I work nearby East Cafe, and have had my lunch there a few times. It is a pretty new fusion cafe, offering Vietnamese food for lunch menu and Western food for breakfast. East opens from 6:30 am to 4 pm on weekdays, and I was told that they would extend it to 4.30 pm.
Although it has a concept of fusion cafe, East has a variety of affordable Vietnamese dishes which are very authentic. When I am overloaded with work, lunch will usually be a take away and my favourite is their Vietnamese pork Banh Mi ($6.50). Banh Mi is a Vietnamese baguette filled with various meat fillings and typically served with Cilantro, sliced Chilli and mayonnaise. A selection of fillings include Vietnamese pork, roast pork, BBQ pork, grilled chicken, grilled steak, meat balls, vegetarian salad. I always ask for a fresh-made Banh Mi, but if you are in a rush, there is a prepared ones in the fridge as well. $6.50 is definitely a good bargain for lunch around this area.
Decided to try their other dish, I popped in to the store again yesterday and ordered Grilled Pork and Salad spring rolls ($6). There are 4 medium-sized rolls with grilled pork, vermicelli and slices of cucumbers and other vegetables. It also comes with a Hoisin peanut dipping sauce.
The spring rolls tasted fresh, and I found it to be just the right size for lunch. The dipping is creamy, and slightly sweet, and a must-have with the rolls.
East also serves a $3 Vietnamese coffee which I am yet to try. Compared to its western counterparts, Vietnamese coffee is a bit stronger and mixed with condensed milk. $3 for a cup of coffee is perhaps the cheapest one I have found so far.
East serves a good quality of food and is very well-priced as well. It is definitely a good addition, and I hope to see more of this sort of cafe around this area.
East | Cafe & Vietnamese Bistro
