All good things must come to an end.
It appears that my local Vietnamese restaurant, the Loi Loi, has closed. The tables are gone. The fridge that held the lettuce leaves and soft drinks. The strange decorations that bedecked the walls - all gone. No more menus on the door, just a 'For Lease' sign and the detritus of unclaimed mail that's been shoved in the door.
The Loi Loi has been an institution down Victoria Street for as long as I can remember. Always busy, normally filled with caucasians (why do I want to call them gringos), it was my local Vietnamese/Chinese take away. Over the years we've seen the kids grow up, going from doing their homework on a back table, to being efficient servers while completing a university degree. The boss was a formidable Vietnamese woman, who, if you were pleasant to her, she was pleasant back. I can imagine she'd be right up you if you gave her any jip.
Their fish ball hot pot was legendary. I still wonder how they castrated all those fish to get their balls.
Looking back, it was a place you wouldn't rave about, but it was my local. I've taken many friends there for a quick dinner over the years. The Min Tan, which is two doors down, is possibly better from the perspective of food, but it isn't the Loi Loi.
And sure, there are plenty of other 'traditional' Vietnamese/Chinese restaurants down Victoria Street - not as many as there were, but the staples, the Tran Tran, Tho Tho, Thy Thy, Pacific Barbeque, Co Do and I Heart Pho are still there. There used to be many more. Most of these have formica tables, a box of tissues on the table for serviettes and variable service, the food is plentiful and not overly pricey, unless you order lobster or specialty market fish. Places where there are more Asian faces than caucasians. Places with arguably better food.
But they're not the Loi Loi.
It's going to be missed.
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