Hem 27

Perfect pho broth, decent amount of fillings and can accommodate if you like it extra spicy (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Stuffed chicken wings were light and tastey.

Overall experience was perfect for cold weather, reasonably priced. Service was quick which is always a plus. Would recommend.

Ok, but things can start to get untidy when restaurants stray from the well worn path. There is certainly room for menu adventure, but some things shouldn’t be tampered with. Not sure quite what was going on with the soft shell crab noodle soup. The pho was two-dimensional. I’ve had much better on Victoria Street.

We had one of the Chef's specials of Hem 27, or alleyway 27 in Vietnamese, which is their Banh canh cua (which translates to crab noodle soup). As the name implies, it is a soup made with a thick, tapioca noodles (banh canh) in a broth and topped with thinly sliced pork belly, slices of round pork loaf, crab and shrimp balls, crab stick and the star of the dish - soft-shelled crab. The pork and shrimp broth had a bright, orange colour, with a rich, silky creamy texture. The broths texture complimented the texture of the tapioca noodles which are chewy.

We also enjoyed the Com Chien Tom Cua (Fried Rice With Shrimp And Crab) which is a hearty fried rice with an appetising colour and served with a side of fresh salad that makes the meal more delicious and attractive. The dish had plenty of shrimp and a generous serving of plump prawns cooked to prefection, but the flavour of crab was too suble to notice.

For dessert, we tried the steamed banana cake (Banh Chuoi Hap) which is topped with creamy coconut sauce. This wonderful sweet treat is typically prepared for Lunar New Year / Tet. Sweet ripened bananas are encased in a layer of sticky rice and black beans and then wrapped in banana leaves. The results are a deliciously, glutinous sweet cake with an intriguing pop of color and heavenly aroma. Something magical happens to the bananas during the cooking process and they turn a beautiful shade of pinkish-red. If you’re not prepared for it, the rosy color may surprise you but that’s the intended result.

The staff were attentive and polite. The ambiance aimed for is rustic alleyway-style, and this extends to the stools around the tiny tables, the downside being that the stools with their flat wooden seats become uncomfortable to sit on after a while. However, this may be intentional and in keeping with the theme - hawker-style food with quick turnover.

While the food was delicious and authentic, I felt that the spices and heat were subdued, compared to Vietnamese restaurants in Box Hill, Springvale, Footscray, or St Albans. Overall a pleasant dining experience.

Well situated at the Showgrounds Village, Hem 27 offers a variety of deliciously made Vietnamese Food.
Also, as shown by the Female waitresses, the service is very friendly and focused to cater for the needs of its patrons.
If its Vietnamese Food that you are looking for, then Hem 27 is a place that cannot be missed, as it is Right up there with the best.

Best Vietnamese restaurant in Melbourne. Fortunate to be so close to this gem but disappointed we didn't try it earlier!

Vermicelli salad w Shrimp Surimi (prawn mince wrapped in bean curd sheet - YUM)! > It had carrot, cucumber, peanuts, fried shallots, a few bean shoots, HEAPS of shredded Iceberg lettuce (too much). Dressing was good & VERY spicy! NO HERBS so pinched a few from J’s pho. Despite this, overall it was still good due to the dressing & surimi!

Ordered from Hem 27 via doordash and was pleasantly greeted with an authentic, decently priced experienced. I had the combination vermicelli noodle salad which featured new nuong (vietnamese smoky pork skewers), pork chop and spring rolls which were all very good and reminiscent of the home cooked experience. Also had the mock char siu and fried tofu salad which is an excellent vegetarian alternative. I would say overall the food was very good but a bit pricey for the portions provided compared to similar places nearby. However the menu is extensive with many options to explore so would recommend.

Initially wasn’t a fan (their pho is good but not amazing) but their water spinach noodle soup, net spring rolls and avo smoothies are unbeatable. Also recommend the soft shell crab noodles (husband’s favourite).

Fantastic food, price, portions and service. Soft Shell Crab and Spicy Beef Soup are my favourite dishes! If you want something not as rich, their Crispy Chicken Pho is delicious.

Haven't had a bad meal here, recommend highly if you're into Vietnamese food of any variety.

Food was un-authentic, bland, and poorly put together.
Noodle salad: barely any actual salad; pork sausage was mediocre. The attempt at Nuoc Cham was utterly tasteless (apart from the chilli which made it too hot).
Curry noodle: tasted like it was made from a supermarket jar, and had barely any chicken.
Smoothie: disgusting. The condensed milk made it way too sweet, and they somehow thought it a good idea to serve it in a disposable plastic cup (even though we were eating in). Also the bendy plastic straw was completely useless for such a thick shake.
Real Viet food is bursting with zesty, fresh flavours. It's also super easy to get right so I don't know what the hell these guys are doing. Definitely won't be back here again.

Thank you for the awesome service and food. The pandemic hasn't hampered the taste/presentation or the level of service offered. Keep up the good work

5/5 for consistency, service and food taste.
Hope they always remain this good.

The best Saigon-Style Broken Rice with The Lot Com Tam in Melbourne ($13.80). Worth every cent.

Com Tam came beautifully packed in their own glazed cardboard box - broken rice with slices of lap cheong, grilled pork chop, Vietnamese pickled salad, fried egg, nuoc cham, meatloaf, shredded pork skin.

Could eat this everyday.

Authentic and tasty dishes, can easily recommend any of the noodle soups.
They accept Liven Pay also.

Loved this little gem tucked away in the little corner of the Flemington showground village. This place has also been rated as one of the cheapeats option by Good Food. Love how they have a decent variety on the menu and the soft shell crab tapioca noodle soup is a must try if you are visiting for the first time.

They do have a good variety on the menu with specials on the board as well

Large range of both traditional and modernised delicious dishes! My favourite thing to get here is the crab net spring rolls! They nail it!

Great Vietnamese cuisine. Has many unique dishes not seen in most Viet restaurants. Prices are moderate (more exxy than Footscray but cheaper than the city). Quality is consistent and flavours are balanced. Best dish is the broken skin spring rolls- crispy, light, melt in your mouth goodness.

Friendly folk doing some great regional dishes. Will be back to continue making my way through their menu.

Bùn was fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. I definitely want to try their shaved ice dessert next time as it looked yummy!

Always love coming here. The food never disappoints. Service is generally pretty quick, and the overall cost is reasonable. The only downside is the location, with its scenic view of the picturesque shopping centre carpark.

OMG! This is the WORST Vietnamese restaurant I ever ate! Ordered fish hotpot from something to share menu, the portion is pathetic for the price they charged. Definitely not enough for sharing between two people! Lucky that we are not chocked from the small fish bones. Also ordered small beef pho soup only. The supposedly rare beef is overcooked and hard! Would have given 0 star if possible. Avoid this establishment at all cost!