Le Vietnamese Kitchen
Vietnamese Kitchen brings a calm, modern take on Vietnamese cuisine in Auckland, blending classic flavours with a slightly elevated Ponsonby lunch spot feel. If you’re searching for the best Vietnamese restaurant Ponsonby, fresh Asian lunch Auckland or even just “where to eat Vietnamese food near me”, this place lands somewhere between comforting and refined. The crispy roasted duck was a standout, rich and consistent, while the popping prawns lived up to their name in a way that had us talking long after. The fried eggplant and spicy prawn entrees also did their job well, especially when shared across the table in true lunch-and-steal fashion.
It wasn’t without a few talking points though. Food timing arrived in waves and one dish didn’t quite hit the mark on value expectations, though others found plenty to enjoy in the flavours and generous portions. The prawn fried rice was well received with solid flavour and easy comfort appeal, plus a handy reminder that there are plenty of GF options if you’re navigating dietary needs. Service stayed friendly throughout and the space itself makes for a relaxed catch-up spot. All up, a solid Ponsonby Vietnamese lunch spot with moments of brilliance, a few inconsistencies and enough promise that it’s still firmly in the “worth a revisit” category.
Total spend – 5 people – $235.50
Louise had the crispy roasted duck. She said, “Very likely to come again as it is consistently good. Popping prawns were freaking brilliant. Food delivery was staggered to the extent it became a talking point, but otherwise faultless and delicious!”
Mel had lemongrass chicken and some of the shared entrees – deep fried spicy prawn and fried eggplant. She said, “It’s been quite awhile since I’ve dined here, nice to go back. The staff were super friendly and helpful, the food delivery for my dish was a little slow, it would have been better to have all the dishes come out at the same time… maybe it was a hard day in the kitchen! But I really enjoyed the flavours and plentiful quantity.”
Sam had the seasonal fish. He said, “Nice to catch up with Mel’s partner Jase who was in town and have a team lunch out. The food was super average, and underwhelming for me, for the price I expected a lot more.”
Sarah had prawn fried rice. She said, “Lovely service, and great flavours. Good spot if you are ready to share. Gluten-free options are also plentiful here! ”
