Cold Rolls, Sticky Rice and Salad Bowls: Our Menu Explained

Cold rolls are Vietnamese rice paper rolls, served cold and never fried. Sticky rice (xôi) is steamed glutinous rice with a savoury topping. A Vietnamese salad bowl is rice noodles, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs with your choice of meat or veg. All three are on the everyday menu at Asian Tucker in Tanunda, along with spring rolls, pork dimmies, Vietnamese pork meatballs and Vietnamese iced coffee. Here is what each one is and what it costs.

Cold rolls (rice paper rolls)

You might know them as rice paper rolls, fresh rolls or summer rolls. In Vietnam they are gỏi cuốn: fillings such as meat or prawns, vegetables, herbs and rice vermicelli wrapped in soft rice paper, as VietNamNet describes them. They are light, fresh and easy to eat on the go.

Ours come 2 per serve for $8, with a choice of grilled chicken, prawns or vegetarian.

Cold rolls vs spring rolls

This is the question we get most. Cold rolls are fresh: soft rice paper, not cooked after rolling, served cool. Spring rolls are fried until golden and crunchy. Ours are $3 each and they're the spring roll in both meal deals.

Sticky rice (xôi)

Vietnamese sticky rice, xôi, is made from glutinous rice, a short-grain rice that turns soft, dense and sticky when steamed. In Vietnam it is a much-loved street food, often eaten for breakfast, in sweet and savoury versions. Ours is savoury, topped with roast pork, crispy chicken, a combination or vegetarian:

Does glutinous rice contain gluten? Despite the name, no. "Glutinous" describes the sticky texture. The Victorian Government's Better Health Channel lists rice of all types, rice noodles and rice vermicelli as gluten free. What goes on top, and any sauce, is a different question, so if you need to avoid gluten, ring us on 0426 288 098 before you order.

Salad bowls

Our salad bowl is rice noodles, pickled veg and a big handful of fresh herbs, topped with your choice. It is a lighter, fresher way to have roast pork, crispy chicken, a combination or vegetarian.

Dimmies and Vietnamese pork meatballs

For a snack or an add-on: pork dimmies, fried or steamed, are $3 each, and Vietnamese pork meatballs are $5 a stick. Spring rolls ($3 each) sit in the same part of the menu.

Sushi rolls

We also make sushi rolls with a variety of fillings, $4 a roll. Ask at the counter which fillings are ready today.

Vietnamese iced coffee

Vietnamese iced coffee, cà phê sữa đá, is strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk, poured over ice. The classic method, as the Vietnam Tourism guide to Vietnamese coffee explains, drips robusta coffee slowly through a small metal filter called a phin onto condensed milk, which became the go-to because fresh milk was scarce in Vietnam's tropical climate. The result is strong, sweet and very cold. Ours is $6.50, and we also have a range of soft drinks.

Not sure what to order?

• Light and fresh: cold rolls or a salad bowl.
• Filling and comforting: sticky rice, or a buffet plate (Hungry Plate $18 for 1 side and 1 choice; Starving Plate $25 for 1 side and 3 choices, with fried rice, fried noodles or steamed rice as the side).
• Quick and handheld: a bánh mì.
• Something warming: check the Specials Board for phở or chicken laksa.

Prices are subject to change without notice; the menu on our home page is always the latest. We are at Shop 3, 1A Para Road, Tanunda, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. Ring ahead on 0426 288 098 and it'll be waiting.