What is the main difference between phở and laksa?

The broth. Phở has a clear, aromatic broth and comes from northern Vietnam. Laksa has a rich, spicy coconut-milk broth and comes from the Peranakan cooking of Malaysia and Singapore.

No. Laksa comes from the Peranakan (Nyonya) kitchens of Malaysia and Singapore. Phở is the Vietnamese one. We cook South East Asian food, so you will find both on our Specials Board.

Not usually. The broth is mild and aromatic, and people add chilli to taste. Laksa is the spicier of the two.

Do you always have phở and laksa?

No. Phở and chicken laksa rotate on our Specials Board. Ring 0426 288 098 or check our Facebook page to see what's on today.

How much is phở or laksa at Asian Tucker?

Specials don't have a fixed price on our website. Ask when you ring or at the counter.

Phở vs Laksa: What's the Difference?

Phở is a Vietnamese noodle soup: rice noodles in a clear, aromatic broth, usually with beef or chicken, finished with fresh herbs. Laksa is a spicy noodle soup from the Peranakan kitchens of Malaysia and Singapore, made rich with coconut milk and a chilli and dried-shrimp spice paste. One is light and fragrant, the other rich and warming. At Asian Tucker in Tanunda both turn up on our Specials Board, but they rotate, so ring 0426 288 098 or check our Facebook page to see what's on today.

What is phở?

Phở is probably Vietnam's best-known dish after bánh mì. Vietnam Investment Review describes it as "a simple yet deceptively complex dish of noodles served with beef or chicken in a hot bowl of broth", and notes that historians believe it was first made popular in Hanoi and Nam Định, in Vietnam's north, during the French colonial period. In 2024 Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism added Hanoi phở and Nam Định phở to the country's list of national intangible cultural heritage.

The "simple" part is what you see in the bowl: broth, soft rice noodles, sliced meat, herbs and onion. The "complex" part is the broth, which is where all the time goes.

On our board, phở is listed as Vietnamese beef noodle soup.

A bowl of beef phở at Asian Tucker in Tanunda, with sliced beef, onion and spring onion in a clear broth — Phở: clear broth, rice noodles, sliced beef and fresh greens.

What is laksa?

Laksa is a spicy noodle soup found across Malaysia and Singapore. Singapore's National Heritage Board (Roots.sg) describes it as a spicy soup built on coconut milk, dried shrimp, fishcake and prawns, served with thick rice noodles. It is a dish of the Peranakan (Nyonya) kitchen, created as Chinese immigrants combined local spices with Chinese cooking methods and ingredients. The National Heritage Board lists it as part of Singapore's intangible cultural heritage, and the Katong neighbourhood, once the centre of Singapore's Peranakan community, is still famous for it.

There are plenty of regional styles. Ours is a chicken laksa: rich, coconutty, and proper warming on a cold Barossa day.

A bowl of chicken laksa at Asian Tucker in Tanunda, with sliced chicken, greens and spring onion in a golden coconut broth — Chicken laksa: a golden, coconutty broth.

Phở vs laksa side by side

How phở and laksa compare
	Phở	Laksa
Comes from	Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Nam Định)	Peranakan cooking of Malaysia and Singapore
Broth	Clear and aromatic	Rich, creamy, coconut milk with a spice paste
Noodles	Rice noodles	Usually thick rice noodles
Usual protein	Beef or chicken	Prawns, fishcake, or chicken in many versions
Heat	Gentle; add chilli to taste	Spicy by tradition
On our board as	Vietnamese beef noodle soup	Chicken laksa

Which should I order?

Choose phở if you want something lighter and clean-tasting, where the broth does the talking.
Choose laksa if you want rich, creamy and warming, with a bit of spice.
Can't decide? Ask us. If only one is on the board that day, the decision is made for you.

Why aren't they always on?

Phở and chicken laksa are specials, not fixed menu items. They rotate on our Specials Board, so the best way to find out what's on today is to ring the shop on 0426 288 098 or check our Facebook page, where we post specials. Specials don't have a fixed price on our website, so just ask when you call.

If neither is on, the everyday menu still has plenty of noodles and rice: salad bowls with rice noodles, sticky rice, and our build-it-your-way buffet plates with fried rice, fried noodles or steamed rice. Our menu guide explains each one.

Phở packed to take away from Asian Tucker, with noodles, beef and onion in one container and the broth in a separate cup — Phở to take away, with the broth packed separately.

Where to find them in Tanunda

We are at Shop 3, 1A Para Road, Tanunda, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (closed weekends and all public holidays). We are a takeaway with no online ordering, so call ahead and your bowl will be ready when you are.