Review Tuong Lai Vietnamese Restaurant - Cabramatta

One of the best hole in the wall Vietnamese restaurant. A small little restaurant that serves exceptionally delicious food. Their banh cuon (Vietnamese pork mince rolls), com tam dac biet (broken rice pork chop combination) and bun dac biet (rice vermicelli combination) is the best. The sugarcane prawns and spring rolls are also a hit. It’s my family’s favourites and have been coming here for years. Highly recommend!

It WAS the best place to eat but I think now they have changed owner and everything has become very average. It's not bad but not as good as it was before. I ordered the special Pho and it was too salty for me, it definitely not as light and full of favour as before.

It looks like a popular place for locals. I went on a weekend and there was a queue. Tge place is small so don't go there in big groups. Soup based dishes are really good. They were so tasty and delicious to say the least. They dint have eftpos so please bring cash. It's not a fancy restaurant so don't expect too much. Just go there to try some vietnamese cuisine. I honestly don't know how authentic the taste was but the food was better than tge other viet restos i've tried so I'm giving them better review.

One of the best broken rice I’ve ever eaten..

Beautiful restaurant, kind owners and amazing food! Hasn’t changed over the years at all, gotten better if anything <3

Cosy Vietnamese restaurant in the alley off the main strip, usually crowded at lunch time and a modest line, a no nonsense eating affair with a good manageable sized menu - with just over 20 dishes they can keep their small kitchen churning without overextending themselves. Bánh hỏi chạo tôm (sugar cane prawn mousse) is unbelievably light and springy here, making every other place seem dense and heavy in comparison. Cơm tấm sườn bì chả (broken rice with steamed egg/pork, grilled pork chop and shredded pork skin, fried egg if you get the Đặc Biệt special) is a crowd favourite here, deservingly so, with that Chả Trứng Hấp being the best, fluffiest meatloaf you've ever had that you might want to customise your order with 2x portions of it. Or in Summer when it's too hot for soupy noodles, try the Bánh tằm bì, a thick rice tapioca noodle which you mix in with coconut milk and shredded pork skin coated in roasted rice powder. Don't think you can go wrong here, well executed small menu, no frills, bring cash.

The best com tam dish I’ve had! Each element is excellent - the pork skin is slightly thicker cut than what you normally find, the pork cake is juicy and the grilled pork is really tasty. I’ve come multiple times and whether eating or takeaway, I’ve never been disappointed. It recently suffered a very minor price increase (now $12) but is still one of the best value dishes you’ll find out in Cabramatta. The other dishes I’ve tried have all been good too but they are best known for this one. Definitely worth a visit :)

It's my first time having broken rice, it tastes really nice, I like it! It costs AUD12 but if you want your broken rice served without egg, they will charge you for only AUD11. I highly recommend this resto. You may need to queue for 5 to 15 minutes

Favourite place to get com tam dac biet (broken rice) big plate, cheap and fast ! Very packed at some days always lines out the door

Nam veng noodles is 60% of what I’m use too but that’s ok! Prices are cheap and there was a line outside for this small place,not sure what’s the signature dish here

A trip back memory Lane. This has gone through small renovations. But the feel is amazing as ever, full of flavor and packed as always. Small shop though, sometimes there are lines but it is worth it.

My go to when in town - the bun thit nuong is a generous serving size for $11. Place is usually packed and busy, but the wait is never too long.

This com dac biet ($11) was such a satisfying dish. All the individual components including the steamed egg, fried egg, cucumber, pickled veggies, pork cutlet, pork floss and fish sauce, worked so well to complement the star of the dish which was in my eyes the broken rice. I personally always tend to take note of the quality of rice at any asian joint because it really is the bread and butter of the dish. Oh boy, the rice here was perfect, it was fluffy but still able to maintain its individual grain. Anyway, highly recommend this dish, I noticed more than half of the restaurant ordered this dish so it's definitely a local favourite.<br/><br/>8th June 2020: tapioca noodles with crab $12, com dac biet $13 and bun bo hue $12.

Truong Lai is my go to restaurant in Cabramatta because it sells traditional Vietnamese broken rice and other famous dishes. It is famous for its bún mắm and pork chop broken rice (as mentioned below). <br/><br/>Obviously, my favourite is the special broken rice that consists of a pork chop, fried egg, steamed egg and pork skin over broken rice. It’s served with fresh vegetables, a portion of fish sauce and house soup. Their marinade is absolutely amazing. Hints of sweetness and saltiness.

Tiny shop where Yu get delicious Vietnamese variety! Menu is short and simple with flavourful food, the broth is sooooo good. Whenever Yu visit Cabramatta do visit this tiny corner for awesome Vietnamese food.

