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A new Vietnamese eatery is taking shape in Goolwa, with Phins preparing to open today and bring a fresh new lunch option to the region.
Adelaide-born chef Aaron Reid is behind the venture, bringing more than 15 years of kitchen experience to the Fleurieu town.
Known in many kitchens as “A-train”, Aaron started out as a dishwasher before working his way through some of Adelaide’s best-known restaurants, including Melt, Press Food & Wine and Osteria Oggi.
Phins was inspired by his longstanding love of Vietnamese and Southeast Asian food, which grew even further while backpacking through the region and eating his way around Vietnam.
“Banh mi in particular… I must have eaten four a day,” Aaron said.
“When I was in Laos, I even found myself teaching a couple of cooking lessons and tending to goats on an organic farm in Vang Vieng.”
Even the name Phins is a nod to Vietnamese food culture, referencing the traditional phin coffee filter used to slowly drip Vietnamese coffee.
“When my fiancée and I moved to this gorgeous area a few years ago, I often found myself driving back to Adelaide to visit my favourite banh mi shops, searching for that perfect roll and Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk),” Aaron said.
The couple felt there was something missing in Goolwa, and when the Cadell Street shopfront became available, Aaron said it felt like “fate had opened a door”.
The result is a small, self-described “hole-in-the-wall banh mi shop” with a simple focus on fresh, full-flavoured Vietnamese favourites.
Bánh mì is the mainstay, with fillings including five-spice crackling pork, grilled lemongrass chicken and lemongrass tofu with mushroom pâté, served with house-made pickled carrot, daikon and pâté.
The menu also features cold rolls, homemade spring rolls, satay chicken lollipops and beef brisket phở with silky fresh noodles. As the team finds its feet, there are plans to gradually expand the range and explore more dishes from the cuisine.
On the drinks side, there’s Vietnamese iced coffee alongside jasmine and honey iced tea, with the current offering entirely non-alcoholic.
Phins officially opens on September 17, serving from 10am to 3pm, Thursday to Monday.
“We hope to bring fresh, full-flavoured and easily accessible food to the local community and share our love for this incredible cuisine,” Aaron said.
“The Fleurieu is beautiful and full of life, the community is full of wonderful and kind people.”
Whether you’re spending the weekend in Goolwa, passing through town or you’re a local looking for something fresh and a little different, Phins hopes to offer another easy lunch option in the heart of town.
When: Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 3pm, and is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Where: 4/22 Cadell Street, Goolwa
For more, click here.
