Decisions are made at the table Vietnam Restaurant
The Phan family, joined by Hieu Van Le AC and Ted Byrd.
Vietnam Restaurant sits unassumingly on Addison Road in Pennington, a favourite with families, haunted by countless politicos and Adelaide’s business set since its origins in the early 80s.
The humble façade reveals little, but step inside this long-serving culinary institution and a rich history is proudly displayed. Framed newspaper clippings crowd the walls, recounting the bold decision of a young Vietnamese tailor named Phan Quang Dinh to leave behind his homeland of Vietnam, taking to the sea in a small wooden fishing boat in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
For forty years now, Vietnam Restaurant has been more than just a place to eat. It’s a monument to the hard-work and resilience of three generations of the Dinh family, and their decision to enrich our community through the sharing of their culture
The perilous journey to Darwin would ultimately be rewarded, though not before many years of hard work. Initially working menial jobs before relocating to South Australia, Mr Dinh’s story of betterment and bootstrapping, ultimately leading to his taking over of South Australia’s first Vietnamese restaurant in 1984, is an inspirational one by any definition.
It is a story not dissimilar to that of the man who would become South Australia’s 35th Governor, Mr Hieu Van Le AC, with a similar future of grit, growth, and defining decisions ahead of him.
When, in February of 2024, Mr Dinh suffered a feared-to-be terminal health scare, it was natural that the Dinh family would draw close. What they didn’t anticipate was the shifting of the community around Vietnam Restaurant; an influx of well-wishers, visitors, and messages of support rolled in, including those of some of South Australia’s most prominent decision-makers. Expressions of gratitude for years spent bartering, brokering, and breaking bread (or rather, spring rolls) while enjoying the Dinh family’s hospitality.
“For forty years now, Vietnam Restaurant has been more than just a place to eat. It’s a monument to the hard-work and resilience of three generations of the Dinh family, and their decision to enrich our community through the sharing of their culture”, said Mr Le.