Before you get into an uproar about the score I have given, it must be taken into context that I can only review based upon my experience at the time, and the dish that I had eaten, I can not review based on what I didn't eat!<br/><br/>Came here with the wife and baby on a Saturday afternoon, didn't know what to expect and we had not looked up any reviews, it was simply a matter that my wife was hungry and we had just walked down Belvedere Arcade and it was at the top of the arcade.<br/><br/>Right outside, there were two baby chairs, with someone sitting next to them, and stuff in the baby chairs, they were pretty dingy and dirty looking.  The decor inside didn't really do much better, very old, very dated.  We were gestured to sit at a table at the back by some guy who looked like a customer, but turns out was probably an owner or something, just having lunch.<br/><br/>No offer of getting baby chair, but we didn't ask or push it considering how dirty they looked. Baby sat in my lap.<br/><br/>Now, here is the interesting part. My wife is Chinese Vietnamese, so one of her favourites is Com Tam. I am not of the same heritage and I like to try different things. In the end, looking at their simple menu (simple is good, makes it kind of easier to decide), I went with Marinated Chicken on Tomato Rice.<br/><br/>The wait wasn't very long, it came out quickly, it was hot, and portion size was okay.  My wife enjoyed her Com Tam, she said it was okay, but nothing super. My chicken was nice, a reasonable sized maryland cut, but my tomato rice,... was just rice. You could smell tomato sauce on it, since it had been coloured red from the sauce, but it was either so little, or perhaps so watered down, that it imparted zero flavour to the dish. Very disappointing.  The side salad was three pieces of cucumber, and a chunk of washed iceberg lettuce. Talk about.... lack of effort? In any case, the chicken at least was cooked well and tasted well enough to save my score of the dish from even worse.<br/><br/>Other side notes - The  tea, weak, watery, tasted like it was leaves that had been used all day without being changed. The soup that came with both dishes was fairly standard, so no negative, or bonus points there at least.<br/><br/>I would say, from reading everyones reviews that the Com Tam seems to be the winner. Sadly, I did not have it. Perhaps if we were to revisit this place, then I'd have to try it to see if the hype is real, or if my tastes are just more critical than others.<br/><br/>tl;dr, no offer of baby chair (it was dirty anyway), tasted like re-used tea leaves (watery and tasteless), my tomato rice was colour lip-service with no flavour (and side of just a hunk of lettuce), but saving grace from worse was the chicken was well cooked and tasted good.

I visited this joint on a recommendation from a mate who said the Com Tan special(Broken rice) is a must. So I used the map on Zomato to find this place, a little hidden down a foot traffic laneway. I entered the restaurant which was not much to look at. A few worn chairs and tables that probably should have been replaced a while back, but I was not here for the decor. I sat down, was promptly given the menu. A shorttime later I ordered the Com Tan Special, no fuss at all. Soon after I am given a pot of tea and a clear broth chicken soup, a nice way to start the meal. Then the Com Tan special arrives with a side of sauce made up of fish sauce and fresh Chilli. The plate of Com Tan is large and packed with broken rice, a tasty pork chop, chopped spring onion, pickled carrot, cucumber, a frittata type egg meat cake, thin strands of shredded pork skin and topped with a fried egg. I drizzle the the sauce and mix the ingredients together. A simple dish with a magnitude of textures and flavour that combine nicely. <br/>A no fuss establishment serving decent portions of good food on the cheap. Worth a visit if in the area and are after an authentic Vietnamese meal.

The epitome of the Broken Rice dish.<br/>No nonsense here folks, just a quality feed. <br/>Beautiful combination of pork chop - (opt for two pieces), meat cake, fried egg and some greens.

You know a hidden gem when you see a dodgy as f-restaurant tucked away in a laneway and riddled with food safety risks, yet still manages to draw queues on the regular. Probably in the top 3 "com tam" offerings in Sydney. Huge servings. Tasty. Under $10. You get in. You order. You eat. You leave. You don't ask questions.

One of my favourite places to eat. The best Com Tam Dac Biet you can get. I wouldn't know where else to eat Com Tam if this place closes down :( Food comes out fast, sometimes you have to wait but a hidden gem

Cheap, quick, and very authentic Vietnamese food! Don't let the look of the restaurant fool you! This shabby old restaurant is a staple for the Cabramatta locals (so I've been told). Best known for their 'broken rice' dishes, Tuong Lai is a small hidden gem just off the main strip. Be sure to get in early, and don't be alarmed if they squeeze other parties onto the table!

