An ode to Marrickville’s Noodle Bars

If you don’t mind fluorescent lighting and kitsch décor then Marrickville’s Noodle Bars are for you.

Located on Illawarra Road, The Nhat Tan and Thang Huong 2 are my particular favourites. The Nhat Tan serves a fabulous duck noodle soup for a tiny $7.70 (incl. GST). And if you dine alone you are kept company by a March 1998 New Woman magazine and the Asian Karaoke video suspended on the wall behind you.



It’s the place I always take my dates to and I’ve never had a complaint.

Thang Huong 2 offers a menu including jelly fish, crocodile, Kangaroo and squid for the adventurous palettes and sweet and sour and black bean for the weak and mild. You can basically become gluttonous to the point of obscenity and still only pay $15.00! Including tip.

The original owner of Thang Huong 2 has since opened up another restaurant on Marrickville Rd (just opposite the REM). He had left the original restaurant to his sister when he retired but told me he got bored of not working and so decided to open up another restaurant.



His photographs of flowers, the Eifell Tower and wedding bouquets that grace the wall of his new restaurant are actually taken by himself.

I love both restaraunts and the new place does an excellent salt & pepper squid.

Just off Marrickville Rd you will find the Bay Than . Legend has it that the Chef used to cook for Vietnamese Royalty. It’s often crowded so make sure you book in early. Further up Marrickville Rd (towards Livingston Rd) you will find Hung Cheung. Its Yum Cha proves its worth in long queues on a weekend.

But potential patrons take note. There are some rules/traditions that one must observe. These include:

Expect your 2002 Majella Coonawarra Shiraz to be poured into a champagne glass.

Best if you take screw top wines. Upon being seated you will be provided with a bottle opener. That’s for you to use, not the staff.

Don’t’ expect serviettes. Instead use the box of tissues that are provided on each of the tables.

Doggy bags are fine. But again, you will be provided with plastic containers for you to fill from your plates.

Ditch the credit card. For some of these noodle bars it’s ‘cash only’.

Forget pre-dinner drinks. Most of these places close at 9:00pm. Yep hat’s right. Just stick to post drinks.

Don’t be a wanker when it comes to your food and wine. These places are cheap and the food is fantastic. Keep your wanking for Balmain/Summer Hill/Annandale

I hope you enjoy my suggestions just remember the 9:00pm curfew!