very evident. The soup is warm, aromatic and flavoursome and you can really taste the umami that the squid ink adds to the soup. This is all made even better by the bits of crispy and softened noodles that cling to the sauce-like soup, the fried soft shell crab and the flying fish roe. A really interesting and delicious thing to eat and definitely a must try!

Shortly after the Mrs dish arrived, my order of super pho came! Hem Nine Nine have several pho items on the menu and I had originally been planning on ordering the special pho but when a dish is limited to 20 orders, you just have to get in on that action. When you're presented with a giant bowl of noodles topped with beef brisket, rare wagyu, herbs, onions and oven-roasted bone marrow all contained in this masterfully brewed beef stock...there is no way you wouldn't be impressed. I do consider myself a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to pho and I must say, I am very, very impressed with their rendition of the classic noodle soup. The stock had a bit of a stronger tartness (even without the addition of the citrus) which is instantly noticeable when you first sip the soup but as you continue to consume the noodles and soup, the tartness really comes in and helps cut through and bring balance to the whole dish. The soup is super, super rich in beef flavour...what I imagine it would taste if I ever took my love of beef and decided to make pho myself. The brisket and wagyu are tender and the delicate globs of toasted bone marrow just make it a delight to dine on.

While we would have loved to continue on to dessert (they have a unique Vietnamese coffee flavoured ice cream specially made for them by Hakiki Turkish ice cream) the both of us were so stuffed at the end of our meal that we just could not fit it in (pretty good indication of how much value you get for your money). Despite being invited to dine as guests, the Mrs and I were so impressed with our meal that we were perfectly happy to pay for our meal ourselves! I kept saying to the Mrs and even without the invite, I would have taken her there sooner or later and now that I have, I'm so, so glad that I did. Their wonderful hospitality and amazingly delectable food made it a wonderful experience for me and I'd love to return again and again in the near future!