Vanessa de Largie | Topic Media | August 21, 2014
Chumanchu (formerly known as Fu Manchu) is a Vietnamese restaurant/café situated on Gilbert Road in Preston. Open from early morning till nigh, Chumanchu caters for breakfast, lunch and tea with coffee and cocktails in between. I wouldn’t call the menu authentic Vietnamese but rather delicious Asian fusion.
The restaurant’s spacious and open-plan décor makes it a perfect dining choice for parents with prams. For the often neglected smokers amongst us, the well-heated outside area with ashtrays is a welcome change.
The breakfast menu boasts an array of scrumptious scoffs such as pastries, muffins, fruit toast, pancakes and the traditional Viet breakfast – Pho. For brunch, lunch or a late afternoon catch-up with friends, may I suggest a few entrees with a coffee or cocktail?
On our most recent visit, my friend and I feasted on Chumanchu’s prawn dumplings and vegetarian spring rolls. Freshly made and served with the appropriate garnish and condiments – they really hit the spot and are surprisingly filling.
The cocktail list is insane with an option to suit every taste. I’ve dutifully sampled them all and highly recommend the Miss Saigon – full of lychee liqueur goodness.
The Northern suburbs (particularly Preston) can feel starved of likeable places to dine. Chumanchu is a welcome and over-due development for locals.
Chumanchu
2 Gilbert Road, Preston
facebook.com/Fumanchupreston