Like a broken rice, porkchop, egg and egg patty with pork skin salad Vietnamese dish.<br/><br/>Here at Tuong Lai, only the locals know but they specialize only in Com tam. Noone else really comes here to eat say Pho.<br/><br/>The atmosphere is:<br/><br/>Get in sit down, order com tam eat and pay and go.<br/><br/>No bells and whistles. That is how its like here.<br/><br/>$11 can get you a full decent meal if not less.<br/><br/><br/>They also have this udon with coconut cream on top, its an acquired taste. Also a decent price.

Traditional style Vietnamese food, no real ambient or service exists but food is good and it's a cheap feed. I loved my Sugarcane prawn roll up, sauce was spicy and ingredients were fresh. My hubby ordered Beef Pho he mentioned it could be little too traditional for some as the meats in the pho includes beef intestine and cartilages.

Possibly one of the best Vietnamese combination broken rice dish in Sydney, this place has been around for a long time, and it shows in the worn out restaurant setting. Please come here early, as they can sometimes run out of the steamed cake that is part of the combination broken rice.

Com Tam (broken rice, marinated pork chops, cha, fried egg) here is the best in Sydney thanks to the zippy chilli sauce, which should be doused liberally over your plate. One of the longest established eateries in town and still holds its own.

One of the oldest in Cabramatta, this eatery is proudly staying old school. While Huong Xua and Bau Truong proudly display modern logos and a modern makeover, Tuong Lai is doing old-time Cabramatta in full, gritty, no-nonsense authenticity.

Rice dishes are famous here, especially their broken rice with pork chop combination, I do favour the sugarcane and prawn wraps more because its DAMN good with the BANH HOI (Flat Vercelli noodles) and their pickles!The nam nuong (BBQ PORK) are also great with Vercelli !!!!!

One of the original and best places for com tam (broken rice) in Sydney. All aspects of the dish (pork chop, pork shreddings, omelette) are very flavoursome.

Tucked away in the little alley way off John Street is Tuong Lai. A traditional family owned Vietnamese restaurant that serves what you would expect if you were to visit Vietnam. It's a place my family have been frequenting since I was younger and still continue to go to these days. It is small and humble restaurant that hasn't changed much since it opened many, many years ago probably except for slight changes in the furniture and décor. Interior   Even though we have moved out to the south, we still drop by at least once a month. The prices are low and the food is  consistently good. The food is very authentic Vietnamese and not that food court type food that you eat elsewhere. The majority of its customer base is Vietnamese and that is a sign that it is good. Be warned the menu on the wall is not in English but the staff would be able to assist you. Tissues, cutlery and condiments are on the table and can be used to your liking. Hot tea is served upon

Steamed Vietnamese rice rolls, $8. These are so darn cheap and delicious! Since there are SO MANY Vietnamese restaurants in the area they try to keep the majority of their dishes under $15. The food comes out super quick so if you see a giant queue outside, it usually doesn’t take too long until you get a table. You can place your order whilst outside and by the time you get a table, your food is usually ready for you. Sugarcane prawn and Vermicelli with self-wrap lettuce, $12. Time to get dirty… hands. You’re given two chunks of prawn wrapped around sugarcane and large iceberg lettuce leaves. You fill the giant lettuce leaf with vermicelli and prawn and wrap it together to create a mouthwatering chunky prawn roll. The only problem here is that the restaurant is mainly catered to Vietnamese/Chinese speaking customers. The wall menus are not written in English. (I’ve seen white people come in with photos on their phone to show the waiter what they want). Other than that, this place is a

Hidden in an alleyway behind Subway and one of our family favourites, is a busy little Vietnamese restaurant called Tuong Lai. At 11am, the place begins to pack with workers, old ladies tugging their grocery pull carts, mums and their kids. Like most typical Vietnamese restaurants in the area, the usual condiments, tissue box and cutlery are provided at each table. Luckily for us, we arrived early and were immediately seated. After our meal, a line had formed at the door.

The furnishings were bare and minimal with its menu hung up on the walls in Vietnamese, Chinese and English. Its simplicity only served to remind me of the local restaurants in China where the food served was unpretentious and delicious.<br/><br/>Sitting down and reading their menu, it dawned on me

Tuong Lai is packed with Vietnamese nannas, couples, hungry workers and kids. The vibe is bustling and no-nonsense with the usual DIY cutlery, condiments and tissue boxes on every table. The menu on the wall (all written in Vietnamese) can be daunting at

The food is not bad but customer service like shhh. The man who was working there as a waiter i think. his face like being in a funeral. Shop decorations none. Inside the kitchen people talking always very loud. Feel annoy everytime eating there, won't come again.

I am sitting here right now and the food is amazing!!!!! Omg. I love Vietnamese food. I should be born a Vietnamese. For $10 u get a fresh tasty meal what else can you ask for in a Saturday :) Place is not fancy and the boss is down to earthy. Nothing fancy or pretentious about this place, just fantastic food!!!!