sydney dining: tran’s vietnamese restaurant, mosman

If you have celebrated your restaurant’s 30th anniversary at the very same spot, then you should be doing something right, right?

Chef Lanna Tran opened her doors in the heart of Mosman in 1995, and it’s still going strong, serving traditional Vietnamese dishes.

I must admit, there are many things I absolutely LOVE about Tran’s. Shall I start?

Separate Plant-Based Menu
Offering a separate plant-based menu is something most restaurants miss—Asian or otherwise. Some restaurants don’t even mark the vegetarian or vegan dishes.

Homemade Tofu
Fresh tofu is made here every week. During our conversations, Lanna told us that they had to buy a tofu press during COVID and had started making their own fresh tofu. Sometimes, they run out, and it puzzles their customers because you can buy tofu at the supermarkets easily, but that’s not the case here. Supermarket tofu is completely different to freshly made tofu. If you try one of the dishes featuring tofu at Tran’s, you’ll see the difference.

Fresh Ingredients
I’m such a sucker for garnish, but it needs to be fresh, not some dehydrated floss. At Tran’s, every dish is topped up with fresh coriander, chilli, shallots and beautiful, fragrant herbs such as Vietnamese mint or lemon balm. Lanna makes me want to go grocery shopping with her!

Lanna’s Personality and Her Wine Recommendations
Lanna lights up the room with her infectious smile and engages with everyone who’s dining at Tran’s. And, she definitely knows about her wine and which wines go well with which dishes. Her recommendations are always welcome.

Here’s what we had so far:

Pancakes
I remember the first time I ever had Vietnamese pancakes. It was at Loving Hut at Cabramatta and then at Hanoi on Manning in Kiama. I was totally hooked!

At Tran’s, there are two different kinds of Vietnamese pancakes, and I like them both for different reasons.

Crispy Pancake
This one is one of Tran’s house specialities, and it’s a unique pancake served with tofu, wild mushrooms, and fresh sprouts with crisp lettuce and homegrown mint and herbs.

Minh Mang Pancake
Corn and turmeric fusion pancake served with freshly grated beetroot and toasted coconut.

Tran’s House Speciality: Vietnamese Ravioli
Freshly made on the day, rice flour parcel filled with a combination of vegetable compote and fresh Vietnamese herbs served with mint, cucumber and coconut milk.

Tran’s Mains
There are two gluten-free lemongrass tofu dishes on the menu—Quang Minh Tofu and Lemongrass Tofu—and I tried them both.

Quang Minh Tofu
This is a drier version of the two, and yet it heats up well the next day if you have leftovers.

Quang Minh Tofu (above): Lemongrass-infused tofu pan-fried in sesame oil and served with sauteed bok choy and soy sauce.

Lemongrass Tofu
Tofu sautéed with fragrant lemongrass, tender eggplant, fresh coriander, and a touch of chilli, served with a light sauce.

Hoi An Vegetable Curry
A mild curry made with seasonal vegetables, tofu, creamy coconut milk and fresh Vietnamese mint.

Green Buddha
Wok-tossed brussels sprouts, green beans, and king mushrooms, topped with fresh coriander and Tran’s lemon pepper sauce.

Cassava Rice Noodles
Glass noodles stir-fried with bok choy, tofu, shallot, coriander and soy sauce.

Tran’s Side Dishes
Brown rice infused with vegetable stock, topped with roasted coconut and toasted sesame seeds for a delicate nutty finish. This one changes the steamed rice game forever!

Steamed Sugar Snap Peas
This is a seasonal dish. You only get it if the sugar snap peas are in season.

Tran’s Plant-Based Special
Lanna told us to try their plant-based special and I’m glad we did!

Bun Chay: lemongrass, tofu, rice noodles, daikon, napa cabbage, carrot, mint, soy sauce dressing.

Tran’s Vietnamese Restaurant is one of those places I would definitely recommend. Try it and thank me later. It’s open from Tuesdays to Sunday and can be found at:
523 Military Road, Mosman 2088
Website