Take your pick: the ultra-fresh herbs and cleansing broths of traditional Vietnamese; or a modern twist that delves into other cultures and even fast food.

The two generations of the Pham family have both options in neighbouring properties on Addison Rd.

The legendary Vietnam has been in operation for more than 35 years, as their uniforms proudly proclaim. Yes, the dining room is looking a little tired, with its fish tank, wood-panelled walls and laminated tables, but you won’t notice – or care – as soon as a plate of roll-your-own cold rolls is placed in front of you. The pork meatball version of course, because how can you resist those succulent skewers?

Hanoi-style spring rolls feature minced prawn, vermicelli and mushroom, wrapped in deep-fried rice paper, making them crisper than their Chinese cousins. Wrap them in herbs and a lettuce leaf before dunking them in that zingy dipping sauce.

Lucky diced beef is a must-try, the cubes of scotch fillet given just enough time in the pan, while BBQ lemongrass chicken is also a winner, generous portions of meat served skin-on with a dipping sauce that’s got a bit of kick.

Lightly battered crispy squid is topped with an extra sprinkle of flavour – some onion here, chopped chilli there, and a bit of coriander to keep things fresh.

Viet Next Door, run by brother-and-sister Ben and Linda Pham, offers a very different impression of Asian dining.

The space is small but eye-catching, its design full of meaningful stories and surfaces that demand to be touched (check out the fragments of egg shells inlaid in the tabletops).

Ben’s menu shows a modern disregard for boundaries or borders, mixing and matching what he’s learnt from his mum with what he has seen elsewhere in the world or dreamt up in the middle of the night.

Lightly cured kingfish is tossed with a mix of aromatic leaves, dressed with a ripper ginger nuoc cham, while natural oysters are dressed in vinaigrette and scattered with a finely diced sweet-sour mix of Vietnamese pickles and fresh pineapple that tangos beautifully with the brine.

Finesse gives way to fast food in the cheeseburger spring rolls, fried rice arancini balls and “Wings of Glory”. Even the crab noodles are inspired by Ben’s sojourn in the US.

To finish, a popcorn crème brulee is made up of a lovely delicate custard under a toffee lid sparkling with gold leaf.