eat a little, love a lot

THE STORY BEHIND WOLLONGONG’S BELOVED LUNCH SPOT AN CHUT CHUT

Words & images Stefan Posthuma 87a Crown St, Wollongong

Nestled quaintly within the Wollongong Arts Precinct lies one of the Illawarra food scene’s most treasured eateries. An intoxicating cauldron of spice, flavour, tradition, and family – An Chut Chut serves some of the most ethereal Vietnamese cuisine found anywhere in the country (and we’re not joking!)

An Chut Chut (pronounced Ahn Choop Choop) means “eat a little”. The word “An” however is also a term used for peace, while Chut Chut also denotes the sound of kisses in Vietnamese culture. This quirky aggregate of sincerity, tenderness and food perfectly encapsulates the eclectic warmth that welcomes you as you enter.

There’s only one menu. That’s not to say that the menu doesn’t change. It changes every day – but there’s literally just one of them. Hand-written into an exercise book and shared between customers, the 10 or so items are chosen daily by chef and owner Yen Truong based on three things: the weather that day, what was on yesterday, and what she wants to feed the family for dinner.

Space at An Chut Chut is at a premium, so fresh ingredients are truly that. Every morning, Yen and her effervescent daughter Su (who is also the front of house manager) head to the local markets to seek out the fruit and veg for that day’s offering – with what can’t be found in Wollongong gathered in a weekly trip to Cabramatta.The kitchen is filled, and the food is prepped, cooked and sold – and whatever’s left, the family has for dinner. The next day the same again. Gather, cook, repeat. The unfortunate outcome (for us) of this dedication to high quality, fresh ingredients means that An Chut Chut is only open for weekday lunches and special events. This does however provide Yen and partner Dan Bishop the work and family balance that’s been their priority since opening.

Scanning the menu for the first time –and depending on the day – it could seem an interesting but relatively straight-forward Vietnamese affair. But then the food arrives.

Forget the pho you know. Here, heavy earthenware pots brim with tapioca glass noodles that swim in savoury, aromatic broths, between whole basil leaves, knuckles of tender meat and unctuous mouthfuls of glutinous cassava. The vegan pho broth, made with a combination of cabbage, green melon, roasted onion, radish, celery and a generous whack of herbs and spices imported from Yen’s hometown, is so robust and moreish it’s hard to believe it’s free of the bones and cartilage which buttress the carnivore version – a delight in its own right. Crisp bánh xèo rice pancakes are served on woven bamboo trays cradling mounds of spiced pork and fistfuls ofherbs, sprouts, and delicately shaved vegetables.

And then there’s the daily traditional meal. Always on the menu but different every time. A choice between chicken, pork, salmon or vegan – the set comprises 8-10 small bowls and plates that hold an assortment of traditional Vietnamese dishes, sides, snacks, and condiments. Depending on the day you might find salmon wrapped in banana leaf, or glazed chicken thighs grilled over charcoal, served with fragrant rice, a delicate taro soup, snake beans lacquered in spicy sauce, shaved cabbage and vermicelli salad, pickled radish, tofu, and a coconut tapioca dessert to finish. Ludicrously affordable at $20. For the full experience, also be sure to grab a drink from the extensive blackboard list. Made daily by Su and served with a sparkling smile – try the salted kumquat, strawberry and passionfruit or the Jerusalem artichoke tea.

To understand how An Chut Chut came into being, we rewind to Yen’s life in Vietnam and her roots in the hinterland of the central Vietnamese town of Nha Trang. An entrepreneur with a dedication to family and community, here, Yen spent much of her time developing a traditional Vietnamese hamlet that fosters customary ways of living and provides employment to rural townspeople. She also built two restaurants that she still owns. A vegan restaurant called Sen Thien Quan (meaning lotus meditation), created to align with her Buddhist philosophy and love of vegan food, and a traditional restaurant called Nha Trang Xua (Ancient Nha Trang) that pays homage to classical Vietnamese cookery and culture.With a confident palette and an uncompromising dedication to flavour and quality, Yen’s venues put her at the forefront of a renaissance of traditional Vietnamese cuisine. Old-world recipes, brought back to life – and now accounting for a major trend in Vietnamese food culture (as well as the unfamiliarity of the flavours on the An Chut Chut menu).

After coming to Australia, Yen’s partner Dan couldn’t ignore her clear talent in the kitchen and passion for good food, so encouraged her to share her skill and palette with the Illawarra public. And so it went – the summer of 2017 brought the first iteration ofAn Chut Chut.A quaint marquee and some plastic tables at the Sharkies Beach carpark in Coledale. With no social media or marketing campaign to speak of, the first few weeks were rough. But word ofthis unique Vietnamese street stall spread quickly and soon they were dishing out hundreds of meals to hordes of beachgoers in a vibrant Friday night event that became a go-to for many northern suburbanites. It wasn’t long, however, until An Chut Chut 1.0 was shut down, forcing Yen and Dan to explore options for a more permanent home. Once again, with nothing more than a belief in the quality of the food and the power of word of mouth, An Chut Chut opened its doors in their CBD location. And again, it wasn’t long until the word spread.

A couple of years later and An Chut Chut has developed into one of the Illawarra’s most beloved eateries. It’s customers as diverse as its ever-changing menu. It’s the type of place a city is lucky to have. An uncut gem that takes its form when those in charge are driven by more than money and ambition. Leaving us with some of the most interesting and undeniably delicious food found anywhere in the region, or the country. Authenticity and passion is the currency at An Chut Chut – traded with customers who understand that it's not quite like any other restaurant, and loving it for just that – returning time and again to eat a little.

To hear the whole chat, head to www.quicksandfood.com/podcast/ 13-eat-a-little-vietnamese-w-an-chut-chut