Culinary experts are open to change and new tastes. They also are paid, experienced and cultured individuals. By every definition of the phrase, I am not a culinary expert.
But if fatty American franchises are my forte. This clearly couldn’t be maintained, so naturally, I was delighted at the opportunity to try out the new Vietnamese restaurant Pang. My trusty vegetarian friend and I made the 15-minute walk from the Arts Block to the promising establishment.
At first glance, I was immediately impressed by Pang’s sleek storefront. The chic exterior is complemented by a trendy white interior. Like other enterprises frequented by students, Pang has seats for about six customers lined against the window. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by the sociable owner, Barry Wallace. Wallace is one of the easiest going and friendliest individuals I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. He greeted every customer with an enthusiastic grin and cheerfully explained the menu.
Wallace is an innovator. He opened a fish and chips-based concept in Belgium which blossomed, resulting in an expansion to several locations across Belgium and the UK. Ultimately a home bird, Wallace returned to Ireland with a new venture. He took the concept of the business – rice paper rolls – from a trend he spotted in Australia 15 years ago.
Originally a Vietnamese snack, the rice paper roll was brought to Australia and enlarged, making it ideal for lunchtime dining. Restaurants serving the dish were popping up across the world, so Wallace and his business partner Colum O’Brien seized the opportunity by becoming the first rice paper roll restaurant in Ireland.
The menu is divided into three categories, rice paper rolls being the main focus and báhn mì and pho being the other two equally inviting subsections. The báhn mì was a personal favourite of Wallace and he felt as though nowhere in Dublin was doing it justice, leading him to include it on his new venture’s menu. The pho is a noodle soup served either with vegetables or chicken.
I ordered a satay chicken rice paper roll and a lemongrass chicken báhn mì while my friend ordered a vegan pho, ensuring we got the full culinary experience. I admit I was initially apprehensive, but this soon faded as I took my first bite. The satay chicken was complemented by apple, noodles, mint and cucumber.
Although not something I would normally order I was pleasantly surprised with the unfamiliar taste. The rice paper roll was more sizeable than I had imagined although a single roll would likely not be enough to completely satisfy your lunchtime hunger, making the €4 price tag a potential issue for students on a tight budget. The peanut hoisin sauce served with the rice paper roll, in my eyes, was responsible for how enjoyable I found the dish to be as it seemed to unify the tastes within.
While I enjoyed the rice paper rolls, it was the báhn mì that solidified my status as a future loyal patron. No other sandwich will compare to the crispy baguette, filled with the succulent chicken, inviting hoisin mayo and the subtle yet flavoursome carrots, jalapenos and pickles. I’m in full agreement with Wallace’s love for báhn mì as it is a sandwich done right, all for the reasonable price of €6 – a small sum considering both the size and substance of the sandwich.
The pho, unsurprisingly, complimented the other food categories and was as tasty a soup as €8 can buy, with the vegan version containing mushrooms, snow peas and glass noodles all amounting to a Vietnamese culinary delight.
My experience in Pang was so positive that I feel it will be days, perhaps even weeks, before I succumb to the allure of fast food once more. Pang offers a top-class Vietnamese dining experience at an affordable price. Wallace aims to rollout Pang nationwide in the coming years and, honestly, I wish him the best of luck.
